Seascape Board Meeting Minutes – December 10, 2025, Virtual

Attendees: Art Schick, Joan Boyer, Terence Dalton, Jack O’Connor, Marianne Beardsley, John Honey, Warren Fish, Andrew Michienzi

Absent: Michael Shea, Bill O’Brien, Bernie Loughran

Meeting summary:

The board meeting began with Art confirming attendance and discussing agenda items including: oyster farm activities, approval of last meeting minutes, and snow fence repairs at B Beach. Jack raised concerns about potential impacts of oyster farming on local beaches and encouraged community involvement in an upcoming Select Board meeting. The group discussed water quality management initiatives in the state and Falmouth, including oyster farming's role in reducing nitrogen levels, and agreed to prepare talking points for the Select Board regarding concerns about floating oyster cages.

Next steps

• Jack O'Connor, Art, and interested members: Prepare and share bullet point talking points/note script for public comment at the Select Board meeting, focusing on navigational safety, odors, health ramifications, seagull attraction, and legal notification issues

• John Honey: Attend the Select Board meeting on Monday night and deliver public comments using provided talking points

• Jack O'Connor: Check online to confirm the exact time (6pm or 7pm) of the Select Board meeting and inform the group

• Jack O'Connor: Contact Mike Shea to determine his availability to attend and potentially speak at the Select Board meeting

• Marianne: Attempt to attend the Select Board meeting for moral support

• Jack O'Connor and John Honey: Meet on Sunday evening to review talking points and prepare for the Select Board meeting

• Bill O'Brien's contactor: Inspect and provide estimate for snow fence repairs at Bee Beach before winter

• Jack O'Connor, Arthur, and interested members: Drive by Chappaquoit Beach before Monday to check for odors from the oyster farm and report back (if possible)

The board meeting began with Art confirming a quorum.

Oyster Farming Impact Concerns

Jack discussed concerns about potential oyster farming impacts on local beaches, particularly after noticing a strong odor near Chappaquoit Beach. He encouraged others to visit the area and investigate the smell, which he feared could be a sign of future issues. Jack also mentioned an upcoming Select Board meeting on Monday night, December 15th, and suggested that community members attend to make public comments about ongoing concerns. He noted that there had been limited recent communication with the Megansett group, who may be involved in legal action, and expressed hope that the oyster operation could be moved away from A and B Beach.

Falmouth Rationale for Oyster Farms

Art attended a Water Quality Management Committee (WQMC) meeting and learned that the committee, composed of older men with professional wastewater management experience, is focused on reducing nitrogen levels in Falmouth's water. The committee is considering a ballot measure to increase property taxes by 3% to fund wastewater management initiatives, though this would require approval by Falmouth residents during an upcoming voting season. Art met with Tom Duncan, a member of the WQMC, who explained that a single acre of oyster farm could remove nitrogen equivalent to 24 homes on a sewer system, saving approximately $1 million in sewer installation costs. This helped to explain the city’s interest in farms. Alternative nitrogen removal plans could include sewer installation and/or the requirement that alternative/innovative (A/I) septic systems be installed (these would remove nitrogen).

Septic Systems and Oyster Farming Concerns

The group discussed concerns about A/I septic systems and oyster farming in Falmouth. Jack shared he was told that any structural changes to his home may require a new $60,000-70,000 A/I septic system. Art reported following up with Tom Duncan about Falmouth's water quality management plan, which is required by new state regulations for nitrogen removal. An earlier Falmouth plan, developed in 2013, did mention oyster farms to help. The group agreed to prepare talking points for John to present to the Select Board about concerns with floating oyster cages, including navigation safety, odors, health ramifications, and impact on water sports. They plan to focus on getting oyster farm permit rescinded, or the use of underwater technology. One idea was for some members to offer to purchase permits from Cape Cod Oyster to facilitate another company using the below water method. The conversation ended with approval of previous meeting minutes and a brief update from Art about Bill O'Brien's efforts to get snow fences repaired at B Beach this month.