Scott Snow is no stranger to the permitting process to develop land and build in the town of Mattapoisett, and he has experienced his share of contentious meetings with various town boards along the way; which is why Snow was pleased on January 17 to receive two Certificates of Compliance – one complete and one partial – from the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission for his construction project on 27 Nashawena Road. But as Snow put it last Friday, “It’s always something,” and in this case that ‘something’ was a third certificate of compliance that Snow expected to receive that day.
Chairman Mike King was absent from the meeting, which was rescheduled after the January 13 meeting was canceled due to a lack of a quorum; Conservation Agent Elizabeth Leidhold was also absent, which left the four commission members that could attend the 12:00 noon meeting without input or recommendations on Snow’s requests.
The commission moved quickly through the entire agenda granting all the requests before it with no questions or comments amongst the members during the 10 minutes it took to adjourn.
Snow’s first Certificate of Compliance was for a partial-beam plan for a foundation and included a licensed seawall that was completed and a shed that was constructed. But a proposed deck and staircase were not completed so another Notice of Intent is needed for the remaining work as the permit has expired.
Snow’s second agenda item included plans for a sloped retaining wall, which has been completed, but the proposed pool, deck, breakaway panels on a column foundation, landscape plantings, and driveway expansion have not been completed.
“I’m comfortable with it,” commented commission member Chapman Dickerson.
As per the engineer’s request, the commission issued a partial certificate rather than an invalid certificate, and a new Notice of Intent for the incomplete work must be filed as that permit has also lapsed.
Snow then asked the commission if it was going to approve a third request for a Certificate of Compliance for a septic system at the same address, but it was not featured on the agenda and the appointed chairman for the day, Trevor Francis, had no knowledge of a third certificate request.
“That’s all we have is the two,” said Francis.
Looking ahead to the next meeting’s agenda, the commission found no mention of another certificate request for Snow.
“ Without [Leidhold] here there’s not much I can do,” Francis told Snow.
Also during the meeting, the commission granted a one-year permit extension to Samuel Waterston, 13 Shipyard Lane, to reconstruct a groin and build a new walkway, ramp, and float. No work has been undertaken to date.
Thomas Econopouly, 84A Shagbark Drive, also received a permit extension to build a single-family house. No work has been conducted since the permit was originally approved.
The commission approved two Certificates of Compliance for Deborah and Carmello Nicolosi, 38 Shore Drive, for a seawall and jetty repair, deck and stairway, shed, concrete slab, septic upgrade, and a 25-by-28-foot addition.
A Request for Certificate of Compliance filed by Alexander Makkas, 16 Island View Avenue, was continued until February 10.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for January 27 at 6:30 pm at the Mattapoisett Town Hall.
Mattapoisett Conservation Commission
By Jean Perry