Three options for the proposed Job’s Cove Pier Project were presented to the Marion Conservation Commission at their meeting on Wednesday evening, January 11. The presentation followed recommendations and comments provided by board members at the prior meeting, held on December 28, 2011.
Dave Davignon of N. Douglas Schneider Associates, along with John Ludes, presented the revised plans to the board.
The original proposal was for a pier, 380 feet in length, with 12 pilings with a five-foot width, which would have crossed the salt marsh in Job’s Cove.
The Notice of Intent, filed by Copper Medal LLC of 125-129 Converse Road requested permission to remove an existing solid-filled pier and construct a 380 foot long, pile-supported, T-shaped association pier in Job’s Cove with four gangways and four floats to service a total of eight homes (boats), consisting of four existing homes and four future single-family homes.
The association consists of eight lots, of which three are vacant and for sale. Of the eight lots, four acre existing homes and one is a lot that has been purchased and will be built upon in the spring of 2012.
The proposed pier will allow for eight slips, one for each homeowner in the association, for power boats 17 feet and under.
One of the three options proposed was to use remnants from an old pier, with only large rocks remaining, which would reduce the impact on shellfish and fragile marsh area. Another option placed the pier 82 feet from the existing permitted 1/2 acre aquaculture farm, which has the option to expand north to a total of one acre. Another option placed the pier 95 feet from the farm. Lengths of the pier ranged from 258 to 303 feet, depending on the options presented.
A letter from Marion Harbormaster Mike Cormier, with his recommendation on the options presented, will come this week for the board to consider.
Mr. Davignon said that he was continuing to gather comments from all the committees and agencies involved in the proposal, including the Marion Planning Board and the MA Department of Fisheries, Army Corps of Engineers, National Heritage for Endangered Species and Coastal Zone Management Agency and others.
The application was continued until January 25 at 7:15 pm.
The board also met with Rich Riccio of Field Engineering and Jay Hiller for an appointment with PNH Realty Trust (Hiller Dodge), 635 Mill Street, for a discussion regarding proposed improvements to the site. At issue was an expired Order of Conditions and a small addition for a covered area for customers to get in and out of vehicles in inclement weather, a condition required by the Dodge brand. A pavement improvement was included in the plans.
Mr. Hiller and Mr. Riccio presented the plans, dated from 2006 and proposed steps to close out the expired order, which involved a reconfirmation of wetland lines and to attend to the size of the retention pond to the rear of the property. Berms will be installed to contain run-off from the property. A new Notice of Intent will be filed after the wetland lines and retention pond issues are resolved.
Next up was the continuation of the proposal by Bay Watch Realty Trust for a Notice of Intent at Lots 27-29 off Front Street (Route 105) to construct an affordable housing complex under Chapter 40B with associated parking areas, on-site and off-site utility connections, storm water management infrastructure and related mitigation measures.
The board said they had an undated letter mentioning recent flagging of wetlands and staking on the property, but because no one from Bay Watch Realty Trust attended the meeting, the board voted to continue the hearing until 7:30 on January 25, 2012.
In other business, the board voted to approve minutes of the December 14 and 28, 2011 meetings, with minor changes.
The board also approved an expense of $110 for N. Hills to attend the March 3, 2012 Massachusetts Conservation Commission Annual Conference in Worcester, MA.
By Joan Hartnett-Barry