The Nantucket Conservation Commission on Jan. 23 opened an item for Shaw, 65 Cliff Road, SC 483883, to clarify proposed work on a section of existing shell driveway located inside the 25-foot buffer to a wetland resource area.

Mark Ritz of Site Design Engineering, representing the applicants, told the commission the portion of shell driveway within the 25-foot buffer could either be left in place as existing or removed and replanted. “We could basically remove the shell in that portion and plant it with a native seed mix,” Ritz said, describing the surface as shell over dirt with no subgrade structures.

Commissioners agreed the removal and revegetation would qualify as a long-term net benefit to the resource area and discussed applying the waiver that permits limited work inside the 25-foot zone when it results in overall resource improvement.

The commission applied the long-term net-benefit waiver to the driveway removal and required that the disturbed area be replanted with native species (no cultivars). With no public comments, the commission moved to close the matter and, by roll-call vote, closed the hearing and issued the order of conditions with the added planting and lighting/pool conditions noted in the packet.

Staff noted standard conditions on lighting, pool systems and post-construction maintenance were included; commissioners also asked that use of fertilizer and agricultural chemicals within commission jurisdiction be limited and that planting lists use native species without cultivars.