Orange Selectboard considers Lake Mattawa dock ownership fee of $100 per two years

From left, Orange Selectboard Clerk Andrew Smith, member Jane Peirce and Vice Chair Julie Davis listen to Town Administrator Matthew Fortier during a Selectboard meeting on Wednesday. Chair Tom Smith and member Mike Bates were absent. The Selectboard pitched the idea of requiring all docks along the Lake Mattawa shoreline to be licensed by the town and to charge people $100 for every two years they keep the structures on town-owned land adjacent to their property.

From left, Orange Selectboard Clerk Andrew Smith, member Jane Peirce and Vice Chair Julie Davis listen to Town Administrator Matthew Fortier during a Selectboard meeting on Wednesday. Chair Tom Smith and member Mike Bates were absent. The Selectboard pitched the idea of requiring all docks along the Lake Mattawa shoreline to be licensed by the town and to charge people $100 for every two years they keep the structures on town-owned land adjacent to their property. STAFF PHOTO/DOMENIC POLI

A dock on Lake Mattawa in Orange on Holtshire Road.

A dock on Lake Mattawa in Orange on Holtshire Road. STAFF PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ

A dock on Lake Mattawa in Orange on Holtshire Road.

A dock on Lake Mattawa in Orange on Holtshire Road. STAFF PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ

A dock on Lake Mattawa in Orange on Holtshire Road.

A dock on Lake Mattawa in Orange on Holtshire Road. STAFF PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ

By DOMENIC POLI

Staff Writer

Published: 06-15-2025 2:00 PM

Modified: 06-16-2025 9:40 AM


ORANGE — Residents with docks and other structures along the Lake Mattawa shoreline will have to pay a fee that goes toward the upkeep and betterment of the lake if the Selectboard’s proposed policy gets approved by town counsel.

The Selectboard last week pitched the idea of requiring all docks to be licensed by the town and to charge people $100 for every two years they keep the structures on town-owned land adjacent to their property.

“The proceeds from the license would be kept separate by the town and made available for improvements at Lake Mattawa — the beach, the dead trees, the boat ramp, whatever we decide,” Selectboard member Jane Peirce said. “And I’m sure we intend to work in concert with the folks that live out there.”

Peirce said the licenses apply to docks, steps, handrails and anything else used to access the water. She said she expects the first year of fees would yield about $7,000. Peirce added that the fees could be used to install new sand, improve the boat ramp, improve the fishing areas and deal with the trees that “are a mess” along the edge of Holtshire Road.

Vice Chair Julie Davis, who chaired Wednesday’s meeting in Tom Smith’s absence, said the Selectboard will solicit public feedback once town counsel reviews the proposed policy.

“It felt very heartening to have this conversation. It felt like it was a good dialogue to be able to work with the folks that live along Mattawa, so that we can get this in place after a few decades’ worth of conversation,” she said. “I felt like everybody came to the table willing to kind of work with each other. We’re still refining the details of how we’ll map the properties, how we’ll figure it all out and also how the permits will be handled.”

The policy is expected to be posted to Orange’s municipal website so residents can have roughly a month to review it before being discussed at a future Selectboard meeting.

The proposed policy is the result of a complaint the Selectboard received from the state Department of Environmental Protection in July 2024. The complaint focused on Holtshire Road, where there are numerous docks, steps and decks, and access by the public is blocked by chains and “no trespassing” signs. This prompted the creation of the now-defunct Lake Mattawa Docks Subcommittee to study regulations, permits and licensing.

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Subcommittee member Kevin Mills delivered a presentation at the Selectboard’s Jan. 22 meeting, explaining recommendations that the town request that MassDEP administer Chapter 91 (the Massachusetts Public Waterfront Act) licensing of the water-dependent structures on Lake Mattawa, as this would ensure a compliant, fair and equitable process for town residents.

In his presentation, Mills explained the subcommittee collaborated with MassDEP and the state Department of Conservation and Recreation to better understand the regulations that apply to Lake Mattawa. The subcommittee reportedly reviewed existing dock licenses, the number of docks installed on the lake, and deeds and ownership for the lake’s shoreline. It held a series of meetings to discuss the findings, receive input from the public and develop recommendations.

Lake Mattawa, a tributary of the Quabbin Reservoir, is defined as a great pond — a pond or lake that contained more than 10 acres in its natural state — and is protected by state law. There is a state statute regulating placement or construction of any in-water structures, such as docks or floats, in great ponds. During his presentation in January, Mills said there are currently 73 docks installed on Lake Mattawa, none of which have valid licenses required by Chapter 91. Orange is liable for unlicensed structures that exist on town-owned land, where all the docks sit.

The 118-acre lake — a popular swimming, boating and fishing spot that is stocked with trout and salmon, and has a beach and a boat ramp — was reportedly created with the intention of establishing a waterworks facility for the town. In 1893, four takings were made by the town’s water commissioners so a dam could be built to increase the lake’s size. Although deeds exist that claim ownership of the shoreline, there is no evidence that the town transferred titles to the shoreline, except for the point at the lake’s northernmost part.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.