Once again the Mattapoisett Planning Board met with Brad Saunders, managing partner of D & E Management, LLC regarding proposed bylaw changes for the Town Meeting warrant – changes that he deemed necessary and improvements to several existing zoning bylaws.
Having failed at the Fall Town Meeting to garner voters’ approval of the changes, Saunders returned to the Planning Board over the winter, this time receiving their willingness to sponsor the bylaw amendments. Thus, the public vetting process began again and then concluded on April 6.
The amendments Saunders proposes would change the following: zones designated as general business districts would be made available for cluster housing projects; zero-lot line structures would be allowed as a design option up to 20 percent of a permitted cluster subdivision where served by public sewer service; and limited industrial districts could be counted for open space calculations for cluster housing projects.
In the audience were residents Bonne DeSousa and Brad Hathaway, whose questions were answered with clarity by Saunders, causing DeSousa to infer that had she been more fully informed, her resistance during the last Town Meeting might not have been necessary.
Hathaway voiced his concern that business districts should be used for businesses and not housing, causing Chairman Tom Tucker to comment, “You are reversing yourself, Brad.” Tucker said, “I’m sure you’d rather see houses than businesses,” which Hathaway agreed was true.
Tucker once again reminded the public that nothing was being voted on at the Planning Board meeting, and the voters at Town Meeting will determine all bylaw decisions.
There were some humorous asides when the problem of arbitrary zoning lines was brought up by member John Mathieu, with Highway Surveyor Barry Denham saying it would have been easier if the Pilgrims had established the zoning districts versus establishing lot lines.
Late into the evening, the problem with the subdivision at Brandt Island Road was again kicked around with resident Paul Osenkowski for a third time demanding that the board seek a Cease and Desist Order. Tucker said he would talk to the town administrator the following day to pursue that course of action.
Denham added that one of the roads in the subdivision had a failure of about 40-feet during the winter thaw, causing the board to ask him why he hadn’t brought this to their attention. He retorted swiftly, “I’ve been telling you guys!”
Board secretary Tammy Ferreira said he had not told her in what was to have been Denham’s weekly report on the construction activity at this site. That prompted Osenkowski to gesture and state, “This is going off the cliff.” Tucker said he would get back to Osenkowski after speaking with the town administrator.
In other business, Tom Brownell of Mattapoisett Self Storage had an informal discussion with the board about his plans to add two additional buildings at his industrial park site.
Todd Rodrigues of Yard Boss came in to informally discuss his plans to add two office buildings at his Route 6 location, with the possibility of courtyard style parking.
Also, Brian Grady of G.A.F. Engineering returned to tell the board that the engineered water management plans for the Appaloosa Lane subdivision had been completed with the assistance of the town’s engineering firm, Field Engineering. He will return for the May 4 Planning Board meeting to inform them when construction will begin.
DeSousa asked if the board had received a response from town council on the board’s ability to still weigh in on the Goodspeed Island private pier. Ferreira said she did not receive a response to the three emails she had sent requesting guidance.
Due to a holiday on April 20, the next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for May 4 at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall conference room.
By Marilou Newell
