The Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen dispensed with a light agenda with little fanfare on Tuesday night, November 13.

A representative from Eversource, Donna Rosa, presented to the board proposals for the relocation of three utility poles and the placement of four new utility poles. The relocation of three poles was in relation to the culvert replacement on Acushnet Road just south of Hereford Road. The fourth relocation was to remedy a pole that was in the middle of a landowner’s driveway at 21 Beacon Street.

The board held a public hearing on the proposal for four brand new poles and anchors, also in conjunction with the repair of the culvert on Acushnet Road. The poles will be located on the edge of the road, again south of Hereford Road. A stub pole will be located near 164 Acushnet Road, and another will be located between 165 and 169 Acushnet Road.

Abutters to the proposed poles were present and took the opportunity to review the plans and had no objection to the pole placements. One gentleman proclaimed, “If they start drilling in the wrong place, I’ll get after them!”

The board voted unanimously in support of all the relocated and new poles.

Town Administrator Mike Gagne outlined his plan to begin discussions among the Finance Committee, the Capital Improvement Committee, the Marine Advisory Board, the Waterways Department, and the Board of Selectmen in preparation for the Annual Town Meeting in the spring.

“I put this [on the agenda] to clarify what we are doing with the waterfront,” said Gagne.

He suggested that the plan for the repairs to Long Wharf, including improvements to timbers and pilings, would be part of an overall discussion of the services provided by the Waterways Department and an evaluation of its staffing and skill sets required by the staff, as well as an assessment of the infrastructure and other priorities.

Developing a plan for the work on Long Wharf, including funding, would also require input from the Historical Commission.

Gagne encouraged the town departments to work on a strong capital plan for the equipment needed by the Waterways Department. All the departments liked the idea of “drilling down on this,” Gagne said.

Gagne reminded the board that the Mattapoisett Boatyard would no longer be providing pump out services. The town has opted to provide these services themselves, with assistance from a $56,000 grant from the state Clean Vessel Act to offset the cost of a pump out boat.

The 23-foot long boat the town intends to purchase, which has the capacity for 450 gallons of boat waste, is necessary to navigate the waters in and around Mattapoisett Harbor. The funding for the full $95,000 cost of the boat must be in place to ensure the expected delivery date of April 2019.

When asked by town resident Wayne Walega if the town had considered buying the boat previously used by the Mattapoisett Boatyard, Gagne responded that Harbormaster Jill Simmons had nixed the idea. Simmons cited the instability of the vessel when at full waste capacity, Gagne said, and newer boat designs apparently have a lower center of gravity when under full load, which makes them safer in choppy water.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Jordan Collyer added that, for every dollar the town put into the operation of the pump out program, it would be reimbursed $0.75.

In other matters, the board reminded residents that an email was sent November 7 for mooring renewals. The renewal must be returned within 60 days, a deadline of January 7. Any resident who has a question or did not receive an email and believes they should have, should call Town Hall.

Gagne reported that Barry Denham had been researching possible weight exclusion for the River Road bridge. The two criteria the state uses to consider an exclusion are structural integrity and geometry of approach to the bridge. The bridge has been inspected by the Massachusetts Highway Division and is in good structural condition. Gagne says Denham has said all along that the issue is with the angle of approach for 2.5 ton or greater size trucks. Denham will petition Mass Highway for weight exclusion on geometry grounds.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen is scheduled for December 4 at 6:30 pm at the Town Hall.

Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen

By Sarah French Storer

On November 5, the Mattapoisett Planning Board had a new member – for one night only. Boy Scout Andrew Poulin of Mattapoisett Troop 53 sat with the Planning Board members as he observed local government at work. Poulin is working on his Communications Merit Badge – one of many steps he plans to complete on his way to achieving Eagle.

After Poulin’s introduction, it was down to business as the Planning Board held a final public hearing to give residents ample opportunity to ask questions or voice opinions on the issue of creating a new zoning district specifically for the sale and distribution of medical marijuana ahead of the Fall Special Town Meeting – the silence was deafening.

Chairman Tom Tucker read the public notice, opening the hearing for an article to go before Town Meeting that creates a new zoning bylaw. The article titled “Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers Zoning Bylaw” was explained by board member Janice Robbins who gave a brief overview of the process employed by a subcommittee charged with the responsibility of drafting the new zoning bylaw. The subcommittee was comprised of personnel from the police and fire departments, two business owners, town counsel, and Robbins representing the Planning Board.

“The purpose of establishing a Medical Marijuana Overlay District (Section 5.11) is to regulate the use. Medical marijuana is treated differently then recreational marijuana,” Robbins said. The approach was to regulate where it could be sold. “We thought we’d be better off to implement controls for the interest of the town,” said Robbins.

Robbins said the committee drafted the zoning bylaw language under the guidance of town counsel and that the purpose of the new bylaw was not to impose additional regulations on it since the state has that authority, but to regulate where in the community it could be located within the confines of state regulations. She said that owners of medical marijuana outlets had to enter into an agreement with the state and the town, but that licenses are issued by the state.“

Tucker offered this perspective: “If we did nothing, they could be in any General Business District location.”

Robbins added, “Our General Business District along Route 6 is mixed with residential zoning. To avoid that, we picked the Limited Industrial District.”

Tucker, who over several public hearings on the topic urged residents to participate in debate and discussion prior to the Special Town Meeting, said again, “We hope this doesn’t get debated on Town Meeting floor.”

Tucker opened the hearing to public comment. There was none. The only question posed was an inquiry on where exactly the Limited Industrial District is located. After explaining that the location was, in fact, along Industrial Drive off North Street, there were no other questions.

The public hearing was closed and the Planning Board members unanimously voted to send the article to the selectmen for inclusion on the warrant.

Earlier in the evening, a Form A Approval Not Required application from Chase Canopy to subdivide a residential lot from a business lot located at 117 Fairhaven Road was approved as presented.

A public hearing for a Form C Definitive Subdivision Plan for Snow Fields Estates submitted by Dennis Arsenault was granted a 90-day extension and a continuation until November 19 to give the applicant more time to process peer review documents.

Also continued to November 19 was a public hearing for another Form C Definitive Subdivision Plan for Eldridge Estates, 8-8R Prospect Road, submitted by Scott Snow. Planning Board Administrator Mary Crain said the applicant would be submitting an entirely new plan that included a change from the original two-lot concept to a three- or four-lot plan.

The Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD), which has been studying the Route 6 corridor and gathering surveys for several months, will hold two public meetings, Robbins shared. The meetings will give SRPEDD the opportunity to hear residents’ concerns and help to craft future use for the state roadway. Robbins, the Planning Board’s representative to SRPEDD, said the agency is aggressively seeking input from the public in an effort to create a list of recommendations for state review. The project includes the towns of Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, Marion, and Wareham, she said. The public can access the survey at www.srpedd.org or pick up a paper survey at Town Hall. The meetings will take place on Thursday, November 8, at 6:30 pm in the Wareham Town Hall, and again on Wednesday, November 14, at 6:30 pm at Old Rochester Regional High School.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for November 19 at 7:00 pm in the Town Hall conference room.

Mattapoisett Planning Board

By Marilou Newell