Before adjourning on Monday evening, the members of the Mattapoisett Planning Board shared their collective concerns that the lack of administrative/clerical assistance is taxing the members of the board.
The recently resigned Janice Robbins, whose expertise in real estate and planning law was considered a great asset to the board’s proceedings, had “burnt out” in her efforts to keep the volumes of documents up to date and accurate in the board’s unmanned office. Now much of what Robbins was handling in the absence of a board administrator has fallen to member Nathan Ketchel, who was already balancing many aspects of the Planning office, Chairman Tom Tucker noted.
Attending for the first time since being elected to Robbins’ vacated seat was John Mathieu, a real estate attorney and second-time Planning Board member. Mathieu commented that the town needs a Planning Board administrator versus a planner and that the Conservation Commission needs an agent.
The Select Board had attempted to combine the roles of environmental agent and town planner into one job and received a handful of interested applicants who ultimately either withdrew or did not meet the town’s needs.
“The town needs an (environmental) agent more than a planner … a town this size doesn’t need a planner,” Mathieu said. No one on the board refuted his opinion. Mathieu said it would not be a problem to share administrative hours with the Conservation Commission but that with many wetland issues the town needs an agent. Tucker said he would discuss the matter once again with the town administrator.
In business handled earlier in the meeting, a continued public hearing on a Form C application filed by Dandy Realty Trust, represented by Bill Madden of G.A.F. Engineering, was reopened. After review of what had become a lengthy process for the planned improvements to Nicky’s Lane, the board approved the request, noting a bond will be set at a later date prior to construction.
Also approved was a Form A filed by Veronica Kenney and Christopher Lenk for property located at 64 Fairhaven Road.
A Form C application filed by Dennis Mahoney and Sons for property located off North Street near an active sand pit was opened.
Representing the property owners was Rich Riccio of Field Engineering. As he had during the Zoning Board meeting, which had produced a Special Permit for a small-scale solar array, Riccio described the project as half-megawatt array with 1,500 panels. He said the property owners were building the array themselves and would retain ownership throughout the array’s lifetime. He said the Form C (application) was required so that the access roadway could be built and that it would measure 24 feet wide by 300 feet long.
Ketchel questioned why drainage calculations had not been provided and wanted to ensure that stormwater would not flow onto abutting properties. Riccio said that calculations were completed, that he would provide them immediately and that there is a detention basin in the designs.
All requested waivers for such items as sidewalk or the need for utilities were granted. The filing was continued until July 18.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, July 18, at 7:00 pm.
Mattapoisett Planning Board
By Marilou Newell