It took over a year, but Daniel daLuz and his coalition of residents from the Villages at Mattapoisett received an affirmative vote that will allow their trash to be collected and paid for by the town. On September 21, his frequent visits to the Planning Board paid off.
Board members reviewed passages in the contracts the town has with ABC Disposal Services and SEMASS, noting areas that seemed to indicate that all residents were entitled to trash collection and that, as is the case of the contract with SEMASS, a one-size-fits-all set price.
Board member Nathan Ketchel offered new language to the cluster subdivision amendments the Planning Board had put in place years ago. He suggested a 12th amendment with language that would give the residents of the condominium complex the right to free trash collection while protecting the town in the event that the flat rate changed, causing additional charges to the town. In the event the latter might happen, Ketchel suggested that the condominium complex would receive a six-month notification that the 12th amendment was terminated.
“I do see it’s dangerous to start changing planning board decisions,” said Ketchel, but in the end, with his suggested text changes, a majority voted in favor of daLuz’s request.
Immediately after casting this vote, Gail Carlson from Brandt Point Village asked if the board would vote to allow her development the same privilege of free trash collection.
Chairman Tom Tucker responded to her request by saying, “I’d like to just think about this one since we just voted on that one.” Then the board members thought it prudent to hold a public hearing on her request. She was directed to formally request a hearing while also being told that the residential association would have to pick up the fees associated with public notification of the hearing. Carlson agreed.
Resident Bonne DeSousa came forward to share with the Planning Board the latest developments with the Mattapoisett bike path and an upcoming public meeting with members of the Department of Transportation to discuss the Municipal Bike and Pedesterian Plan. DeSousa also talked about the focus on a new and growing human movement philosophy called “complete streets.”
Complete street planning designs and operates safe access to roadways for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transportation riders. It also takes into consideration ease of roadway crossings, ease of walking to stores, and bicycling to work. DeSousa said there are funding opportunities for cities and towns pursuing plans toward a complete street infrastructure.
DeSousa told the board that, on October 8, a meeting will be held at Center School at 6:30 pm.
“We want to have a conversation about why people walk … to get a sense of how people walk and bike on local roads,” DeSousa said.
She also advised the board that the Town’s website linked to a survey titled “Walk, Bike, Run Survey” at the bottom of the home page. She said, so far, 80 residents had completed the survey and urged the board to take the survey.
She concluded her comments by telling the board that the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path were conducting a crowdsharing fundraising effort to bridge a $30,000 shortfall that the town is facing as the permitting phase begins.
DeSousa said that presently the town is waiting for a final comment from the state on the project and then the permitting phase can begin. That process, she said, will take a year to complete.
Regarding three applications from Ted Gowdy of AERIE Homes planned for Bay Club, Chairman Tucker said, “I’m pretty upset he didn’t come in…. He asked for these continuations.”
In fact, there were two continuances of applications for Form A requests and the third was a request for special permit modification(s). But in the absence of the applicant, the board was reticent to act.
However, board member John Mathieu wanted to at least review the application in an effort to afford defaulting, triggering a constructive approval.
After careful review of the three applications and the associated engineered plans, they determined that one Form A request was not properly marked, the other improper in its presentation, and the third, the special permit amendments, appeared fine. Tucker said, however, “I don’t want to approve it without him saying what they are doing.” Mathieu concurred saying, “He really should be here, and I hope he is at the next meeting.”
One final piece of business was the unpermitted removal of trees on North Street by Eversource.
“We cannot let Eversource cut down trees without permission,” said Tucker. “We need to take control of it…. Eversource needs to come in and give us an explanation.”
It was decided that Tree Warden Roland Cote would be invited to the next meeting, along with a representative from the utility company.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for October 5 at 7:00 pm in the Mattapoisett Town Hall conference room.
By Marilou Newell
