The Marion Planning Board is unanimous in two beliefs – one belief that the board says does matter, and one that its members admit does not.

            The belief that mattered in a July 6 decision to grant applicant Shawn Lynch, 428 Wareham Road, a special permit to operate a food truck in a general business zone was that any interest in regulating competition falls outside the parameters of the Planning Board.

            That noted, the Planning Board also made it clear in discussing Lynch’s application that the members do not consider his food truck competition to the pizza establishment next door.

            Santoro’s Pizza & More owner Menelaos Sivvianakis had hoped the board would see it differently as he discussed what he believes are escalating challenges for his business.

            “I don’t like the idea [of Lynch serving] lunch exactly when I have my rush,” said Sivvianakis, noting that he has a mortgage on his building and has children in college. “I believe this is going to hurt me; I believe this is going to be the end of it.”

            While board members disagreed with Sivvianakis’ pessimistic outlook, they also made it clear that governing competition is not in the Planning Board’s purview.

            During the continued public hearing held on Tuesday night, Planning Board Chair Will Saltonstall summarized the board’s task in evaluating the project based on six criteria: needs, traffic flow/safety, utilities, neighborhood, impact on the environment, and impact on town services.

            Board member Eileen Marum asked about the Board of Health’s stance, to which Lynch reported the board’s approval. Marum also asked about the oven on the truck and suggested Fire Chief Brian Jackvony participate in the vetting process. While Lynch said, “Brian can check it out. I really think it falls under the Board of Health,” Saltonstall noted that Jackvony was copied on the case’s correspondence.

            Board member Jonathan Henry pointed out that fire extinguishing will fall under the fire chief’s jurisdiction. Member Chris Collings asked about electrical service, which exists at the parking lot, according to Lynch. Member Alanna Nelson called the project “great” and encouraged Lynch to avoid the use of straws and plastic bags so the business “will have less impact on our natural environment.”

            Describing the new business as a part-time small food truck, Lynch said he is merely trying to make use of the space outside the barber shop and that the food truck will operate on a first-come, first-served basis. “Once it’s empty, the truck’s gone. I’m definitely not here to step on anyone’s toes,” he said, describing himself as a Santoro’s regular. “I go there for lunch all the time, too.”

            The competition subject continued to find its way into the conversation, but Henry stated that Lynch’s limited business hours should turn out to be self-regulating. He also noted occurrences where competing coffee shops occupy adjacent lots. Planning Board member Norm Hills pointed to the difference in volume, and Collings said they serve two different products.

            “I would like to see a more diverse menu … but I don’t think we’re here to control that,” said board member Joe Rocha.

            “I would encourage (Lynch) not to compete with Santoro’s…. I just want both businesses to do well,” said Marum. “I’m certainly pleased that the business will be small and local.”

            Asked for its input to the case, Saltonstall informed the board that Marion’s Conservation Commission determined that the case is not within its jurisdiction.

            The Planning Board unanimously voted to approve.

            In a continued public hearing, the Planning Board voted to accept My Generation Solar’s withdrawal of its application for a special permit subject to minor site plan review for construction of a ground-mounted solar array system in a residential district at 8 Quails Crossing.

            The case had been vehemently opposed by neighboring residents who attended the last two Planning Board meetings when the case was heard.

            In another continued public hearing, Sherman Briggs and Hamblin Homes, Inc. requested another continuance that was granted by the board’s vote. The case will be heard on Monday, July 19, at 7:15 pm. Briggs and Hamblin Homes seek a special permit and are subject to major site plan review for the construction of 28 townhouse-style units on 3.55 acres at Spring and Mill Streets.

            The board’s effort to renew its list of peer-review engineers was met with three responses that will be reviewed by members and discussed when the board meets on July 19. The board voted to pay G.A.F. Engineering $3,200 for its evaluation of the Planning Board’s rules and regulations that Hills said are significantly outdated.

            Marion’s Zoning Board of Appeals had requested comment on the application filed by Alan Minard and Nan Johnson, 123 Allens Point Road, for a variance to allow the addition of a two-car garage that would not comply with setbacks, but the board determined that the matter falls strictly to ZBA discretion. Saltonstall recused himself from the discussion and Marum, the vice chair, presided.

            The Planning Board will next meet via Zoom on Monday, July 19, at 7:00 pm, but is hoping to secure arrangements for a return to in-person meetings beginning on August 2.

Marion Planning Board

By Mick Colageo

In response to the Marion Planning Board’s request for comment on the case of Steve Lynch, 428 Wareham Street, who seeks a special permit to place a food truck on the location where a barber shop sits at the intersection of Spring Street and Route 6, the Zoning Board of Appeals gave a thumbs up during its June 24 Zoom meeting.

            ZBA member Ed Hoffer, who chairs the town’s Board of Health, said he is in favor and considers the truck a nice presence for the community during the summer. He also said he hopes the request will be sent to the BOH. “That would be more my concern [that] somebody would inspect for cleanliness,” said Hoffer.

            Board Administrator Anne Marie Tobia said that with food involved, the case will fall into BOH purview. Other matters such as electrical power would fall under Building Commissioner Scott Shippey. The Planning Board will hear the case on July 6.

            The ZBA had to reopen a public hearing on the Tabor Academy Athletics Field in order to approve the revision of an application to correct a clerical error in the decision. The decision was revised to accurately reflect the ZBA’s actual vote on the matter, approving the usage of field lights from January to May rather than August through December for the property on Front Street.

            ZBA Chair Cynthia Callow said the board would like to meet in person beginning with its August 12 meeting. Tifft said he would be away then to officiate his nephew’s wedding but can attend a hybrid meeting. Callow said that Tifft can call in by phone. The main room of the Music Hall is not air-conditioned.

            The next meeting of the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for Thursday, July 22, at 6:30 pm via Zoom.

Marion Zoning Board of Appeals

By Mick Colageo

            Effective July 1, Marion Public Health Nurse Lori Desmarais will also officially begin in an expanded role as the town’s public health director/nurse after a vote by the Marion Board of Health on June 23.

            During a brief Zoom meeting, the board also voted to approve an expanded job description that will allow Desmarais to move up a rung on the town’s employee grid and receive what BOH Chair Dr. Ed Hoffer called a “well deserved raise,” adding, “We made a good choice.”

            “I agree, big time,” said BOH member Dr. John Howard.

            In her Public Health Nurse update, Desmarais reported the total absence of new COVID-19 cases during June. There were five reported cases in May; four of the five were under age 18 and those four were under age 12. None displayed significant symptoms.

            “Obviously, things are going well,” said Desmarais, reporting a total of 494 Marion cases to date. There are no active cases at the nursing home and the June 26 BOH meeting marked 41 days since the facility had an active case. Desmarais said there is still regularly scheduled testing at the facility for non-vaccinated people.

            The mosquito-related virus season began on June 14, and the town is awaiting the first reports on that front. Residents are allowed up to eight sprays per season; call Plymouth County Mosquito Control or the Marion Board of Health. Desmarais anticipates updates on streets scheduled for spraying to be posted at marionma.gov.

            In her Health Agent update, Anna Wimmer told the board that she was still trying to make contact with the owner of 704 Mill Street, and she observed dumpsters at 33 Pitcher Street where the property is still being cleaned up. She also told the board that she and Building Commissioner Scott Shippey visited 13 Wianno Road where they learned there are several issues, but that the family of the former owner was actively in the process of resolving the situation.

            With the coronavirus pandemic “largely behind us,” and the ability to call meetings as needed, Hoffer proposed monthly meetings for July and August. With a public hearing already scheduled for Tuesday, July 6, it was decided the board will next meet on July 6. The board will also meet on Tuesday, August 3, before going back to bi-weekly meetings beginning in September.

            The next meeting of the Marion Board of Health is scheduled for Tuesday, July 6, at 4:00 pm.

Marion Board of Health

By Mick Colageo

            It could have been a long day’s journey into night on June 28 when the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission gathered for its first hybrid meeting, a combination of in-person and remote-access attendance. Instead, some 16 cases were quickly handled.

            Attending in-person in the Town Hall’s conference room were commissioners David Lawrence, John Jacobsen, Chapman Dickerson, and Chairman Mike King. Attending remotely was commissioner Trevor Francis.

            There were eight Requests for Determination of Applicability, one Request to Amend a Notice of Intent, two new Notice of Intent petitions, and five NOI petitions that had previously been opened and then continued in what King called “the COVID protocol.” The protocol was established to provide abutters and others with interest in any NOI filing additional time to study documents and attend hearings given that not everyone could easily navigate remote-access meeting platforms.

            Receiving Negative determinations of applicability on this night were: Charlene Dineen, 1 Nantucket Drive, for the construction of an above-ground pool within a 100-foot buffer zone; Henry Borda, 12 Linhares Avenue, for replacement of an existing foundation within the 100-foot buffer zone; Josh Ignacio, 5 Park Street, for the construction of an above-ground pool within the 100-foot bordering vegetated wetland; Michael Ward for the addition of 2 acres to an existing shellfish aquaculture operation off Nasketucket Bay State Park; Robert Field, 8 Whalers Way, for repairs to an existing septic system within a designated coastal storm flowage area; Mark Whalen, Birchwood Street lot 58, for tree removal; and David Kiernan, 14 North Street, to replace a single-story addition.

            A request submitted by Malcolm Campbell, 8 Dyar Road, for an amendment to a previously conditioned NOI was approved with minor changes, and an RDA filed by Peter Annunziato, 11 Rock Street, was continued to July 12.

            A Notice of Intent filed by Fred Larson, 2 Brandt Island Shores, for coastal nourishment was continued to July 12 pending a Department of Environment Protection file number and comments, as was 1 Brandt Island Shores, owned by Goodspeed, LLC, for a groundwater recharge basin repair.

            Reopened and previously examined NOI hearings receiving conditions were filed by Jennifer Capobianco, 0 Angelica Avenue, for the construction of a new single-family house; Stephen Randon, 0 Randall Road, for the construction of a single-family home; and Donna Downey, trustee, 16 Water Street, for the removal of an existing boat ramp.

            Alexander Bauer’s NOI was not reopened but continued to July 12 for the construction of a new single-family dwelling planned for 7 Nashawena Road.

            Also continued to July 12 was the NOI filed by Randall Lane Solar, LLC.

            In other matters, the commission discussed the vacancy created by the retirement of Conservation Agent Liz Leidhold and its growing concern that public matters brought before the commission may suffer delays in the absence of staffing. A drafted letter to the Select Board was discussed with member Jacobsen taking the lead. The commission discussed various stop-gap measures such as hiring a contract agent who could perform site visits. But King said contractors generally did not want to handle the associated paperwork. Leidhold’s last day is scheduled for July 20.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for July 12 at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell

            During the June 23 meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Health, members Ken Dawicki, Russell Bailey, and Chairman Carmelo Nicolosi quickly approved what had previously been a contentious septic system design when representative David Davignon presented them with an amended plan.

            Property owner Robert Malm, Aucoot Road, had first asked for several waivers for a septic design that would have placed the system in jurisdictional areas, using what abutters believed to be unacceptable testing results and inaccurate wetland boundaries.

            For Malm, the application was based on his hope to preserve a northern quadrant of the large parcel for future subdivision among family members. Under that plan, it would have been necessary to place the system completely within the boundaries of a southern portion, requiring waivers to the wetland setbacks. The updated design would have the system leach into the northern area outside the wetlands buffer zone, Davignon stated.

            Approval was granted, including waivers from regulation, as the percolation test was performed in the most restrictive area using Title 5 standards, and another waiver that read, “Applicant requests a waiver as one of the two percolation rates was greater than 1 inch in 20 minutes. Title 5 now allows a perc rate of up to 1 inch in 60 minutes for new construction.” No abutters attended the meeting, and no correspondence was read into the minutes objecting to the updated design.

            Also granted on this day were waivers requested by Michael McGreavy, 4 Bayberry Lane, for possible future construction of an addition to an existing home that would need a variance to the minimum setback to a cellar wall of less than 10 feet from a leaching area.

            Properties located at 14 and 15 Brandt Island Road, owned respectively by Stephen Napolitano and Ralph Cotellesso, also received requested waivers. Justification for waivers on both properties to setback requirements were waived, given that percolation tests were conducted in the most restrictive materials, Horizon C-2 Title 5 below the maximum seasonal high groundwater table. These cases were also represented by Davignon.

            Earlier in the meeting, the board met with Public Health Nurse Emily Field, who reported the discontinuation of weekly COVID-19 statistics, given that cases have almost completely reached zero. She said new protocols would be forthcoming from the state but that contact tracing was winding down. Field said that vaccines are still being offered, especially to the homebound of all ages. Those residents still needing vaccines should call her office to schedule an appointment, she said. The Public Health Office number is 508-758-4100, extension 213.

            Field reported that more concerning now is the number of tick bites, some resulting in secondary infections such as anaplasmosis. She urged the public to use protective clothing and to check for ticks on the body after going into wooded areas.

            Regarding the health agent vacancy, Nicolosi said that a search is underway but that agents are hard to find. In the meantime, the department is using personnel from neighboring communities to assist in the field as needed. Nicolosi asked the board members to also assist whenever possible.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Health was not scheduled upon adjournment.

Mattapoisett Board of Health

By Marilou Newell