The Mattapoisett Planning Board met on Monday for two continued discussions and a vote on new filing requirements for the board.
Talks began with a continued discussion regarding the Draft Cottage Housing Bylaw. Research and examinations of such a bylaw began by the board in early May. Member William Wennerberg stated he wanted to “talk through each part” in order to make sure each item is agreed upon by the board members as to have it done and ready for a public hearing. Most discussion and change revolved around wording, grammar, and consistency in the document. Member Karen Field mentioned the town’s lack of affordable housing, making the passing of the bylaw paramount to rectifying this issue and others.
On cars and parking, Wennerberg stated each house should be allotted room for two cars and “we should come up with a calculation that says, if there’s eight houses in a development, there should be four additional parking spaces beyond that” to account for guests. For garage additions, member John Mathieu highlighted the importance of maintaining the existing house’s style for such an add-on, saying, “the garages have to be the architectural standard of the house.” A public hearing on the bylaw will likely be scheduled during the next meeting.
Next was another continued discussion with a vote, this time on filing requirements. The Planning Board approved the new filing requirements as written, with a unanimous vote.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, October 20 at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall Conference Room and remotely on Zoom.
Mattapoisett Planning Board
By Sam Bishop