Rochester’s Board of Health on August 2 signed on to a Southcoast Public Health Collaborative Inter-Municipal Agreement that will allow Rochester to share healthcare resources with five other area towns: Westport, Mattapoisett, Marion, Lakeville and Freetown. The vote to join, however, came after board members asked critical questions about what autonomy the town might […] Read more »
Rochester’s Planning Board Tuesday reviewed updated plans for the Special Permit and Site Plan Review application for a commercial building at 621 County Road that will include Megan’s Organic Market, a recreational-marijuana retail store and fielded concerns raised by the business’s nearest abutter. Louise Hebert of 617 County Road asked when will the lit […] Read more »
A majority of the Marion Planning Board indicated during Monday night’s public meeting at the Police Station that it would favor “sunsetting” the Inclusionary Housing Bylaw once the town surpasses the state-required 10% in affordable housing. According to the 2020 Census, Marion is at 7.03%. While it’s been widely presumed that the […] Read more »
The award letter has gone out to the winning bidder for the clear-and-grub contract for the Point Road Bike Path, but interested parties had not been notified as of the July 27 special public meeting of the Marion Open Space Acquisition Commission because the commission had yet to receive a signed contract. Meantime, […] Read more »
Rochester’s Zoning Board of Appeals on July 27 shot down Building Commissioner Paul Boucher’s Cease and Desist order against the operation of a transportation company at 15 County Road. In response to an appeal of that order filed by homeowner Scot Machos, the ZBA overturned what Boucher said he issued after responding to […] Read more »
The July 27 public meeting of the Marion Board of Health saw an involved discussion about denitrification technology in new septic installations but not in reference to the public hearing listed on the meeting agenda. A public hearing for a variance request at 25 West Avenue was continued to August 24 (4:15 pm) […] Read more »
A $26,928 donation from the Marion Institute will build seven new gardens at Sippican Elementary School and implement the Grow Education Program after a vote to approve by the Marion School Committee in a special meeting held via Zoom on July 26. Chairperson April Nye and members Mary Beauregard and Nichole Nye McGaffey heard […] Read more »
Rochester’s Finance Committee Monday approved over $134,000 in FY2023 transfers but not before one panel member questioned why the board can’t get more information on such motions sooner. “I’m a process kind of guy,” David Arancio said. “And I feel we’ve got to get a narrative that explains transactions like this better. We’re […] Read more »
The recent movement of the Marion Codification Committee from the purview of the Planning Board to that of the Select Board has reopened the question as to the mission of the subcommittee first approved at a 1955 Town Meeting. During a special meeting of the Select Board on July 26, Town Administrator Geoff […] Read more »
A seemingly routine piece of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission’s Monday night business, a request for a Certificate of Compliance filed by Howley Living Trust, 1 Waterman Street, was objected to by abutter Diane Simonelli. However, before Simonelli could ask questions, the commission had approved the certificate. Supporting the request and certifying its compliance was […] Read more »