Marion selectmen appointed a new member to the Marion Open Space Acquisition Commission (MOSAC) and agreed to ask Town Meeting to increase the lot size on a planned Habitat for Humanity project at their regular meeting on January 3, 2012.
In a meeting with the remaining members of MOSAC, the board reviewed the two candidates who had applied for the vacancy, which had been left with Sue Maxwell Lewis’ resignation. Because the position is elected, a chosen candidate would have to be appointed by the Board to fill the spot until the next town election.
After reviewing the applications of Elizabeth Brainerd and Ted North, and after receiving MOSAC’s recommendation, the Board appointed Ms. Brainerd to the position.
“We were quite happily surprised that Elizabeth Brainerd put her name in,” said MOSAC member John Rockwell. Ms. Brainerd’s experience includes time on the Planning Board, 13 years on the Zoning Board of Appeals, and serving as Sippican Lands Trust president at one time.
“She seeks out people’s thoughts on issues, before she forms her own opinion,” said Mr. Rockwell. “I don’t think we could do better.”
The Board unanimously supported the recommendation, saying that it was a good opportunity to have a new person on a committee.
“[Ted North] has wonderful credentials,” said Selectman Roger Blanchette. “[But] it’s been my war cry since I became selectmen that we need more and more people on committees.” Mr. North currently serves on the Planning Board and the Capital Needs Committee.
After the appointment was made, MOSAC brought the Board’s attention to a Habitat for Humanity project slated for an area on Route 6, near Point Road. The single family dwelling would be the first Habitat for Humanity project in Marion, and is the result of a Town Meeting vote that allowed the Affordable Housing Trust to carve a 5,000 sq. ft. lot out of a four-acre parcel to be used for affordable housing purposes.
Mr. Rockwell said that the Board had the opportunity to go forward with the 5,000 sq. ft. project, which could be achieved in a fairly short time with a variance for frontage, or consider bringing the issue back to Town Meeting in May to carve out a larger lot.
Mr. Rockwell cited several engineering hurdles – including a new velocity zone designation on FEMA maps, frontage issues and a small yard – as reasons why the Board would consider asking the town for a larger lot size.
Selectman Blanchette, a member of the Affordable Housing Trust, expressed dismay that the town had approved such a small lot size without further consideration. “I feel real badly that I was asleep at the switch when the [vote] was made at Town Meeting,” he said. “I feel stupid. It should have been caught… 5,000 sq. ft. is a postage stamp. It should have been 15,000 from day one.”
Tom Magauran, vice chairman of the Planning Board, said that the issue should be brought back to Town Meeting, because the lot size was inadequate for the area in question.
“There’s no place for kids to play,” said Mr. Magauran, noting that most of the homes in the proposed neighborhood are 15,000 square feet and larger. “None of us with a family, which is what Habitat is aiming to [support], would want it.” Mr. Magauran urged the Board to reconsider the lot size, calling it “stingy” and “inappropriate”.
“If we have a chance to do something different, we should do it,” said Chairman Jonathan Henry, who said that he didn’t regret the 5,000 sq. ft. recommendation made at Town Meeting, but that he was willing to reconsider the issue.
Upon Selectman Blanchette’s motion, the Board voted to bring the lot size vote back to Town Meeting for reconsideration, with a minimum lot size recommendation of 15,000 sq. ft.
Under action items, the Board:
• Approved an all alcohol license for three Marion social club events, dated for January 14, January 15 and January 28.
• Appointed Margo Steinberg, Neal Balboni, William Johnston and Robert Raymond to the Town House Advisory Committee.
The Board also received requested two water abatements for 1 Converse Road and 956 Point Road. In both abatement requests, it was determined that the meters were functioning properly and that over-consumption from watering gardens with either sprinklers or faulty irrigation systems caused the water bill spike. The abatements were denied.
By Anne Kakley