A virtual meeting of the Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board (MAB) was held Thursday, January 30 through Zoom. The board began by approving minutes from the last meeting and then discussed the archival of data and previous plans read by and presented to the board. It was argued, rather than storing this information in a home, they should be stored in a central location. Board Chair Carlos DeSousa said this would be decided and approved by the clerk’s office. The discussion of how old the held information should be was also held, with discussion of whether the plans should be kept from projects from 2009 and before – those now being over 15 years old.
The next discussion was on the Long Wharf project update. It was discussed that designs have the wharf being able to hold a 20-ton crane, with the board feeling the crane should be a 50-ton, being able to support larger workloads and hold heavier boats without collapsing.
The next item was the Waterfront Management Plan. The conversation revolved around public water access and parking, particularly along Ship Street, Cove Street, and other waterfront locations. Concerns were raised about public access to the water and whether there are clear records or regulations regarding these spaces. Some paths have become overgrown, and others are restricted by private properties. The board stressed the need to formalize plans to ensure proper access and property access.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board will be Thursday, February 27 at 7:00 pm in Town Hall.
Mattapoisett Marine Advisory Board
By: Sam Bishop