PROVINCETOWN HARBOR COMMITTEE

Town Hall Judge Welsh Room
Provincetown, MA

April 27, 2005

Members Present: Gerard Irmer, Chairman, Kerry Adams, Alice Brock, Heather Bruce, Ann Colbourn, Melville Cote, Alternate

Advisory Staff Present: Rex McKinsey, Pier Manager; Maxine Notaro, Permit Coordinator; Doug Taylor, Building Commissioner

Advisory Staff Absent: Ted Meyer, Acting Marine Supervisor (Excused Absence)

AGENDA

The meeting was called to order at 4:30 p.m.

Review/amend/approve minutes of 4/13/05

The minutes were read. A motion was made by Kerry Adams to approve the minutes and was seconded by Ann Colbourn. They were approved unanimously.

NEW BUSINESS

Chapter 91 License Applications

333R Commercial Street, Bennett

The property is adjacent to the Town Landing and Land’s End Hardware. Kerry Adams recused himself from the discussion because the Bennetts are his clients. Paul Shea represented the Bennetts and said he had gone before the Conservation Commission. Dick Bennett, who represents the estate which owns the property, and Roxanne Pratten, who wants to buy the property, were also there. They would like to add a deck to the first floor level, a four foot wide natural pathway to the beach, and natural plantings to stabilize the area and prevent parking there.

This would be a non-water dependent license. The property has been residential since the early 1980’s.

Heather Bruce said that beach grass shouldn’t be planted because it takes away from where people can walk and doesn’t stop erosion. It also privatizes a public area. Heather Bruce said that since most of the property is within the Schofield line, the license would be very expensive under the old Harbor Plan. She advised waiting until May when the amendments would be in effect and the price would decrease. The representatives said that it would be after May. Alice Brock said that if parking on the beach is a problem, the police should deal with it. Rex McKinsey said that the Chapter 91 license focuses on public versus private use of the Harbor. He said that the survey would partially include the boundary of the Town Landing and might be considered a public benefit under Chapter 91. Other possible public benefits would be public benches or a floating dock for people to use while going to Land’s End. Ann Colbourn said she wouldn’t have a problem with the new deck if it didn’t extend farther than the deck above and the stairs were on the sides. She thought that the plantings should be denser toward the building and should not delineate the property. The walkway should never be paved. Gerard Irmer thought that perhaps some of the property could be delineated near the bottom to prevent parking. Heather Bruce was against the deck and the plans for the vegetation. She suggested that Rugosa roses be planted strategically to prevent parking, but not keep pedestrians from walking through the area. Alice Brock said that she did not want the deck or any of the plantings. Mel Cote said that he approved of the deck, but thought that the plantings should be kept within ten to twenty feet of the building, with perhaps more delineation along the side of the Town Landing.

Roxanne Pratten then said that there were posts from the existing deck on the second floor which extended eight feet from the house. Some of the members felt that this changed their feelings about the deck, since that area under the deck had already been in private use.

Motion: A motion was made by Heather Bruce to have the Chairman write a letter to the D.E. P. approving the license application for 333R Commercial Street with the following recommendations: 1) The deck will extend no more than eight feet from the building (the same size as the existing second floor deck) with no stairs on the side facing the water. 2) The Committee is concerned about privatization of the area and would like to see plantings that deter parking, but are as natural as possible. They suggest a strategically-placed scattered planting of Rugosa roses. 3) No beach grass should be planted. 4) A letter concerning the "proper public purpose," which is missing from the application, must be supplied. The motion was seconded by Mel Cote. Yeas: 4 Nays: 1 The motion passed.

253 Commercial Street, Heller

Heather Bruce recused herself from the discussion because her paintings are sold at the Heller Gallery.

The Committee noted the generosity of the Hellers to the community. The property is also historic in that it was once part of the Eugene O’Neill theater. The property is next to a Town Landing and the surveying would be a benefit since the landing has not been surveyed. The Committee has no problems with this application.

BEACH CLEANUP

Alice Brock will check the tide charts to determine what would be the best day for the cleanup. She will then contact Ted Meyer about getting the prisoners. The students who participate will work on an area of the beach separate from the prisoners.

BEACH ACCESS SIGNS

The Committee will have the signs made so that they will be standardized. The Committee had originally chosen 6" x 6" signs in plastic, but learned that the Commonwealth says that they must be a certain size. Also, the signs must be a coated metal. Plastic will not hold up on the beach. The Committee later chose the 8 1/2" x 10" signs. The Chairman will notify Nancy Greenhouse that the Harbor Committee will be issuing the signs.

Maxine Notaro then advised the Committee that any business that wasn’t on the original posted agenda should not have been carried out. Therefore the motion on the Bennett property will have to be voted on again at the next meeting. She suggested adding "Any other business that should properly come before the Committee" to the agenda in the future, so that items could be added if needed.

Gerard Irmer said that he still hasn’t heard from the state on the Harbor Plan amendments.

Kerry Adams said that he would like the Committee to receive a regular report from the Treasurer, especially about the Harbor Access Gift Fund. Mr. Adams said that no money has been spent, but he does not know if money has come into the fund. Doug Taylor said that he can bring this information to the meeting.

Kerry Adams said that he was embarrassed by the procedure of the Committee during the discussion on 333R Commercial Street. He said that the Chairman should be allowed to run the meeting and that the members should raise their hands to be called on.

NEXT MEETING: May 4, 2005 at 4:30 p.m.

A motion to adjourn was made at 6:40 p.m. by Heather Bruce and seconded by Kerry Adams.. The motion was approved unanimously.

Respectfully submitted,
Cynthia Curran