1999-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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t pletion of a comprehensive Conservation Land Map 1 Report of the (in conjunction with the Planning Department); we hope to have copies available for the public in the Conservation Commission spring of 2000; (2) Coordinating two Eagle Scout pro-jects on Conservation Lands; (3) (again, with the Planning Department)G.P.S. mapping of trails, so that To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and detailed trail maps can be developed; (4) Diane has the Citizens of the Town of Mashpee also been involved in coordinating several clean-ups of Conservation Lands with Americorps and other vol- in 1999, the Mashpee Conservation Commission unteers. has encountered the most demanding year in its his- tory. Applications were up 15% over 1998, which New parking areas for access to Conservation lands itself was the previous all-time high. Telephone calls acquired in the last few years were put in at the Fitch followed suit, being up over 10% from the previous and Lopez properties on Meetinghouse Road, and(the jyear, which, again, had been the highest ever. These second) parking area was created for the Jehu Pond statistical measures were only a small manifestation of Property on Great Oak Road. Again, we thank Greg the unprecedented workload faced by Commission Taylor and the D.P.W. for their efforts on these pro- staff. jects. An additional burden placed on the Commission Revised regulations (under our local wetlands pro- was the intensive and problematical EDB removal tection bylaw, Chapter 172 of the Mashpee Code) Pilot Test at the Quashnet Bogs. Monitoring that pro- were developed and adopted this year. These changes ject,extremely complex, large in scale and beset with involved new standards for plan requirements and problems(too numerous to review here),took up to 10 vista pruning, and enhanced vernal pool protection. to 20 staff-hours per week during the past summer. Local Wetlands Bylaws like our Chapter 172 can have stricter standards under the State constitution, than Though very worthwhile, this past summer also does the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. involved many staff-hours in coordinating the Indian Chapter 172 regulations are periodically updated to Museum Stormwater Filter Project. While the end- keep up with new research and to provide greater pro- product was worth it, and much help was provided by tection for Mashpee's unique resources. NRCS staff and volunteers, during the time period from March to August, over 100 staff-hours were Our interpretive tour program was very well required in planning, soliciting estimates, selecting attended again in 1999, under the able direction of and coordinating sub-contractors,monitoring progress Renee Fudala. We again will provide these popular and even watering plants during the summer drought. programs in 2000, with the support of the Town and We would like to thank the Department of Public the Conservation Commission. Schedules of programs Works for their contributions of labor and equipment. may be obtained by calling the Conservation Office. These,and some very time-consuming enforcement On a sad note, recent Commission member Dave cases, encumbered the Commission in its always Sharpe passed away this past fall. He will be missed existing (and largest ever) task of administrating the for his knowledge of Mashpee's woods and waters and permitting process through the State Wetlands for his passion for resource protection. Plans are Protection Act and Chapter 172, our local wetlands underway to dedicate a trail(on Conservation Land)in bylaw. We have initiated a (pilot) voluntary compli- his memory. ance program in one neighborhood in Mashpee. By soliciting homeowners to have violations voluntarily The demands upon the Commission are not likely reported and corrected, we would dispense with fines to lessen in 2000. Two large golf courses adjacent to and formal Enforcement Orders and work in a cooper- waterways and wetlands are in the planning stage now. alive fashion to remedy work not done (sometimes Additionally, if the current surge in the economy and unknowingly) in compliance with permits. concomitant development maintains itself, we are poised for another round of commercial and residen- Even with the advent of a full-time Assistant tial development by New Seabury.Even without these, Conservation Agent, some of the goals we had hoped as evidenced by 1999's workload, the Commission to accomplish for the year were not met. We did and staff are hard-pressed to meet the demands placed thanks to the efforts of Assistant Agent Diane Boretos, make a solid beginning in terms of developingplans upon us. and projects for the management and improvement of ' Conservation Lands. Some of these include: O 1 com- Mashpee is blessed with some of Cape Cod's most beautiful and rich natural resources. We are keenly 135