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Town of Mashpee Conservation Commission <br /> 16 Great Neck Road North <br /> Mashpee, MA 02649 <br /> MOTION: To close an issue with an order of conditions for 27 Ocean Bluff <br /> Drive including: <br /> 1. Incorporating the current and new mitigation plant submitted at the <br /> meeting <br /> 2. Installation of dry wells near the garage and driveway <br /> 3. Three-year mitigation monitoring <br /> Motion by: Richard Sahl Seconded by: Sarah Thornbrugh <br /> Discussion: Ms. Thornbrugh reiterated that she could not support <br /> approving the project that evening, stating the Commission still lacked <br /> sufficient information about the construction methodology, stormwater <br /> management strategy, and the project's potential impact on nearby <br /> coastal banks. She requested a more detailed narrative and revised plans <br /> before a vote. <br /> Mr. Colombo agreed, expressing frustration that critical documents had <br /> been submitted late and arguing that it was the commissioners—not <br /> staff—who were responsible for reviewing and approving such materials. <br /> It was stated that staff were already overworked and that the Commission <br /> should not delegate its review duties. It was emphasized that more <br /> thorough documentation and review were necessary before the project <br /> could be responsibly approved. <br /> Mr.McManus clarified that staff and commissioners were aligned in their <br /> goals to minimize environmental impacts and ensure responsible project <br /> design. He suggested that conditioning the project now, rather than <br /> continuing it, could save time for all parties given the already full future <br /> agendas. Mr. McManus reassured the Commission that staff had the <br /> capacity to handle plan reviews and could ensure compliance before any <br /> work began. <br /> Mr. Colombo disagreed, emphasizing that his concern was not about the <br /> project's merit but about process and transparency. He stated that <br /> commissioners received updated materials too late to review them <br /> properly—around 3:00 p.m. that day—and that decisions were <br /> increasingly being delegated to staff rather than made by the regulatory <br /> authority itself. Mr. Colombo stressed that while staff and commissioners <br /> work as a team, the Commission should not relinquish its oversight role. <br /> Mr. McManus responded that no decision-making authority was being <br /> removed from the Commission and that conditioning was part of the <br /> standard process. <br /> Ms. Godfrey added that consistency was important, noting that other <br /> applicants had been required to submit detailed landscape plans and that <br /> this one came in late and lacked sufficient plant details. <br /> 16 <br />