Sutton Conservation Commission to Hold Mtg on Docks

The Sutton Conservation Commission is holding another meeting to discuss lakes and ponds on Wednesday, November 14th at 7:00 p.m. in the Sutton Town Hall.

Dock regulations have been the topic of recent board discussions. Public attendence at those meetings has been by non-lake residents as well as residents from ponds with and without public access. In September of this year, Sutton Conservation Commission enacted “non-dock regulations on 300 ft. abutters notification, 2 1/2″ tree replacement (less if due to poor access) for trees felled in the jurisdiction greater than 5″, and the requirement to use 20-0-10 (or comparable), zero-phosphate, slow-release fertilizer w/in 200′ of any waterbody, wetlands or stream.”

As in the past, the MPA will continue to take a strong role in educating Manchaug Pond lake abutters, watershed friends of Manchaug Pond, and others as to current state and local regulations and concrete ways to minimize and eliminate negative impacts to the lake. New docks have not been an big issue on Manchaug Pond as we have had just a couple new docks in the past few years with the sale of a couple old homes/summer cottage – the state Dep and local Sutton permit notices are posted in the local newspaper for Sutton, the “Millbury-Sutton Chronicle”, if you are interested in tracking! MPA is into educating and letting the officials do the policing/enforcing. We have seen existing docks around the lake receive regular maintenance to ensure homeowner and public safety. This author’s own shared/neighborhood dock received new eye bolts and replacement boards after ice damage this past spring. So the old, abandoned dock issue thing doesn’t exist here either.

MPA’s current Non-point Source Pollution Improvement Project will go far in bringing the latest information on Best Management Practices and Low Impact Development to property owners in and around our towns’ lakes. Stay tuned!

(Check out the links on the right – Conservation Commission – that site has town bylaws concerning ponds by town. Suttons big bylaw is listed.)