Project Requires Wetlands Destruction and Replication

After the hurricanes of 1938 and 1954 blew away the first and then second home built at 31 Shawmut Road, the latest property owner, Giovanni Cimino, is ready to build a third house with a slightly-altered plan previously denied by the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission but approved by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Piggy-backing off […] Read more »

Report Estimates Cost for Regionalized Sewer

The Marion Board of Selectmen reviewed a report detailing the estimated costs of three different options for Marion regionalizing with Wareham, Bourne, Plymouth, and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy for sewer services on November 20, According to Town Administrator Paul Dawson, the study completed by GHD looked at three options: A. connect to the 21-inch interceptor […] Read more »

Board Wrestles with Bylaw Questions

The Marion Planning Board tackled two tough topics on November 19, which was reflected in the late hour of the meeting’s adjournment. The board first met with Sherman Briggs to continue the discussion about the Residence E project Briggs has proposed for his Spring Street property. At issue is the ability of the board to […] Read more »

Voters Adopt Green Community Articles

The three Green Communities Act zoning articles on Rochester’s Special Town Meeting warrant all passed on November 19, which means Rochester is now ready to proceed towards Green Community designation. Board of Selectmen Chairman Greenwood “Woody” Hartley was sure he had a presentation that would eliminate any doubt that Rochester should meet the requirements of […] Read more »

ZBA Denies Setback Variance for Solar Project

Developers of a proposed solar energy project on Sarah Sherman Road will have to abide by the 100-foot property setbacks of the solar bylaw and reconfigure its placement of solar arrays after the Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals on November 8 denied Clean Energy Collective’s request for setback relief. According to Greg Carey from CEC, […] Read more »

Soggy Saga Continues

On November 7, Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon for the Rochester Conservation Commission once again discussed the status of the Notice of Intent filing by REpurpose Properties whose plans to construct 22 duplexes adjacent to the Plumb Corner Mall has been bogged down with water runoff issues. “We’ve been working behind the scene dealing with the […] Read more »

Trustees Look to VFW Site for Affordable Housing

It’s now the home to the Benjamin D. Cushing Community Center, but the Marion Affordable Housing trust thinks the 6.48-acre property that was once the old VFW might be a feasible location for some affordable housing. On November 13, the trustees inched closer to exploring this option. Administrator Terri Santos summarized her recent search efforts […] Read more »

Board Recommends All Proposed Zoning Articles

Ahead of the November 19 Fall Special Town Meeting, The Rochester Planning Board held a series of public hearings for seven bylaw articles slated for the warrant. Two of these articles pertain to the legislative requirements of the Green Communities Act, a state designation the Town hopes to achieve. The first option is an article […] Read more »

FinCom to Recommend All Finance Articles on Warrant

There will be 20 articles on the November 26 Fall Special Town Meeting Warrant, 17 of them involving matters of finance, and all 17 of them got the OK from the Mattapoisett Finance Committee on November 12. The Town Hall might have been closed for the holiday, but the FinCom was inside scouring the warrant […] Read more »

Eversource Approved for Pole Placements

The Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen dispensed with a light agenda with little fanfare on Tuesday night, November 13. A representative from Eversource, Donna Rosa, presented to the board proposals for the relocation of three utility poles and the placement of four new utility poles. The relocation of three poles was in relation to the culvert […] Read more »