Yarmouth Conservation Commission approves Lighthouse Realty Trust bank‑stabilization with dune and monitoring conditions

The Yarmouth Conservation Commission on Feb. 20 approved a continued notice of intent from Lighthouse Realty Trust (SE83‑2460) to stabilize a collapsed coastal bank at 1033 Great Island Road using a combination of repaired concrete cells, sand placement and dense planting.

The applicant’s consultant, Bob Perry, Cape Cod Engineering, told the commission the revised plan removes a previously proposed closing return formation and instead places a transverse dune “top dressed with chute and planted densely with beach grass.” He said the dune “will rise up about 2 feet higher than the sand in the cells” and is intended to confine overwash in big storms while vegetation establishes.

The commission’s staff and ecological consultant, Steve Lee of Wilkinson Ecological Design, described plant changes intended to increase diversity, including 64 plugs of seaside goldenrod and the use of dwarf chinkapin (ordered for availability). The applicant noted the sandbags used are biodegradable and that the majority of the design is a “sacrificial” soft‑solution approach that relies on the repaired concrete cells to retain sand long enough for vegetative stabilization.

Why it matters: The proposal addresses an active collapse on a coastal bank and combines softer shoreline measures with repair of manmade cells to hold sand and vegetation. Commission members pressed for monitoring and clarity about longevity and maintenance because soft‑shore measures commonly require follow‑up after major storms.

After discussion the commission moved and seconded approval with special conditions requiring monitoring and reporting (including after coastal storm events) and acceptance of the revised dune and planting plan. The motion carried unanimously. The applicant and representatives agreed to the conditions and the commission asked staff to draft a formal order of conditions.

Commissioners and staff emphasized post‑storm monitoring. Bob Perry said the goal is to “replace the soil that's lost in that discrete collapse on the coastal bank with soil that would be able to remain in place slightly longer in the event of an overwash storm while it vegetates.” Steve Lee added the seaside goldenrod plugs were chosen for pollinator value and salt‑spray tolerance. The commission recorded that the standard permit term and enforcement mechanisms would apply; Perry noted the order of conditions is typically valid for three years.

The meeting moved on after the vote; the applicant thanked the commission.