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Nantucket commission closes hearing on Summer House dune dining after split debate; final order deferred
Summary
The Nantucket Conservation Commission on Nov. 6 closed the public hearing on an application by the Summer House of Nantucket seeking to regularize seasonal dining on a dune-adjacent sandy area but deferred a final decision after commissioners split over whether the activity is grandfathered under state and local wetlands rules.
The Nantucket Conservation Commission on Nov. 6 closed the public hearing on an application by the Summer House of Nantucket seeking to regularize seasonal dining on an open sandy area adjacent to the pool at 10 and 16 Ocean Avenue, but did not vote on a final order.
Counsel Valerie Moore told the commission the dining activity "predates both the bylaw and the act" and presented multiple sworn affidavits and expert analysis arguing the use is grandfathered. Owner Danielle de Benedictus said she has visited the property yearly since the 1970s and that the dining use has been "continuous and open." Coastal geologist Stan Humphreys testified the dune is a secondary dune and, he said, not demonstrably harmed by the activity.
Commissioners debated three narrow issues: whether the activity is jurisdictional…
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