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Homeowners seeking new staircase at Jenkins Pond asked to revise plans and return next meeting
Summary
Applicant Jeffrey Vogel proposed replacing a deteriorated concrete staircase at Jenkins Pond with helical-pile wooden stairs and flagstone walkways; commissioners flagged mismatched plans, potential tree removals, riprap notation, and invasive species mitigation and continued the hearing to Feb. 12 for corrected plans.
Homeowners seeking to replace a failing concrete stair to Jenkins Pond told the Falmouth Conservation Commission on Jan. 29 they must correct several plan inconsistencies, show proposed tree impacts and mitigation, and clarify a riprap note before the commission can act.
Applicant Jeffrey Vogel presented plans to remove an existing concrete staircase and replace it with a wooden, helical-pile staircase that uses switchbacks to navigate a steep 12-foot bank between the proposed landing and the water. Vogel said the existing concrete steps are unsafe and that moving the stair to the opposite side of the rear yard makes functional sense for accessing kayaks stored by a shed.
Alyssa Fallon, conservation staff, requested a continuance to allow plan edits: several trees adjacent to the proposed entrance were not clearly shown on the plan; a landing and a riprap/stabilization note appeared on the drawings but staff said no new retaining walls were intended; and staff asked the applicants to confirm whether invasive English ivy would be removed from one mitigation area. Fallon recommended the applicant submit a supplemental narrative confirming the removal of invasive ivy from the mitigation zone and clarified that the concrete staircase would be removed rather than crushed in place.
Commissioners raised concerns about tree loss and structure size on the bank: one 26-inch oak and a cedar alley were discussed as potentially impacted. Commissioners favored minimizing bank structure and reducing the size/number of landings where practical. Several commissioners endorsed the use of helical piles as a less invasive structural option.
Vogel said he is willing to revise the plan to avoid a significant cedar and to remove the existing staircase entirely. Commissioners instructed the applicant to provide corrected plans, denote existing walls and trees more clearly, and add a mitigation narrative showing removal of invasive ivy where proposed. The commission continued the hearing to Feb. 12 and requested finalized materials to be submitted to staff by Feb. 5.
What happens next: Vogel will revise plans with his engineer and landscape consultant to show exact tree removals, the relocation or resizing of landings where feasible, removal of riprap notation if not proposed, and a mitigation plan that removes invasive ivy from the mitigation area. Staff will review the submittal and schedule the continued hearing.
