A proposal from the Chilmark conservation commission to change its wetland protection regulations won’t make the annual town meeting warrant after the select board raised concerns last week.
A proposal from the Chilmark conservation commission to change its wetland protection regulations won’t make the annual town meeting warrant after the select board raised concerns last week.
The proposed amendment would have, among other things, increased the buffer zone around water bodies from 100 feet to 150 feet, necessiting special permits for any proposed work in a larger swath of the town. Members of the commission felt it was a necessary change to help ensure development doesn't harm the town’s waters.
“It doesn’t mean that [we] can’t get anything done within that area, but it does mean that we would be expanding the area in which the commission would review significant projects to see whether they would have an adverse effect,” conservation commission vice chair Stephen Kass said at the March 18 select board meeting.
In the bylaws, the buffer zones surround “resource areas” such as freshwater and coastal wetlands, vernal lakes and reservoirs. The bylaw hasn’t been revised since 1998.
Select board member Jeffrey Maida asked if increasing the buffer zones would change the procedures of the commission. Mr. Kass said that this change could help expedite and simplify their procedures for incoming applications.
“We are conscious of the fact that we do not want to put additional cost or rigmarole on property owners,” he said.
Building inspector Adam Petkus asked if this change would increase the amount of applications and voiced concerns about an additional burden on town employees.
“I would hate to see more work shouldered on without necessary resources to able to effectively absorb those new tasks,” he added.
The select board ultimately took the article off the warrant, suggesting that it could go to the town at a special town meeting, possibly held in June. Town administrator Timothy Carroll suggested the formation of a subcommittee with members of the conservation commission and members of the select board to consider the amendments. Mr. Maida and select board vice chair Marie Larsen agreed to take part in that committee.
Comments
This proposal should receive
Chuck Hodgkinson West TisburyThis proposal should receive a broader analysis. The increased buffer zone setback will increase the number of Conservation Commission permit applications by necessity. It will also potentially conflict with Board of Health setback distances with regard to Coastal Banks. Buffer zone setbacks ignore lot lines. There will also be an increase in the number of abutting properties that fall within the buffer zone of a water resource on their neighbor's property. Having said that, perhaps there should be an assessment of how the two Chilmark Pond watersheds are managed with regard to how the Squibnocket Pond Zoning District is managed.
I personally think any change to Town Regulations (and significant funding projects) should only be considered at higher attended annual town meetings. Special Town Meetings have a much lower attendance and should be used for town administrative needs such as paying old invoices from prior fiscal years.
The broad over reach by this
Chilmark residentThe broad over reach by this commission is mind boggling. They regularly stray outside the wetlands protection act. Soon enough they will just absorb the Board of Health entirely. The current agent is working tirelessly and can’t keep up with the burden of a dysfunctional commission. Two members of Selectboard is a quorum and that needs to be posted as a meeting, enough with walking around open meeting law. Start by edging how many properties this impacts. Massive scale changes like this belong at the annual AND on a ballot.
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