ORLEANS – The conservation commission last week was presented with a draft report of an environmental assessment of Kent’s Point. But many in attendance at the Dec. 16 public hearing raised more particular concerns, namely how the popular conservation and recreation area is being impacted by dogs and overused by people.
The commission contracted LEC Environmental Consultants to conduct the assessment after concerns about environmental deterioration at the point were raised to the select board earlier this year. The town bought the 27.8-acre parcel from Charlotte Kent as conservation land for $1.8 million in 1988.
Kent’s Point has since become one of the town’s most popular areas for passive recreation, with estimated figures putting the number of annual visitors to the property in the tens of thousands. But with that popularity has come environmental impacts. In his presentation to the commission, Brian Madden of LEC noted issues related to erosion, vegetative overgrowth and a lack of adequate signage on the property deterring visitors from the point’s most sensitive areas. In other areas, Madden said that runoff and drainage issues have led to exposed roots on some of the trails.
“You can see in these images where there’s scour, there’s erosion, there’s sedimentation,” he said. “We have exposed root systems that do function as a tripping hazard onsite.”
Orleans resident John Lipman said one of the areas on the point most sensitive to erosion is a cliff at the south of the point, which he said he’s witnessed people climbing up and degrading.
“It’s extremely destructive to the environment, and I’m worried about losing that cliff, that area in particular, because it’s such a magnificent view,” he said.
Lipman and other residents voiced support for more and better signage to educate people where they can and can’t go on the property. Sue Flemming said signs shouldn’t just tell people where they can’t go, but also explain why the town is trying to protect areas that are off limits.
“I think we forget those things, and I think it would be nice if it was just kindly printed what will preserve this land,” she said.
The draft report said erosion on the outer point is of particular concern. Madden said that low-lying vegetative plantings could help stem erosion issues, as could coastal bank renourishment or the use of coir fiber rolls. Invasive vegetation has also caused issues on the point boardwalk, and the draft report recommends some “vista pruning” to help improve views for visitors.
But much of the conversation at last week’s hearing focused on things less explicitly referenced in the draft, including the man-made environmental impacts to the property.
Bill Wibel, a Keziah’s Lane resident and frequent visitor to the point, estimated that the point welcomes approximately 40,000 visitors annually. He said that level of use is contributing to issues such as erosion on the property that were identified in the draft report.
“What do you think is the optimum number of people that that 27 acres can support?” Wibel asked.
“I think that’s a good question,” said Judith Bruce of the commission. “Is there anything that is published? Are there any kinds of guidelines out there?”
Devon Puglia, who also lives on Keziah’s Lane, agreed that human overuse of the point has become an issue. In particular, he said it is a “circus” on the property in the summer, when the town’s population booms with visitors.
“You cannot have a serious report without addressing the number of people who are visiting,” he said.
Others such as Christine Smith, who attended the Dec. 16 hearing virtually, said that there needs to be proper enforcement of public access to the point.
“I think we’re going to have to have a booth and a person there, volunteer or paid, checking town stickers,” she said. “I just think that’s the only answer, because it is a zoo in the summer, and it’s quite unpleasant.”
Attendees also debated what role dogs play in the environmental well being of the area as well as safety at the point. Dog proponents such as Karl Oakes noted that there have been just three police reports filed in the last 25 years documenting issues with dogs at the point. But Puglia said there are many more routine incidents involving dogs that occur there that don’t rise to the level of police involvement.
“The number of times I’ve had my kids surrounded by hundred pound German shepherds ready to tackle them is just unacceptable,” he said.
Vince Olivier recalled an incident in which he and his dog, who was then a puppy, were “mobbed by a group of five unleashed dogs.”
“I’ll never take my dog back there again,” he said. “Even though she’s two years old now, I don’t want to subject her to that.”
Robin Herr of Keziah’s Lane was herself injured by an overexcited dog while walking at Kent’s Point. She voiced support for the creation of a leash law requiring that all dogs on the property be kept under their owner’s control.
“It’s a fact, I know some people say it’s alleged, [many people] have been seriously injured out there,” she said.
But Jared Olson argued that requiring leashes could create another set of problems, including entanglement. With few other options in town for walking dogs on or off leash, especially during the summer when dogs are not allowed on town beaches, he said he hopes the final report reaches some kind of compromise between public safety and the interests of dog owners.
“It’s a tough subject, but I wish we could find some medium ground here, because there’s not many places for people who do have dogs to walk, especially in the summer time,” he said.
While she said incidents involving dogs do occur at Kent’s Point, Marilyn Swartz of Orleans said she found it “offensive” to hear other people refer to the property as dangerous. She said for many people, including herself, the point offers a great opportunity for socialization.
“All my friends I’ve met there,” she said.
Swartz and Puglia both said that while signage can be helpful, it’s ultimately up to people to be more aware and take better ownership of their pets.
“We’re not going to be able to sign or QR code our way into good behavior, especially in the summertime,” he said. “It’s just not going to happen. Let’s just be realistic about that.”
Drusy Henson, who chairs the conservation commission, reiterated that the report presented Dec. 16 was simply a draft and that a final report will be coming. She said public comment on the draft report will be accepted to the conservation department by email through Jan. 16.
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