As the outside world debated the 21stcentury political correctness of well-known holiday songs, the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission members were in harmony on December 10.
Emphasizing their desire to view projects that come before them as acceptable until proven otherwise, Chairman Mike King said he was speaking for himself and the other commissioners when he said, “We are not in the ‘You-can’t business’; we are in the ‘You-can business,’” as they started the review of the Requests for Determination of Applicability filed by Jason Youngquist of Outback Engineering, represented by Jeff Youngquist.
The project in question is the ongoing subdivision of property located within the Bay Club, this one titled “The Preserve”. As Youngquist described the project, he noted that, over the years, the development’s concept had changed from large single-family homes to duplex structures, returning again for another cycle of back and forth deliberation on what made the most financial sense, until now with the current decision to begin construction in 2019 with duplex units.
This group of hearings included the review of five lots on Split Rock Lane, one amended Order of Conditions, and eight Notice of Intent filings. The RDAs and NOIs were primarily for the same lots due to existing Orders of Conditions that had now expired.
There was also the issue of amending Orders of Conditions for Lot 79A on Shagbark Lane to reflect the new position of the proposed single-family home on the lot.
King offered Youngquist the opportunity for informal discussions versus formal hearings, given that none of the projects in question had yet received Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection file numbers or a decision from the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. But Youngquist said that since the projects would have to be continued anyway, holding hearings now would not pose negative impacts on the outcome.
King noted that the Mattapoisett Assessor’s Office had not yet recognized the proposed lots as legal lots of a subdivision. He asked Youngquist if he was willing to return at a later date with a master plan of the project, along with written approval from Natural Heritage and the DEP, and the lot classifications from the Assessor’s Office. Youngquist concurred with the request.
The hearings were continued until January 14.
Also during the meeting, Jon Connell of SITEC, Inc. appeared for two lots located on Wolf Island Road owned by Ronald Oliveria. The two Notice of Intent filings were for the construction of single-family homes with associated utilities and septic systems. After consideration of the details that proved uncomplicated, the projects received Orders of Conditions.
David Davignon of N. Douglas Schneider & Associates represented Brian and Grazyna Blaesser of 23 Cove Street with a Notice of Intent filing for the expansion of a second-story addition and removal of a septic leaching field. After noting that the majority of the project was above ground because the home is elevated, the project was approved.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for January 14 at 6:30 pm in the Town Hall conference room.
Mattapoisett Conservation Commission
By Marilou Newell