The Mattapoisett Town Hall conference room was once again filled with people whose vested interests in the successful completion of Brandt Point Village seemed the key point.
On December 5 by invitation, the Planning Board met yet again with developer Armand Cotellesso, Marc Marcus of Omega Financial, Attorney John McGreen, Mattapoisett Highway Surveyor Barry Denham, Mattapoisett’s designated oversight engineer Ken Motta of Field Engineering, and Al Loomis of McKenzie Engineering, who has worked on the project for several years through several owners. Several residents from Phase 1 of the project were also seated.
Town Counsel Jonathan Silverstein was present to help navigate this latest attempt on the part of the Planning Board to achieve firm timelines from the developers for completion of specific aspects of Phase 1.
The objective was clear: get things done on Phase 1 or establish firm deadlines on previously promised line items, and in exchange, receive building permits for speculative build-outs in Phase 2.
Along with Chairman Tom Tucker, the full Planning Board was in attendance that included Karen Field, Nathan Ketchel, Janice Robbins, and Gail Carlson, who is also a resident of the sub-division and an outspoken advocate for the residents of Phase 1.
Before the discussion got underway, Tucker reminded Carlson that she could not vote on any matter regarding the sub-division but was welcome to speak as a private citizen.
Silverstein detailed specific incomplete items on Phase 1 as: 1) septic testing; 2) roadway repairs; 3) guardrails; 4) positioning and installation of mail kiosk; 5) installation of lights; 6) storm water catch basin covers; and 7) landscaping of common areas.
Cotellesso said, “Every time we fix something, we find other problems,” indicating why previous promises to complete some items had not been done during the summer months.
Asked by Tucker when things would get done, McGreen testily replied, “We set the timeframe in the tri-party agreement. We are here as a courtesy to you.”
McGreen pointed out the financial assurances Cotellesso and Marcus put in place.
“You had no teeth,” said McGreen. “We put up $1.5 million. We put our money where our mouth is. We have a timeframe of August 2018!”
Tucker was looking for more immediate results.
For an hour, the parties hammered out when the punch-list of to-dos would be completed. Most items received a June 1 deadline.
Tucker agreed that if the developer completes all items by the deadlines, then the Planning Board would advise the building department so that occupancy permits could be issued on any homes sold in Phase 2.
In the meantime, Tucker said a letter would be drafted to the building department so that building permits for structures in Phase 2 could be issued.
Later in the evening, Robbins asked about the tri-party agreement, saying it is normally an arrangement between the lender, a bank, and the developer; however, in this case it appeared that the developer and the lender were one and the same.
“This company could go out of business tomorrow,” said Robbins.
She asked Tucker, “You don’t require a bank?” Tucker said no and deferred to the fact that town counsel had reviewed the contract.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for December 19 at 7:00 pm in the town hall conference room.
By Marilou Newell