On November 23, the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission received details on Phases 2a and 2b of the Mattapoisett Bike and Pedestrian Path proposed along Industrial Drive.

            Representing the applicant, the Town of Mattapoisett, was Jake Carmody of TEC. Carmody’s presentation included parts of the recreational pathway yet to be funded and parts that have received funding from a grant as well as donations.

            Carmody gave an overview of the entire roadway improvements planned to bring the bike path from the west side of North Street at the Park-’n-Ride to the east side, entering into the Industrial Park area terminating at the Marion town line. However, the purpose of this Notice of Intent filing dealt with the path from the intersection at Bay Club Drive to the Marion Town line. It is this portion that is currently funded.

            Representing the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike and Recreational Path was Robin Lepore, who said that the Friends had raised $95,000. That, along with grant monies, will fund the section of the path being discussed. Lepore noted that there would be phased construction for other segments of the pathway as the project secures further funding.

            Regarding the project in its entirety, Carmody explained that drainage systems along the existing roadway would be improved and that wetlands replication plans were in place. He said that 2,663 square feet of bordering vegetated wetlands would be permanently impacted, 207 square feet temporarily impacted, and that 5,326 square feet would constitute the wetlands replication area on town-owned property near Route 195.

            Chairman Mike King asked whether the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program had commented on the project. Carmody replied that they require a turtle protection plan before construction begins. Carmody also said that an existing turtle culvert would remain in place.

            Of the pedestrian crossings planned for North Street at Industrial Drive and Boat Rock Road and Industrial Drive, Carmody said that high-visibility, rapid-flashing crossing lights will be installed.

            The hearing was continued until December 14.

            Also continued until December 14, as noted by King, would be any additional discussion regarding the Seabreeze Lane Enforcement Order issued to Daniel Craig. Letters received from the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen and the Buzzards Bay Coalition were noted but not read into the minutes.

            Another continued application (to December 14) was a Notice of Intent filed by Sheelagh Beaulieu for Luna III LLC, 2 Beach Street, to demolish an existing structure once pilings have been constructed for a new single-family home meeting the FEMA elevation requirement. Representing the property owners was Rich Rheaume of Prime Engineering, who said when questioned by Deborah Lezama, president of the Crescent Beach Association, that a path to the beach would not be affected.

            Previously opened and conditioned on this night was a Notice of Intent filed by Donna Downey, Trustee, 16 Water Street, to construct a 74-foot by 14-foot expansion.

            Two Requests for Determination of Applicability received negative determinations, allowing them to move forward without an NOI filing required. Those applications were Aaron Bates, 9 West Hill Road, for the construction of a porch, and Jark Dlugosinski, 11 Crystal Springs Road, for a septic upgrade.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for December 14 at 6:30 pm.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell

            The February 2017 blizzard that buckled and closed Bowlmor Lanes in Mattapoisett will find another level of closure when the 22 County Road structure is leveled this winter. A conference call was held on November 21, during which public- and private-sector stakeholders articulated concerns with the logistics of the building’s impending demolition.

            Assured by Ying Dynasty’s representation that the restaurant is perfectly willing to close for a day, Andy Bobola expressed gratitude on behalf of everyone else involved.

            “That to me is really willing to step up to the plate,” said Bobola, Mattapoisett’s director of inspectional services who moderated Monday’s conference call. “Ying Dynasty is a seven-day-a-week business…. We need to limit the possibility of anything going wrong and having a business running through lunch and well after dark.”

            Bowlmor, a regional hub for the sport since 1945, was condemned by the Town of Mattapoisett following a roof collapse that the owners attributed to heavy snow. “The trusses actually snapped,” recalled Bobola.

            The sunken roof bowed out the sides of the building. Despite attempts to repair it, the building was still considered unsafe. Consideration was given to a rehabilitation project so that the business could reopen, but that ultimately did not happen.

            Susan Penta represented the owner on the conference call. SMC Trust owns the building, and she is one of three trustees, along with Michael Penta and the late Angelo “Chick” Paolini. Ying Dynasty leases its space from SMC Trust.

            Bowlmor Lanes currently sits in an empty parking lot, barricaded on three sides by chain-link fencing and on one side by Ying Dynasty. The conjoined buildings are painted lime green with brown trim. One day in 2021, no later than the February school vacation week, it is expected that Ying Dynasty will stand alone in that lot.

            Logistics and safety are the main topics of concern, and there are many aspects to consider with a building demolition.

            Bowlmor’s physical connection to Ying Dynasty rules out an implosion in favor of what Costello Dismantling Project Manager Hal Monsini described as a hydraulic excavator accompanied by a man in a lift operating a chainsaw or similar equipment separating loose ends as needed.

            “The demolition will be discussed with the safest route possible exiting the site,” said Monsini, planning his entries and exits exclusively to Route 6. We shouldn’t have any mitigating dust in the neighborhoods or going over the streets. Once the building is down, said Monsini, there won’t be five or six trucks leaving the site, rather more like one or two trucks exiting every hour.

            Mattapoisett Fire Chief Andrew Murray sought information on “whatever hot work is going to be done in there.” Murray asked about safety controls at the connection between Bowlmor and Ying Dynasty, along with the potential for flammable liquids and other “igniters” including but not limited to electricity. He was told that gas does not exist in the Bowlmor building, though it does exist in Ying Dynasty.

            Jim Sullivan, Mattapoisett’s gas inspector, recalled a prior kitchen demolition where Ying Dynasty now stands and that the gas meter had not been shut off. After being told there is no gas in the Bowlmor building, Sullivan requested a walk-through “just to secure that thought.”

            Sullivan also shared his concern about the vibration caused by heavy equipment, referencing Ying Dynasty’s “old gas service” and questioning if the activity next door could cause a leak. He suggested a test before the restaurant reopens and to have a plumber on-site to verify “everything OK in that section.”

            Bobola offered a final walk-through, and several other stakeholders indicated an interest in participating before demolition.

            Mattapoisett Police Captain Jason King said safety detail would be necessary along Route 6 and on Barstow Street. “Traffic flow and overall safety would be our concern,” said King. Monsini explained that the demolition work could extend into a second day where it concerns cutting away where Bowlmor ends, and Ying Dynasty begins. If the work extends to a second day, it will require an additional one-officer detail.

            Sharing the traffic concern was Center School AssociatePrincipal Kevin Tavares, who estimated 8:00-8:45 am and 2:30-3:00 pm as the arrival and dismissal times, causing the most activity in and out of the school.

            Mattapoisett Health Agent Kayla Davis asked about pest control, including rats and mice, noting that they tend to scatter. Monsini said Costello Dismantling usually takes preventative measures and indicated that rodent prevention is the property owner’s domain and resultant issues are the town’s concern.

            To regulate dust during the demolition, Monsini said Costello uses one or two machines to distribute a mist, saying the number of parts of water “per million (of air) exceeds anything we need as far as dust control.”

            One abutter, David MacIntyre, was invited to address the call and said, “I have no concerns, just more curious as to what the plan is, that’s all.”

            Bobola summarized a checklist of needs, including written proof that all utilities have been cut, a valid Dig Safe number, and written confirmation on oil removal. Asbestos remediation, reported Davis, was completed on November 20, and Bobola requested copies of the final clearance and certificate.

            City projects involving high-rise buildings are often brought down by means similar to Costello’s plans for Bowlmor. Boston Garden, separated by only 9 inches from its successor, was clawed down in the late 1990s by heavy equipment only a few years after the FleetCenter (now TD Garden) was erected.

            Bowlmor is a much smaller building, especially in height, but shares a similar charm as a cultural sports relic with 10 lanes, all duckpin, and a signature smell that was not considered unpleasant to its patrons. It will become the latest in a purge of old-time bowling in the region, joining Midtown Bowl on Route 6 in Dartmouth, Bowlers Country Club in Fairhaven where Stop & Shop now sits, and Playdium in New Bedford.

            Monsini said there was a break-in a few months before the asbestos was removed. “Someone broke in and made a little bit of a mess,” he said. Bobola told call participants that bowling shoes and pins were still inside the building and that Paolini, before his October 5 passing, generously allowed representatives from the Tri-Town to help themselves to items.

            Dr. Jeff Miller, director of the Mattapoisett Museum, told The Wanderer that he and the owner had been in conversation about some materials being gifted to the museum, primarily a bench that the museum had to decline for lack of space. While the museum is interested in acquiring smaller items, nothing had been decided as of November 23.

By Mick Colageo

            Fresh from a major victory when the November 5 Marion Town Meeting approved its purchase of the Hoff Property and accepted the donated connected lands, the Marion Open Space Acquisition Commission met on November 12 via Zoom.

            The focus turned to plans for a multi-use path along Point Road that would run from the Fire Station at Rebecca Drive to the far end of Jenna Drive. “There is a multi-use path being planned by MOSAC…. In addition to paths through Hoff and other properties, we have this going through neighborhoods,” said Vice Chair Alan Harris.

            In his Point Road (path) update, MOSAC Chairman John Rockwell reported receiving a punch list from the Department of Public Works under former member Jeff Oakes’ review at that time. Rockwell said he met earlier that day with Town Administrator Jay McGrail, and they plan to meet with Bill Madden of G.A.F. Engineering.

            “G.A.F. isn’t aware of the work we put into this and how we came up with that plan, so we’ll meet with them and … talk about the issues because I think they’d be narrowed down a lot,” said Rockwell. “They were talking about lack of a survey and tying into a benchmark, and we have that town bound behind those rocks, and if we already have that in our notes where that town-bound is, we can tie it in. And then we’ll be tied into a benchmark.”

            Rockwell said he was reading a set of plans “for permit only.”

            “Those plans were never intended to go to bid,” said Oakes, an engineer who has been assisting the commission in seeing through the permitting process.

            Harris thanked Oakes for his time and asked him and Rockwell if they knew how many hours they have been putting into the project. “We stopped counting,” said Rockwell. “If somebody is watching this, they ought to appreciate that a small conversation represents several days out there,” said Harris.

            “Maybe the barn door is closed on this, but, I mean, keeping track of (the hours) may be helpful,” said board member Amanda Chace. “For future projects, that’s what I’m thinking in terms of people estimating costs because this is all in-kind what we’re getting, which is wonderful.” Oakes acknowledged the point and said that kind of record-keeping could prove valuable for future projects.

            The next item on the agenda was open space signage. Harris reported posting signs over by the Washburn parcels, removing a Sippican Lands Trust sign that did not belong (Harris is vice president of the SLT). “They look very nice,” said Harris of the signs, referencing another sign at the Goldavitz Bog. “Hopefully that will serve notice that there is an obstacle there.”

            Harris said he typically takes his dogs for a walk in solitude at Grassi Bog and that he was happy to report seeing four other parties present, including a family taking a walk, a bird watcher, and a mushroom hunter. Rockwell said his father-in-law was a mushroom hunter.

            The SLT has been trying to put signage at the end of trails with the assistance of a student volunteer at Old Rochester Regional High School, who would use an automated milling machine to create the signs out of wood. Harris said he expects the letters would be painted yellow and trails designated by number with several earmarked for MOSAC properties. Chace suggested a Quick Response (QR) code be placed on signage so visitors can make donations with their smartphones.

            Under Open Space Maintenance, Harris reported that Grassi Bog had been mowed and shows “a lot of turtle nests this year.” Rockwell suggested that the sanded area be tilled in late April or early May. Harris observed a northern red-bellied cooter turtle crossing Route 6. In 2019, Chace saw a bobcat crossing Route 6. Tracks had also been seen by Mary’s Pond.

            The next step for MOSAC in its acquisition of the Hoff Property and connected parcels is to get a conservation restriction drawn up and approved by state authorities. Harris cannot participate in that process due to a conflict of interest.

            Speaking of increasing protected areas of open space in Marion, Rockwell commented, “Obviously, we can’t buy all the open space we’d like because there’s not enough money.” Harris said that Sippican Lands Trust has a very good donor, but that it takes a long time to get all that money together.

            The Hoff Property deal put the land and its maintenance in the hands of the SLT. “I think it’s great for all the taxpayers,” said Rockwell.

            “Definitely the work of many, and it was great to see,” said Chace.

            “If you have a good team, you can conquer the world,” said Rockwell. “This project, we had a good team.”

            MOSAC members all credited Dot Brown of the SLT for her assistance, while Rockwell singled out neighbors Steve Clark and his wife Tina Welch, and Randy and Merle Parker. Trail and property access improved as a result.

            The next meeting of the Open Space Acquisition Commission has not yet been scheduled.

Marion Open Space Acquisition Commission

By Mick Colageo

            Matthew Morganelli came before the Rochester Conservation Commission on November 17 representing the Town of Marion’s proposed upgrade of Water Treatment Chemical feed buildings. The proposed work would see the demolition of two existing buildings that have previously treated water from three surrounding wells. In their place, a single facility will be constructed to feed water treatment chemicals and draw water from three wells in the area that are currently offline.

            Morganelli came before the commission seeking a Request for Determination of Applicability to determine if a formal Notice of Intent application would be necessary for the project moving forward. According to Morganelli, the majority of work planned will take place outside of the 100-foot buffer zone to an adjacent wetland. Morganelli also explained that all of the proposed work would take place on an existing gravel road at the site. As the proposed work is taking place in a previously developed area, Morganelli argued that it should be exempt from a formal filing.

            The site will pump 400 gallons of water per minute from the surrounding wells, and chemicals will be mixed in to treat the water. Conservation Commission Chairman Michael Conway expressed concerns about potential leaks from the site that could spread chemicals to surrounding wetlands. Morganelli explained that leaks were atypical. Because the mixing of chemicals occurs inside the treatment building, any leak would be contained inside the site.

            Commission member Lena Bourque also explained that the pumping of water from these wells could pose a risk to the surrounding wetlands considering the recent droughts. The pumping of water is cause for concern, but Morganelli told commission members that sufficient testing had been conducted to ensure there will not be any detrimental impact on the surrounding area. This is mostly due to the low rate at which water will ultimately be drawn from the site.

            Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon explained that, even with concerns about the installation of the new facility, the commission only has jurisdiction on work done inside protected areas, which in this case is very limited. The Conservation Commission voted to issue a negative determination of applicability for the project, allowing it to move forward without a formal Notice of Intent application.

            The commission moved onto a continued discussion for a new application for tree removal projects in the town. The discussion began after the commission received numerous RDA applications related to minor tree-removal projects. Town Counsel Blair Bailey drafted an application for tree removal to authorize Farinon to independently review tree-removal applications. The hope is that this application will save time for commission members and residents alike.

            Vice-Chair Daniel Gagne was not wholly convinced of the proposal. For Gagne, the new application was simply a new form that is already covered by the RDA application process. Further, Gagne told commission members that the tree-removal application could be a new way to bypass commission regulations.

            Bailey explained that, without this application, residents would simply go forward with tree removal without any oversight from the commission. It would be a case of more applications coming before the commission for forgiveness for work already done rather than for permission to complete the work in the first place.

            The Rochester Conservation Commission voted to approve the use of the new tree-removal application for a one-year trial period, with Gagne as the sole ‘no’ vote on the decision.

            The next Rochester Conservation Commission meeting will be held remotely via Zoom on December 1 at 7:00 pm.

Rochester Conservation Commission

By Matthew Donato