Commission approves seasonal MobiMat and short boardwalk at 41 Uncle Roberts Road with endangered‑species precautions

The Yarmouth Conservation Commission on April 3 approved a proposal to replace an old wooden path down a coastal dune to the beach at 41 Uncle Roberts Road with a removable 3.25‑foot‑wide MobiMat and a short elevated boardwalk and stairs.

Paul Shea of Independent Environmental Consultants presented the project for property owner Peter Fairbanks. Shea said the existing planked walkway was deteriorated and that the proposed MobiMat is removable for the off season. The plan includes replanting open sand pockets with American beachgrass and bearberry, using helical soil anchors on the boardwalk posts, and following Natural Heritage (NHESP) time‑of‑year and construction restrictions to protect piping plover and other species.

Conservation staff and commissioners discussed the width and seasonal deployment of the MobiMat, how it will be staked to prevent flotation during storms, and how much and where dune vegetation will be replanted. The applicant said fill and grading work to level the mat would be hand‑carried and that installation would be seasonal (roughly June through October), with removal for winter storms. The applicant also acknowledged recently discovered unpermitted visible pruning on the lot and said the owner and team would coordinate with staff on resolving that matter.

Action: The commission approved the notice of intent with special conditions that incorporate Natural Heritage time‑of‑year restrictions, seasonal deployment and removal of the MobiMat, and a requirement for specified mitigation plantings and restoration of any unpermitted pruning. The vote carried unanimously.

Why it matters: The project replaces a failing, potentially unsafe path with a removable access mat and a small elevated boardwalk that reduce permanent footprint on the dune if installed and monitored with the required seasonal and mitigation conditions.