Meeting Highlights

Freeport Shellfish Committee Meeting

September 11 , 2008

Shore Access
The Committee received comments from a concerned landowner regarding the loss of a traditional access way on Palmer Point. The access way is a strip of land between two riparian properties that has been used for decades by clam diggers and neighbors alike to reach the shore. One of the two riparian property owners is claiming ownership of the strip and is restricting access. The Committee agreed to request the Town to investigate this issue.

Comprehensive Plan
There was a short discussion of the current effort to revise the comprehensive plan. Issues of concern by the Committee include density allowances considering the effects of runoff and the capacity of the sewage treatment plant.

Ordinance Changes
Chairman Chad Coffin announced that the $30 surcharge on commercial shellfish licenses to support water quality testing was approved by the Council. He also called for a special meeting to be held in two weeks to consider other ordinance changes.

Water Quality
It was reported that a reclassification of Little River and Recompense areas is now being processed. The details of the reclassification will not be known until it is in effect, perhaps as early as next week.

Conservation Action
The Committee discussed an appropriate conservation strategy should the Little River and Recompense areas be reclassified as approved. The Committee decided to close the areas to harvest except for 6am to 6pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For the remainder of the approved or conditionally approved areas, the Committee decided to restrict harvest to 6am to 6pm Mondays through Fridays.

Next Meeting
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Committee will be on October 14th at 6:30pm in the Municipal Activity Center.