The Falmouth Select Board’s December 19, 2022 agenda included the following agenda item:
“Business: 4) Consider approval of an access agreement to allow Mayflower to conduct certain investigations and studies at Worcester Park, Central Park and the “Kite Park” located at 0 Grand Ave. (5 mins)”
This item required the Select Board’s approval due to the fact that the existing two “access agreements” were expiring, and, furthermore, Mayflower Wind was requesting the addition of another possible access point, the “Kite Park”.
The allotted five minutes for this item was clearly insufficient to allow for consideration, discussion and a vote. (See below for the link to watch the 47-minute discussion and read the online Enterprise article which quotes a number of the speakers).
Close to 50 concerned residents attended the meeting allowing for standing room only.
During the “public comment” period, 7 opponents (including FHMNA President Dave Buzanoski on behalf of FHMNA, and FHMNA Directors Greg Mazmanian and Carol Ziemian representing themselves) and 1 supporter spoke.
The opponents mentioned a myriad of issues, particularly regarding the landing sites in Falmouth Heights or in any residential area and also questioned Mayflower’s request to the State to exempt them from all local zoning regulations. The Mayflower Representative present, Daniel Hubbard, confirmed that Mayflower was not planning to withdraw this request.
The Select Board listened intently to all comments presented and discussed the matter at length.
Select Board member Doug Brown set the stage against renewing the Access Agreement designating Worcester Park and Central Park as “Preferred Locations” when he opened the discussion stating his displeasure with these two access sites saying they were not “good” and that he did “not think he wanted to encourage their use”. Mr. Brown opened the door for Select Board member Scott Zylinsky to make the motion “to deny the applicant’s request in its totality.”
The Board voted 4 to 1 to PASS the motion, which received enthusiastic applause from the audience. Select Board member Sam Patterson was the sole dissenter.
The FHMNA Board of Directors is pleased with the decision taken on this matter and firmly believes it to be the correct one for the people and town of Falmouth.
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TO READ THE ENTERPRISE ARTICLE published online on 12/21/22, click here: Falmouth Select Board Denies Mayflower Wind Access
TO WATCH the meeting on YouTube, click here and, after the ads, scroll to 1:08 through 1:55.
TO READ the Select Board’s “packet” for this agenda item which includes letters emailed to the Select Board, click here and scroll to pages 106 through 123. https://www.falmouthma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/13713/2022-12-19-P