The August 16 meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board found the members facing an agenda filled with applications that have been continued multiple times over months.
One such application is the site plan review of Randall Lane, LLC’s that proposes a large solar array deep within privately held forested lands. Member Janice Robbins asked if applicants are required to provide reasons for requesting a continuance from one meeting to the next. Member Nathan Ketchel, acting chairman for the evening, said that the applicant’s representative, Beals and Thomas, noted the need to finalize the acceptance of the roadway and roadway modifications by both the Planning Board and the Fire Department. Robbins said that plans for the roadway were still incomplete. The case was continued to September 20.
Also continued to September 20 was an application filed by Andre Rieksts, Scott Atkinson, and Margo Wilson-Atkinson for property located off Park Lane. Represented by N. Douglas Schneider of Schneider, Davignon, & Leone, Inc., the applicants indicated that difficulties in designing a private roadway extension off an existing public road was “causing … grief,” and matters could be resolved; Schneider did not wish to present plans.
Another application that was continued to September 20 concerned the removal and planting of trees and driveway openings through an existing stonewall on property now owned by the Muldoon family, part of a subdivision planned by Ryan Correia off Crystal Springs Road. Muldoon thought the Planning Board would be organizing communication with the Fire Department and the Tree Warden, only to learn that those responsibilities rest with the property owner.
One new application ultimately continued to September 20 was an Approval Not Required [ANR] filed by Hilary Prouty, manager of Ned’s Point Nest, LLC, for a parcel located on Ned’s Point Road and filed by owners Hilary and Samuel Vineyard. Represented by Bob Rogers of G.A.F. Engineering, the applicants were seeking acceptance of a Land Court decision regarding easements to the waterfront and land swapping.
The filing failed when Robbins said that Rogers did not include setbacks on the plans. There ensued a bit of tension as Rogers said that the application did not result in creating new buildable areas, to which Robbins replied, “But we have rules; are you saying they shouldn’t be followed?” Rogers continued to try to convince the board that it isn’t necessary to include those details, going so far as asking for a straw poll to see where the entire board stood regarding the matter. The board members stood firm in their opinion that rules must be followed.
Business that moved through the process included the board’s approval of an ANR requested by Charlene and James Craig for property located along Aucoot Road, as well as an ANR filed by the Town of Mattapoisett for lots located in the retired landfill area.
The board also discussed the need to finalize the draft of a new Solar Bylaw in time to hold at least two public meetings prior to the Special Fall Town Meeting.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, September 20, at 7:00 pm.
Mattapoisett Planning Board
By Marilou Newell