OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Bourne Planning Board Meeting: New Building Commissioner, Bond Release, Future Deliberations – August 6, 2026

Planning Board — Thursday, August 6, 2026
BodyBourne, Massachusetts
SessionPlanning Board
DateThursday, August 6, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 39:02

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

It being uh 7 p.m.

0:03

Thursday, August 13th, 2026.

0:06

Uh, we will call to order the open session of the planning board.

0:10

Please note this meeting is being recorded for live broadcast and televised replay on Bourne TV.

0:16

If anyone is audio or visually recording, please acknowledge at this time.

0:21

Seeing and hearing none.

0:24

Um we will go to our all items within the meeting agenda are subject to the deliberate deliberation and boats.

0:34

First item is our introduction, which is Ellen McKay, our new building commissioner.

0:39

Welcome.

0:43

Um is there anything that uh you'd like to ask us about that we might be able to assist with in your responsibilities?

0:51

I know there is coordination that goes on between the planning board and Ellen.

0:58

Maybe tell us, tell the people who might be watching a little bit about ourselves.

1:02

Yes, please.

1:03

If you could introduce yourself and absolutely my name is Eleanor McKay.

1:07

I'm an architect and uh building commissioner.

1:10

I have been practicing for over 35 years.

1:13

I've worked on a variety of different building types.

1:15

I've worked on commercial building types, hospitality building types, on uh retail, corporate, residential, even a hospital and some schools.

1:27

Um so I have uh vast variety of um background to bring to the table.

1:36

Um I really enjoy working with the whole team upstairs.

1:42

Excuse me, I need some water.

1:44

Um they're a terrific team.

1:48

We talk all the time, we discuss issues and we discuss projects and we discuss um just how to serve the residents and how to serve the users as best we can.

2:01

So that's our goal just to work with the residents and to work with you and to get these projects built.

2:09

Nice.

2:10

Do you have any questions for me?

2:12

Steve, could you tell us a little bit about your educational background?

2:17

It was a long time ago.

2:21

So my degree is from Roger Williams University.

2:24

I have a debate, Bachelors of Architecture.

2:27

It's a five-year degree.

2:28

I've had my professional architectural license since the 90s, 97.

2:35

Um you take continuing education all the time.

2:41

Uh every year you have a minimum mandatory amount of requirements of continuing education hours.

2:47

Um I have ranging from 18, 12 to 18 to 24 hour credits per year.

2:59

Uh I let's see.

3:05

I think a lot of the training, education is on the job site.

3:09

In at building departments, in the office, doing the drawings, going out to the job site, seeing how things are built, seeing how it all comes together, working with engineers, working with planners, just to see a building really is a combination.

3:28

It's it's three, it is really three-dimensional.

3:31

Every wall, everything on the wall, ceiling, floor, speaks to me about what's behind that surface.

3:37

And it's it's it's just a woven mesh, and I it's my language.

3:44

All right, thank you.

3:45

It's a very unique combination of experiences in education with architecture and CBO and code and structural and those sort of things that you're dealing with.

3:56

And uh I for one feel lucky to have you, and uh I did take a look at your background and some of your other uh positions that you've held, and uh we are very lucky to have you here.

4:07

And maybe maybe you could highlight those other work experiences that you had, especially if it involved municipalities, like is a building commission.

4:23

So you were in Harwich before I was in Harwich briefly, yes, but the majority I have also worked in Falmouth for a couple of years in the building department, a zooming enforcement, zoning compliance officer.

4:37

That must have been fun in Falmouth.

4:39

That was a lot of fun.

4:41

Very busy.

4:42

The people's republic voice.

4:44

It was very busy.

4:45

It was very interesting, and it was a great, another great team to learn from.

4:50

Um before that, I was in hang up.

4:53

So I spent a year up in Hangham in zoning and in um affordable housing.

5:00

So those just starting my uh so I segue into working for towns.

5:10

Actually, when I first a volunteer in the town I in Ducksburg on the finance committee for about five years.

5:21

And that was really one of my first introductions to being on a board on a committee in the town.

5:27

And I loved it.

5:28

I loved it.

5:29

I got to know the town so much better than I did just as a resident.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████████████████████████████████42%
Code Enforcement█████████████████████████████29%
Personnel Matters███████████████15%
Public Engagement█████████9%
Procedural█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Bourne Planning Board Meeting – August 6, 2026

The Bourne Planning Board held its regular open session at 7 p.m. on August 6, 2026, recorded for live broadcast and televised replay on Bourne TV. The agenda included welcoming the new Building Commissioner, approving the July 23, 2026 meeting minutes, considering a cash bond release for One Katie Marie Drive, and discussing a range of future zoning and infrastructure topics. Note: The raw transcript recites the date as Thursday, August 13th, 2026, but the supplied meeting timestamp is 2026-08-06; this summary uses the supplied date.

Introduction of New Building Commissioner

  • Eleanor McKay, the town’s new Building Commissioner, introduced herself. She is an architect with over 35 years of experience and a Bachelor of Architecture from Roger Williams University, licensed since 1997. Her municipal experience includes zoning enforcement in Falmouth, zoning/affordable housing work in Hingham, service on the Duxbury Finance Committee, and work in Harwich.
  • She expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with the Planning Board and town staff, and described her approach to code enforcement: everyone should play by the same rules, and she prefers to investigate, talk with property owners, and reach resolutions.
  • Board members welcomed her and discussed the need for follow-through on conditions attached to approvals, including certificate-of-occupancy review. A plan was mentioned for enforcement issues to be routed through Town Planner Jen, with the Commissioner reporting back in about a month.

Minutes

  • Motion to approve the July 23, 2026 minutes was made by Chris and seconded by Jim. Board members Steve, Stock, Chris, and the Chair voted yes; Mandy abstained because she was not present. Minutes were approved.

Bond Release – One Katie Marie Drive (Map 35, Parcel 12)

  • Staff reported completing a site inspection on August 6, 2026. The parcel, developed as The Shed Place, received site plan review in November 2005, a certificate of occupancy in February 2008, and was recently sold by Ralph Bartlett to a new owner.
  • Staff found the office, shed display areas, retaining walls, lighting, and signage sufficient. However, several plantings were missing—about four or five—and a weeping willow was missing from the west side; two small dirt piles also need better maintenance.
  • The cash bond is in Ralph Bartlett’s name and does not transfer with the property, so the new owner is not obligated under the bond. The new property owner was identified in discussion as Pine Harbor. The board voted to release the cash bond plus interest and to send the new property owner a letter of encouragement regarding landscaping and cleanup.

Future Zoning Changes and Other Business

  • The Chair said Town Planner Jen would send a preliminary wish list of possible zoning bylaw changes for a future Town Meeting, including cleanup of defunct provisions and larger topics such as the Seasonal Communities Act, tiny homes, ADU regulations, and Chapter 48 / Affordable Homes Act changes. Board members were invited to add suggestions.
  • The board discussed recent amendments to M.G.L. c. 40A effective July 1, 2026, and the possibility of inviting Town Counsel to brief the Planning Board and ZBA.
  • Plans were shared to request an update from the Cape Cod Commission on bridge-related planning and to send the Select Board recommendations for incorporation into a state MOU. Board members raised infrastructure considerations for the bridges, including sewer and water piping and a first-responder communications repeater.
  • Discussion on the Joint Base Cape Cod included the ongoing base master plan update, roughly 200 acres proposed for divestment, the 22,000-acre base, and tours scheduled in August, September, and October. Members discussed potential town interests such as housing, technology park use, solar fields, cemetery space, and regional sewer expansion. A prior multi-town sewage-sharing proposal was recalled as unsuccessful because four municipalities had different approaches.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved the July 23, 2026 minutes.
  • Released the cash bond plus interest for One Katie Marie Drive and directed a letter to the new owner about property upkeep.
  • Agreed to review the zoning wish list at future meetings and consider requesting presentations from Town Counsel and the Cape Cod Commission.
  • Reminded the board of the September 8 joint meeting with the Select Board to appoint the Planning Board alternate position; the meeting will be Zoom-only, and five members had confirmed a quorum.

Meeting Transcript

It being uh 7 p.m. Thursday, August 13th, 2026. Uh, we will call to order the open session of the planning board. Please note this meeting is being recorded for live broadcast and televised replay on Bourne TV. If anyone is audio or visually recording, please acknowledge at this time. Seeing and hearing none. Um we will go to our all items within the meeting agenda are subject to the deliberate deliberation and boats. First item is our introduction, which is Ellen McKay, our new building commissioner. Welcome. Um is there anything that uh you'd like to ask us about that we might be able to assist with in your responsibilities? I know there is coordination that goes on between the planning board and Ellen. Maybe tell us, tell the people who might be watching a little bit about ourselves. Yes, please. If you could introduce yourself and absolutely my name is Eleanor McKay. I'm an architect and uh building commissioner. I have been practicing for over 35 years. I've worked on a variety of different building types. I've worked on commercial building types, hospitality building types, on uh retail, corporate, residential, even a hospital and some schools. Um so I have uh vast variety of um background to bring to the table. Um I really enjoy working with the whole team upstairs. Excuse me, I need some water. Um they're a terrific team. We talk all the time, we discuss issues and we discuss projects and we discuss um just how to serve the residents and how to serve the users as best we can. So that's our goal just to work with the residents and to work with you and to get these projects built. Nice. Do you have any questions for me? Steve, could you tell us a little bit about your educational background? It was a long time ago. So my degree is from Roger Williams University. I have a debate, Bachelors of Architecture. It's a five-year degree. I've had my professional architectural license since the 90s, 97. Um you take continuing education all the time. Uh every year you have a minimum mandatory amount of requirements of continuing education hours. Um I have ranging from 18, 12 to 18 to 24 hour credits per year. Uh I let's see. I think a lot of the training, education is on the job site. In at building departments, in the office, doing the drawings, going out to the job site, seeing how things are built, seeing how it all comes together, working with engineers, working with planners, just to see a building really is a combination. It's it's three, it is really three-dimensional. Every wall, everything on the wall, ceiling, floor, speaks to me about what's behind that surface. And it's it's it's just a woven mesh, and I it's my language. All right, thank you. It's a very unique combination of experiences in education with architecture and CBO and code and structural and those sort of things that you're dealing with. And uh I for one feel lucky to have you, and uh I did take a look at your background and some of your other uh positions that you've held, and uh we are very lucky to have you here. And maybe maybe you could highlight those other work experiences that you had, especially if it involved municipalities, like is a building commission. So you were in Harwich before I was in Harwich briefly, yes, but the majority I have also worked in Falmouth for a couple of years in the building department, a zooming enforcement, zoning compliance officer. That must have been fun in Falmouth. That was a lot of fun. Very busy. The people's republic voice.

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