Plymouth Select Board Takes Government on the Road with First Cedarville Meeting
Board hears concerns about traffic safety, sand mining and Atlantic Country Club purchase while promising more community outreach
PLYMOUTH - June 10 - The Plymouth Select Board conducts its first off-site meeting at the Cedarville Fire Station Community Room on June 10, bringing town government directly to residents in the southeastern part of the community.
Chair Kevin Canty explains the board's decision to hold meetings throughout Plymouth's 105-square-mile community rather than solely at Town Hall.
"If we sit in our ivory tower and don't get out in this community and see what people are dealing with, walk the streets and drive the streets that they drive, breathe the air that they breathe, drink the water that they drink, then you're not going to be able to represent people throughout a 105-square-mile community from 26 Court Street," Canty says.
The meeting draws a standing-room-only crowd, with residents expressing appreciation for the board's outreach efforts.
"First and foremost, I want to thank South Plymouth for showing up tonight. And I just think we should give everyone a round of applause," says Kathryn Holmes, Town Meeting member and Precinct 9 Chair.
The board plans to hold four such meetings throughout the summer before returning to a more traditional schedule during fall town meeting season.
Town Manager Derek Brindisi provides an update on the potential purchase of Atlantic Country Club, explaining that the town received a purchase and sale agreement from the property owner in late March for $20 million.
"The town has 120 days to act on its first right of refusal," Brindisi says, noting that after finding deficiencies in the initial agreement, the town received a second purchase and sale agreement on May 20.
The review of the Atlantic Country Club purchase is currently under executive session with town counsel. Canty explains that public discussion of the details could disadvantage the town in negotiations.
"If we were to have a discussion on that in an open session, the seller of that parcel as well as the buyer, the prospective buyer right now, would be able to watch it just like you would. And that would detrimentally impact the ability of the town to exercise its legal rights and responsibilities," Canty says.
Hampton Watkins, chair of the Land Use and Acquisition Committee, notes that his committee has reviewed the public documents and is preparing advice for the Select Board.
"Since we're an advisory committee to the Select Board, we're preparing an advice document," Watkins says.
Residents express significant concerns about dangerous intersections in the Cedarville area, particularly at State Road and Herring Pond Road, and State Road and Hedges Pond Road.
Brindisi announces that MassDOT has approved both intersections as one large project with an estimated contract cost of $19.3 million.
"The town has now contracted with GPI to begin the design of the project and coordinate with MassDOT," Brindisi says, adding that the design cost of approximately $1.6 million will be paid through proceeds from the sale of 71 Hedges Pond Road.
Residents question whether rotaries are the best solution for the intersections, given increasing traffic volumes.
"I don't see where a rotary is really going to handle this kind of traffic, which is only increasing," says Geraldine Williams, a town meeting member from Precinct 8.
Brindisi responds that the town is considering all options, including traffic signals.
"They are looking at all the options and they're not already assuming that both of them are going to be rotaries, that they will explore signalization if not at both of them, certainly one of them," he says.
Brindisi also discusses two significant 40B housing projects that could impact the town's ability to control future development.
The Claremont project, a 300-unit development at Colony Place, is currently under review by the Zoning Board of Appeals. Meanwhile, Pulte Homes has submitted an application for a 163-unit project off Court Street.
"If the ZBA approves the Claremont project prior to the submittal of Pulte to the town, the town then enters what is known as safe harbor," Brindisi explains. "Safe harbor gives the town two years of a suspense on having to consider any other future 40B projects."
- Sand Mining Concerns: Residents express worries about sand mining operations in Cedarville, with board member Bill Keohan suggesting the reconstitution of a sand and gravel bylaw committee to review current regulations.
- Water Quality Issues: Michelle Christensen, a Precinct 9 town meeting member, raises concerns about cyanobacteria in local ponds caused by phosphorus from septic systems, advocating for sewering requirements for new developments.
- Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station: The board discusses its ongoing efforts to address concerns about contaminated water at the decommissioning nuclear plant, noting that board members will meet with the governor to discuss the issue.
- 71 Hedges Pond Road Development: Brindisi reports that excavation has begun at the site, with the developer "finalizing terms of several large square footage leases that will bring significant employment to the town."
The meeting concludes with board members expressing appreciation for the community turnout and promising continued outreach efforts.
"I think keeping the dialogue open between the village and the town of Plymouth and all of its components, the staff and the elected officials working together, I think there's nothing that can stop us from making this village center the envy of the South Shore," says board member Bill Keohan.