Clarksburg Planners Advise 'Stop Work' on Golf Course
 Planning Board Chairman David Sherman looks over golf course plans with fellow board member Thomas Jammalo and course owners James Basiliere, left, and Todd Driscoll. |
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The Planning Board took on faith that the developers of the golf course will stay within bounds of their existing permit.
The board deferred placing a cease-and-desist order on the project or approving further work, instead unanimously recommending a "stop work" with advice to "proceed with caution."
"I know it's contradictory," said Chairman David Sherman. "With what I'm presented right now, I can't say yes."
Planner Thomas Jammalo agreed: "We don't have a concrete plan in front of us."
Boulder Creek Golf Club owners James Basiliere and Todd Driscoll reviewed the newest alterations for the facility, which has been dramatically reduced from the original 18-hole PGA plan.
"We want to be partners with the town. We don't want to fight," said Driscoll. "We're not trying to hide anything ... we want this thing to go really well."
Town officials became concerned about compliance with the permit issued last year for the former North Adams Country Club for Phase 1, which was largely to excavate gravel and pile soil.
You "exercised it a little too much," said Sherman in reviewing the actions so far. Officials believe the excavation extended beyond the five-acre limit because the amount of gravel on the site fell below expectations.
The board was informed three months ago of the alteration to build a Par 3 that led to a discussion of the work required.
"As far as I was concerned, it turned into Phase 2," Sherman said, which required a site plan.
The issue was turned over to the Planning Board after Sherman and Driscoll met with the Selectmen on Monday.
The Selectmen wanted assurances that the golf course would comply with permitting, including for environmental issues, but didn't not want to completely derail the project.
"They want to see you succeed up there," Sherman told Driscoll and Basiliere.
But the plans provided did not clearly delineate where the work was being done and didn't cover site construction including the clubhouse, bathrooms and parking.
If the work was not being done in the wetlands buffer, the Conservation Commission would not have to be involved.
"It's hard for me to look at this plan and say it's OK to continue working," Sherman said, pointing out wetlands were not delineated. "Obviously you were trying to do reclamation up there and that's where it went out of whack, in my opinion."
Basiliere said an environmental scientist was in the process of marking wetlands areas and had estimated where the buffer would be.
That would be clarified, Basiliere said, with an overlay and complete site plan before more extensive work began. In the meantime, the current work was being done within the old turf areas and outside any environmentally sensitive areas, he said.
Their main concern was getting seed down in reconstructed areas and closing up the grounds for the winter.
"In the spring, the delineation will be done, you'll have your overlays," said Basiliere. "We have a comfortable feeling that we can buy a lot of sod, we can get this thing open."
Driscoll anticipated having a completed site plan and full design to present to town officials this winter that would also include a 650-kilowatt solar array.
"I'm going to have a really nice little set of prints in three months," he said.
Still, Driscoll said, "Any seed we can get down in the next three weeks will save us a fortune."
Winter fencing has been installed and erosion blankets will be laid down to prevent erosion and run off.
Sherman said if the board agreed, a cease-and-desist order would not be invoked but the responsibility would be put on the developers to do the project right. The development was told to comply with the issued permit and advised not to proceed, but not forced to stop.
"The townspeople will be looking for you guys to stabilize the project for the winter," said Conservation Commission Chairman Clebe Scott. "I just know people are watching, that's all."
Tags: golf course, Planning Board,
