At their September 25 meeting, the Marion Conservation Commission held several hearings on routine matters, mostly involving property additions.
The presence of Japanese knotweed and the presence of an elusive stream around the Wareham Avenue area drew some conversations but no controversy.
The commission started the meeting by approving three notices of intent filed by three applicants – one for a septic upgrade, another for a screened porch in a buffer zone, as well as a deck addition.
The proposed deck on a Brooke Haven Lane property is smaller than the original blueprint, but drew the attention of Conservation Agent/Town Planner Doug Guey-Lee for a different reason. Guey-Lee, citing his site visit and conversations with the owner, said the applicant has been battling Japanese knotweed and was putting in mitigation measures. Guey-Lee said that the commission wants to limit them within wetland resource areas.
According to web resources, Japanese knotweed is one the world’s most invasive plants and a top invader of wetlands, streams, and other water resources.
Guey-Lee said keeping an eye on it is helpful for conservation commissioners. Guey-Lee also mentioned if the commission revisited that property, the presence of the knotweed would be the main concern.
Marion Realty LLC applied for a request for determination of a stream on a lot on Wareham Avenue, which floods onto town property at times.
Engineers reported that there is a coastal river there but the water’s height varies depending on weather. Sometimes, water levels appear like a “monsoon” while other times the area is fairly dry, making it difficult to determine the volume of wetlands in the area before new development proceeds.
The commission put it on its next site visit list and will revisit the issue at its October 9 meeting.
In total, the commission held six mini-hearings on issues connected to home additions, such as pool additions or other property upgrades within buffer zones.
A West Avenue applicant proposed plans for removing and rebuilding a garage and rebuilding a seawall near a coastal beach.
Guey-Lee said all plans look as though it will not impact the beach area but asked for erosion measures so the work does not disturb the adjacent property.
The commission also announced it is working on a new website that is more user-friendly and does a better job highlighting the wetlands protection act and other information for a general audience.
The site is still in progress but now has links to the state Department of Environmental Protection website, as well as commission member names and when their respective terms expire.
“It said some things that were nonsensical and out-of-date,” said Guey-Lee of the previous web site, also stating that he and administrative assistant Natashja Molina took a look at it with fresh eyes.
Guey-Lee asserted the commission wants to make the site more of a public resource with consistent language and readable to a general audience.
Marion Conservation Commission
By Jeffrey D. Wagner