Highway Surveyor Barry Denham met with the Mattapoisett Planning Board during its July 6 meeting to request approval of plans for the rebuilding of the Acushnet Road culvert. The project has been inching its way through time-consuming processes required by several state agencies. With the acceptance of the town’s plans that have been executed by Ken Motta of Field Engineering, the Planning Board was the last of local boards from which Denham needed approval.
Denham said, “The goal is to keep the site much as it is now…” in terms of the appearance of this scenic way and historic location.
Denham also told the board that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation has requested additional stream flow data, but didn’t indicate that this request would hinder the forward movement of the plans through the levels of state review where it currently sits.
Also meeting with the board for an informal discussion was David McIntire regarding 32 house lots inside the Bay Club subdivision. He said, “I didn’t want to move forward, spend money if there were stumbling blocks,” as he explained changes he wishes to make to the plans.
Presently, the neighborhood in question is planned as a street containing 32 single-family house lots. Now, with the recent changes to zoning bylaws, he proposed changing those plans to 16 zero lot line condominium duplex structures. McIntire put to rest concerns that the proposed condominiums would be timeshares or rental units. He said the homeowner’s association covenants that regulate ownership inside the Bay Club do not allow rental units.
The board members saw nothing objectionable about the proposed changes to the type of housing units McIntire wishes to build.
The Mattapoisett Congregational Church, represented by Engineer Doug Schneider, presented a Form A request to section land held by them for a deeded parking space. The area is currently part of a deed for 20 Barstow Street, a property the church owns, but has historically been used by the church for parking. The change would allow the parking area to become permanently part of the church property versus part of the residential lot. The board approved the request.
The board also voted to allow the last lot held in Phase I of the Brandt Island subdivision to be released for sale. It moved that proceeds be held in escrow so that the funds could be used to make improvements and complete the construction of the Phase I roadway.
The condition of the roadway and possible irregularities in the handling of drainage systems in this subdivision have long been bones of contention between town boards and various developers over the years. Town counsel will advise the board on how the funds will be held.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for July 20 at 7:00 pm in the Mattapoisett Town Hall conference room.
By Marilou Newell
