Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Aquaculture topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Select Board postpones new shellfish aquaculture lease amid state review questions
Summary
The Select Board postponed action on a 5-year shellfish aquaculture lease application after a Select Board member said the town's shellfish program is under state review; the motion to postpone passed and staff will return the application for a future agenda.
The Select Board postponed consideration of a new five-year shellfish aquaculture lease for a sandbar location after a board member raised concerns about an ongoing state review of the town’s shellfish program.
Director of Natural Resources Dave Condon summarized the applicant Christian Hayes’ two-year permitting process, noting Division of Marine Fisheries, Army Corps, MEPA and MassDEP steps had been initiated and that the application site sits between existing grants on a sandbar. Condon said the applicant has "checked all the boxes" in the permitting process and requested board approval and issuance of a standard five-year shellfish aquaculture lease.
A Select Board member reported questions have been raised by the state about Yarmouth’s shellfish program and asked to postpone action until those issues are resolved so the town does not inadvertently put an applicant at legal risk. The board voted to postpone to a forthcoming meeting; the vote on postponement passed with voices saying “aye” and one abstention recorded.
Town staff said the item will be returned to a future agenda after clarifications from state regulators and the town’s administrative team.
