Wareham panel continues Onset sidewalk plan after residents and commissioners press for alternatives to concrete and more plantings

The Wareham Conservation Commission on Feb. 4 continued a proposed ADA sidewalk and drainage project for West Boulevard in Onset after weeks of review and a lengthy public comment period.

Weston & Sampson representatives said the town is seeking to install about 2,675 linear feet of ADA-compliant sidewalk, granite curb, two reconstructed staircases and several dry wells to improve drainage along West Boulevard from Shell Point north toward Onset. Alex Gaspar, the firm's permitting lead, said the work will affect coastal bank, land subject to coastal storm flowage, the 100-foot buffer and Wareham’s 50-foot no-activity zone but that the design minimizes permanent impacts and includes tree replacement: “We are replacing these with a gray birch and six black chokeberry,” he said.

Why it matters: The corridor is narrow and heavily used in summer, project opponents said, and commissioners pressed the team to show that the work will not create a “dead, barren” strip of concrete where the town’s ocean views are an asset.

Residents at the hearing pushed two main themes: (1) the town should seek pervious alternatives to poured concrete that meet ADA rules, and (2) the project must increase plantings to offset tree removals. Paula Jean O’Neil said she supports ADA access but warned the plan could become “a little patch of hot, dead, barren, lifeless” concrete without more vegetation. Multiple speakers, including Amanda Cobb, said they had not received certified notices at their Onset PO boxes and asked staff to confirm the abutter mailing list.

Project details and tradeoffs: Project manager Bill Storti said crews plan to stage work in segments, replace failing staircases with poured concrete and stainless-steel handrails, and install dry wells and compost-filter tubing for erosion control. The team described temporary construction impacts and said they would use root protection and limited grading to save mature trees where feasible. Engineers estimated roughly 10,000–11,000 square feet of new sidewalk (2,675 ft × ~4–4.5 ft width) and acknowledged they did not run a full hydrology model for post-construction runoff: “It’ll be sloped to the road…whatever is generated that doesn’t infiltrate will go into the town’s stormwater system,” Storti said.

Commission response and next steps: Commissioners asked the applicant to (a) evaluate ADA-compliant pervious or lower-impact paving options and provide cost/budget implications, (b) propose a more robust replanting scheme — one commissioner asked for a 2:1 replacement ratio for trees removed — and (c) clarify maintenance commitments for dry wells and catch basins. Town staff said the DPW has an existing maintenance program and plans to include these features in its schedule; Josh (town staff) said catch basins are typically cleaned on a roughly three-year cycle when feasible.

The commission voted to continue the hearing to Feb. 18, 2026, to give the project team time to return with alternatives to poured concrete that are demonstrably ADA-compliant, a more detailed planting plan that addresses resident concerns, and clearer maintenance and notification documentation.