The Rochester Planning Board Tuesday approved the waivers and began the draft decision phase for the Special Permit and Site Plan Review permit for Logging Swamp Solar’s plan to install a solar panel array on 49 acres in the area of 600 Snipatuit Road. Project representative Zach Farkes of Rewild Renewables began the discussion […] Read more »
The Marion Board of Health met on December 11 in the Town Hall Annex and approved a preliminary fiscal 2027 budget increase of 2.8-percent. Health Director Lori Desmarais noted that the largest increase will be connected to an initiative to create online permitting. She said that it costs $6,750 to start-up the process around […] Read more »
The Marion Planning Board met on Monday for a continued public hearing on the proposed adoption of stormwater management regulations to the Stormwater Management Bylaw. First, the board approved the payment of an invoice to Toll Brothers Inc. for a Field Engineering Peer Preview of an unspecified amount. Then, they moved to the Public […] Read more »
The Marion Select Board met on Tuesday for a Public Hearing for tree removal on Point Road and Washburn Park Road, as well as some other routine business and community updates. The board began with the chair of the Open Space Acquisition Commission, John Rockwell, being phoned in by Select Board Chair Randy Parker […] Read more »
The Marion Zoning Board of Appeals in the Police Station’s conference room on December 11 approved a variance for Heron Cove Estates, a proposed development that has changed from 125 proposed apartment units to 57 town houses. The ZBA at a joint-meeting with the Select Board on November 13 discussed whether the ZBA could […] Read more »
The Rochester Select Board’s biggest move Monday was to invite Old Rochester Regional School District Superintendent Michael Nelson to its January 20 meeting to learn more about ORR High School’s plan to accept Acushnet students in the 2026-27 academic year. Member Brad Morse began the discussion by noting he has seen too many social-media […] Read more »
In a room packed with grumbling neighbors, Rochester’s Zoning Board of Appeals on December 11 approved a Special Permit to allow firearms and tactical training range at 0 County Road. The 2.3 acres there is currently the site of the “Fox Den” firearms training facility owned by Steve Morrell, who is selling the […] Read more »
Over many months of vigorous discussion regarding a new bylaw that may add a new type of housing unit in Mattapoisett, the Mattapoisett Planning Board is ready to debut the Cottage Bylaw. As previously noted by the board, the purpose of the new bylaw is to allow condensed spacing for residential construction. Board members […] Read more »
The Marion School Committee met on Thursday, December 11 and went over MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) scores, which have improved slightly over previous years but are still above the state average in mathematics, science and English Language Arts (ELA). Superintendent Michael Nelson explained that MCAS testing is at an interesting crossroad since […] Read more »
The Marion Conservation Commission met on December 3 in the police station’s conference room and approved the South Coast Bikeway project’s path through Marion – provided that some conditions are met. Project engineer Jeremy Packard met with the commission on November 19. Commissioners did a site review in late November after that hearing. The […] Read more »