08/06/2026 CONSERVATION COMMISSION Minutes

Home Browse Search

Town of Mashpee Conservation Commission 16 Great Neck Road North Mashpee, MA 02649 that the stream was not identified on either the USGS or MassDEP mapping, Mr. Colombo stated that this addressed his concern because those maps could be used as evidence when making the determination during drought conditions. The Commission discussed the direction of flow, identified as predominantly north to south, and whether reopening the culvert could transport sediment or other material downstream to wetlands. Mr. Bracken stated that enlarging the culvert would represent an overall improvement, allowing the former Besse Bog area to drain toward a wetland farther south and improving habitat and infiltration. The project was also intended to improve aquatic and terrestrial organism passage. Discussion addressed the planned road closure during construction. It was explained that maintaining a lane of traffic during the culvert replacement would be problematic and would extend the project duration. Similar closures had been used for other Town culvert projects. The culvert replacement itself was anticipated to require a road closure of less than a month, while the overall project was expected to take approximately three to four months. The schedule would also be coordinated with gravity sewer construction and a nearby pump station project. The Commission discussed the identification of the properties as 0 Hollow Road and 0 South Sandwich Road and reviewed the property lines shown on the plans. Hollow Road was identified as a paper road, while the dirt hiking trail discussed during the review was clarified as Goodspeed Road. The 0 Hollow Road parcel was described as an irregularly shaped parcel identified as such on the assessor's map, and 0 South Sandwich Road was identified as the property across the roadway. Further discussion addressed the limits of work and the adjoining 310 and 311 Main Street properties. The culvert itself would be located entirely within the right-of-way,with erosion controls within an existing drainage easement. The applicant stated that the limits of work had been established to avoid work on adjoining private property. The Commission questioned whether restoring flow through the larger culvert would result in additional water entering the unnamed tributary on the 310 Main Street property and whether authorization from that property owner was necessary. The applicant explained that the tributary already existed and historically received intermittent flow, and that the project was not creating additional water or introducing a new flow path. Rather, the existing culvert had collapsed and filled with sediment,preventing the historic intermittent flow, and the project would reestablish that pathway. The proposed erosion controls were within an existing easement, and the adjoining property owner had been notified as an abutter. Staff further noted that Besse Bog did not currently drain into the culvert because vegetation,rocks and boulders substantially obstructed the former bog and culvert area. Any water passing through the improved culvert would encounter dense vegetation along the downstream ditch. Staff expressed no concerns with the proposal and stated that the project would improve both the culvert and the area in connection with the Town's other planned infrastructure improvements. MOTION: Close and issue at 0 Hollow Road/ 0 South Sandwich Road (Besse Bog), Town of Mashpee, with no conditions. Motion by: Richard Sahl Seconded by: Seana Pitt Vote: Vote passed unanimously by roll call vote Steve Cook, Paul Colombo, Richard Sahl, Seana Pitt 9