Fall River redevelopment plan moves forward for Northfield Point; two mooring fields deferred

Fall River Redevelopment Authority representatives and their engineering consultant presented a plan July 7 to convert the fenced, overgrown Northfield Point peninsula into a passive public recreation area with walkways, seating, plantings, repairs to an existing revetment and in-water improvements to increase boating access.

“We are proposing work in the Taunton River to increase boating access to the river and to increase tourism from that public boating access,” said Elise Tripp of Beta Group, the project consultant, describing new pathways, granite seating, light bollards, invasive-species management and three mooring fields with a small dinghy dock.

The plan calls for three mooring areas — 10 moorings between City Pier and the Cove restaurant, four moorings between City Pier and Northfield Point, and six moorings north of Bicentennial Park — the use of concrete block or mushroom anchors, and a 10-by-60-foot floating dinghy dock supported by three timber piles. Tripp said the project includes turbidity curtains for revetment work, invasive-species removal, native plantings and a soft-start approach to pile driving. The applicant has sought Chapter 91 minor modifications and said it will apply to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Commission members raised a key legal question: whether the redevelopment authority has the authority to place moorings off areas that are not adjacent to land the authority owns or controls. “What legal right do they have to installing a mooring field somewhere that is not adjacent to their property or within their riparian rights?” a commissioner asked. The applicant said it obtained Chapter 91 minor modifications and a secretary’s certificate and would provide those documents and correspondence with the harbor master and agency approvals.

The Division of Marine Fisheries recommended an in-water work restriction, and the project team agreed to adhere to the January 15–May 31 restriction for in-water work to protect winter flounder and other species. Tripp said the in-water work also will follow a soft-start pile-driving protocol.

After discussion, the commission moved to approve the Northfield Point redevelopment plan but excluded mooring fields 1 and 3 from the approval until the applicant provides supporting permitting documentation demonstrating authority to place those moorings. The order adopted the fisheries time-of-year restriction and standard erosion- and turbidity-control measures for revetment work. The commission directed staff to accept additional materials and, if satisfactory, to consider an amendment to allow the excluded mooring fields later.

“Provide the Chapter 91 materials and the secretary’s certificate and the Corps files and we’ll review them and consider whether the mooring fields as proposed can be permitted,” said a commission member during the hearing.

The commission did not record a roll-call tally on the record in the transcript for the motion; the vote was entered by voice and the motion passed with the exclusion condition. The project team said it would submit the requested documentation.

What’s next: the redevelopment authority will provide Chapter 91 modifications, the secretary’s certificate and Corps correspondence to the commission and harbor master; the commission may consider an amended order if those documents show the authority to site the moorings.

Speakers quoted: Elise Tripp, project consultant, Beta Group; Karen Martin, Fall River Redevelopment Authority; Dan Aguilar, conservation agent.