On November 2, Mattapoisett’s 2022 update of the town’s Master Plan was released by the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD), which has been working with a volunteer group of residents on the project since August 2020. Due to the restrictions imposed on public gatherings during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the volunteers pushed on using virtual technology, thusly giving voice to their opinions, concerns and hopes for a town they were willing to help.
The committee was comprised of Robert Burgman, Carole Clifford, Kate Connelly, Paul Criscuolo, Mary Dermody, Carlos DeSousa, Yasin Flefleh-Vincent, Shirley Haley, Kate Haley, David Horowitz, Nate Ketchel, Robin LePore, Janice Robbins, Mike Rosa, Colby Rottler, Donna Shea, Aaron Smith, Tom Tucker and Chrystal Walsh.
Throughout the process, the team was facilitated by SRPEDD Principal Comprehensive Planner Lizeth Gonzalez, who guided discussions in a format intended to ferret out the most pressing needs of the community with an eye towards a variety of strategic goals.
The Master Plan model is regulated by Massachusetts State Law Chapter 41, Section 81D. The plan addresses all planning elements: Land Use, Housing, Economic Development, Open Space and Recreation, Natural and Cultural Resources, Services and Facilities, Transportation and Circulation and, due to Mattapoisett’s waterfront location, Resilience.
The Master Plan draft is now on view at the Mattapoisett Library in hardcopy until the end of November and via the SRPEDD weblink srpedd.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/01163008/Draft-MattapoisettMP-11022022.pdf.
During the Planning Board’s November 7 meeting, Nate Ketchel, acting chair for the board and the Master Plan Committee, said that the public is invited from now until the end of November to review the draft and offer comments. Comments may be submitted to Gonzalez at lgonzalez@srpedd.org. Ketchel said that next steps after the review process has ended is to make final edits and then present the completed plan to the Select Board.
Detailed in the draft plan are population and school-enrollment numbers critical for one of the biggest topics currently under review by the Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management at UMass Boston, school consolidation. The Master Plan Committee discussed Mattapoisett Public Schools in several categories. The following text in the draft demonstrates their efforts. “Residents are proud of the quality of education and the relationships their children have with the town itself, especially the Village.” However, the committee also recognized the need for planning that would address decreases in enrollment and the future of a town supporting two elementary schools.
Of the Town Hall, the operations of which have been said to need a completely new location given the grave condition of the structure, the Master Plan Committee thought it might be redeployed as a cultural center despite its location in a flood zone.
The committee also looked at the needs of a growing senior population. In their discussion regarding Housing, one of the main chapters in the plan, both families with school-age children and senior citizens were viewed as needing more affordable housing.
Under the Open Space and Recreation header, the committee wondered about building affordable housing units on the former Holy Ghost grounds. SRPEDD wrote, as informed by the committee, “Mattapoisett’s inventory of town-owned land appropriate for development is limited; however, the town should pursue state funding to prepare key sites such as the Holy Ghost Grounds on Park Street for redevelopment.”
The 2022 Master Plan draft lays out potential economic-growth opportunities along the Village Business District on Route 6. The committee believes there is untapped potential for multiuse structures that can be constructed in a visually appealing manner.
Again, the 2022 Master Plan draft is available now for review at the Mattapoisett Library in hardcopy and via SRPEDD’s weblink.
The balance of business handled by the Planning Board on November 7 was the continuation of a Site Plan Review for the application submitted by Sun Partners Solar for a 198.8KW array on property located at 156 Acushnet Road. The hearing was continued to November 21.
The board completed review of a Form-C Definitive Plan submitted by JBL Fairhaven Road LLC, for a proposed subdivision. Although the board completed review, including hearing from engineer David Davignon of Schneider, Davignon & Leone, Inc., including his responses to comments from peer-review consultant Ken Motta of Field Engineering, rather than close the hearing the board elected to give Motta an opportunity to rebut Davignon’s responses to the peer review. The hearing was continued to November 21.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, November 21, at 7:00 pm.
Mattapoisett Planning Board
By Marilou Newell