Dennis advances plan to turn former church lot into community park, issues wetland determinations

The Dennis Conservation Commission voted March 19 to advance plans to convert the former church property at 187 Upper County Road in Dennisport into a passive community park.

Town engineer Tom Andre told the commission the town purchased the site in 2024 and intends to remove existing asphalt and restore wetland buffering as part of a design that includes ADA-accessible paths, parking, family picnic areas, playing fields and green stormwater infrastructure. Gemma Kite, senior engineer with the Horsley Witten Group, said the lot is about 70% paved and that the design includes vegetated treatment features and restoration of the 50-foot buffer to an isolated vegetated wetland.

Commissioners noted extensive public outreach and select-board direction favoring a passive park. After questions from commissioners about the buffers and restoration approach, the commission moved to close the public hearing and voted to issue the requested Positive 5 determination and a Negative 2 determination; a recommendation for a variance from section 2.1 to allow work within the 50-foot buffer was also put forward. The commission asked the applicant to provide a revised plan showing the restored salt marsh area and a planting plan with monitoring provisions.

The project team said they are pursuing grants through the ECO one-stop program and that restoring the 50-foot buffer will remove roughly 2,900 square feet of pavement from the 50-foot zone and another about 2,300 square feet from the 50–100-foot buffer. The consultants said plantings will use native species compatible with site conditions and that the town will submit any required permit applications as the design advances.

The commission’s actions allow the town to proceed with required wetlands review and to refine mitigation and monitoring plans as conditions of approval. The commission signed the relevant determinations at the meeting.