The Mattapoisett Select Board spent the better part of its January 11 meeting discussing vacancies that have remained open for many months – a conservation agent and a town planner.             Coming before the board were Janice Robbins and Nathan Ketchel of the Planning Board and Mike King and David Lawrence of the Conservation Commission. […] Read more »

It took months of preparation and hours of meetings and negotiations, but on January 4, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) received an Order of Conditions from the Rochester Conservation Commission for the construction of a secondary access roadway, a retaining wall and various utility upgrades for property located at 45 Kings Highway.             At […] Read more »

            The Marion Pathways Committee met on December 22 via Zoom to provide members an update of the bike path that in collaboration with the South Coast Bikeway Alliance will continue from the paved portion at the Mattapoisett town line and continue east to Point Road.             In 2020, Marion submitted a 75-percent plan of […] Read more »

            Eileen Marum came away from a state-sponsored, Citizen Planner Training Collaborative session eager to share the concept of design review as the work of a potential committee in Marion.             The mission of a design-review board would be to engage in “a process that municipalities can implement to improve the quality of structures,” Marum […] Read more »

            The Mattapoisett Planning Board has been struggling to keep business flowing in the absence of a town planner or administrator.             Former Town Administrator Mike Gagne had been filling in for months after the departure of Mary Crain. Gagne, however, recently advised the town he would need to terminate his assistance having taken a […] Read more »

            Fieldstone Lane residents who complained during the Zoning Board of Appeals’ December 23 public meeting about their predicament in the wake of developer Ken Steen’s requirement that they establish a homeowners’ association by January 1, 2022 in order to avoid a breach of contract were heard on Tuesday night by the Marion Select Board. […] Read more »

            Rochester Select Board member Woody Hartley reported during Monday night’s Select Board meeting that the Rochester Senior Center will be closed until January 18 due to the spike in COVID-19 cases.             “A lot of cases in Rochester right now. Most seniors have been vaccinated, but this spreads so quickly and easily,” said Hartley, […] Read more »

            The proposed solar array planned for acreage off Randall Lane received an Order of Conditions during the December 27 meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission. Coming before the commission were Caroline Booth and Eric Las, whose only words on this night were “Thank you.”             During the previous commission meeting, the public hearing was […] Read more »

            The solid wall on the north side of Arthur Solomon’s outdoor kitchen and extended patio at 538 Point Road was given the green light by the Marion Conservation Commission after it was determined during the commission’s December 23 meeting that any deflection of stormwater would be funneled to the front of his property.             […] Read more »

            Before attorney Mark Bobrowski finished presenting developer Ken Steen’s case for a revision of water-metering practices at Marion Village Estates, he told the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals that a vote to consider the revision a “substantial” change would motivate Steen’s next-day appeal to the state Housing Appeals Committee.             “That’s how we intend […] Read more »