All right, welcome to the West Conservation meeting for January 20th of 2026. This meeting is being recorded. We'll stand and salute the flag, please. >> 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. >> Thank you. All right. First hearing is Dennis Staten noticement of Stton noticement 10 for 1050 Main Road approve existing material
yard storage site uh circulation vegetation buffer zone and plantings in the buffer zone. >> Would you like on the on the board please if you could
proof of your notifications? Yes, >> please. Thank you. What's up? >> You look beautiful. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you. [Applause] Cheer.
Perfect. Whenever you're ready, John. >> Um, hello. Thank you. Um, so this is our lot on the main road and what we are proposing to do is to do some very slight regrading. Uh, the site is a
little sloped for our purposes. Um, remove some invasive trees, basically clean up the site, beautify the site, um, plant some native plants um, to the east and, um, Um, put in some
bin blocks for material. Um, this is my partner Tim. We own a landscape design build company down the road. We're on main road. That's our office. Um, this is our our land that we bought last year. Um, and then two comments boxes
for our crews and equipment and material. >> Thank you, Chris. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members. This is Dennis Stanton Eptorium. Is that how they say the name of the
business? >> Yep. That's the uh 1050 Main Road. No intent application. The report date is January 15th, 2026. The file number is SE 802825 with no adverse comments. The site visit
was on January 15th as well. Description of the work. The owner has filed a notice of intent to construct a gravel parking for establishing a material storage yard for their landscape company on a commercial zone parcel. The site is across from Perry's Bakery on the east
side of Main Road. The work will be within 100 ft from an abuing wetland that is located offsite to the east. The 25 ft no activity area is represented for the design with a split rail fence installed. An enhanced planting along
this point will be of native species to act as a buffer strip uh from the material storage yard. Invasive species to be removed from this area include Norway maple, Japanese snowbell, and ornamental cherry. The storage yard will
be graded to sl to slope toward the created buffer strip. The gravel base will be installed and bins for storage materials as well. Privacy fencing along the sides of the property are also proposed. Erosion controls will be installed along the 25- ft no activity
area and will serve as the limit of work for this project. Resource area. Again, this is just a buffer zone project. Recommendations. The West Park Conservation Commission should approve the proposed buffer zone project with a standard conditions with the operating
times to apply under the zoning bylaws. Um, for the record, we did have a couple neighbors with concerns for some time of usage. Dennis, I understand you have 7 to 7, I believe, is the working times in the zone. So, I I have no other concerns
uh for your use. I appreciate you, Governor. >> You guys have any questions on the report he just wrote? >> No. No. >> All right. Anybody in the audience have a question? >> Do you want to come up here, state your name, and ask a question? [Music]
Good evening. I'm uh Rachel Bishoff. I own the property next door, 1056 Main Road. Um I have a lot of concerns. I'm trying to build my retirement homestead. And I
don't think it should have been zoned as commercial starters, but it was and and I couldn't afford to buy it at the time. So that just came up um where the lot was supposed to be um belonged to Paul. Well, the woman Sharon sold it and um it
was supposed to go to Paul, but he passed away of a brain eating amoeba and then it went up for sale without telling the neighbors and was sold pretty much instantly. And so here we were thinking that it was just a gonna be this
beautiful grassy front yard and it turned into a construction site. So I'm really concerned about the noise um and the privacy um like last Wednesday they were sawing for maybe 6
or 8 hours. The dust the dust is out of control. >> In the morning look at all that dust. Can I show you? >> I need permission to show you. [Music] [Music]
>> This is supposed to be my retirement homestead. >> The truck's beeping 6:45 in the morning. I wake up crying. I mean, it's like >> All right. >> Okay, that's good. >> Thank you. So the noise is one thing and then the
privacy and is ruining my quality of life. Uh completely ruining my quality of life. I mean I'm devastated. I've spent my the last amount of money to finish this house and now I have to move.
But um the tree that I'm really concerned with is the one in the corner that has almost fallen on my power lines. multiple times and I talked to Sharon, the previous owner, about it and that's when she put it up for sale after I showed her here's
some more photos of the trees that keep falling. This one's about to hit my power line and I talked to the previous owner about it and all she could do was put the lot up for sale. >> How far is it from the street? >> The power line that's about
>> the tree. >> That tree is far from the street. It's in the back corner. It's this um >> it's in the buffer zone. >> It's in this back corner right here. >> We haven't touched it because it's in the buffer zone. >> Um so
>> I'm concerned about the wetlands. I'm concerned about the runoff. I'm concerned about pretty much everything and I'm devastated. But thank you for your time. >> All right. Well, I just answer something quick. We don't regulate noise. That is, as Chris mentioned, is a town bylaw. Um which I think the operation time was
what is operation? 7 a.m. to 700 p.m. in a commercial zone. >> So that's that's not really that's not in our perview, but that's something that if the you know if they're there really early in the morning or really late, then I you can file a complaint with the town, but um that really isn't anything to do with that. As far as the
tree, that is in the buffer zone to the wetlands. So um if if you want to speak to them about that, they can file an application to cut that tree down. Well, we could accept them to cut it if it's needed with this
application. >> You guys okay with that? >> Yeah, we'll cut down. We'd love to >> There's a lot of trash trees in there that >> the applicants, if I may, for the commission stopped work when I notified them they had a buffer zone issue. So, they've been very hesitant to do work in
that area. Most of the activity uh has been in the front section, slightly in the buffer zone, but not uh rigorously like this project will be. They did initiate some work which I expressed to them that they were maybe jumping the gun a little bit. So I hope that um once
this is approved that initial work will quiet down. Obviously you need to move the material to grade the site so there's going to be some initial noise. Um as far as the wetlands they're all on the neighbors property. So they're not really impacting the wetlands. Um, as we
mentioned, there's a 25 ft setback off that stone wall from those wetlands. So, they're enhancing a very large buffer, natural buffer strip with this proposal to help with any treatment of that storm water as it is flowing sheet flow across
the site. So, I think they've addressed the storm water concerns from my perspective. Um I I can't take away the commercial use of the property and it's unfortunate that you know however things happen but this is commercially zoned so
we are pretty much strictly operating as a business on this property. So >> all right so yeah one second. So, if when you guys um you want to take do something with those trees, maybe call Chris and let him go out there and just
show Mark the trees you want to cut down so Chris can just give you approval because >> that way it saves you from having to knock down some of the power lines and it probably would be a lot better in the long run for you anyway if you take them down. >> Yeah. >> Would that benefit you if those trees were taken care of?
>> Um well, there's just this one dead one that's a problem. The other ones I I was I mean the trees are good because they absorb the groundwater. We have a huge groundwater issue back there. So every tree does cut down that that removes a huge root base that's absorbing the ground. >> That tree looks dead though. Correct.
>> This one is dead and that's has huge limbs that keep barely miss. >> So if that was taken care of that would be a benefit. That would be something. >> That would be a benefit. Yes. And if the beefing on the trucks were disabled that would be a benefit. >> I don't know if they can do that by by law. law they can't do that
>> and that that's not within our perview either to mention about truck stuff but >> sir do you have a question >> just come up if you say your name please if you could >> I my name is Abbott I just moved here in uh May last May from Providence and uh
you know I'm not here to be adversarial um so I apologize that some of this stuff is going to come off that way um not you know it Um, as I say, moved from Providence. If anything, it's been louder here. Um, re
it with the exception of last week, let me say, um, than it was in Providence. We had noisy neighbors, but, uh, you know, nothing, nobody dropping 10 lb boulders on top of other boulders. Um, the proposal here looks very much more like what I would expect from a
landscaping company than what I see there now. Um, and so I'm assuming that those are changes that are going to be made. That's that's what's proposed here. Correct. >> Yep. Okay. And and can I ask just what the uh what a what a convex box is just
because I don't know the term. >> Do you see the box we have out there now? It's just a C storage box. >> Okay. Okay. So it's it's like a >> like a shipping container. >> Okay. Okay. >> So going to be made a little nicer than Oracle Rusty thing that it is right now.
Uh, okay. Sorry, that's that's tangential, but um and you know, so all of this here, does that mean that all the stones boulder landscaping boulders that are there now are going somewhere else? The intent is to have the site very organized. So,
>> but but my question is there's no there's nothing new there for boulders. >> Well, it could be any it could be any the permit allows them to have any landscape materials. Yeah, >> it could be could be 3/4 stone. could be you know two >> but nothing in I mean these are going to
be question is are these going to stand as they're labeled now >> they're going to be bench for month debris sand you >> I mean they they can move around they can depending what materials are selling they can switch them around >> I mean they're locked you know they're
showing the bins on the plan but >> for their for their purpose maybe they put names on but they don't have to put what's in there in the bins >> okay okay well that said it's just curious if that was the intent answer that. >> Can we address just a couple of the concerns or >> Sure, if you'd like to. Well, wait till
he's finished if he could. And then >> the guys come to the site at 7:00 a.m. We want them out of that site as quickly as possible. The other day is an anomaly. We generally do not work on that site. We want to respect the neighborhood. We don't want to create undue noise. We can put toggle switches
in the trucks so that when the trucks are on site, the the backup alarms are disabled and then when they're offsite, so we pass the OT, the the um backup alarms are enabled. Like we we don't want to cause problems. >> I understand that. >> I mean, I you guys can make your own
business decisions. I'm not I'm not an OSHA expert, but if you one of your guys backed over somebody with an alarm on that probably wouldn't bode well for you. Right. >> Um but nonetheless, >> can I just express just this is our jurisdiction to the neighbors. We we
have jurisdiction this way from the buffer zone that way. We we don't have any jurisdiction on what necessarily happens in this area. That all falls under the building department and zoning. So, we're here pretty much for the activity to create this little
buffer script and grade this area to prepare it for that essentially use as that storage. >> When when it's being graded, is that coming up or going down? >> There's a hump in the middle. I believe it's going to come down. >> It's being pushed around.
>> Yeah, it's leveling out. It's really not going up or down to be it. We're >> parts of it are going up cutting one side and filling the other to make it more level. So essentially, no. It's staying the same. >> It looks like the whole thing has been sloped all the way down to feed into my
wetlands is what it looks like. >> So that's the existing condition. That's what we're changing. >> I' I've been watching it and it was a flat grassy front yard and now it's a mound that slopes all the way down into my yard. >> So we've never fought. >> Yeah. That's a grassy mound that is now doesn't have grass on it cuz that we
didn't do that work. That's why we're here. >> The existing on the plane plan from the survey. So it shows that it was has always been sloping. >> We haven't done any earth work to it because we need to go to the proper channels to do that. We haven't changed the grade at all.
>> Okay. I would disagree. >> Okay. >> All right. Any other questions from the the board? That's good. All right. No other questions. We'll accept a motion. >> Okay. So, I'll move to approve the plan
for 1050 Main Road um uh in buffer zone with standard conditions with operating times under the zoning bylaws to apply. >> All right. Motion Phil. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Second from Burke. All those in favor? I
>> opposed. All right, that's unanimous sale. >> Crystal will have your permit ready in a couple days. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> All right. >> Have a good night. >> Good night, guys. >> Thanks. >> All right. Next on the agenda, we have um
>> Westport Westport Lakes SE81290, map 31, lots 2, 4, and 4A. Is a certificate of compliance. >> Mr. Chairman, this is the uh Westport Lakes development. It's been sitting for
many years. Um approximately 17 to 18 years. >> Still a golf course. >> There is no golf course. >> No, the old is the it was part of this request. Yes. >> This was going to be a golf course. There was concerns and it was superseded
by the state on most occasions when an application was filed by the neighbors. This old order of conditions actually had never had work commenced. Uh so file number SE801290 for Coastal Harvest LLC was never no
work was ever commenced. This was actually for the golf course creation, but it obviously was never commenced. The road construction fell under another application on another file number which they have petitioned DP for a
superseding uh certificate compliance rather. So this is the outstanding one again no work was ever commenced. So under the recommendations there is a box that you check under this uh conditions uh the west conservation should approve
the certificate compliance under the invalid order with work never commence for file number se 801290 coastal harvest LLC Westport Lakes Road. >> Do we have a motion? >> I'll make a motion to issue this
appliance. >> Second. >> All right. That was Jason and Kevin. All those in favor >> All right. That's unanimous. All right. Next on the agenda, let's see minutes.
This is What is this? >> Uh, are we discussing this tonight? >> I'm going to bring this uh to you. Yes, Mr. Chairman. This letter is requested at a previous meeting of the commission members was voted to send a new request
to the four uh Westport Fire Department for clarification on the horse neck beach emergency access roadway expansion. Uh this letter was put together by our member Jake u Mcwigan. Um quickly the Westport conservation is
presented by a notice of intent for the department of conservation and recreation. uh concerning the widening of beach access road for emergency purpose. This project is ongoing over three years. DCR is removing a coastal dune to widen the road. The West Conway
issued an enforcement order concerning the impacts. Uh, in the letter dated to Jeffrey McGee, it states, and I'm not going to go into detail, but the West Conservation is seeking clarification as to the recommendation as this is not a public way and their other limiting
factors making the need for an over 20 foot wide road unattainable. One such limitation is the fact that Bridge Street um bridge road that feeds it uh is feeds it leads to the healthy trail is no more
than 16 ft wide. The West Conservation would like clarification if the current access road if maintained satisfies the recommendations of the West Fire Department. We look forward to hearing from you and this matter sincerely Paul Junk is chairman. So this is just a
letter seeking clarification on that if actually 20 foot wide uh road is is really needed in the given circumstances. >> All right. Does anybody have any problems with the letter or sending the letter to the uh the fire department to
get a a response? >> So this is at the end of bridge >> bridge. This is the access road that has recently filed for. They're trying to widen it from Bridge Road, which they've done, up into the campground. They'd
like it take it from that point and go all the way to West Beach Road through the campground and alter another huge section of Coastal Dune that is stabilized. So, this is just to see if is that letter previously written by the
fire department actually qualifies in this particular circumstance. Well, I and I think that if you when you look at letters in the past, the fire department would love to see every road xt wide, 20, 24 ft wide. But the realization is they realize they're not going to get that. I mean, you know, what you want and what you get are two different
things. And >> if you're being fed by a 16T road, there's probably not a big uh purpose to have the road any wider than the road you're being fed by. Correct? It's like connecting a 2 in pipe to 1 in pipe. It really doesn't make any sense when you
>> in the meantime DCR is also seeking MEEPA review for the thresholds that will be exceeded for that dune removal. So that is why we've continued the hearing to date. Um so in the meantime,
we felt that getting a clarification to that previous letter may be helpful. So, somebody who wants to make a motion to send the letter or a motion not to send a letter, that would be great. >> So, we can put this to rest. >> So, just just, you know, one one quick
comment, Chris, we don't have to rewrite the letter, but um if you can just ask them, is there any historical basis for the need to widen the road? Has there ever been a situation where they ever had trouble getting any apparatus down there? >> Okay. >> Well, we had the same discussion with
the fire department on Beach Avenue many years ago. We're cleaning off Beach Avenue, which is a town accepted road. And the DCR or the D stopped us and said that they didn't need to be that wide for um the fire apparatus to get down there. And they had us put a hammerhead at the end of it so they can turn
around. So I don't know what's different about this in Beach Avenue because they both go through a dune um other than one's own by the state. >> They're very similar, >> right? Other one go one's own by the state >> except one's a public way and one is not. >> Right. And the public way might should have more >> should have more leniency than one that
is not. Correct. But anyway, >> yeah, just and just make sure they specify like do do they do they need it that wide? Of course, if you ask them, they'll probably say yes. >> Well, that's where this they took I think DCR took the context of the
letter, not what their actual their information was. We'd like to see roads 20 ft wide as Paul is saying, but in circumstances given in this fragile, is it really needed? So, I think that's where >> and there are other ways to access the campgrounds from all the other parts of
the beach and other entrances to the beach. Um, and you know, they they have smaller vehicles including UTVs, RTVs to transport people on. So, I mean, I I don't really I don't really see the need. I thought there I I thought maybe
I'm totally wrong that there was some history about there not being able to get access to someone who had a heart condition or something happened. I I thought that there and I'm just talking about around the table. I thought I heard that >> there was a swimmer that was in
distress. They were delayed because of the pedestrian traffic that utilizes the path. At the same time they were trying to go up the path. >> I see. So there was still able to get to the swimmer, but yes, there was some delay in the response. Nobody there was
no fatality in this case, luckily. But um >> but if you make it water, it doesn't mean they're going to get there. The people are going to move out of the way for you anyway. >> So yeah, I there was a triggering event. I mean, based on what I was just responding to what Jason was saying. >> Plus plus they they do have the UTVs and you know like the Kabotas and stuff down there. They can go right on the beach
with those. You know, they don't need to you're not going to bring an ambulance down to the beach. you you on to the beach, right? >> You can get the person and bring them up on the in the UTV or on a pickup or whatever you're going to use and then get them to the ambulance probably faster than the ambulance is going to get down there with the switch. But that's >> because then the ambulance can't turn
around too. So that's the other limiting factor. So >> and so I just had another question, Chris. So, is is this a So, um I guess I'm wondering whether there's an opportunity for us or if we wanted to
take it to, you know, submit a comment letter to MEPA about it because usually that's what happens, you know, when MEPA is triggered. If MEEP is triggered, they're going to have to go through the process and we would be given the opportunity to comment as well as every
other entity in the state that is required to comment. So the reason I was >> you're not there yet. >> See, right CCM asked >> I asked them for advice. She said, "I recommend you go this route cuz then all state entities are asked to comment."
>> And she says, "I pretty much have told them this is ludicrous, but there are some people in the state that feel otherwise." So, >> yeah. Okay. All right. >> Yes. But you are correct. There will be that opportunity. >> Okay. So, >> so this letter is just asking clarification from the Westport Fire Department. >> Yeah. Yes.
>> What they would like to see and and what their minimum standard, you know, what their minimums are. >> Correct. Well, just again I will make sure a dead horse, but I mean if you ask a fire chief, do you want 25 more fire trucks? He'll say yes. Right. You have to ask him, do you need it to be like correct? >> Make sure that
>> he kind of >> understands where we're coming from. >> Do we have a mo a motion for the to send the letter? >> Make a motion to send the letter to the fire department. >> All right. Do you have a second? >> Second. >> Second from Phil. All in favor?
>> Oppos? All right. All right. That takes care of that. So, we have a bill here for um Woods Hole Group for $199.82. What's this for? >> That is our share of our grant reimbursement, Mr. Chairman, from our wetlands fund for paying that portion on
that invoice for phase one of the beach barrier beach management plans. >> All right. We have a motion to pay $199.82 82 cents to Woods Hole Group. >> So moved. >> All right, Phil. Second from Kevin. All
in favor? Opposed? All right, that's your unanimous. >> Um, let's see here. What's this? East Bay Media $64.50. This is for advertising for the hearing.
So, I just need a motion to pay East Bay Media 6450. >> Motion to pay. >> All right. Second from Kevin. That was Jason and Kevin. All in favor? Opposed? All right. That's unanimous. Uh minutes from 10:28 25.
Let's see. Was opened by myself. President was Jake, Tom, myself, Phil. Guess that's not happening. Min could have done that one last meeting, but Mr. Chairman didn't arrive.
>> Sorry. That's right. He was taken out on a journey. >> I bigger better things to do. >> All right. >> Let's talk Let's talk more about that. >> So, we have uh this from meeting 16 was opened by the it says vice very very low chairman vice chairman Powell.
That's you Jason. >> Yeah. Smooth that meeting. President was Jake, Bill, Kevin, and Tom. So, that's not happening either. And that one can't happen. It's the same day. And >> uh nope, that's not happening either.
Okay, >> we need we need Jake and uh just need Jake. We had Jake, we could do it. >> We don't have We need Jake had Jake had to go all away from work, so he kind of beat us up on that one. All right, so that is all I have for the evening. Chris, >> Mr. Chairman, that's all I have. I
believe there was a concern for discussion in executive session potentially. Um I know we've given another crack at a modification to a plan or for a CR
uh for that matter. So I don't know if you want to do this at the next meeting or it's something you would like. I know council did mention he suggested it. Um, so I don't know where the commission direction they would like to go.
>> Were we working up against the date if I recall or is that something? >> That's all that is all. Yeah, the letter has been issued. Correct. >> Oh, the letter. Okay. Well, um so my feeling about it is that
it would be um constructive for us to have an internal executive session before we then had one where council was brought in so that we could just kind of see where we were on this latest
proposal and uh you know just think through or understand what the different options might be. >> You want to go to executive session now, Phil? Just to discuss amongst ourselves. Go on executive session now. I >> I didn't know that you could do that without a >> It's on the agenda.
>> Oh. Oh, okay. Oh, yeah. Sure. >> I put a standing executive session on the agenda, Phil. >> Oh, okay. I didn't know that. >> I would have brought my notes. >> So, you that that's that's your Anybody Does anybody else mind going in just to discuss this matter for a few minutes? >> Next week. Don't care. I I mean, I think
it's a great idea because I was going to ask well clarification about how the process goes. So, Valley, we're going to go into executive session and we're going to uh we're not going to be when we come out, we're going to be closed regular meeting, so you can just shut down. So, um take a motion to go into executive session and
um just state your name. >> It has to be a roll call. >> Could you state why we're going into executive session? Discussing matters relative to litigation. Yes. >> And ongoing. >> All right. Discussing matters relative to litigation and ongoing uh appeals, I
guess. So, I Paul Jacus. Hi, Jason Powell. >> Hi, Phil Weinberg. >> I Brian, >> I Kevin Carter. >> All right, so that's uh it's unanimous. So, we're going to executive session now and we'll again at the end we'll exit the regular meeting and the executive
session at the same