Commission approves Boyle's deck replacement and 10‑foot dock; bars heavy machinery in lake bed

The Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission approved IWWC 25‑7, allowing replacement in kind of an existing waterfront deck, installation of a new 10‑foot‑wide dock and seawall maintenance work, and also approved a separate rear deck on the property.

The approval is significant because staff and commissioners sought to limit construction methods to reduce in‑water disturbance and ensure emergency responders can locate the property from the lake.

Applicant Matthew Boyle described replacing the existing waterside deck with the same footprint after deciding not to pursue an expansion that would have required ZBA review, and said the dock was reduced from a proposed 12‑foot width to a 10‑foot width to comply with regulations. He said the dock would be an aluminum system with multiple 8‑foot sections and an 8‑by‑6 section at the end, sized to provide stable footing for his son, who has a mobility disability. “So, basically, we're just replacing in kind what is there right now,” Boyle said.

Staff recommended and the commission required that no mechanical vehicles (for example, cement mixers or heavy tracked equipment) be used in the lake bed during wall work; contractors may stand in the water or use hand methods and small buckets. Staff also asked that reflective house numbers be placed on the dock to assist emergency responders; the applicant agreed. The commission moved to approve the application as described and noted the work is to be done by hand where it enters the lake. The motion passed (unanimous with one abstention).