Nantucket conservation commission closes hearing on SC483736 after yearlong review; makeup-sand dispute remains

The Nantucket Conservation Commission closed the public hearing on the Gonzo Beach Preservation Fund’s Notice of Intent for 41–119 Baxter Road (SC483736) on the motion of Commissioner Joe Plandowski, seconded by Commissioner Mike Mizzarelli; the vote to close was unanimous. The application seeks to retain and expand shoreline protection measures at Baxter Road and resolve mitigation owed under a prior permit (SE48‑2824), but commissioners and co‑applicants remained sharply divided over how much “makeup” nourishment sand must be required.

The dispute matters because the parties disagree on whether the commission should require a mathematical remediation equal to the prior permit’s deficit — a staff calculation of roughly 105,465 cubic yards — or a much smaller package proposed by the applicant and discussed with the town (about 26,000–27,000 cubic yards in various filings). The contested number ties directly to an earlier enforcement/removal order for SE48‑2824 and shapes whether and how the present project may proceed.

Seth Engelberg, chair of the Nantucket Conservation Commission, said commissioners had heard sufficient evidence to deliberate but emphasized the commission’s regulatory role: “Our job is to rectify past issues, that may have caused impacts of wetland resource areas and to issue permits that are going to minimize adverse impacts to the most feasible extent possible.”

Jeff, a member of the Nantucket Natural Resources Department staff, walked commissioners through the town’s calculation: “The number that we got to the end was the 105,465 cubic yards of material that would have been…