Ancient Way a Path for Development

A property owner looking to divide his property into three lots under an eventual Approval Not Required application first met with the Rochester Planning Board on Tuesday, March 10 seeking guidance on roadway alterations and safety.

Bill Goodman of 70 Parlowtown Road, a continuing gravel road at the end of Dexter Road, wants to divide his roughly 12 acres into three lots, leaving his residence with seven acres and creating two buildable lots of about two acres each.

Goodman said his 15-foot gravel drive is an ‘ancient way,’ which would be exempt from the Town’s bylaw regulating dead end roads.

Goodman’s plan includes widening the gravel way that continues after his house to accommodate the two new lots and adding a hammerhead turnaround at the end.

“The thought is that … keeping it a gravel road,” said Goodman, “would keep that backwoods-type feeling of the area. It’s very wooded and reserved back there.”

Planning Board Chairman Arnold Johnson said Goodman would essentially need documentation that the drive is, in fact, an ancient way and proof of the formation of a homeowners association to assign responsibility of the private road’s maintenance to the homeowners.

Goodman’s plan will also require a nod from the Fire Department for safety before the ANR application is granted. Johnson said lately the Fire Department has favored an 18-foot drive over Goodman’s existing 15-foot drive.

Johnson said he would check with town counsel as to how Goodman should proceed with a maintenance agreement for the private way so Goodman could advance in the application process.

Also during the meeting, Town Planner Mary Crain updated the board on her recent site plan technical review with Blue Wave Capital Solar for its plan to build a solar energy facility off Braley Hill Road.

Crain said a concern over rear access behind the proposed solar arrays is sending the engineers back to the drawing board to rework the plan to make improvements for emergency and fire access.

“And of course this has to go before the ZBA for change of use,” said Johnson. “They can run that application concurrently with ours as they’ve done in the past.”

The matter will not appear before the Planning Board until the snow melts for flagging of the wetlands and other aspects of Blue Wave Capital Solar’s plan.

In other matters, Crain said the mailing to invite residents living within and near the Limited Commercial District to a public forum to discuss the proposed bylaw amendments is about ready to be mailed out.

The board has set the date for Saturday, March 28. In addition to the mailing, the forum notice will be posted and publically announced in a press release in local publications.

Before adjourning, the board briefly discussed a 166-acre property on Snipatuit Road for sale with areas of the property subject to regulations under the Mattapoisett River Valley District, the Rochester Groundwater Protection District, and the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program.

The Town of Rochester has the right of first refusal on the land, which prompted Planning Board member Susan Teal to suggest forwarding the matter to the Rochester Lands Trust for consideration. The Town has 120 days to consider purchasing the land for conservation.

The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board is scheduled for March 23 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

By Jean Perry

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