The majority of the Marion Conservation Commission, with just a bit of contention amongst its members, took a no tolerance stance on building within a velocity zone on November 12, with Chairman Norman Hills refusing to budge on allowing four large storage containers to be temporarily placed in the V zone of the proposed location at 291 Wareham Street.
The owners of Saltworks Marine, LLC will take what they can get rather than risk denial from the commission to erect a specific, more secure temporary structure to which Hills was adamantly opposed.
The original plan called for the placement of four large storage containers, two of which would fall within the V zone, to serve as the base of a Quonset vinyl boat-shaped structure. Instead, in order to receive approval for any kind of storage structure, Saltworks Marine owner Daniel Crete settled for a Quonset structure anchored by jersey barriers, despite a hearty debate with the commission.
Forget about whether or not other businesses may or may not have similarly erected structures in velocity zones, as suggested by Crete and his engineering representative, David Davignon of N. Douglas Schneider & Associates, Inc. As far as Hills was concerned, the commission was there November 12 to uphold the Wetlands Protection Act and act upon matters under ConCom jurisdiction, not to uphold town bylaws.
Commissioner Jeffrey Doubrava asked why the structure could not be shifted two more feet away from the V zone. Davignon explained that the applicant would be filing plans for further development on the property and a shift in the placement would affect construction logistics.
ConCom member Stephen Gonsalves showed support for the project right from the beginning.
“It’s amazing and quite an improvement on that property,” said Gonsalves. When the discussion heated up, Gonsalves was the first to question the relevance of the V zone between December 15 and May 15, the five-month time period Crete is seeking for the temporary structure. “Velocity zone, to me, means hurricane season,” stated Gonsalves.
“So if we move this outside the velocity zone, you’ll be okay with it?” Crete asked the commission, before adding that the move would hinder the construction process.
Davignon asked the commission, “What kind of ‘velocity’ are we talking about in the winter?”
“Common sense obviously doesn’t play a role,” snapped Gonsalves during the height of the debate.
Crete said other companies situated alongside his at the waterfront very often have temporary structures raised during the summer months, the active hurricane season.
“Every single weekend, [they] have a huge structure in the velocity zone with a permit from the Building Department,” said Crete. “We’re obviously not going to have a hurricane in the middle of the winter.” Crete said the Quonset structure was built “to withstand everything short of a tornado.”
Hills asked Crete to which companies he was referring, and Crete’s only named example was Sperry Tents.
Crete said he could use jersey barriers weighing about 6,000 pounds each instead of the storage containers as the base of the structure, but it would cost him more and the site would be less secure without the actual storage containers.
“It’s a much greater cost, but we gotta do what we gotta do,” Crete resigned.
Hills said he could agree to that, but not the storage containers.
“I’d really like to see this project go forward,” said Gonsalves. “I think this would be a win-win for the Town.”
The commission granted permission for the temporary jersey barrier-anchored Quonset structure and issued a negative determination.
Also during the meeting, the commission voted in favor of endorsing a conservation restriction for 105 Allens Point Road. The existing house would be demolished and the driveway removed, and the area returned to its natural state with the planting of indigenous plant species. The conservation restriction, if approved by the Board of Selectmen, would prohibit redevelopment of the oceanfront property.
The commission approved an amended Order of Conditions for Marshall and Wilma Bailey of 41 Dexter Road for a proposed pier reconstruction and shed reconstruction. The pier will be shifted away from a neighboring pier to add more space between them.
The commission determined that no wetlands exist at 8 Thomas Lane, the property of Chad and Gina McLeod, who plan to construct a four-bedroom dwelling on the land.
Engineer Nick Dufresne discussed his client Ashley Briggs’ Notice of Intent to build a single-family house and garage within the 100-foot buffer zone at 73 Cove Street, and the matter was continued until December 10.
The Request for Determination for LEC Environmental Consultants to confirm the wetlands boundaries at 345 and 390 Wareham Street was continued until December 10 at the request of the applicant.
The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for December 10 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.
By Jean Perry
