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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWW draft minutes 7.10.2025On //2024, on a motion by committee member , seconded by committee member , the Waterways & Shellfish Advisory Committee voted to approve these minutes as written. MINUTES YARMOUTH WATERWAYS AND SHELLFISH ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING July 10, 2025 MEMBERS PRESENT: Julian Mallett (Chairman), Rick Crawford, Al Keller STAFF PRESENT: Dave Condon, Kathryn Brooks, Casaundra Healy OTHERS PRESENT: Dan Ojala _______________________________________________________________________________ At 5:33 Dave Condon, Director of Natural Resources, read the open meeting law and explained the meeting audio was going to be recorded. Agenda 1. Public Comment: There was no public comment. 2. Notice of Intent a. Dan Ojala, Down Cape Engineering, 53 Aunt Dorah’s Lane, proposed fixed pier, ramp, stairs and floats There was a Conservation enforcement order given because the old dock license expired. The floats will be removed in the winter. They will try to use the same footprint of piles, but they will be driven deeper. The shellfish constable said there is a healthy shellfish population in the area. Mr. Ojala says there will only be 2 piles on the end and 2 around mean low water. Chairman Mallet asked about stopping the dock at the end of the marsh, to which it was discussed there was lack of water and the floats would sit on the bottom. Director Condon said from a safety standpoint a fixed pier is better and will not blow away in a storm. The shellfish constable voiced her concern for shifting from floats to a fixed pier because you cannot shellfish within 5 feet of a pier. Area would be lost for commercial people in an area that is open year- round. The constable said she was happy we were told about the shellfish survey. 10’-20’ there was no survey done and 60’+ there was no survey done. She would like to see the shellfish removed prior to work. Director Condon would like DNR to be notified a month or so in advance to set up a removal day and time. Mr. Crawford also suggested a shorter pier, but again it was explained there is not enough water. He added that he would not like to see more obstructions for shellfish. Mr. Crawford motions to move this project to conservation with concerns for shellfish. Director Condon added there is only about 12’ of dock beyond the salt marsh and asked if the floats will be stored off site since historical photos showed storage on the salt marsh. Mr. Ojala said he would make sure the floats were stored off site. On //2024, on a motion by committee member , seconded by committee member , the Waterways & Shellfish Advisory Committee voted to approve these minutes as written. Mr. Crawford made another motion to move this project to Conservation with 1 months’ notice for shellfish removal and no objection to the current plan. The motion is seconded by Mr. Keller, and the motion passes 3-0. 3. Approval of meeting minutes: 5/8/2025 Mr. Crawford motions to accept the minutes as written. This is seconded by Mr. Keller, and the motion passes 3-0. 4. Committee Discussion & Division Updates Mr. Keller said he wants more authority and to be able to deny a project because of shellfish. Ms. Brooks said Conservation is the regulatory board that issues the permits. The best thing waterways can do is provide the conservation commission with more information, a yes/no recommendation, and be as specific as possible about what we think of projects. Director Condon voiced his pleasure about how smooth things went on the 4th of July, lots of boats but no major incidents. The shellfish constable said she got 300,000 quahogs, 60,000 oysters, and 150,000 scallops. No further bridge updates from the Director. He shared we are in year 2 of the packet landing resiliency plan and we will be submitting for capital money for 2026. The dredge permitting for upper bass river is moving along and had side scan sonar and drone surveys conducted. The data needs to be overlayed and this will be mostly funded with a grant. Dawson Farber also left the Town of Dennis. A motion to end the meeting was made at 6:30 by Mr. Keller, and seconded by Mr. Crawford. The motion passed 3-0.