MATTAPOISETT — The Planning Board Master Plan subcommittee will get more time to work on the Master Plan, as the town is working on negotiating a contract with a regional planning group that provides technical assistance for the process. 

The subcommittee has been working with Lizeth Gonzalez of the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District to tackle issues based on themes. 

At a Feb. 2 meeting, the group considered how to address climate resiliency issues, and met with Chuck McCullough, the head of the Capital Planning Committee, to hear what he considered important issues in town, and brainstorm how their two groups could work together. 

McCullough said that the Master Plan this year will focus more aggressively than usual on the condition of Mattapoisett’s assets and infrastructure.

 He said overall the town’s “infrastructure is in trouble,” and saw a clear tie in with the Master Plan subcommittee because he believes his work on the Capital Planning Committee “needs to fit in with the Master Plan.” 

Currently, the Capital Planning Committee takes its directions from the heads of town departments. However, a well-formulated master plan could help guide both those departments and the Capital Planning Committee, McCullough explained. 

He said that upgrading some of the town’s antiquated water mains would be part of upcoming spending. However, McCullough also said that planning for spending becomes difficult because when the town is looking to replace water mains, it may also want to make road, drainage, gas, and sewer improvements at the same time, which requires a lot of coordination. 

McCullough said that although the town has enough sewer capacity for the next eight to 10 years, it may need to be more selective about new projects that are proposed. 

The Capital Planning Committee decided that it would recommend prioritizing water and sewer connections to senior or low-income housing projects in the center of town where it would not be as much of a burden to add to the current system. 

This also tied in to a discussion that master plan subcommittee members had about climate resiliency and whether the town could prevent or discourage new construction in areas that are at high risk for flooding.    

The group is awaiting more information about climate issues, and will continue discussion on the topic at its next meeting. McCullough also said that the Capital Planning Committee will publish its report within two months, and it would be useful to speak with the master plan subcommittee again after it is released. 

The master plan subcommittee will hold a workshop for the public in April and work to write the master plan over the summer.