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Commission presses Skog and Stone Sauna on flood‑zone, mobility and permitting details and continues hearing to March 3
Summary
Skog and Stone Sauna Company presented a mobile, trailer-mounted wood-fired sauna for a Plum Island parking lot; commissioners questioned flood‑zone classification, how the unit would be moved before storms, and whether the proposal should be reviewed as an RDA or a Notice of Intent with conditions. The commission continued the hearing to March 3 and requested additional technical details.
Skog and Stone Sauna Company asked the Newburyport Conservation Commission for a determination of applicability for a trailer-mounted, wood-fired sauna located at a leased parking area on Plum Island. Commissioners heard a detailed presentation about the unit’s design, operations, and contingency plans and requested more documentation before the commission rules.
A company representative described the unit as a 7-by-16-foot sauna mounted on an 8-by-20-foot trailer, with the sauna weighing about 5,000 pounds and the trailer roughly 3,000 pounds. "We're really kind of leaning into the mobile aspect of the sauna," a representative said, noting the unit is registered as a vehicle, runs off batteries for lighting and uses a small wood stove for heat. The company said it can tow the trailer within minutes and has an agreement with the property owner to move it if high tide or a storm is expected.
Commissioners pressed on several technical and regulatory points: whether the location lies in FEMA’s V/A/B coastal flood zones, what evidence (a professional flood delineation) would trump online GIS maps, whether the unit’s presence in a resource area merits conditions that would make an RDA inappropriate, and how long a temporary installation can remain without triggering building or zoning rules. Commissioner Julie Godferson noted that if the unit remains beyond the temporary limit it could be treated as a structure rather than a mobile unit: "If it's not gone, it's a structure," she said, underscoring the need for clear duration limits and contingency procedures.
Commissioners asked the company to provide clearer application materials: undercarriage photos and elevation drawings showing the trailer wheels, a plan for clearing sand and ensuring a route to tow the trailer quickly, the trailer model and towing logistics, and a firm proposal for maximum days on site. The commission also discussed whether certain conditions (clear pathway, removal within a specified number of days, and limits on skirting/attachments) should be required.
After the discussion the commission voted to continue the item to its March 3 meeting so staff and the applicants can supply the requested documentation. The continuation was approved by roll-call vote.
