Selectmen approve Reservoir Pond use regulations

After a full year of studies and hearings, the Canton Board of Selectmen, in a series of votes Tuesday night, finally came to terms on a use plan for the town-owned Reservoir Pond.

A view of Reservoir Pond courtesy of George T. Comeau

While acknowledging from the outset that they could not possibly satisfy all sides with any one set of regulations, board members said their goal all along was to strike a balance between the needs and wishes of both abutters and non-abutters while also prioritizing the safety of the general public.

To that effect, they settled on a series of compromises pertaining to the types and speed of watercraft that would be permitted on the pond. Not surprisingly, the issue of jet skis became the biggest sticking point, with the board ultimately voting 3-2 to scrap a proposed ban that had been included in the draft set of rules and regulations.

The two who voted against the measure, Victor Del Vecchio and Mark Porter, said they would have been comfortable authorizing a one-year moratorium prior to the ban, but they generally felt that jet skis were not an appropriate long-term use for the reservoir.

Those who voted to eliminate the proposed ban — despite widespread public opposition to jet skis — stressed that they were only used by a small group of abutters and that selectmen could revisit the regulations at any time if the use of jet skis became a hazard or a nuisance.

The most notable compromise was made in regard to speed limits for motorized watercraft, with the board agreeing to establish three tiers: a six-mile-per-hour maximum within 150 feet of the shore, swimmers, docks, or other boats; 25 mph at a distance of between 150 and 300 feet away; and 40 mph at a distance of 300 feet or more away. Selectmen Chairman Bob Burr and Selectman John Connolly had originally favored a maximum of 45 mph at the further distance based on a request from an abutter who uses the pond for water skiing.

The other change approved Tuesday night had to do with boat speeds after hours. Selectmen voted 5-0 to permit motor boats to exceed 6 mph from a half hour before dawn to a half hour after dusk.

Additionally, selectmen inserted a clarification that all residents launching from the Earl Newhouse Waterfront with a small-trailered boat must park their car and trailer at the Armando Center.

Public boat launching will also be limited to boats no larger than 16 feet and with a motor no greater than 10 horsepower; however Del Vecchio said the board should continue to investigate ways to improve the waterfront area and potentially make it more accessible to other kinds of motorized boats.

In other news Tuesday night, selectmen heard from four applicants who have requested one of the town’s new all-alcohol licenses as provided by the state via a home rule petition. The petition, which was approved by town meeting voters and subsequently by the state legislature, authorizes the town to issue up to five additional restaurant licenses and two package store licenses.

Only one of the applicants, Mai Place on Turnpike Street, has requested a restaurant license, while the other three are seeking one of the two available package store licenses. They include Prestige Car Wash on Turnpike Street, Zayde’s Family Market in Cobb’s Corner, and the Sunoco Station on Neponset Street.

Mai Place has applied in the past for an all-alcohol license and has already agreed to surrender its beer and wine license if it were approved for the new license.

Both Prestige Car Wash and Sunoco advanced the argument that there are no other package stores near their respective locations; however, Selectman Kevin Feeney expressed serious reservations about the sale of liquor at or near a gas station, particularly those near state highways. “I just think it sends a very, very mixed message to motorists,” he said.

The owners of Zayde’s Family Market, a popular kosher grocery store, said they are seeking to sell a combination of traditional wines and spirits and religious or sacramental wines.

Selectmen took their applications under advisement and plan to make a decision at their September 20 meeting …

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Posted by Jay Turner on Sep 16 2016. Filed under News, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.