Commission issues partial certificate for legacy coir terraces, orders sand plan for geotubes by Jan. 22
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Summary
The commission granted a partial certificate of compliance for legacy coir terraces at 59–77 Baxter Road with a set of ongoing conditions to bridge to a larger future project, and unanimously directed staff to amend an enforcement order requiring a sand sourcing, testing and delivery plan for geotubes by 2026‑01‑22.
The Nantucket Conservation Commission voted on Dec. 18 to issue a partial certificate of compliance for a section of legacy coir terraces maintained by the Sunset Beach Preservation Fund (SVPF), while retaining a lengthy set of ongoing conditions intended to preserve public beach access and environmental protections until a larger project can be permitted and built.
Epsilon Associates and property representatives said the coir terraces have been in place and maintained for about 20 years; staff and applicants agreed the partial certificate is intended as a temporary "bridge" to allow homeowners to maintain existing protections while the broader permit process proceeds. Jeff (staff) read a recommended list of ongoing conditions the commission should continue (conditions 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 33, 35 and 36 in the record). Meredith (Scott's Bees Conservation Fund) said the approach would allow ongoing maintenance in storm seasons and provide a clear process for near‑term repairs.
Separately, commissioners discussed recent observations of geotubes with inadequate sand cover. Mary Motenheimer and SVPF representatives described prior voluntary sand donations and a planned stakeholder call to coordinate sourcing and testing. Staff said an existing enforcement order could be amended to require a formal plan. The commission directed staff to amend the enforcement order and required SVPF to submit a plan for sourcing, testing and delivering sand for the geotube array by Jan. 22, 2026; that motion passed unanimously by roll call.
Commissioners debated enforcement versus pragmatic solutions but ultimately supported a partial COC combined with enforceable ongoing conditions and a concrete, near‑term sand plan for the geotubes. Staff said the partial COC is not intended to be perpetual but to close out expired permits on unaffected parcels while larger projects undergo the town meeting and permitting sequence.