Adams Seeks Densely Developed Area Mapping
ADAMS, Mass. — Adams may adopt "Densely Developed Area Mapping" that would allow and encourage development closer to the river in certain areas.
Mark Maloy with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission explained the mapping process to the Conservation Commission on Thursday. It would allow development to skirt the Riverfront Protection Act by lowering the protected area from 200 feet to 25 feet.
Chairman James Fassell acknowledged that if someone who live within the protected area simply wants to build a shed, they have to seek a variance from the commission. He added that often people have to hire an engineer to show mitigation for small projects.
"We have a river that goes throughout our community, and we have all of these mills and development along it," Fassell said. "But because that river goes through town everything that happens in our community is a major activity."
He added that many small projects that the commission has no issue allowing brings in the state Department of Environmental Protection, which complicates projects.
Maloy pointed out five areas in town that could be eligible for the designation because they are densely populated.
Maloy added that some larger communities with more than 90,000 people ,or more than 9,000 people per square mile, have been able to opt out of the riverfront protection act. Communities the size of Adams can only lower the 200-foot protection area through this mapping and only two in the state have gone through the process.
Maloy said the town would have to contact the state who would send someone to survey the possible designated areas. From there the town would have to fill out an application and provide a series of maps going back to as close as the late 90s as possible so changes over time can be noted. Then, the town must hold a public hearing.
To finish the process either town meeting can approve the mapping or it can go through the Planning board and the selectmen
Director of Community Development Donna Cesan said the town once tried to go through the process by request of the DEP, but it was too complicated.
Although the commission like the idea, some members felt the process would take too long.
"It seems like a lot of work just to allow someone to be able to put their shed up without having to come to us or do fence along something," Commissioner Corey Bishop said.
Commissioner Thomas Robinson agreed and said if the process is expensive he does not see the town getting behind it.
"We have allowed people to work within those areas," he said. "This to me would be a one-shot deal and it would make sense to do, but if it expensive and time consuming … I don't see the residents agreeing with it."
Maloy added that the project is new territory for BRPC, however because he has a contract with the town he can do most of the mapping.
Commissioner David Lipinski said it would be foolish if the town did not at least try to go through the process.
"It would be pennywise and a pound foolish not to do this," Lipinski said. "If we are going to save a few pennies and not do this what kind of presentation do we give to someone who wants to develop in Adams? If we go ahead and make this happen this shows that we want to succeed as a community and we want development where there has already been development."
In other business, Fassell brought up a beaver issue near the flood plains near the substation.
Although it is a board of health issue, he told the farmers who notified him of the issue that they have 15 days to take down the dam slowly.
"I told them to take down the dam in parts and to go through a reputable braver eradicator," Fassell said.
Robinson said he was confident that the farmers would handle the situation properly.
"The only thing I would be concerned with is them going in with dynamite," he laughed. "That would present a problem but they are farmers and I assume that they know how to get rid of beavers."
Robinson said there has always been a beaver problem in that brook that flows from Specialty Minerals.
"The beavers love it," he said. "The water is a little bit warmer. It's like a beaver spa; maybe we can market that."
Fassell said if they are unable to get rid of the beavers they get a 30-day extension.
Tags: conservation commission, Hoosic River, riverbank,
