Rochester has become the Tri-Town community of choice for those seeking to develop large-scale solar arrays. And that fact has kept the Rochester Conservation Commission very busy for the last several years. On June 16, two continued hearings for proposed solar arrays were once again front and center at the commission’s remote meeting room. First […] Read more »
Marion’s zoning bylaw that addresses “inclusionary housing” has been officially recommended for change, and the Planning Board isn’t done with it yet. Acknowledging the good intentions of Zoning Bylaw 230-8.12, which requires developers building residential units to include one “affordable” unit for every 10 built or pay the town a crippling fine, the Planning Board […] Read more »
A public hearing scheduled for the June 10 meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission had Chairperson Jeffrey Doubrava situated at the Police Station while the other commission members and applicants connected to the meeting via Zoom. After explaining Marion’s makeshift format for public hearings and procedural changes, Doubrava moved quickly to close a number of […] Read more »
The Marion Board of Health held a remote public hearing on June 16 to consider public comment on a proposed regulation that would require new construction to install a nitrogen-reducing septic system if access to the municipal sewer is unavailable. The regulation would also require failed septic systems to be replaced with the new nitrogen-reducing […] Read more »
An admission that the Old Rochester Regional School District and the teachers’ union had both failed to carry out in-depth review and implementation of programs that would expose racism at its core came from Cary Humphrey, chairman of the district committee, as the joint meeting opened on June 15. Earlier promises made during the 2019 […] Read more »
The Rochester Board of Selectmen agreed to release Simple Recycling from its payment obligations through September 1 during the board’s June 15, remote access meeting. In her Town Administrator’s report, Suzanne Szyndlar told the selectmen that Simple Recycling, citing the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, told the town it will no longer be able […] Read more »
In the June 16 conclusion of a continued public hearing, the Marion Board of Selectmen voted to award Fieldstone Farm Market one of the town’s five licenses with the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (ABCC) for the retail sale of beer and wine. There was no feedback from last week’s discussion in public hearing. The owner, […] Read more »
On June 11 the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen approved plans to reopen restaurants to customers by offering them outdoor seating. For most of the restaurants in town, outdoor seating was either limited or not offered in the past. Now with the state’s COVID-19 guidelines expanded to include on-site dining in an outdoor setting, many local […] Read more »
In their meeting held on June 8, the Marion Energy Management Committee met over the Zoom platform to provide updates to Marion’s future energy endeavors. Town Planner Gil Hilario provided the committee with an update to the Benson Brook Solar Array Project. Drone surveys will be conducted to provide aerial imaging of the site. Hilario […] Read more »
The Rochester Planning Board tackled a number of public hearings in their remote access meeting held on June 9 and provided input on updated plans provided by the community. Significant progress was made in the continuance of a public hearing relating to the access road being planned for a project at 22 Cranberry Highway. Phil […] Read more »