Meetings Ahead
Most meetings in Wellfleet are remote only, but some are held in person. Go to www.wellfleet-ma.gov/calendar and click on the meeting you want to watch, then follow the instructions on the agenda.
Thursday, Dec. 8
- Nauset Regional School Committee, 6 p.m.
- Zoning Board of Appeals, 7 p.m.
- Housing Forum, 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 9
- Commission on Disabilities, 4 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 12
- Herring River Restoration Project, 1 p.m.
Conversation Starters
Maurice’s Planning Starts
The planning committee for the Maurice’s Campground affordable housing project met for the first time on Friday, Dec. 2.
The committee’s charge is to seek input from other boards, committees, and stakeholders and make recommendations on the development of the 21.25-acre parcel the town voted to buy for $6.5 million at a September town meeting. Wastewater management plans will be a major focus.
The town hopes to submit a request for proposals within three to four years and to break ground for redevelopment in six years.
“Large housing projects take time,” committee member and select board Chair Ryan Curley said during the meeting. “It doesn’t happen overnight.”
But the priority of the committee is “to make sure what gets developed there is what the town needs,” member Carl Sussman told the committee.
The Cultch Pile
This year, 37,841 pounds of oyster and quahog shells were collected from local restaurants to be overwintered at the transfer station. In the spring, they will be used as cultch, according to an announcement from the shellfish dept.
This adds to the 2.96-ton pile of recycled oyster and quahog shells that were taken from the waste stream at the Wellfleet OysterFest in October. An estimated 75,000 pieces of shellfish were consumed during the festival.
More cultch means more oysters, which means cleaner water, enhanced biodiversity, and more local economic and recreational opportunities.
With Permission
Recreational shellfishing permits for 2023 are now on sale online only. To get one, applicants must upload photos of their driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations. Permits can be found online at wellfleetstickers.townhall247.com.
The shellfish dept. hopes to begin in-person sales during the week of Dec. 12.
Approved permits will be placed in a plastic box inside the back door of town hall. Permits are valid from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2023. Applicants will not be able to harvest shellfish during the waiting time before they receive the physical copy of their permits.
Annual permits are $210 for nonresidents and $60 for residents. Seasonal nonresident permits cost $85, and seasonal resident permits cost $40. —Sam Pollak
