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Home My WebLink AboutRDA Narrative revised 10.2.2021Wet Tech Land Design, Inc. Site & Wetland Contractor - Peer Plan Review & Estimates P.O. Box 1580–Sagamore Beach, MA 02562 SITE & LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS - WETLAND CONSULTANTS (508-642-7701) E-mail: wettechlanddesign@gmail.com and Website: www.heritageoutdoordesign.com Sept 21, 2021 Revised Oct 2, 2021 Town of Yarmouth Conservation Commission Kelly Grant 1146 Route 28 South Yarmouth, MA 02664 508-398-2231 x 1128 RDA Request for 2 Buttercap Ln Riverfront status–Yarmouth Dear Yarmouth Conservation Commissioners: The applicant is submitting a survey plan coupled with a full-size (to Yarmouth town Map (GIS) scale) USGS plan to disprove the potential issue of the lower embayment of Follins Pond qualifies as a extension of the river connecting Follins Pond to Kelley’s Bay (Dennis) Follins‘s pond is at the end of the Sandwich glacial moraine and along with Kelly’s Bay were created as glacial lakes / kettle ponds with typically high coastal banks surrounding each pond. This represents the depression caused by weight of the glacial ice block as it melted. This glacial phenomenon takes the shape of the entirety of Follins Pond. Follins Pond & Kelley’s Bay are connected by a river flowing at a slow enough rate to allow organic material to accumulate for a beautiful, and sustainable bordering salt marsh, on either side. The bathymetric contours (contours of the bottom of the pond/river) of Follins Pond and Kelley’s Bay, along with the connecting river clearly separates this riverine system vs the pond(s) bottom and the clear “plateau” effect of a bay simply collecting water to enter a river’s choke point/venturi system. The answer to the river’s end(s) is in geology rather than USGS river centerlines. Administrative “lines“ on USGS maps simply show the center line continuity. Within Follin‘s pond that centerline is more closely associated with the eastern edge, or town of Dennis property. The drawings date is Sept 16, 2021 and reflects 4 other tests; all of which are within various zones within the embayment to the north of the actual river. First, it is noted that the area to the west of the USGS centerline is part of the Town of Dennis. Second, all assessors plans list Follins Pond immediately north of the subject site. From here, a USGS plan was overlayed onto the Assessors Map aerial and scaled for exact measuring: (1) CONCAVE NATURE OF THIS “SUB-POND” TO FOLLINS POND is not a River (Shape of this area is that of a “Sub-Pond” (or bay) to Follins Pond); (2) DIFFERENCE OF WIDTH BETWEEN RIVER ENTRIES (WIDTH) AS MARKED BY KELLY GRANT;(see USGS plan) (247 FT= River) and 805 FT = entry of the Sub-Bay from Follins Pond; approx. 3.25 x greater than river entrance; (3) DISTANCE FROM CENTERLINE OF LOTS ON WEST SIDE; (River centerline is close to land on the northeast; but deviates severely to land on the South west, (123.5 FT= River Edge to the East) and 518 FT = to subject site (2 Buttercup Ln); approx. 4.2 x greater than river entrance (4) ANGLE OF COASTLINE (FOLLINS POND) AWAY FROM RIVER CENTERLINE; at almost 118 degrees to the South, too severe to continue as a river.(See photos) (5) PROPORTION OF CENTERLINE DISTANCE TO AREA TRAVERSED; AKA AS “SHAPE FACTOR” (formula)=(the area of this sub-pond divided into the feature perimeter length, squared; THEN compare Pg 1 Wet Tech Land Design, Inc. Site & Wetland Contractor - Peer Plan Review & Estimates P.O. Box 1580–Sagamore Beach, MA 02562 SITE & LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS - WETLAND CONSULTANTS (508-642-7701) E-mail: wettechlanddesign@gmail.com and Website: www.heritageoutdoordesign.com (cont) 2 Buttercup Ln – Yarmouth to those of actual river between FOLLINS POND and KELLY'S BAY . (684 LF for the Sub-Pond; and 1255 LF for the River); average width of river from centerline is 110 LF; for the Sub-Pond average of (386+518+145=) 350 LF. Planning boards use “Shape Factors” ratios for NEW LOTS planning; Zoning Boards don’t want lots too long and skinny, even if they meet frontage requirements. The relationship for this exercise, here, is “SHAPE” only. Usually, a ratio over 23-24 disqualifies a lot for zoning. Rivers, being long and skinny would candidates for SHAPE disqualification under this rule, but again this is an exercise,only. The Shape Factor ratio of the river connecting Follins Pond and Kelley’s Bay is 33.29. The Shape Factor ratio of the Sub-Bay connecting Follins Pond and the actual river is 16.1. Clearly, this “body of water”, between Follins Bay (proper) the actual river is different from a river and, if it were upland, qualifies as a well-shaped lot, and, more importantly, not a river! We have included the USGS Map from Kelly Grant showing the relative measurements of all the above. Also included are aerials. Assessors maps calling out “Follins Pond” directly north of subject site, in the area of question. The adjacent house (teardown) was approved on a Coastal Bank Plan. If 2 Buttercup Ln site was included in the survey of this adjacent lot, 2 Buttercup Ln would have been “grandfathered” as “FOLLINS POND” lot. Simply said, there are 2 “narrowings” on the South end of Follins Pond. These are nothing more than “straits” connecting “sub-pond” areas that are still a part of Follins Pond. Altogether, they form Follins Pond proper which, then drains, into Kelly’s Bay further to the south….1255 LF away. This should be conclusive proof of River delineation separate from Follin Pond headwaters that empty into the river. . Wayne Tavares PWS LA CS Wet Tech Land Design, Inc 508-642-7701 Pg 2