Superintendent Doug White told the Old Rochester Regional School Committee on September 13 that the school district did things a little bit differently for teachers and staff on opening day this year.

Aside from meeting in the auditorium instead of the cafeteria, White unveiled the school district’s new initiative: branding ORR.

Each staff member was given a T-shirt with the logo of their respective school featured on the front and the hashtag #WEareOR on the back – We are Old Rochester.

All staff members from all schools also signed a large red and white banner with the school district’s new hashtag #WEareOR, which will travel around the three towns to all the schools for display.

White said the message to staff was this: What does it mean to be Old Rochester?

“I really challenged the staff to really think about what that means,” said White. He asked, what is it to brand our selves? With words, designs, logos, slogans – being consistent, keeping the messaged focused, maintaining a presence, and building those logos.

Speaking of logos, ORR High School Principal Mike Devoll said that ORR would be unveiling its new bulldog logo during Homecoming, so stay tuned…

White said the branding of Old Rochester is a tool to engage the community and tell the story of Old Rochester, by Old Rochester.

“We need to get our story out there, because if we don’t tell our story, someone will tell it for us,” White said. “We need a way to engage our stakeholders in a two-way communication over and above what we’ve currently been doing … and make sure that everybody in our community knows the efforts in our schools and that they support our efforts….”

“We want to ensure that our voices are the ones telling our story. We can’t let anyone else tell our story for us,” said White.

The next meeting of the Old Rochester regional School Committee is scheduled for October 25 at 6:30 pm in the ORRJHS media room.

Old Rochester Regional School Committee

By Jean Perry

Once again, the Mattapoisett Town Hall conference room was packed with abutters waiting to hear and see the plan modifications for a two-lot subdivision at the end of Snow Fields Road. But on September 18 what they got instead was a completely new roadway plan, one that would take the most contentious part of the project out of the purview of the Planning Board.

Sitting in as chairman for the evening was Nathan Ketchell flanked by Planning Board members Karen Field, Janice Robbins, and Gail Carlson. Also at the table was Mary Crain, town planner and board administrator.

David Davignon of N. Douglas Schneider & Associates, Inc. came forward representing Dennis Arsenault, rolling out copies of a new conceptual design for the entrance way into the uplands situated some 1,100 feet deep into property surrounded by a state-recognized swamp at the end of Snow Fields Road.

Davignon told the board that the proposed project had had one public hearing thus far with the Conservation Commission, saying that process was far from over. Then he directed everyone’s attention to the new concept.

The planned extension of Snow Fields Road into Arsenault’s property would now be a private common driveway with frontage at the west end created by the construction of a large public cul-de-sac. The cul-de-sac would function as a public way, allowing emergency vehicles to turn around as needed and provide frontage, but the house lots themselves would be at the end of a long private driveway, taking it out of Planning Board oversight. Now only the cul-de-sac would be required to receive regulatory oversight by the board.

Davignon said Arsenault had met privately with the Fire Department and that their preliminary review of the new plan had been favorably received. Pointing to the driveway on the drawing Davignon said, “Everything becomes a common driveway … a common driveway doesn’t need Planning Board approval…. This eliminates some of the waivers asked for…. It also changes the width…”

Of the new design, Davignon said, “I request you take this under advisement. We still have to finish with ConCom,” and asked for the board’s reactions.

Ketchell instead opened the hearing up to public comment first.

Abutters asked about stormwater runoff from the proposed long private driveway but were reminded that those issues were under the jurisdiction of the Conservation Commission. They also questioned the viability of a hammerhead at the east end of the driveway serving the two uplands lots. That configuration seemed acceptable.

Also in attendance was Highway Superintendent Barry Denham.

Denham said that although the new design seemed to “side-step” the need for a roadway through the swampy expanse and although the fire department had warmed to this new conceptual design, it was still questionable how emergency vehicles would access the lots if needed. He said that during emergency situations, his department was charged with ensuring that downed trees or snow did not impede access to people needing services.

In response, Davignon asserted, “There is nothing in your bylaws that says they can’t have a long driveway…. No bylaw in place.” He added, “Other towns do, you do not … the bylaws are what we are held to.”

Robbins said she needed time to study the new design, while Crain asked Arsenault if the fire department had any further comment on accessing the lots. Arsenault said they had not.

Denham said private water wells planned to serve the two-lot subdivision would have to be drilled and water tested before building permits would be issued.

The board asked for written comments from various Town departments and boards.

The hearing was continued until October 2.

Earlier in the evening, the board reviewed plans submitted by Carol Lawrence for property owned by Gingras Trust located off Randall Road.

Represented by Al Ewing of Ewing Engineering, the plans call for the construction of a roadway into the 15-acre parcel, creating a new lot and thus providing necessary frontage for the planned two-lot subdivision.

Ewing then read from a four-page report that listed multiple waivers for the Planning Board’s consideration.

There ensued an hour-long discussion on the merits of the roadway as designed, eliciting a number of questions and concerns from the board members.

Of primary concern to Robbins was the width of the proposed new street. Ewing’s design called for it to be only 16 feet wide, one of the waivers requested, with a hammerhead turnaround at the end for emergency vehicles.

Ewing said that most of the waivers took into consideration the fact that the road would be serving only one house lot. But Robbins countered that while that might be the case now, in the future, given the size of the property, further subdivision might be pursued making the road layout inadequate. “What if someone wants to put in 40B housing?” she wondered and noted the size of the parcel, “Other things could be developed.”

Denham had sat in on an informal preliminary meeting to review this project and offered the board members his insights. “In the past, the Planning Board has allowed a road for one house lot.” He pointed to Whitetail Run also off Randall Road. He said that, at that time, the board had allowed a single lot roadway but that any future development off the road would require the applicant to improve it to meet current regulations. “It’s possible in your decision on this one that any further building brings it back to the Planning Board.”

The hearing was continued until October 2.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for October 2 at 7:00 pm in the town hall conference room.

Mattapoisett Planning Board

By Marilou Newell

After three years of dedicated effort, the Marion Planning Board on September 18 presented the completed Master Plan to a small crowd of Marion residents at the board’s Monday night meeting. The board is hoping the Master Plan will be adopted at the Fall Special Town Meeting on October 23.

Planning Board member Jennifer Francis introduced the presentation, reminding the audience of the long history of the development of the plan. She suggested to the group: “Keep in mind, this Master Plan is not a road map, but a vision. It doesn’t say how to get there; it describes what we want Marion to be in the next ten years.”

The plan is a result of five public workshops, hundreds of public comments, and input from various advisory groups. Francis pointed out that board member Norm Hills and former board member Rico Ferrari spearheaded the effort, and board member Steve Kokkins served on the committee. Hills reminded the attendees that approval of the plan is only the beginning, saying, “Implementation will require participation from the [Marion community].”

Grant King, a Principal Comprehensive Planner at SRPEDD who worked closely with the Planning Board on the Master Plan, presented a brief summary of the final product.

King informed the group that this presentation was “setting the table” for the Open House to be held Saturday, October 14, at Sippican School. SRPEDD staff members will be on hand that day to discuss each element of the plan in detail and answer any questions the public may have.

King described the organization of the plan, underscoring the effort the Planning Board made to ensure the plan was user friendly. As Kokkins had noted earlier, Grant described the plan as “a living, breathing document.”

“The Master Plan is concise, data rich and thorough, but approachable and engaging,” King said.

Each of the nine elements, or chapters, included in the plan begins with a quote derived from the comments provided by residents about their thoughts of and aspirations for Marion. This quote illustrates the theme of the element, which is then more fully described with goals and strategies for achieving the stated goals.

Grant pointed out that the Planning Board added the Climate Resiliency element to the Master Plan, which is not one of the elements currently required by Massachusetts State Law.

The Town has already begun implementing some strategies outlined by the plan, such as the Stewards of Community Open Space, a committee approved by the Board of Selectmen to bring all the organizations with an interest in open space together on one committee so that they may more effectively communicate.

In addition, Marion is part of the Community Compact Cabinet, which develops mutual standards and best practices with the state.

The Transportation and Circulation Task Force has been working under the tutelage of Francis and has completed the Complete Streets Policy, which enables the Town to apply for grant funding for transportation-related projects.

In closing, Grant reminded the group that there will be a survey distributed to the residents in October to assess the public transportation needs of the town residents.

In other business, the board dispensed with two Approval Not Required applications. Brian Grady of G.A.F. Engineering represented Sylvia Companies for a property located at 265 Wareham Street. The applicant wanted to create two lots from one, in which both lots were conforming to zoning in both area and frontage.

Hills asked what the intention for the two lots were, saying, “You’re probably not going to be able to build there because they are in a velocity zone and not likely to get sewer hook-up.” Grady acknowledged Hills’ comments, but could not elaborate on the future use of the lots.

The second ANR was for 30 Sippican Lane, on behalf of Lars and Ruth Olson, represented by Doug Schneider of N. Douglas Schneider & Associates. The application was the creation of two parcels, both to be conveyed to the abutter to the south. One lot was created to correct a 60-year-old error in which bounds had been inaccurately located and land had inadvertently been occupied due to this error. Both ANR applications were approved unanimously.

The public hearing for the Site Plan Review of the application for Tri-Town Motors located at 149 Wareham Street was presented by the applicant Dwight Crosby. The proposed business will be located in the old Comcast building, which Crosby said would be greatly improved in appearance with his high-end used car dealership. Crosby noted that they would leave the existing lighting on the building, and they intended to move the birch trees currently in front of the building to the side to shade the lighting from the neighbor.

Francis underscored the effort of the Planning Board to take the opportunity of a new business application to improve the appearance of Route 6.

“The change of use to a used car dealership is not a better-looking business,” she said. Francis was concerned about the lack of green space on the site, especially along the roadway, with the removal of the birch trees to the side of the building.

A lengthy discussion ensued regarding both the lighting and the plantings, with board members agreeing that the existing lighting may be acceptable but the planting along the road needed improvement.

Marion resident Susan Connor spoke enthusiastically in favor of the project, saying she knew the applicant both professionally and personally.

“We would be lucky to have people of this caliber in Marion,” said Connor.

After considerable discussion, the board agreed to approve the site plan with the condition that the applicant provide an updated plan showing the low evergreen plantings along Route 6 between the road and the five cars on display in the lot, and the lighting on the building would remain as it is currently. The board also approved the Special Permit for the change of use for the property.

The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for October 2 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Planning Board

By Sarah French Storer