Mattapoisett’s Highway Surveyor Barry Denham came before the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission on July 13 with a request. He sought the commission’s support, should such support be necessary where the Massachusetts Department of Transportation is concerned. The issue was once again the culvert repairs on Acushnet Road.

“DOT is asking for more hydraulics on Tinkham Pond … it could be costly and time consuming,” Denham began to explain, noting his fear that such a request might slow the project down.

Denham said the new culvert, in the estimation of Field Engineering and himself, was more than adequate given it is 19-feet wide and nearly 4-feet high.

To ensure that he was as fully informed as possible, Denham recently had a conversation with Howard Tinkham. Tinkham is held by many as an authority on the historic agricultural uses and waterways in this part of Mattapoisett, given his and his family’s husbandry of the land for many decades, including the conditions at Tinkham Pond.

Tinkham advised Denham that the pond was no longer used for bog irrigation and is now 1-foot lower than in 2010. Tinkham also said that downstream the bogs were no longer retaining water that might add to the pond’s level.

“We are confident that what we designed will handle the water,” Denham said. But he asked the commission, “If we need your assistance, can you help us?”

Chairman Bob Rogers responded, “You have our support, but I don’t understand why this is happening so late in the game.”

Denham said at least 50 veteran staff members of the DOT have taken an early retirement package, adding to the difficulty of negotiating through this powerful state agency.

Commission member Mike King suggested reaching out to State Representative William Straus, house chairman for the Transportation Committee and Mattapoisett resident. Denham said that was already in the works.

The commission then made fairly short work of a truncated agenda after four hearings were postponed until the July 27 meeting.

Jeff Overocker, 8 Creek Street, received a negative determination on his request to clear invasive brush and plant matter, which means a Notice of Intent filing is not required.

Elizabeth Lee, 18 Harbor Road, received a negative determination on the construction of a shed in a jurisdictional area.

Ron Oliveira, 120 Brandt Island Road, received a Certificate of Compliance with a condition of maintaining compensatory storage of stormwater.

Daniel and Lisa Craig, via letter, requested that the Conservation Commission approach town counsel to review the ongoing matter of their encroachment into wetlands with lawn and plantings, a matter brought to the attention of the commission by the Buzzards Bay Coalition some months ago. The commissioners voted to send the Craigs a letter stating that costs associated with town counsel review would be their responsibility and that the Craigs should anticipate paying the town $2,500 for such services.

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for July 27 at 6:30 pm in the Mattapoisett Town Hall conference room.

By Marilou Newell

As a way to thank donors, the Buzzards Bay Area Habitat for Humanity is designing a large-scale sign for display in front of 185 Wareham Road throughout the duration of construction of the Habitat house. The 6-foot by 6-foot sign is a little bit bigger than the Town’s bylaw allows, so the president of the organization, Robin Ragle-Davis, went before the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals on July 9 for a Special Permit.

“[The sign] is not only to display the fact that the build is underway, but also the fact that the Community Preservation Committee put funds in,” said Ragle-Davis.

It is also a way to thank major donors, other contributors, and volunteers such as private contractors who are helping with construction, like pouring the foundation and clearing the lot.

“When people do things of that size for no money, it’s our way to say thank you,” said Ragle-Davis. She said new sponsors would be added over time for the duration of the construction, which could take anywhere from six to 12 weeks.

“We do have to protect the town from … signage,” said ZBA Chairman Eric Pierce. “There’s no lights on it, right?”

Ragle-Davis told him no. And the colors will be the tradition green and blue of the organization, she added.

“Personally, I think this is a no-brainer,” said Pierce.

The board figured out the gross area of the sign, 36 square feet ground to top, and during consideration, Pierce pointed out that categorizing the type of sign might be tricky.

“This kind of falls between the cracks of a residential sign and a business sign,” said Pierce. Nonetheless, without much further discussion, the board approved the sign to be displayed for no longer than 16 weeks.

The Marion Congregational Church’s Appeal of the building permit for 16 Cottage Street was continued until July 23. Pierce said the board had “a few unanswered questions” pertaining to the matter.

The next meeting of the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for July 23 at 7:30 pm at the Marion Town House.

By Jean Perry

Your contractor can tell you whatever they want to, but it is the homeowner’s responsibility to file for permission with the Marion Conservation Commission before any work is done on your property if it contains wetlands, said commission member Jeffrey Doubrava to Chuong Pham of 22 Bass Point Road.

Pham came before the board to ask for an addition to his landing for a second bathroom, but left the July 8 meeting having to amend his Request for Determination application to include an after-the-fact deck built three years ago behind his house within the 100-foot buffer zone.

Chairman Norm Hills said Pham’s property featured three distinct wetlands and is within the velocity zone.

“You should’ve come to us to have that work done,” Hills said.

Pham told the commission he did not know he had to file with them, saying his contractor never told him. Pham said he assumed the contractor would acquire any necessary permits. When asked, Pham said he did not apply for a building permit for the deck, either.

The commission performed a site visit at the property prior to the meeting, and Hills said he saw something else he did not like.

“There’s a fuel tank down there on the bottom and the strapping over it is not sufficient to keep it from going out there,” said Hills. “If water comes up, it’ll try to float up out there.”

ConCom member Joel Hartley said the fuel tank was outside the commission’s purview, but Hills still referred to the mention of the fuel tank as “pollution prevention.”

Pham was cooperative in his response, saying he would do whatever the commission needed him to do.

The commission continued the hearing for the bathroom addition until July 22 because Pham did not have a plot plan displaying the wetlands lines or construction plans with him.

Also during the meeting, the commission gave a negative determination for Ernest Weber of 15 Kabeyun Road to enclose a back porch and outside staircase that leads down to an existing separate workshop/office attached to the dwelling.

“I’m closing the workshop, and I’m going to turn the building into one home instead of having a workshop downstairs and an office,” said Weber, his walker beside him. “At my age, I’m not as active as I used to be.”

The Notice of Intent for the Town of Marion to reconstruct the 4-foot high stone wall at Sprague’s Cove was continued until August 12. Hills said the reason for the string of continuances over the past several months was because the Town had not received correspondence from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; however, they finally received word the day before the meeting.

The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for July 22 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

By Jean Perry