Abutters voiced their concerns and dismay that property adjacent to their homes on Beech Wood Road was going through conservation review. On February 27, a Notice of Intent filed by Carmelo Nicolosi for the construction of a single-family home with fill and grading in a buffer zone became a bit controversial when abutter Colleen Gifford, 11 Beech Wood Road, stated that she had been promised by former Building Department director Andy Bobola that the lot in question was not considered buildable.
“It’s on the record as unbuildable,” Gifford insisted.
Engineer Richard Charon of Charon Associates, Inc., represented the applicant. Charon detailed the project, including stormwater drainage systems that will reduce runoff into a neighboring lot owned by Robert Goguen at 14 Beech Wood Road. Goguen asked questions that probed the drainage system design, which will include a detention area and redirection of surface water towards wetlands away from Goguen’s residence.
Charon also noted that the project will be governed by the Wetlands Protection Act for isolated wetlands subject to flooding.
There was a bit of debate between Gifford and chairman Mike King as King tried to inform Gifford of the conservation commission’s role in this matter. Gifford returned several times to being assured the parcel would never be built on and said, “I don’t want a house in my front lawn.” King said anyone had a right to build on their land saying, “Welcome to America.”
The project was continued to March 13, pending a response from MassWildlife’s Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program.
In other business, a Request for Determination of Applicability filed by Peter Martin, 17 Main Street, for the construction of a 10×14-foot shed received a Negative 2 decision. Also receiving a Negative 2 decision was an RDA filed by Christine Wood, 1 Hilton Avenue, for the construction of a 14×16-foot, three-season room and a 14×10-foot deck.
A Notice of Intent filed by the Hall Family Nominee Trust, 0 Laurel Street, for the construction of a single-family home received conditioning.
A Notice of Intent filed by Bay Club Real Estate Holdings, represented by Robert Field of Field Engineering, received conditioning for a proposal to construct a 12-lot, cluster subdivision off Bay Club Drive on property originally slated to be a convention center inside the private subdivision. Field described the stormwater drainage systems necessary for development within a 100-foot buffer zone of a bordering, vegetated wetland.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for Monday, March 13, at 6:30 pm.
Mattapoisett Conservation Commission
By Marilou Newell