Two key environmental improvement projects won swift approval from Oak Bluffs voters this week — one for a long-running coastal restoration work at the North Bluff, the other for eventual upgrades to the town wastewater treatment plant.
The action came at a special town meeting Tuesday night attended by 61 voters at the Oak Bluffs School. Moderator Jack Law 3rd presided.
In the works in phases for eight years, the North Bluff project will now be able to cross the finish line thanks to a $689,770 appropriation on the town meeting floor Tuesday. The money is the town’s match for a $2 million Municipal Vulnerability Action (MVA) grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs.
The $2.7 million portion of the project will include rebuilding the beach with sand dredged from Sengekontacket Pond, and replacing decayed timber groins.
Work done in an earlier, $5.6 million phase included the installation of a steel retaining wall in the coastal bank that runs from a point near the mouth of the harbor to the Steamship Authority pier. A stone revetment was built at the base of the steel wall, and a timber boardwalk of South American hardwood was completed atop the bank once it was backfilled.
The boardwalk runs along Seaview avenue.
The new beach planned for the area will not only be a public recreation improvement but is intended to hold the new groins in place.
The North Bluff preservation project also originally included the state fish pier adjacent to the SSA terminal, which is open from spring through early fall.
On Tuesday voters also approved $600,000 to pay for preliminary design and engineering work for improvements to the town wastewater system.
The town built its wastewater plant on Pennsylvania avenue in 2002 after voters adopted a comprehensive water management plan in 1998.
The plant is nearing the end of its 20-year lifespan and is also nearly at capacity, triggering both state and federal regulatory processes the town must follow, selectman Gail Barmakian told the Gazette later. Ms. Barmakian is also chairman of the town wastewater commission.
“We need to come up with a new wastewater management plan,” that brings the town into compliance with the federal Clean Water Act, she said.
Still in its early stages, the new plan is likely to include specific measures aimed at water quality protection, including for coastal ponds, many of which are impaired by high levels of nitrogen coming from individual septic disposal systems.
At the special town meeting Tuesday, planning board chairman T. Ewell Hopkins raised concern that the added capacity proposed in the treatment plant design may not be sufficient. He asked if there would be an opportunity to expand the needs assessment before the final design stage.
“The short answer is yes,” said Ms. Barmakian
All six articles on the special warrant were approved, most with little or no discussion.
Voters also approved a transfer of $10,000 for upkeep and maintenance at the Oak Grove Cemetery and appropriated $22,500 to pay for an assessing clerk.
They also agreed to increase the number of elected constables from two to three.
The only substantive discussion came over an article proposing the transfer of two parcels of land for affordable housing.
Marilyn Miller, a neighbor of the property, she said she supports affordable housing but was concerned the lots may not have clear title and do not meet underlying zoning laws.
Principal assessor MacGregor Anderson said the lots are both over 5,000 square feet and meet town zoning rules as long as they are used for affordable housing.
The meeting adjourned in less than 30 minutes.
Louisa Hufstader contributed reporting.
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