Commission OKs Hulbert Avenue deck replacement with added erosion controls and monitoring

The Nantucket Conservation Commission approved an order Nov. 6 allowing replacement of an existing boardwalk and decks at 47 Hulbert Avenue with a narrower, in-kind deck, and granted a waiver required for work in the 25-foot coastal-dune buffer. The commission added standard and site-specific erosion- and sediment-control conditions after commissioners observed construction debris on site during a recent visit and discussed proximity to the harbor.

Chloe of Nantucket Surveyors said the project replaces an approximately 6-foot-wide walkway with a 4-foot-wide deck that is primarily for access to the rear of the house. "It's less intense," Chloe said of the proposed configuration. Commissioner Joe Pandowski raised concerns about an on-site pile of concrete rubble from a removed chimney and asked the applicant to keep the site clear; the applicant confirmed the debris was removed by the time of this meeting.

The order includes: native plantings only; no fertilizers or agricultural chemicals in regulated areas; all lighting in compliance with the town code; required silt fencing and erosion controls; a condition requiring a contractor's designated representative to perform daily sweeps and remove construction debris promptly; and a pre-construction erosion- and sediment-control plan to be submitted to commission staff for approval.

Speakers (attributed above): Chloe (Nantucket Surveyors); Joe Pandowski; Will (commission staff). The commission found that, as proposed with the mitigation and monitoring conditions, the work will not cause additional adverse impacts to the resource areas and voted to issue the order.

Next steps: contractor to file a pre-construction erosion-and-sedimentation-control plan and staff to verify the installation of silt fences and daily sweeps prior to start of work.