About Buffers

Leslie took some time to share her concerns about the loss of buffers in town (see her comments at... leslie said... ) and I thought it was worth a broader discussion here.

The purpose of the conservation commission (ConComm) is to protect wet lands – the technical term is “resource areas” - and it includes things like vernal pools, salt marshes, swamps, beaches, ponds, rivers, etc.

Buffers are basically a cluster of trees and shrubs that protect something. As Leslie notes, buffers contribute to noise reduction, shade, windbreaks and privacy. From a conservation perspective, buffers help protect resource areas and create animal habitat, which is why the ConComm protects the resource areas and the buffers to the resource areas.

Every board has a purpose. Unlike the ConComm, the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) has no interest in wetlands, but is tasked with deciding appeals to the building and zoning codes. Buffers are a priority for the ZBA only to the extent that buffers are in the zoning codes.

For example, most developments are required to have a certain amount of “green space.” However, lawn often qualifies as green, so you could take a forested lot, clear cut it and drop a building surrounded by grass. Not the prettiest thing, but it is allowed.

Leslie also notes, “Five feet of vegetated buffer (shade trees and hedge) around a developing lot does not seem like it could be a hardship for an entrepreneur.”

Having been around the construction industry for some time, I can tell you that building requires not just the space for the foundation, but space for the equipment to actually build the structure. We built our first home in Seacoast Shores on a lot just 70 feet wide, which meant that the buffer on one side had to be sacrificed to build the house and make room for a driveway.

Unfortunately, five feet can make a considerable difference to developers, which, like any business, must cater to the demands of their clients. These days, those clients are demanding larger homes, and even a modest-sized home will consume a large part of a small lot.

But even if buffer must be sacrificed to build, there are lot setbacks, and one could certainly make a good case for requiring that there be five feet of buffer along the lot line. If it cannot be saved before construction, it's easy enough to plant afterwards.

That said; Leslie touches on another topic worthy of discussion, “the high quality lives we have been favored to live down here.”

A number of folks have raised concerns about the transformation of Falmouth from a rural to an urban environment, something that affects our quality of life.

We'll explore that next time.