The agenda was nearly three and a half pages long as the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission gathered at Town Hall on October 28 to hear 14 filings. Many in attendance and a couple in the commission believed it would be a very long night indeed, with nearly every chair in the conference room filled and another half-dozen people waiting outside in the hallway for their turn. That would not be the case; everything was thoroughly reviewed and dispatched in 90 minutes.
The filing that took the most time to review was a Notice of Intent for Nicholas Christy, 20 Howard Beach, for the construction of a single-family house on the barrier beach.
Representing Christy was Richard Rheaume of Prime Engineering who explained that there had been a structure on a concrete pad as recently as 2012, but that the new design would impact 4,163 feet of barrier beach. He said that the new home would feature breakaway walls around the pillars that would support the elevated home and that all FEMA regulations would be followed. Rheaume said plans included bringing in beach sand to raise the elevation under the home by four feet and the planting of dune grass.
Commission member Trevor Francis said, “I’m having a hard time seeing all that sand.”
Chairman Mike King concurred, saying that storms would eventually flush the fill into the surrounding marshlands.
Then there arose the question of whether or not the lot being discussed was considered a buildable lot by the Building Department.
Laura Hartnett, 8 Island View Avenue, said that the Building Department told her that the property was not buildable. She questioned how a home would be serviced by freshwater given that a well would be needed on a barrier beach.
Christy said he had also spoken to the Building Department before engaging in an understanding that he would purchase the property to ensure he could, in fact, build a home on the lot. He said he had also confirmed that with the Conservation Commission.
King said to Hartnett, “I’m concerned you were given information from the Building Department that it was unbuildable.”
The issue of freshwater was discussed with Rheaume explaining how a freshwater system could be installed, one that would slowly elevate freshwater located below saltwater in a “sipping” fashion.
But King said he wanted a written opinion from the Building Department and town counsel before moving forward with the hearing.
The hearing was continued until November 25.
Another Notice of Intent filing generating discussion was one filed by Ronald and Cynthia Axelrod, 14 Shore Drive, for the upgrading of an existing septic system.
Conservation Agent Elizabeth Leidhold noted in her review of the site the presence of hydraulic soils in a lot that otherwise contained 95-percent uplands, according to engineer David Davignon.
Leidhold also commented that, in her estimation, a significant amount of invasive species had been removed from the property without overview by the commission.
But King disagreed, saying that he found very little area of disturbance. King further supported the project because it would improve a septic system, thereby providing better protection to wetlands.
Francis was reticent to condition the project, saying, “I haven’t had a chance to go there,” and thought wetlands flagging needed to be checked.
King said, “The septic outweighs any movement of wetland flagging,” and said he was in favor of the project to get the new septic in place as soon as possible.
After the vote, Francis’ ‘nay’ was overruled by three ‘ayes’.
In other business, negative determinations of acceptability were granted to Ron Belida, 4 David Street, to repair an existing deck; Kenneth Ackerman, 4 Grove Avenue, for the construction of a new deck and enclosing of an existing deck space; Edward Van Keuren, 4 Fairhaven Road, to erect a hoop building; Elvira Sicilano, 40 Church Street, to allow Eversource to install a new gas line to an existing home; Arthur H. Alden, III, Aucoot Road, for the confirmation of a wetland delineation; and Matthew Matathia, 10 Ryan’s Way, to install a new septic system.
A Notice of Intent filed by the Town of Mattapoisett for the construction of a new emergency egress drive from the existing police station out to Route 6 was approved.
A Notice of Intent filed by Andrew Stackpole, Noyes Avenue, for the construction of a two-story single-family home was approved.
Also receiving approval and order of conditions was Request for an Amended Order of Conditions filed by Monarch Trust for property located on Pine Street that granted a change in the footprint of a new home, driveway, and grading plan.
Mark Kwatcher, 22 Fieldstone Drive, filed a Notice of Intent to extend an existing lawn within 25 feet of a bordering vegetated wetland that was represented by Jeff Youngquist of Outback Engineering.
Liz Waring of 24 Fieldstone Drive came forward with concerns that grade changes at this location would further impact water draining onto her property. She said that drainage issues had long been problematic, especially in her backyard.
Youngquist couldn’t answer why that would be the case, given drainage systems in the area of her home were intact. But he assured Waring that the lawn expansion would not contribute further to those issues and may, in fact, improve matters. He said he would make a site visit to Waring’s property to try and determine what might be occurring. The project for lawn expansion at 22 Fieldstone Drive was approved.
Certificates of Compliance were issued to Tucker Aufranc, 27 Hollywoods Road, and Douglas McGee, 142 Fairhaven Road.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for November 25 at 6:30 pm in the Mattapoisett Town Hall conference room.
Mattapoisett Conservation Commission
By Marilou Newell