The Kingston Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday, June 6. Jared Waitkus appeared before the Board with a proposal for a sugar kelp/shellfish farm. Waitkus told the Selectmen that he has been on the oyster wait list since 2015. He referenced a book called Eat Like a Fish by Bren Smith. Waitkus said Smith is the founder of GreenWave and has spent 15 years creating the 3D Ocean Farm off Long Island. Waitkus included in his presentation, “GreenWave’s integrated model shifts the practice of aquaculture from growing vulnerable monocultures to creating vibrant ecosystems, which produce higher yields.”
Waitkus explained that sugar kelp is a “yellowish- brown marine algae that looks like lasagna.” He also said it is popular in Asia and is now becoming more popular in the U.S. He called it a “zero impact crop.” Regarding the benefits of growing it, he said, “sugar kelp consumes excess nutrients and carbon dioxide from the water column and give off oxygen as they grow.”
Regarding the grant layout, he said that it would be just under three acres, 200 ft. wide by 645 ft. long. He said that the sugar kelp would make up approximately two acres while the shellfish would take up approximately one acre.
Waitkus explained the seeding process saying, “They take PVC pipe in short lengths, they wrap it with a thin twine, and then they put it in tanks and that’s where it gets seeded with basically baby kelp.”
Waitkus also explained potential locations saying that they investigated three different locations. According to him, the nearest land is 2,520 ft. away, Gray’s Beach is 3,175 ft. away, and the nearest eel grass bed is 189 ft. away (well within requirements). Waitkus said, “Channel width at that location is approximately 350 ft. wide and with the farm there, there will still be 200 ft. of open channel for boats to navigate.” He noted that Duxbury has a 12-acre kelp farm that is currently being farmed.
Chair Kimberley Emberg, “Is there enough room to navigate around that, it looked like there are very few deep spots and channels in the bay?” Waitkus said, “Even with that, with the farm there, when it’s fully operational and the kelp is in the water, there’s still 200 feet for boating; I think the average boat in Kingston is no wider than eight feet wide.”
“The hope after talking to Woods Hole is to try to get approval from the State to do basically scallops, mussels, oysters, and sugar kelp,” Waitkus said. He clarified that the sugar kelp would account for 80 percent of the farming. Waitkus acknowledged that there could be a potential issue as he is number two on the waitlist for a shellfish grant and there is someone ahead of him. “We have a waitlist for shellfish, so I just want to make sure that we’re cognizant of that,” Emberg said. She also said that at this point she wanted to consider a sugar kelp grant rather than a dual one for that and shellfish.
Selectman Tyler Bouchard said, “We have a moratorium on new grants… there’s three and at this point, it doesn’t seem like there’s going to be more than three for the time period and obviously you are on the short end of that list, which is great.” Bouchard said that he would want to make absolutely certain that the 250 feet or 350 feet are navigable given the limited waters in Kingston. Town Administrator Keith Hickey said that he would want to verify that emergency boats would still be able to navigate around the farm in the event of an emergency.
Bouchard also said that another consideration is that the three grants have specific locations already and if one of those were to retire and Bouchard’s turn should come up, will one of those plots be able to be moved to his kelp farm location. There will be a public hearing in July regarding the proposed kelp farm.
Hickey provided a Town Administrator’s update and said that there are three employees who were hired through the Regional Health Coalition. “The Board that oversees that grant voted to move that grant Host Community from Kingston to Plymouth, so those employees will become Plymouth employees after July 1,” Hickey said.
Hickey also said that representatives from the Town and the State, including D.O.T., and concerned citizens have been invited to a meeting with the Old Colony Planning Council to discuss the intersection at Maple St. and Landing Rd. The intersection has been deemed dangerous by many.
Hickey also said that Eversource has reached out to see if they could install a transformer in the library parking lot. He noted that it would be about the size of a parking space. “Unless there’s an event going on, it really shouldn’t be that much of an issue,” Hickey said.
Emberg provided those in attendance with several announcements including various vacancies. The Sewer Commission has a vacancy as of July 1. Emberg also said, “The Moderator is recruiting to fill open seats on the Finance Committee. Anyone interested should reach out to the Moderator.” There is also an open seat on the Capital Planning Committee, and anyone interested should reach out to Finance Committee. Additionally, there is an opening for a Kingston resident on the Old Colony Elder Services Board of Directors, and for a volunteer to deliver for Meals on Wheels. The Council on Aging is seeking an Associate member.
Other announcements included that the Animal Rescue League of Boston is sponsoring a spay wagon and will be coming to Kingston a few times per month. Appointments are required and can be scheduled via phone or online. Transfer Station sticker sales have begun. Upcoming events include a farmer’s market on Sunday July 2 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Gray’s Beach. The next Music at the Beach event will be July 11 at 6 p.m. at Gray’s Beach Park.
Selectman Don Alcombright brought forth the issue of a need for a police detail at the Hilltop during sports season, particularly for the Thursday night events. “Part of the issue is traffic gets backed up all the way to the light, so they’re double parking and they’re taking up all the spaces in the first few baseball fields; so, people that are actually trying to attend sporting events, can’t,” Emberg said. Hickey said he would have a conversation with the Chief and the club.
Selectman Sheila Vaughn acknowledged that it is PRIDE month and said two Kingston residents are running an event to celebrate at Nelson Park in Plymouth on June 25. “It is a great event and it is run by two of our Kingston residents who run Plymouth PRIDE. Plymouth PRIDE is all of our surrounding towns… Plymouth area,” Vaughn said. She said there would be food trucks and other entertainment.
Before adjourning, Bouchard said of the Memorial Day events in Kingston, “It’s one of those days where it’s like the best of what you get to see in a town like we have, between the speakers and the volunteers who put their time into it.” Emberg also thanked everyone for a wonderful Memorial Day parade and cookout.