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The Conservation Commission held a meeting in the Basement Mural Room of Town Hall on Tuesday, April 8, 2003 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Members present were Chairman Friend Weiler, Samuel Butcher, Brendan Halligan, Anne Hill, and Mark Mahoney. Thomas Gill and Arthur Vautrain were absent.
PH, DBR, INC., DUXBURY BEACH, SE 18-1198
Representing the applicant were members of the technical committee of the DBR, Inc. Members included Al Vautrinot, Les Smith, Shawn Dahlen, Jim O'Connell, Kay Foster, Margaret Kearney, and Harbormaster Don Beers. Also present for the public hearing was Leslie Fields of The Woods Hole Group who is the Commission's consultant for this project. The Chairman, Friend Weiler began the meeting by reading an introduction explaining the procedure for the public hearing and then he read the public hearing notice. Les Smith gave a PowerPoint presentation explaining the Beach Management Plan (BMP) and Notice of Intent. He gave a brief overview of each chapter of the BMP and then concentrated the discussion on the chapter related to ORV access and vehicular activities. He indicated that the other chapters would be
discussed in more detail at the next meeting. Mr. Beers explained the established track program that is used to control vehicle traffic on the front beach. He indicated the limit of vehicles on the front beach was 500 and 75 on the backside of the beach (35 on the cobbles and 40 in the turnouts). Mr. Vautrinot commented that physically the front beach could hold 750 cars, but the applicant was restricting the number of vehicles to 500. Mr. Beers also explained the method of determining the vehicle counts.
After the presentation, the Chairman opened up the hearing to questions by the Commissioners. Mr. Mahoney commented on his approach to the Orders of Conditions and commented that some sections of the BMP lacked specificity. He asked that the applicant identify the written procedure for counting and tracking the number of vehicles and identify where this information would be available to review for documentation. Mr. Mahoney also commented that when the technology of bar codes becomes affordable that the applicant considers that as a method of counting vehicles. Ms. Molly Bartlett of Crooked Lane asked if the 75 car-limit on the back beach included the cars waiting on the roadway to enter the front beach when the front beach limit was reached. Mr. Beers responded yes. Mr. Smith commented the Commission
should be looking at the impacts to the resource areas and asked if the Commission felt the intensity of vehicles was impacting the beach. Mr. Weiler responded that it was the applicant's responsibility to provide the burden of proof of no adverse impacts. Mr. Vautrinot indicated that their consultants have studied the impacts of vehicles on the beach and their report indicates no demonstrative impacts to the resource area. He indicated the report was being edited by the applicant's technical committee. Several of the Commissioners agreed that sections of the BMP should specify procedures and responsibility of tasks. Ms. Kearney asked if Ms. Fields could review the BMP and identify sections that needed to list procedures.
Mr. Butcher made a motion that was seconded to continue the public hearing for SE 18-1198 to April 29, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.
ADMINSTRATIVE MATTERS
The Commission discussed the applicant's request for extension permits for SE 18-860, SE 18-861 and SE 18-862. Mr. Mahoney made a motion that was seconded to extend the Orders of Conditions for SE 18-860, SE 18-861, and SE 18-862 to October 27, 2003. A vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously.
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