Rochester’s Conservation Commission Tuesday re-opened its month-long review of four separate Notices of Intent to build single-family dwellings on two-acre lots at 0 High Street but ultimately continued all four hearings until its next meeting.

            Since early November, the project has drawn the attention of abutters who have raised concerns about its possible effect on flooding and natural resources in their neighborhood. Tuesday, the board continued to next meeting its review of three of the project’s lots because the Natural Heritage Foundation has yet to decide if its construction will affect endangered species. The board tabled a decision on a fourth lot to give an abutter’s engineer time to review how the construction will affect his client’s flooding problem.

            Project representative Chris Wallace reported that Natural Heritage’s latest correspondence says the construction on those lots will not affect habitat, but the organization needs to continue its review as to whether the project as a whole will affect habitat. Conservation Commission member Michael Gifford said he would be more comfortable waiting for the foundation’s full answer before approving any Order of Conditions endorsing that work can start. The commissioners unanimously agreed.

            When discussion turned to the fourth lot, its closest abutter, Jeremy Saccone, who previously said his property near County Road frequently floods because of the bog and will flood even more when a house lot is built near him, said his engineer has not had time to review the new mitigation measures Wallace has proposed, because that response was only issued a day before the meeting. Saccone wanted a two-week continuance to allow that review time. “This is new,” Saccone said. “The new road is now on top of the bog road. The water will come directly back to me.”

            The board ultimately granted the two-week continuance to allow time for Saccone’s engineer to respond even as it noted mitigating a flooding problem on upland is a little beyond its jurisdiction of protecting wetlands. “We have limited jurisdiction,” member Ben Bailey said. “This is on the razor’s edge of not our jurisdiction.” Board Chair Christopher Gerrior motioned the continuance after Wallace noted he will have to return in two weeks for the other three lots anyway.

            The commission began its meeting by approving a Request for Determination of applicability to the wetland’s protection bylaws for a plan to construct a 16×24-foot shed partially within the 100-foot wetlands buffer zone at 324 High St. Homeowner Stephen Cobb told the commission he had taken this plan to the Zoning Board of Appeals. That board objected to the shed being placed in the front of the yard, which is against town regulation, leading to his decision to move the building closer to his side setback and possibly wetlands. The commission unanimously granted the project a Negative Determination, i.e. that the plan will not affect a wetland area, after Conservation Agent Merilee Kelly reported the new location is a lawn area, 85 feet from wetlands.

            Next, the commission approved a request for a Certificate of Compliance of the Order of Conditions for a plan to build a new single-family home with driveway, septic system and associated grading at 127 Neck Road, after Kelly noted this construction had been successfully completed “a couple of years ago.”

            The board then granted a request for a three-year extension of the Order of Conditions filed by the MBTA for its property at 45 Kings Highway. Kelly reported that much of the construction project has finished. Project representative Jonathan Niro of BETA Group, Worcester, said the extension is being requested so project managers may continue monitoring the work and complete the parking lot.

            The next Conservation Commission meeting will be December 17 at 7:00 pm, at town hall, 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Conservation Commission

by Michael J. DeCicco

            Plymouth County Commission Treasurer Tom O’Brien and State Senator Michael J. Rodrigues came to Rochester Monday to present its Board of Selectmen a $413,605 check for new Police Department digital radios and new Fire Department turnout gear.

            The oversize cardboard check the pair came to town hall with represented two actual checks Rochester has been granted from county ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) monies, O’Brien explained. One is a $234,000 check for the radios. The other is $189,520 for the firefighter gear.

            O’Brien boasted Plymouth County was the first county to spend every penny of the ARPA funds it had been allocated and at a lower operational cost than the other Massachusetts communities. “The average cost to administer is 7-8 percent,” he said. “We administered using 1.4 percent because other counties partnered with us to administer the funds.”

            Next, the board approved the placement of a new Eversource Energy ‘stub’ utility pole on the south side of Hartley Road as proposed by Verizon New England INC and NSTAR Electric Company. This approval came after objections from Highway Surveyor who said he would rather see the pole on the island there. Selectman Brad Morse agreed. “My concern is visibility of the road to motorists,” he said. The Verizon representative said the company had already answered Eldridge’s request to place the pole further off the road, as far as was possible.’

            In other action, the board approved placing a proposal to create a Town Administrator bylaw with a set of regulations for the position on the January 27, 2025 Special Town Meeting warrant. This vote came after Town Administrator Cameron Durant reported that he and the town’s labor counsel Jane Friedman had worked together to create the proposal. Both selectmen who were present, Brad Morse and Adam Murphy, said they were satisfied with the results and moved to place the measure on the warrant.  The board appointed six members to the new Events Committee who will serve three-year terms. They are Sarah Paiva, Kami Mederios, Renee Duffy, Maureen Viera, Sharon Hartley and Michelle Hamilton. Durant noted there is one spot open on the seven-member board and anyone who would like to join should send town hall a letter of interest.

            The board also appointed its first member to the Opioid Task Force, Michael Kovadevich, who will serve a three-year term.

            The selectmen continued until its next meeting discussion of increasing building increases proposed by Building Commissioner Paul Boucher and approving a new Police Department towing policy. Both issues had to be delayed because there was no third member; Paul Ciaburri was unable to attend.

            Murphy said he struggles with increasing building fees only because the town’s number of building permits went down this past year. “The cost of permit should meet the cost to administer it,” he said. “I struggle to pass a cost like that to the consumer.” Morse said he had no problem with increasing fees to align with surrounding communities’ fee rates and acknowledged a third board member is needed to break the tie.

            Police chief Michael A. Assad, Jr. explained the new towing policy would add regulation of the towing companies the town uses. Driver must look and act the part, Assad said. The policy requires proper licensing and insurance and bars use of any controlled substance, cannabis or alcohol on the job.

            The next meeting of the Rochester Select Board is scheduled for Monday, December 16 at 6:00 pm at 1 Constitution Way.

Rochester Select Board

By Michael J. DeCicco

The Marion Select Board met in a lighting fast meeting on Tuesday, December 3. The meeting began with the approval of minutes from three meetings, October 7, October 16, and November 6. Minutes were approved by unanimous vote.

            The next agenda item was approving liquor licenses. The board unanimously approved all outstanding requests, though the Board of Health will also need to comply with said approval.

            For the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission, the board unanimously approved the town’s estimated seasonal population, at 5,490 people. This is up from around 5,100 last year as stated by a board member.

            For next year’s meetings, the board unanimously approved the recommended meeting dates for 2025. No comments or adjustments were added with one board member saying, “we’re flexible.”

            In water and sewage commitments, the board unanimously approved $10,000 for West Drive sewage connections, now up to around 12 houses per a board member. It was stated the area should see more sewer tie-ins as West Drive is a “sensitive area” near the sea. They also approved $4745.90 in final readings.

            With that, the board convened with “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Holidays.”

Marion Select Board

By Sam Bishop