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Tree Preservation Bylaw Approved By Attorney General – Enforcement to begin in May 2024

Planning Board will Hold a Public Hearing on April 17, 2024 at 7:05 PM
Posted on: March 26, 2024 - 8:53am

Tree Preservation Bylaw Approved By Attorney General – Enforcement to begin in May 2024

Contact: Community Development Director Evan Lehrer

The Mashpee Planning Department hereby notifies the Mashpee Community that the Mashpee Tree Preservation Bylaw authorized by the voters at the October 2023 Town Meeting was approved by the Massachusetts Attorney General in January 2024. The Planning Department will begin fielding applications for Certificates of Exemption and Tree Preservation Permits on Monday, April 29, 2024. The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on April 17, 2024 at 7:05 PM to establish the fee schedule.

If you are planning a project that will trigger the requirements of Mashpee’s Tree Preservation Bylaw you will require an approved Tree Preservation Plan from the Planning Department. Projects that will trigger the Bylaw are as follows:

• Constructing a new single family dwelling

• Construction of an addition that increases the gross floor area of a home by 50% or more

• Construction of any detached accessory structure larger than 200 sq. ft.

• Any project that requires the issuance of a Special Permit

• Subdivision construction

• Any clearing, grading, or site prep work performed in anticipation of the activities noted above

Any tree removal work that is not connected to any of the building activities above or are proposed on properties within Conservation Jurisdiction are exempt from the provisions of the Bylaw. Certificates of Exemption can be sought administratively from the Planning Department.

The Planning Department will host a Question and Answer session for property owners, realtors, surveyors, engineers, homebuilders, developers, and other interested parties via Zoom on April 18, 2024 at 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM (see below for Zoom information). There will also be an in-person session on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 3:00 PM in the Waquoit Meeting Room in Mashpee Town Hall, 16 Great Neck Road North. Additionally, Planning staff are happy to meet and discuss what will be required of applicants individually upon request.

April 18th 12:00 PM Session: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84528258139?pwd=QkhjZGVLbU9vZ3RZZW1HbFREWDVXUT09

Meeting ID: 845 2825 8139; Passcode: 070503

April 18th 4:00 PM Session: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85805381028?pwd=bzhmSmFrcks2Y011ZkNDcXhIOFFPUT09

Meeting ID: 858 0538 1028; Passcode: 007950

The Planning Department has been working to finalize forms and applications to support the implementation to the program. Until the application process is automated, the forms and applications can be found on the Town of Mashpee website at the following URL https://www.mashpeema.gov/planning-department/pages/tree-preservation-pr...

If you’d like to set up an individual meeting with staff, please email Karyn Leslie, Administrative Assistant to the Community Development Director, at kleslie@mashpeema.gov to coordinate a meeting date and time.