Planning Board Hopefuls Split on Property Rights, Oversight
COHASSET — Two candidates vying for a seat on the Cohasset Planning Board debated how best to manage local development and environmental regulations during the League of Women Voters’ candidate forum on April 30 held at Willcutt Commons.
During the forum, the candidates shared their views on the town’s updated ledge removal bylaw. This regulation, intended to protect Cohasset’s natural topography, has become a point of contention for residents and developers alike.
Nino DiNunno, president of a local construction company, expressed concern that recent changes have added excessive costs and bureaucracy for homeowners trying to complete relatively minor projects.
“Not everybody in town has an $8 million house. They might just want to put a pool in their backyard,” DiNunno said. “And the new ledge bylaw is now, if there’s any ledge even in your backyard out of public view, you have to go before the planning board.”
He emphasized that the rule creates unnecessary hurdles, from attorney and engineer fees to multiple public hearings, calling it a burden on residents who want to make simple improvements to their properties. DiNunno positioned himself as a candidate who would bring “a more practical, balanced approach” to land use regulation.
Birgit Schmidt-Wesche, the current acting chair of the Planning Board and an associate member since last year, defended the existing bylaws. She argued that a balanced approach is essential to preserving Cohasset’s unique natural character while allowing for responsible development.
“It’s not so much saying that we don’t have large homes to be developed,” Schmidt-Wesche said. “What I’m kind of trying to get at… is to get a balance between respecting the environment and also being creative in building.”
Schmidt-Wesche, who holds a PhD in computational linguistics and has a background in IT, stressed the importance of maintaining an integrated, holistic approach to development. She advocated for creative solutions such as multi-family housing that blends into the town’s character and emphasized collaboration between town boards and committees.
Both candidates agreed that the limited availability of developable land presents one of the biggest challenges for Cohasset in the coming years. DiNunno pointed to the recent by-right accessory dwelling unit (ADU) bylaw as a success in expanding housing options.
The forum also covered affordable housing, sustainability, and how to handle community input. While Schmidt-Wesche promoted more integrated, community-wide solutions, DiNunno focused on reducing delays and red tape that he believes hinder property owners and developers.
Cohasset residents will vote in the local election on Saturday, May 17.
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