Planning Board - August 11, 2026

Okay, I'd like to open the August 11th board meeting. Will you join me in the pledge of allegiance?

I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Okay, first up are shared use paths updates from the planners report.

Yes, we're under contract with Park Corporation for the Northern Scenic Greenway, which is the segment that runs along Old Bedford Road in Westport.

It'll go into Dartmouth and New Bedford as well. We're collaborating with them via the South Coast Bikeway Alliance who's coordinating the multi-municipality um approach to the design. So, that'll be kicked off with PAR soon and we're also going to contract with them on the Wata connector and boardwalk project. We were awarded a mass trails grant for that. Um I think it was $112,000

and we're going to uh renew the contract with them. um to finish out this portion of the the project which is to get it to 25% mass DOT design and it's on the tip as well.

Um we we don't have a consultant for the tip right now. It hasn't been assigned yet but when we have one I'll let you all know.

So this is a continuation of the Fall River bikeway along the northshore of Matapa Pond. Yep.

And then it crosses Route Six and goes up that way. Yeah, that has been it's probably like 10% design right now and then we'll bring that to 25% through this iteration. the and then the next segment is what I was talking about that's in collaboration with the other two municipalities that'll be brought to um a conceptual design level and will be up to each municipality to continue to advance that

design. Um the intent is to get that on the tip as well in addition to continuing to search out grant funds for the project. you know, uh, even though it's just 10% design, have they any rough ideas on what the Westport cost will be building?

It depends on Yes, we have I don't know off the top of my head exactly what that figure is. It is quite a bit because of the natural resource area that you're running the bike path along, which is south with Tuppa Pond. If you're doing a boardwalk option, which is what the community is most interested in doing, that's going to increase cost quite a bit. I mean, if you imagine doing a

boardwalk versus just putting down uh asphalt path um plus maintenance plus maintenance, it's it's quite a bit more. Um but the we feel that the town has some some leverage in in the coordination of the the south coast bikeway because it's the only path to get across the narrows into Fault River. And so let's try to make it something that the community can be really proud of and something that can

be built on in the future um with the boardwalk because there is no public access in Westport to South Temple Pond.

So is there an opportunity here to build on the momentum of what we're doing in this project in this location and um you know look at uh expanding recreation efforts on on the pond more generally.

So, uh, can I ask one real quick? Um, in terms of getting money, this can be presented as not really a Westport project. If you think a chain is as good as its weakest link, you know, this is what, Providence to the Canal or something. It's Providence to Province Town.

Yeah. To Province Town. And so if you don't have this, the whole trail doesn't work.

So it's not just Westport that benefits.

Yeah. And we're trying to do it without you you at the least expense to the taxpayer possible and also to minimize takings of land takings as well.

Um you know, I'm only representing the town on the northern scenic greenway.

I'm not the project manager of that uh that aspect of the the larger trail network, but the philosophical approach that's being brought to that is that we want to do that in the the town, each municipality's road layout and minimize the impact to private property to the greatest extent possible. there will be pinch points around bridges or wetlands that you know it just that may have to

occur in those kinds of circumstances but we would like to avoid that um if at all possible.

So are they anticipating this boardwalk would be can levered over the edge of the pond or would it be on solid ground you take land or how is that going to work?

We haven't designed it yet. So the design assumption was to um grade grade up the shared use path um for an asphalt path, but it was the option was left open to design a boardwalk. And so that's what we'll be looking at with this next iteration is what those costs would be.

Um more more we had a ballpark, but you know, we haven't worked out the design either. So, um I don't want to say what Can I ask one more question? Sure.

Yeah.

So, it's a bike path, right?

Mhm.

So, you're riding a bike.

My image of a boardwalk is a lot of boards, crossways.

Mhm.

With spaces in between the boards, which is going to make a very uncomfortable bike transit.

Right. You want smooth asphalt. You want something smooth. You want don't want something bumpy.

Mhm. And so I can understand why the neighbors might want it because a boardwalk, a raised boardwalk is going to have less impact on march lands and stuff like that, but it's uh I'm sure want to ride on it.

Mhm. Yeah. Yeah, I mean there are if you look at if you ever want to take a drive and go into um Warren and Bington at the East Bay bike path, they've designed bridges to go over the river, but they also have um fishing peers attached to them. So, you could do a hybrid approach based on the different needs. Um, you know, that's something that we would probably work out in a

later design phase, what materials would be used, but um, yeah, that's that's a good point.

Yeah.

And that's that's how the East Bay bike path was for a number of years.

You there had a a boardwalk over some of the existing bridges. Um, and it was all a very bumpy surface.

Yeah. And then the nails start to pop up and you know, I never had that experience thankfully over there. But yeah, you know, if you're not on top of the maintenance, I'd imagine that could be enough. I mean, well, for two different Mhm.

Yep.

Okay. I'll move on to the hazard mitigation plan read. This is just a quick update on the planning board's recommendation to the select board to adopt the hazard mitigation plan. Um after they adopted the draft plan, we sent it to MIMA and FEMA for their approval. Following their review process, they had a number of revisions that they had requested that didn't change any of the more substantive

elements of the plan uh specifically in regards to the recommendations, but we did have to change some things up um in terms of explaining what we did uh sorry, fleshing out what we did with the public engagement process. process talking more about um the the risk posed by invasive species and um things like that. We just had to bulk up some of the the um uh existing conditions portion of

the plan and so that went back to the select board last week and they voted to approve it. So the town's hazard mitigation plan is in full effect now.

Um, so we can keep working on implementing that now that it's been fully approved and it's been sent over to to FEMA just to make sure that they give us a final sign out what's going on back there.

I don't know who you're filling up.

Oh, there's a public meeting.

outside.

Okay.

Um, lastly, I have an update on the town's open space and recreation plan.

I'm only participating in the periphery of this uh as they need help with public engagement events. But um it is an important plan because it can set the town up for grant funding for conservation related um projects as well as this is going to help inform significant portions of the master plan as well. So, it's the plan's under draft right now. Um, there was a public meeting here in the annex a couple weeks

ago that I had attended and um how many people show up?

There was probably like 20 people who showed up. Um, so it was a decent decent showing. Um and so there the the team at Serbed is going to incorporate the feedback in the uh from from that event as well as surveying that is available um for folks to take and um incorporate that into the plan and then I think there will be a final public meeting uh to close it out.

Mr. chair. I've been the planning board representative to that and unfortunately I've been to a few meetings. I've reviewed the plan which I think is really good.

Uh but there's been a lot of conflicts.

So I've not represented you the way you would want to do it.

Who's in charge of bringing this forward? Is this conservation?

Conservation and um Ross Moran from the London Trust. So Chris Capone and Rossia Okay. Thank you.

Assistant planners report. Sure. So, I just have a couple updates for you regarding Francis Estates. You have um five construction inspection reports to go through. All there is to say is they're about 50 to 60% done with the um storm water design installation. So, I expect to have a couple more updates as they finish that off and then they'll transition to the rest of construction.

So, yeah, they're probably about 60% done. And then Herring Run Farms report of gradation update. Um just an update.

First, Derek um tested the material and it didn't pass, but then he retested the sample and it passed. So, they're going to move forward with the gravel specified on Francis Estates. I just wanted to note that the re I know we don't typically have the consulting engineer go out there this often at this phase of the project but because they weren't using a lot of sheet flow and and the

their storm water management system um and were using a lot of piping that the board had expressed concern about you know making sure that all the fine specifications of the design were followed and so they've been out there sometimes um twice a week to make sure that everything is being installed to spec.

I told today it was eye opening.

They've been very good to work with.

They're very good. What?

They've been the developer who's who's the new developer has been very good to work with cuz if you recall the the project got sold. Yeah.

in hearing run. How is that going? I mean, you say it's the gradation is updated, but yeah, they're still working on the road construction, which is pretty much the only thing going on with that project as they're not constructing any houses. If you recall, they're just finishing the roadway as it connects to this parcel which is assessed to Drift Road.

So they really only completed it till about this point to service this lot.

They had and they had the it was the wrong size graph that they had. So they're they're fixing that.

So herring is a strange name for some place there.

It's quite old. I think it's from 2005 originally.

Not sure. Yeah. Maybe somebody's last name.

Okay.

Yeah.

Okay. Now we're at the 615 public hearing for 222 State Road file number 26-4141 SBA-L major modification continued from June 16th. The applicant is requesting an after the-act low impact development plan for paving over 40,000 square feet of land in site plan review.

Good evening. Uh my name is Alco with KBM Design Group. Uh I am the civil engineer for this project.

uh as you mentioned we were here uh on June 16 to present the project and initially we got some feedback from uh from the board and also from the peer reviewer. Since then um we've made some changes to the plan. Uh in regards to storm water, uh we conducted two additional test pits at the rear where the proposed uh storm water management system is being shown and uh we came up

with a different design from what was previously shown to a wet basin.

uh the calculations have been revised as requested by the peer reviewer and uh and the planning department and uh they were submitted for further review but uh as of today we haven't received any comments so we're still waiting from the uh from a peer reviewer. Uh, another comment made by the planning board was the u uh from the original from the au conditions is the lack of any screening

from uh route 6 or from state road to uh the property. So the revised plan shows an 11 foot um green excuse me buffer strip on both sides of a driveway with uh some u abro some green giant abravide uh to provide some screening. Uh additionally from another change or from a redesign we're proposing some additional trees at the rear next to detention basin. Uh now we have a much larger shoulder area to provide access

for maintenance and that provide a pretty nice area to add some more trees at the back since the site's got more uh it's got you know it's mostly paved. Uh the green buffer area uh the the planting areas at the front uh there are about 500 square ft each. So we take we are decreasing the from the asville conditions with the proposal uh the impervious area by a th00and square

feet. Um I know uh peer review may have some additional comments on the design or the planning board or the planning might have the planning staff might have some more comments. We'll address those as we go. Uh, one of the comments that we were not able to address on this iteration was the lightning um specifications. I'm trying to get those uh trying to get the uh the data uh and then trying to have I'm working be

working with a uh a friend of mine who's a phototrics uh designer to see what the specs of the lights are and then if you want to recreate a photo plan to make sure that the lighting fixtures meet uh uh the town uh standards.

Uh even though we are providing the uh the front screening uh we still are requesting two waiverss from um from section 20 for for detailed performance standards uh 20.6 6 E because we don't have the uh buffer between the body properties for landscaping and screening since everything is used to the edge pretty much of the property and then but since we are our property and the abing

properties are in the same use we're not abing the residential properties we're not abing any uh office use it's uh all construction storage properties. We feel that the uh the waiver uh it should be it's warranted for this site.

Uh and with that being said, I'll open any questions from the board staff.

Okay. Um comments from the players.

Sure. Oh, I just really quick wanted to comment on um the waiver request for the landscaping screening adjacent to both sides of the property and that's fine with us. It's industrial on both sides so it's completely consistent with what's what the neighbors are doing.

Um so there are still some outstanding requirements. A lot of them can be kind of smaller regarding like plan submission requirements, different dimensions that need to be detailed, that sort of thing. a lighting plan, those sorts of things. But major concerns would be from the consulting engineer around the new wet basin design. Um, it's got to achieve a length to width ratio of 3:1. The length is a

little long and it must have an average depth of at least 3 ft. The depth is um delineated to be two and we also need the engineer to confirm that back flow into the basin will not occur due to the site's grade. So the consulting engineer found that there's chance that there would be back flow back into the basin due to the due to the grade.

[clears throat] Got it. Okay.

Yeah. Um and then major concerns from stab are related to the access connection. Just the applicant might need to seek a waiver for the regulatory width of 24. It's 51.

Um but then full staff findings. If you go to the end of the report, the technical review committee, so the building department reports that no building permits have been pulled as yet. So they do want you to connect with them when the time is comes. And then the consulting engineer has left um numerous findings. Some are related to the proposed screening. They recommend red maple um instead of the proposed R

variety. Um and then some notes about the swailes uh hydrocat analysis maybe not modeling um the right details but if you go on to staff findings I have numerous staff findings that still show outstanding requirements with plan content. Um some of the detailed performance standards are not yet met and uh some of the LI plan contents as well.

So we would still recommend a continuence [clears throat] for this development just so that the applicant has a chance to address outstanding findings and review this the revised storm rider report from MBL as well.

Okay. Thank you. Anybody have any comments or questions?

Oh, I think the the side yard waiver um given the um the neighboring property is all paid and is a construction store or pipe storage and I think I think all of that's the same and I and I think some of the the comments about the saltwater basin most of the comments that was originally received has been responded to and and I think the basin is relatively small and shallow. You know, it even in

so-called 100year storm, it's only 2 ft of water in there and it has that large gravel strip before you get to it. So, I think most I'm not concerned about the drainage. And I think the only thing that's really not it's really not our call completely is the we have a limitation on the the throat openings on on route six. It's a state highway. It's really not our jurisdiction, but u this this exceeds

that. But it is a bus storage and the buses to make the turn into the uh it's it's probably appropriate.

I mean I I for one would grant that that waiver given the the use that's here.

So do they do they need to get approval from the state?

U may I chime in on the opening that was the existing from existing use. The applicant did not alter the opening of the curb cut at all.

Oh, so that was that was existent.

Did we approve that for the previous owner or was it just what he built?

I think when he purchased I mean Mr.

Emeralds right here, he can speak for it, but I believe when he purchased the property, nobody this wasn't it was previous developed area that hasn't wasn't been hasn't been touched in many years. So, I think the curb cut was there for a while, but I believe Mr.

Emerald, uh, the curb cut was, I believe, when it used to be a dry theater.

Yeah, it's very probably from the 70s, my guess. Um, I don't believe anybody altered it in any way.

That that that fencing, did you put that in or was it there?

So, the fencing around the property um when we acquired it um was already there. Um, the front was replaced, but it was replaced in the same exact spot because a lot of the fence was uh rusted and we didn't want that rust look. So, we put everything exactly where it was before and we just replaced the front and we left the sides.

Good. Thank you.

Uh, with storage of of this many buses, u I'm sure you've figured this out. I just want you to explain it to me. Uh where does any oil or other uh liquids that uh end up on the paved surface? How does that get treated and disposed of?

Uh so our equipment for the most part is uh 5 years or newer. uh they don't have those blowby tubes that drip oil on the ground and uh they get inspected once a year by DOT, three times a year by the registry and uh there's no such thing as leaks on our school buses. It's not allowed.

One more thing to clarify, there's no refueling on site. There's no fueling on site now. They get fueled up at our other terminal on our main yard.

So, where do you change the oil?

At our main yard, 1090 State Road.

It's across the street.

No. Um, it's more near the Prestige Law Distinctive Auto Body.

Oh, way down there.

Yeah, we have a full repair facility.

Okay. Perform public inspections. Uh, that yard is strictly for parking and u CDL training and road tests.

So large parking areas um in general tend to um have salts, oils, and other things uh wash off them from vehicles that are parked there. And I appreciate that, you know, the that they're less than 5 years and you don't do fueling or oil changes there. But still, I'm concerned anytime you have a lot of machinery stored on uh an impermeable surface, where does any leaks that should happen, where do they where do

the leaks go?

The other thing I will mention, in a rainstorm, for example, we have another facility in Dartmouth.

Yeah. that has an indoor uh bus wash and um it's required that at least once a month every uh driver take the vehicle through there. So it washes the outside, gets all the salt out from the sides underneath. It's got a under the carriage wash. So our stuff, you know, it's pretty presentable.

And the storm water system is got a sediment for bay which is it's not meant to filter out oils or but it's meant for grid separation any sand use for for uh for like the snow plowing snow plowing and um there's a operational maintenance plan that's been submitted part of that one will be about maintaining that one that that's an impervious area that Anything will go there. Will it settle on a bottom and be

cleaned up periodically as required?

So the sand that gets applied in snowstorms gets collected in the in the stone. Um and but salts dissolve so they don't get collected in the stones.

Correct. The salt um I'm not sure we we use only salt.

Yeah. Uh that's that's part of a we just don't want to clean up. That's why we just use straight salt.

So the clean up with salt. I'm not an expert in this, but so that uh dissolves and then washes off. Where does it go? Or does it get treated or are we concerned with salt migrating off the site?

I don't know. Um I I really don't know. I mean the offsite is in the back right down and that's going into the wetwood.

Well, it's going into uh again the property continues. This is a little bit of work.

And then this area right here is wooded.

So everything that goes into the tension basin to slow down the uh flow rate and it goes into this wooded area right here. That's what's going to happen. and then ultimately is soaking in the ground by the old railroad line in the back.

It doesn't it does not induce any sensitive areas nearby and this is too high up for the wetlands. The wetlands on route six is further to the east.

This is this is this is develop the railroad in the back. What went to 10 down there?

Yes.

And um unfortunately we have a very high water table. So this is hence the wet basin design. So we couldn't do any ideally want to have something with about 3 to 4 ft of uh groundwater separation from the basin. That's the ideal situation for any souls. They get filtered pre-treatment and get filtered by ground. But this is nowhere on site we can do that. uh naturally uh proprietary uh hydrogen separators, they

only do what a cinnamon bay does. It just separates the SP solids.

That wouldn't take the salt out.

No, exactly. They won't take the salt out once the salt is diluted. It's kind of with the water in the ground water.

Yes.

In the ground water.

It won't the wet basin is will be lined in a segment 4 base. So, it will go in and it will be naturally filtered through the wooded area there. We wanted to set the groundwater.

Uh do we know when we want to continue this?

I I think uh we need to do you understand what you still need to do?

Uh I just need when you have a chance, email me the uh revised comments and uh we'll do the best to address the storm water and then the rest. I think the photoometrics is the biggest hurdle in my opinion. Trying to get the existing lights, get the specs and then recreate the system which we can measure from the bottom with laser measurements and once we have a spec we can put a model and

create a a lighting plan. I just got to work with a third party consultant on that one to get that information. So I'm kind of on their uh schedule, but uh I'll do my best to uh move as much as I can regarding storm water comments. I met with the peerreview consultant. She was very kind to meet me at the site to do the solo testing. We I've spoken to

her and I think we're going to get there with design.

Okay. So, uh how long do you need?

When is the next meeting?

August 25th.

Well, no, I can't make that one unfortunately.

September September 8th or 22nd. Yeah.

September 22nd is an achievable date.

That's a good day.

I would entertain a motion to continue to Mr. Chair, I would move that we continue the public hearing for 222 State Road uh to September 22nd at 6:15. Is that the right time to do?

No, we're starting early.

Oh, we're starting early then.

Yeah.

5:15.

4:15.

Oh, we're starting at 4.

4:15 September 22nd 4:15.

I second that.

All those in favor?

I I Thank you very much.

Thank you.

When does the 4:00 shift in September? So, I got to change my calendar.

Okay. Next is the 6:30 public hearing for Cornerstone Place, file 26-4636C.

Request by the applicant to consider a definitive subdivision plan entitled definitive subdivision plan, Cornerstone Place at 392 Sodom Road, assessor's map 68, lot 28C, Westport, Mass. The proposal involves a nine lot subdirector.

Uh we're the civil engineers and surveyors for this project.

Um here tonight for the subdivision presentation for the form C application.

Um on behalf of 392 Southern LC [clears throat] um before I get into the the site itself, we had also filed a notice intend application with conservation confirmly.

Um we have not had any meetings with them at this point. I think they're also waiting on the comments from peer review.

Um so the project site is approximately 30 and a half acres. Uh it's located on the eastern side of Sodom Road. Uh it's north of Narrow, south of Charlotte White. Um kind of right across from Ivy Meadows Lane.

Um the project's only on Sodom Road. Uh and it extends about 2,000 ft to the east.

um the eastern boundary uh abuts. These are the homes at the end of uh Maya May.

Um the other surrounding abuing uses are residential to the north, the south and uh across Sodom Road.

Um the western portion of the site uh closest to Sodom Road had previously been um occupied by I think there were two structures there previously in a a large [clears throat] or somewhat large paved parking area. Uh those structures were removed sometime around 2020 and the uh the parking was removed pro a year or two later.

So that area is it's not wooded. Um I drove by there this morning. It looks like the vegetation's starting to come come through. So it's poorly vegetated, but it's not wooded.

The rest of the site is wooded. Um uh there are border and vegetated wetlands. You can see there's a large BBW that occupies most of the eastern part of the site.

Uh, and I should note these wetlands were delineated by Goddard Consulting uh in March of 2025.

Also here tonight is uh Jacob Crossing from Goddard.

Um, so there's the uh eastern BBW. There's also a another BBW in the south southwestern corner. Um, there's an approximate wetland kind of across the street. We didn't wasn't delineated, but um it's not on our property, so we can't really delineate it, but uh the the buffer to that wetland would extend onto our site. And then there's also a small uh non-jurisdictional isolated wetland. Okay, right there.

Um there are no flood zones on the site, no natural heritage endangered species program habitat areas on the site.

Um the topography you can kind of see on here uh generally slopes from north to south. There's somewhat of a ridge. So this will be your high point coming through here and the east of that will check the eastern BBW to the west will be the southwestern BBW and then approximately from this tree line here coming through here this front area shapes slopes toward a ditch on the side of Maroon.

um for the proposed development.

I don't know if we can switch to grading plan.

That's probably uh the applicant's proposing a nine lot residential subdivision. It's 1,044 linear feet of roadway with a culde-sac at the end. Uh it's a prop the proposed roadway is 22 ft wide with a 1ft Cape Godburn on each side and a 4T wide pave sidewalk on the southern side.

Um the lots are meet the minimum 60,000 square foot area, 30,000t upland.

Um storm water for the site will be captured. There are two uh proposed storm water BMPs.

Uh there's a detention basin at the end of the culac. Uh the intent of the design was to capture as much of the roadway as possible and direct it towards this back basin.

Whatever we couldn't capture on the roadway is directed toward a water quality swale alongside Sodom Road.

Um roof runoff coming to the home is proposed to be directed to roof drain infiltrators.

Um we do have a cross culver proposed right here which would um so that the field brought in as part of the roadway construction doesn't um doesn't block any runoff that had been coming towards this wetland would be allowed to flow as it had previously for Um the lots will be serviced by individual on-site and private wells. Um we are proposing a 10,000galon fire system about halfway up the road. Um

uh we're proposing underground electric telephone cable utilities. Um and we understand it's still under peer review. We haven't yet received any comments, so we looking looking forward to receiving those and addressing any of those comments. And if the board has any comments, questions, or concerns, be glad to answer it as best I can.

Okay. Uh, out of the 31 acres, uh, how much is upland and how much is wet?

Um I don't have that number. Uh I have an approximation.

Um the acreage is about yeah 1,300 300,26 466 ft and it's about half half with wetlands being 687 uh square ft and uplands being about 630 100,000 square ft.

with the wetland slightly more.

So, um, have you done any soil testing to see if we have the location of these basins is going to be suitable?

Yes, we did soil testing. Um, we did three test bits. They're kind of like the same plan. There's three test bits here. Um and then we did for the sepics uh we have tested there's passing tests on I believe five of the lots so far. Um we still have to per the back lots.

Uh so the wetlands here are the head the headwaters of I think it's Angeline Brook.

Yeah.

Uh which is a cold water fishery which is one of the only six in the state.

Uh I think it's six in the states something like that. Um, and it's a very sensitive area to temperature.

And so we have to be cognizant of what you're doing here because you're adding a lot of imperous surface that's going to heat up in the sun like the pavement and roofs and everything else. And if it's going to start increasing the temperature of the cold water stream, that's really a big issue.

Mhm.

Um and you know, part of our um subdivision control regulations are that has to be compatible with a whole bunch of different things. And maybe you could read from that, Michael.

the specific section of the subdivision bylaw that I think you're referring to.

Um, while I'm pulling that, uh, the issue with the it's it's not that it's a cold water fishery, it's that it's a cold water fishery that also is host to seabrun brook trout, which makes it one of the more most unique um, in the state.

In the Yeah. In the state in the northeast, I mean, right. And we've been making a lot of efforts to improve the habitat quality of analine brook as well as some others in town with some of our partners.

While you're looking that up, the the town and also nonprofits have spent millions of dollars trying to protect the watershed of this Angel Brook.

So if uh this particular subdivision being right at the apex of the headwater um is going to increase the temperature.

I think we're going to need to have some some buddy look at what this would do.

Sure.

and you're welcome to do that and we can review it.

So under the design standards section of this subdivision regulations for um protection of natural and cultural features states that due regards shall be shown for all natural and cultural features such as large trees, scenic points, historic locations, stonewall, cemeteries and similar community assets which if preserved will add attractiveness and value to the subdivision or to the town.

There's some similar language regarding the protection of of wetlands, but I think the section that's most applicable is that section D regarding the protection of natural features.

Okay. And I'm sure you're not prepared today to talk about that because you didn't know it's but I think that that is a serious problem um for this And um the the other issue is the waiverss that you're asking for.

Uh and you're asking for a waiver for 460 ft of of the road touching the neighbor's property.

Um and I know there's a pinch point there, but that's significant. Um, it'd be a significant waiver as far as I'm concerned that that it it runs along the property factory. Um, for just less than half the length of the road.

Okay. We didn't look at uh adjusting that but advising as much as possible any kind of Are the septic systems denitrifying?

Uh, I believe they would have to be.

They have to be. Yeah.

Yeah.

And, uh, sidewalks required, right?

They're in there.

They're in there.

Mhm.

They're in there. They're 4 ft wide. I don't know if that's our spec.

Mhm.

That is.

Yeah.

And they got an 8 in gravel base and a 2 in by 2 in concrete service.

almost.

Yeah, Mr. chair, this, you know, this I I agree with everything you said about the sensitivity and and the rules and regulations are filled with with language about protecting our natural resources and um looking at potential adverse effects, creating maximum livability, protection of natural resources, protection of the wetlands, no encroachment of flood plane, all of those issues.

And and essentially this development just maximizes the upland and lays aside all the language about fitting in the natural resources and all of that. And we have a exercise and a geometry quiz of how how how many houses can I fit in the upland here and and and it doesn't quite pass the the geometry test because it requires all kinds of waiverss from our roadway standards. And and what's shown on the plan is

with with some very small exception at the entrance, this entire roadway is in fill and the entire you know every one of these lots is raised up. Now, there are test bits on there, but I I didn't see any test pit information but it's Westport. These are glacial till um abuing these these wetlands.

And the soil classification which is in the drainage report is these are all D or CD soils. So these are poor draining high groundwater glacial tills. It's this and it's all stony tills that we see everywhere that produced all the stone walls we see in this town. So um you know building these foundations all of that you know this this is a risk to what is an extraordinarily rare um resource that we have and we're in

the midst of producing a an an open space and recreation plan. We were in in the midst of publishing uh under John's leadership, we've been working for several years on a climate resilience report and and and everything that we get is, you know, the high value things are protecting, you know, Kirby Brook, Angeline Brook, the rare salt, you know, the seun brook trout.

that we get which is which occurs in a very few places in New England and we're one of the places where we have three cold water streams. What makes them cold water streams is that we have all these lousy soils with these big wetland areas between our roads and and those wetland areas are all discharge points of the groundwater. So essentially the low water flow in these streams are essentially

groundwater leaking out into into the wetlands and into the stream flow. So, you know, it would it would take great care to build this and and and I and and I you know, we we will look at this carefully, but um I don't think this is a place where we start granting waiverss.

Okay.

Um, I feel very similar to uh our chair and vice chair. Um, and I'll try not to repeat what they say, but I I know you have instructions as an engineer and um and I think there are are different perspectives here. Uh one perspective is what you show on your plan which is our perspective is uh the 30 acres that we control.

And it may be that the goal is how do I maximize profit on 30 acres?

um with the assumption that you maximize profit by maximizing the number of lots that I can fit on 30 acres. Um I don't know that that assumption is correct. Uh are half the lots twice the size bring in more money than uh nine lots half the size? I don't know. But I I know it's a common assumption that I want to maximize the number of lots in uh what is my perspective which is the

boundaries of the lot I control. Now our perspective is the town of Westport. Uh and so the the ultimate and as Bob and Jim have said um Angeline Brookke is not just a Westport resource. It's a Commonwealth of Massachusetts resource.

It's a northeast resource. And a cold water stream without cold water is uh what? Oh, it's not a cold water stream anymore. And there aren't a lot of them.

So, uh we are going to be very jealous about what makes Westport Westport. And we've got I don't know 80% of the cold water streams that exist in Massachusetts are right here. It's one of the things that defines Westport. And so the question is, does this development fit in Westport? Our perspective is at a minimum the town boundaries which include rivers, wetlands, etc. And protecting what is

Westport and what is really special about it. And we know uh growth is desirable. Um, and we know that the more housing, uh, the more of our kids and grandkids can stay in Westport. Uh, so, uh, there are goals I think that we have in common. Uh, but I I guess what I would say a little more bluntly than our chair and vice chair is that if you didn't need any waiverss, you could go

do this, you know, and put as many lots as are allowed. But if you need one waiver, then that's a different ballgame because then we're thinking about do we give one waiver uh if it threatens Angeline Brook, one of the things that helps define Westport. And I'm just saying that our inclination if you ask for one waiver is going to be no if we think it harms Angeline Brook. Um and that's just

one way. Um so um I think it's uh really important to figure out um what is the impact on a on a very special resource and does this uh advance the environment of Westport or does this take away from it and come and convince us that it makes things better?

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

So, I I might ask you to take a look at the flexible frontage bylaw. Okay.

Uh if you if you did a flexible frontage, uh you wouldn't be stuck with I mean, the cost of that road is going to be extraordinary.

It's all filled and you've got to compact the heck out of it so it doesn't move. Uh then you're going to put the drainage in and it it's a it's got to be at least a million dollars doing that. If you did three flexible frontage lots and saved a lot of the land as it is, um you could probably make it just as much money as doing that and you'd have a much nicer thing

to to tell people to go look at what I did.

Yep. And we can certainly review this with the applicant. Um definitely hear you out on the engine brook. Um I mean you've already made the first step. You've shown that you could fit more in there so you don't have to do that over again for the flexible frontage. But, you know, um to me it just cries out for that kind of treatment cuz you could you you could even make a deal with the land trust or

something and either give a whole bunch of this back land away for conservation.

It has all the wetlands and some of the uplands or sell it sell the development rights. But to me, the combination of those two things is a win-win where this is a lose lose.

Understood.

I guess it doesn't comment. We'd be requesting a continuence for sure.

I'd say at least two meetings.

So two meetings would be the 8th of September. Uh the next meeting after that's the 22nd of September. What do you think is what do you need?

Um I think if we do the 8th of September and we haven't gotten any comments or or gotten far on the road, we can request a further continuence.

Well, that'll bring us out a month anyway because it's a public hearing. If if you do that, then we have to meet on the 8th and continue it to another time.

So the eighth is pretty tight. You want to do it?

Yeah, the 2.

I mean, we could do the What was that?

The 22.

Um, Mr. Chair, um, just as it's a public hearing, if we have the Butters or anyone who's here, let them have a chance to speak.

Sure.

Absolutely.

Hi.

John, my wife and I got to go up and please identify yourself and where you're from.

Yes, John Ajac. Uh my wife and I live at 408 Ser Road, so the property directly to the south and yeah, west of this site. Um I I haven't had a chance to see the plan, so I just wanted to see what this what this feature is.

Is that is that a different detention fun?

The questions go this way.

Ask the chair and then we'll get you an answer.

Yeah.

Is that a an additional detention fund right up front on Son Road? Is that something?

I believe it is. Yes.

Yes.

Um the other concern or question that we had is uh because I had not seen the plans where the well and the uh septic system was cuz our well is about 20 ft off of on this particular house and lot.

Yes. Yeah. Our well is right around in here.

So it I think it shows the septic system right outside the house right there.

Right. Okay.

So, it's probably far enough away from your well for regulation.

Um, I don't know how far that is, but it looks to be 150 ft or so.

And um, will each I'm assuming each house will have its own well as well.

That's what they're proposing. Okay. Um, I think that's all the questions I had this evening. I've not had a chance to see it. So, I guess one other question, the the detention basin up front, is that going to be open? Will water collect there and then it'll pool there?

Uh, I don't know if it's a dry basin or a wet basin, but the last is engineered.

Mr. Chair, you need to get the correct spelling of the gentleman's last name.

Oh, sure. Z A J A C John.

Yes. Jo, thank you.

Could you answer the question? Is it water all the time or is it turn?

This is designed as a a water quality swale um with a for bay. So it would it would overflow into the existing discrete depression and there's a drain inlet on the side of the road that uh Do you know where discharges across Where does that go?

Across Sodom Road.

So it just discharges on the other side.

Yeah.

And you have uh I can't see it, but it may be because I'm just not looking in the right place. The well locations for each of those lots. more.

Uh, you know, as he said it, I realized there are wells shown on the grading plans. We can have pad wells, too.

Okay. The septics are seem to be in the front of the houses.

Yeah, the septics are are shown on here.

Yeah, but we don't show the wells. Okay.

I guess the only other question I would ask is what portion of the roadway drains to that one and not the one at the end of the culdeac.

Uh it' be to the high point. So there's a high point on there and it's going to go to the right right where the curve is.

Which which curve?

The the high point in the roof is here.

Yeah. Um these this is as far as we can get catch basins down and and meet the required pitches and grade to get it to the back.

So anything beyond these two catch basins would be

I don't have any questions. Thank you very much.

Thanks for coming.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yes sir.

Uh, my name is Rob Westgate and I live directly across the street on Southern Road One, Ivan Mills Lane. Um, so that catch basin in the front is going to overflow and go across the road that's going to go right into the corner of my property.

Is it going to make it? Am I it's just going to be like a wash out back there?

Am I in my on the How much more water am I going to see in the back? I I can't answer that. I don't know with the is the with the configuration now if all the water from there goes into that catch basin, in which case it probably be the same. But I don't know. Um maybe to answer your concerns.

Am I going to lose usable?

No. So part of the requirement um with D is that the runoff towards that uh drain inlet has to be less than existing emissions. Um so for for instance with a 2-year storm uh the existing rate of runoff going to that drain inlet 3.28. 28 CFS.

Uh under proposed conditions, it would be 1.15.

Uh and we're required to do that reduce the amount for um the two the 10 the 25 and 100 years old. So, I guess my only other and I don't think I'm not sure we're any we're close to that, but when this if this does happen, um a concern would be with dust, noise, those trucks coming down Sodom Road, Jake breaking into this location when it was what he used to be with the

uh it was a Ivy Metals farm. He had uh trucks over there. He was an extremely um courteous neighbor and we never had a problem until he passed and they rented it out and the trucks used to idle over there and it used to the noise just echoed into my into my backyard. You couldn't sit in my backyard when they were idling over there. I don't know if that was a combination of it echoing off

the buildings that were there because it was two structures, but it it was a problem then that I was addressing with um the previous owner.

So, if and when this takes place, I just want to uh have something Yeah. So if it if it does take place, uh there's going to be a lot of trucks going in and out of there to make that road and the utilities and build the houses and stuff. Um part of the uh approval requirement would be to have a uh area uh before Sodom Road that is supposed to take the dirt and

dust off the wheels as much as possible.

U but it doesn't take at all.

And um I'm sure that you would hear during construction beeping trucks backing up and going up the hill uh in the constructing the the most of the roadway is on fill. So it's there's going to be big construction vehicles there all the time.

Um, and I think that we can constrain it by hours of the day, but we can't prevent it.

Understood.

Any more questions?

No, that was it.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think one of the things besides one of the things that we should get in um before we have the continued hearing is there's there's been a ton of test pit work done on the on the site. We should at least get to see all that information.

There are test pit hole uh logs that are in the stom motor report. Um they're in uh standard three. Um they're kind of they would be I don't have the page number, but they would be probably 2/3 of the way through the report. After all the CAD calculations,

I think there's probably a 100 pages of calculations.

Yeah. And I don't think your pages are numbered.

It's going to look at lots of them.

Yeah. No, I I saw that.

But there's there's a lot more information.

Uh the the next Um right there.

It's 3. It's 3:48.

If you want to just you want a motion to continue, Mr.

Chair.

Yeah. If if you're done.

Yeah. I I'll look it all. Okay.

All right. So, the 22nd.

So, we're talking about the 22nd. So, we have one at 4:15, right? So, this would be make it for 4:30.

Yeah. So, I would move that we uh continue uh the definitive subdivision plan Cornerstone Place uh to uh September 22nd at 4:30.

Second.

All those in favor? I thank you feedback.

Okay. Next are minutes from July 28th.

I read them. Mr. Chair, do you want a motion?

Please. I to I motion to approve the minutes of July 28th as presented.

Second. Any comments, changes?

Nope.

All those in favor?

I

want a motion to adjourn. Mr. Chair, other business time meeting. Just want to remind everybody in September we're changing the hour of our start of the meeting from 6 to 4.

Starting in the meetings in September.

And the idea would be that that would go through winter and spring and at some point we would go back to six in the summer. That's the plan.

Yeah. Okay.

All right, I move to adjourn. Second.

All those in favor?