10/09/2025 CONSERVATION COMMISSION Minutes

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Town of Mashpee Conservation Commission 16 Great Neck Road North Mashpee, MA 02649 Mr. Kent added that the dock already holds a Chapter 91 license from the mid-1990s,but at the time, it was never locally permitted through the town. This filing would therefore bring the dock into local compliance and reiterated that any future modifications would require additional permitting. Mr. McManus weighed in and said that typically, Chapter 91 approval follows local permitting, not the reverse, and he advised Mr. Jenkins to verify the current status of his Chapter 91 license. Mr. Jenkins could contact the state agency to ensure that the license remains valid or updated,as required,unless the dock predates the 1978 Wetlands Protection Act. Mr. Jenkins agreed to do so. MOTION: For a negative determination for 35 Santuit Lane. Motion by: Richard Sahl Seconded by: Sandi Godfrey Vote: Motion passed by unanimous vote. (Steven Cook, Sarah Thornbrugh, Sandi Godfrey, Seana Pitt, Richard Sahl) NOI 55 Redwood Circle, Edward & Rudite Pilpel. Proposed addition to existing dwelling, 43- remove septic system and replace with Title IV IA system, remove and rebuild retaining 3352 wall, and mitigation plantings. (Representative: BSS Design Inc.) (coot. 08.07 / 09.04) The project involves constructing an addition to the existing dwelling, removing and replacing the septic system with a Title V Innovative/Alternative (IA) system,rebuilding a retaining wall, and implementing mitigation plantings. Tom Bunker of BSS Design noted that this project had been continued several times from previous meetings due to pending correspondence regarding natural resource area reviews. Mr. Bunker explained that following the previous continuance, the applicant received a letter dated September 9th from the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP). The letter confirmed that, as currently proposed, the project would not adversely affect state-protected rare wildlife species and is exempt from further review under 321 CMR 10.14, in accordance with the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. Mr. Bunker also noted that, in response to the Commission's earlier request for additional mitigation, the project team had added 300 square feet of new plantings along the pond edge, as shown on the updated landscape plan prepared by Crawford Land Management. Although the slide displayed during the meeting was not the most recent version, all commissioners had the corrected plan in their packets. He explained that the mitigation was designed to strengthen the vegetative buffer at the water's edge and further stabilize the area. He reminded the Commission that Andy, the project's landscape consultant, was available online to answer questions. Mr. Bunker further explained that, in addition to the NHESP determination and added mitigation, the applicant had submitted a letter regarding regulatory waivers. He cited the local bylaw provision allowing the Commission to grant a waiver when buffer zones are previously altered, noting that nearly the entire work area on this lot had already been disturbed by prior development. The only native vegetation remaining consisted of three diseased beech trees slated for removal. Mr. Bunker reviewed the relevant section of the bylaw, which permits a waiver if a project will improve the natural capacity of a resource area to protect wetland values, using the best available technologies and ensuring no or minimal adverse effects. He argued that the project met those criteria through extensive planting, hydrologic improvements, and slope stabilization. The new 300-square-foot mitigation area, along with several thousand additional square feet of native forbs, grasses, and shrubs, would replace existing lawn and bare soil