It took a telephone call from the parking lot of Old Colony Regional Vocational-Technical High School to get the Rochester Planning Board to endorse the relocation of the Countryside Child Care Center playground at Plumb Corner.

            Board Chairman Arnold Johnson told consulting engineer Brian Walsh that the one obstacle holding up his approval vote on the project was receiving a formal notice that every plaza tenant was okay with the relocation, which will place the playground closer to the rear of the plaza businesses.

            Specifically, Johnson wanted a letter or some formal notice from Matt’s Blackboard restaurant owner Matt Gurney saying that he would allow relocating the three dumpsters that now sit directly behind that business.

            “We’ve been very transparent with the plaza owner,” Walsh said.

            Johnson pointed out that doesn’t necessarily mean permission from the tenants, especially from Gurney. “I need a little more ‘comfort’ from him,” Johnson said. “He’s the one most impacted.”

            The board took the unusual step of continuing the project’s public hearing so Countryside Child Care Center owners Schoen and Bonnie Morrissey could contact Gurney by telephone for an immediate answer. After circling the parking lot in their motor vehicle to get good cell-phone reception, the couple returned with Gurney’s texted answer: “Put the dumpsters anywhere. It doesn’t matter to me.”

            With that done, the Planning Board unanimously endorsed the site plan to relocate and install the 5,050 square-foot playground of the Countryside Child Care Center at 565 Roundsville Road.

            Johnson explained later the Village at Plumb Corner housing project necessitated a change in drainage that required moving the center’s play area.

            Town Planner Nancy Durfee said she will now draft the site-plan review decision, which she will then submit to the Planning Board for its final approval.
            In other action, the panel recommended the Select Board not exercise the town’s option to purchase the property at 529 Snipatuit Road, which is being taken out of 61A agricultural land protection. Towns are routinely allowed to acquire such parcels if they choose to do so.

            The Planning Board’s next scheduled meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 14, at 7:00 pm at Old Colony RVTHS.

Rochester Planning Board

By Michael J. DeCicco

            Midway through their May 24 meeting, the Mattapoisett Select Board heard from members of the Mattapoisett Woman’s Club regarding issues they have experienced in working with the Mattapoisett Lions Club during Harbor Days. Representing the MWC were Sandy Hering and Lois Ennis. Although the Lions were invited to attend and discuss matters, no one was present.

            Traditionally, the MWC uses the big tent at Shipyard Park, erected for Harbor Days and paid for by the Lions, for their scholarship fundraiser Taste of the Town. But this year they were told that Tuesday, July 12, is not available and reported that Valeri Kane of the Lions offered them any other day that week. The switch, Hering said, would make it very difficult for restaurants to participate.

            Although this situation was a problem for the MWC, it was an even bigger problem for the Select Board. Chairman Jordan Collyer pointed out that an advertisement on the Lions’ Facebook page offered the tent for rental, a violation of the town’s policy.

            “The board controls use of Shipyard Park,” said Collyer, adding that even the individual events held during the weeklong Harbor Days are required to be preapproved by the Select Board. Under no circumstances can the park be rented out to anyone without prior approval.

            Collyer said he had watched earlier Select Board meetings concerning Chase Canopy’s request to erect the tent earlier than needed for Harbor Day events due to scheduling and manpower issues. That request was granted. The concept of the Lions Club renting it out during those days was never considered by the Select Board.

            “We were frustrated by this,” Collyer said. “Shipyard Park is not there for any singular organization.” Member Tyler Macallister said, “They (Lions) don’t have authority.”

            Without a representative from the Lions in attendance, the board was left with unanswered questions. But the members were unanimous in recertifying that the MWC’s Taste of the Town could be held on July 12.

            In a follow-up, Hering said, “Originally, the Lions wanted a set cash amount to use the tent on July 12. We refused that offer and tried to negotiate with them.” She said that for years the MWC gave a donation to the Lions for use of the tent, “from one civic organization to another.” No agreement could be reached.

            “We were saddened to decline, it’s such a family event in our beautiful park and it’s a big fundraiser for us,” said Hering. After meeting with the Select Board, she hoped everything could be worked out amicably.

            Earlier in the meeting, the board met with local business owner Nils Johnson regarding granite boulders that had been placed in front of his establishment, the Inn at Shipyard Park, located on Water Street. Johnson said he had had discussions with Town Administrator Mike Lorenco after expressing his desire to continue with outside food and beverage service as outlined by state regulations. The boulders, he thought, would be more agreeable than the jersey barriers he had placed on the edge of the street for the safety of his patrons eating outside in previous seasons.

            Lorenco explained that since the board had already granted approval at the beginning of the pandemic for several restaurants to offer outdoor dining, he had made the “assumption” that as long as nothing had changed, restaurants could move forward for another season of outdoor dining.

            But Select Board member Jodi Bauer was not in favor of what she called Johnson’s use of town-owned property. She also said, “People don’t like those jersey barriers … people want to know why you got permission.” She questioned how many years was this going to go on, she wanted to see it stopped. She said his use of town property was different from the other restaurants.

            “This is very different because he is using town property, blocking off the sidewalk and losing parking in a very busy area,” Bauer said.

            Lorenco said, “It was vetted in the past for safety.”

            Collyer said that due to heavy restrictions associated with the pandemic, the state had given cities and towns authority to grant outdoor dining beyond any existing permits. “Prior permissions moved forward.” He said that all safety measures had been reviewed and considered when original permissions for outdoor dining were granted, hence the barriers.

            Johnson said he had not been made aware until recently that people were complaining as Bauer had commented. “I would have expected to hear it before now. I’m not trying to aggravate people,” said Johnson.

            Both Macallister and Collyer said they had not received any complaints.

            Bauer said that such decisions should come before the board and that, “It’s been three years – time for it to go away.”

            But Collyer said it had come before the board, and such regulations were intended to help business financially to rebound from lost income during the pandemic and that was the purpose for extending outdoor dining until April 2023. “I’m not happy with your business being on town property,” Bauer plainly stated to Johnson.

            The board approved Johnson’s use of the sidewalk in front of his establishment and requested plantings to make the barriers more aesthetically appealing.

            The engineering firm VHB met with the board to review contractual updates and associated charges. VHB has been developing documents for a MassDOT grant and other applications for the village street roadway improvement project.

            Approved by the board were: eight additional hours for meetings and coordination with various agencies; 24 additional hours for horizontal and vertical geometry for additional work in designs near Route 6 and 24 more hours for final vertical design; the culvert on Water Street; how bikes use Main Street to Acushnet Road; 10 hours for plot cross sections; 76 more hours for drainage and water supply details associated with Mechanic Street and private-property discharges and investigations in how to improve the same.

            During the meeting, the board approved a request from Colby Tranfaglia to use Ned’s Point for a wedding ceremony with 100 guests to take place on October 14. The board discussed their standard approval, which is for no more than 50 people but agreed to grant this request but limit the number of cars to just 25 to minimize impact at the popular venue.

            The board also appointed Craig LeBlanc as constable and Carole Clifford to the Historical Commission, replacing Marilou Newell, who had tendered her resignation.

            The board also approved the transfer of an All Alcohol Liquor license to new owner Jessica Moore for the restaurant Rustico. Also granted was a common victualer permit and a permit for entertainment.

            Before adjourning the public meeting and entering executive session, Lorenco was asked to set up a working meeting for the board to review all major projects.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board is scheduled for Thursday, June 2, at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett Select Board

By Marilou Newell

During the May 23 meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission, residents of Marina Drive were asked to attend and discuss drainage piping they plan to install.

            The residents said they have been struggling for years with drainage problems in and around Marina Drive, a private roadway. Several residents said numerous calls to Town Hall and the Highway Department had not resulted in any assistance, although the Highway Department has annually completed roadway-maintenance services. Things seemed now to have reached the tipping point, as one resident exclaimed, “We need help!”

            Present to share their concerns were Mark and Stacey Lane, William Ebert, Lyn Pelland, Liz Carvalho and Alan and Sherri Panek.

            Conservation Commission Chairman Mike King said he was sympathetic to the conditions the residents were facing and wanted to help them achieve permitted work.

            After a lengthy discussion in which the residents described Marina Drive as impassible, said that children could not ride bikes on the road due to numerous potholes and that emergency vehicles would be hard pressed to reach some homes, King offered what little assistance was available from the commission. King said he would reach out to the Plymouth County Mosquito Control services and have drainage features in the area cleaned out. The bottom line for the residents, however, would be to hire a professional engineering firm for permanent solutions.

            In other matters, David Davignon of Schneider, Davignon and Leone Inc. represented three clients having their cases heard in a consecutive manner.

            First up was a Request for Determination of Applicability filed by Mike and Jeanne Connon, 65 Mattapoisett Neck Road, for the installation of a 53-foot-long sewer pipe to an existing sewer grinder pump basin. The request received a negative determination.

            A Notice of Intent filed by Tracey White, 70 Aucoot Road, was conditioned after Davignon described the proposal for beach nourishment. Conditions also called for sieve analyst.

            Davignon’s final filing for the evening was another NOI filed by David Monteiro, 35 Mattapoisett Neck Road, for the construction of a residential peer. This reopened hearing received conditioning.

            A RDA filed by David and Kimberlee Nashold, 15 Snowfield Road, for the expansion of an existing pool deck received a negative determination, as did Michael Livingstone’s RDA at 20 Old Mattapoisett Neck Road for perpetual beach nourishment with a cap of 5 yards of sand per year.

            Jeff Himawan, 10 Point Road, received a requested Amended Order of Conditions for the construction of a new residence and driveway. Himawan’s representative, Mat Costa of Holmes and McGrath Civil Engineering, was instructed to file a new plan of record.

            A NOI filed by Rose and Mark Robert, 17 Ned’s Point Road, for the construction of a 32×30-foot pool house with a driveway and a 16×32-foot in-ground pool as represented by Peter Therrien of Field Engineering received conditioning.

            Rounding out the agenda were enforcement orders previously issued to three property owners of beach camps along Old Road. King noted no further action is needed at this time.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for Monday, June 13, at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell