Saquatucket Harbor Development Committee Meeting
Date: Thursday Oct. 22 2015 Time: 6:30 pm Town Hall Small Meeting Room
SAQ. DEV. COMMITTEE ATTENDEES: Matt Hart, Amy Usowski, John Rendon, Kent Drushella, Brad Chase and Larry Brophy. Members Absent: Dean Knight
OTHER ATTENDEES:
Karin Larsen, Carl Miller, Dottie MillerGeorge Miller, Susan Torand, Charles Helliwell, Karen Helliwell
Review of previous month's Saq. Dev. Com. Meeting Minutes:
Moved by John Rendon, Seconded by Matt Hart to accept the minutes of September 24 as published. Approved by Unanimously
OPEN FORUM: Nothing this month
OLD BUSINESS:
The status of Nantucket Harbor (SH) Development Fund was reported by JR as having approx. $3,800 currently in the account. All utilities (NStar, National Grid and Eversource) have been disconnected. The Demo of the two existing buildings on the former Downey property have been approved and should be down within the next two weeks. The current Title V Septic System is being reviewed for future use by the Health Dept. (A positive finding will be beneficial to the future of the Downey portion of the SH overall development. MH gave a brief overview of the Septic System and from its installation in about 1970 until the present.
JR gave an overview for the schedule of development of the water sheet for the Marina. The design of the water side is underway for dock replacement, upgraded service, HP accessibility and attendant design parameters of the entire water redevelopment of the Harbor services.
Dredging of the harbor is being reviewed and anticipated to commence +/- Nov 1, 2016. The docks will be built off site next summer for installation after the dredging is complete. The window for dredging will close mid January 2017 thus a Nov 2016 start is critical for meeting the timetable. Boaters will be required to remove the boats from the water two weeks earlier than the usual Nov 15, 2015 date which will be Nov 01, 2016.
Approval at Town Meeting (TM) in May 2016 to hire a Professional Engineer (P.E.) for the land side design after the waterside portion is complete will keep the project on schedule.
A question on the disposal of the building debris and the potential of use on the proposed reef two miles off the entrance to SH was asked. The answer was that the building debris was not suitable for the reef.
It was further stated that there was $70 K request for funds from Historic Preservation funds to review the condition of the existing bulkheads for SH.
There was a question on the expiration date of the SH Permit. The first permit will expire next year and the Conservation Commission will extend it for another three years.
NEW BUSINESS:
Matt Hart reviewed the Preliminary Site Plan submitted by Town Planner David Spitz as well reading a letter (appended) into the record.
The Preliminary Site Plan raised a number of questions.
A discussion on why there is free parking for adjacent businesses. The answer is that the Town regulations and By Laws allow public parking to be used by businesses within 500 feet at no fee; the same as parking in Harwich Port.
Questions were raised on the green space adjacent to the NE corner of the site on the former Downey Property at the easterly end. There was discussion on the potential of increasing the current 10 foot green space and how it use, change or amending of the green space would impact future development. It was agreed this would be a discussion topic as the draft site plan is calibrated.
Other specific questions on the Plan concerning parking (amount and location), various green spaces and buffering of one portion of the process to another, relationship to adjacent businesses, curb cuts on the State Highway (Rt. 28), future landscaping, septic systems, timing and future steps.
MH reiterated that the Plan is open to discussion and tries to hold harmless any future development on the SH site.
There were a few specific questions regarding financing of the overall development of the proposal. The process of estimates, process of Capital Outlay Committee, use and timing of grants, and the process of the Town Meeting. All of these questions are very difficult to estimate and the draft Warrant for the Town Meeting will be an Order of Magnitude. The Chairman and Harbormaster answered the questions as well as possible at this time.
The Chairman called for a vote to accept the Preliminary Site Plan. It was moved by LB and seconded by JR that the Preliminary Site Plan (submitted by David Spitz) be accepted as a “framework for development for Saquatucket Harbor development” and that this Plan be amended and calibrated as needed prior to submission to the Board of Selectmen for further action' Carried unanimously.
Letters, Communications received: None this month
Motion to adjourn by Amy and Kent Seconded the Meeting adjourned at 7:55 PM.
Next meeting scheduled: November 19, 2015
Authorized Posting Officer: 
W. Matthew Hart Saq. Dev. Com. Chairman
Approved and signed date