By Tom Killin Dalglish
tdalglish@eastbaynewspapers.com
TIVERTON — A potential settlement of an epic dispute between the Tiverton Yacht Club and its neighbors may have opened the door for construction of a new clubhouse this fall.
“I’m guardedly optimistic,” said Wayne Karzinski, club commodore, about the compromise proposal. Mr. Karzinski said there had been occasions in the past when what he characterized as “wild card” objections from neighbors had at the last minute delayed permitting or other decisions necessary to start rebuilding the clubhouse on Riverside Drive.
The original structure was destroyed by fire in 2003. Since then the club has run swimming and sailing programs in the summers and been engaged in the process of getting clubhouse reconstruction plans approved by agencies including the Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), the Department of Environmental Management (DEM), and the local permitting and zoning officials.
Neighbors have objected, occasionally going to court to enforce their concerns.
Hearings before the town zoning board of review on two remaining variances sought by the club had been scheduled for last Wednesday, April 1, but at the last minute were continued to at least next month’s meeting.
One variance relates to the location on the property of outdoor lockers used by members to store boating and other personal equipment. That request was delayed to allow for completion of a property survey and paperwork for a deed to the land on which some portion of the lockers would be located. This request, and the continuance of its consideration, was not problematic, according to Mr. Karzinski.
It was the other requested variance, one that dealt with the location and installation of an individual septic disposal system (ISDS) proposed by the club, that has proven more troublesome.
Neighbors has objected to the ISDS as proposed in the variance, but according to Mr. Karzinski, during the afternoon prior to last Wednesday evening’s zoning board of review meeting, indicated a possible willingness to allow for the installation of an ISDS, provided its capacity is limited to 100 people. The 100-person limit would exclude use by the club’s marina, said Mr. Karzinski.
The 100-person-capacity ISDS compromise proposal would have to be approved by CRMC, DEM, and the Superior Court which has ongoing jurisdiction over the dispute, Mr. Karzinski said.
Only after all these approvals have been secured, he said, could the matter return to the zoning board of review for a decision.
David Campbell, the neighbor to the north of the club who had objected to the proposed ISDS, but who according to Mr. Karzinski had offered the 100-person-capacity compromise, could not be reached for comment.
Jumping through all these permitting hoops will take time, Mr. Karzinski acknowledges.
The practical effect of the continuance of last Wednesday’s zoning board meeting and the settlement offer is that construction of the new clubhouse will not be able to commence this summer.
The summer swimming and sailing program will have to continue as in recent past summers, Mr. Karzinski said. He said the installation of the 100-person-capacity ISDS could occur this summer (it would take about a week, he said) with minimal program interference.