Harbor commission finds 1027 Constable Drive project consistent with LWRP

The Meramec Harbor and Coastal Zone Management Commission voted March 19 that a plan to raise an existing house at 1027 Constable Drive and add stormwater and landscaping improvements is “consistent to the maximum extent practicable” with the village’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program.

The applicant’s counsel, Kristen Motel, told the commission the property owner proposes to lift the 1954 house about 2.5 feet so the first finished floor will be 2 feet above the base flood elevation, and to add roughly 601 square feet to the rear of the building. Motel said the project does not alter the existing seawall, adds a small spa and terraces, and converts approximately 8,125 square feet of lawn to native planting within the village’s 100‑foot wetland buffer to improve habitat.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the package improves flood resiliency, reduces on‑site runoff compared with current conditions by adding infiltration practices and treatment, and increases on‑site compensatory flood storage in modeled elevation bands. Staff and the commission’s consultant reported that prior comments on stormwater and landscaping had been addressed.

Michael Stein, president of Hudson Engineering, described infiltration testing on the site and a stormwater system sized to provide quantity and quality treatment for storms up to the 100‑year design event, saying the design aims to “fully infiltrate” runoff from impervious surfaces and include maintenance access and pretreatment for sediments and deicers. Stein said the team’s compensatory flood‑storage analysis shows an approximate increase of 9,000 cubic feet of flood storage across the modeled elevations.

Neighbor testimony raised seawall concerns: Steven Simkin, a nearby resident, told commissioners that parts of Constable Drive South have previously flooded and that the applicant’s seawall sits lower than adjacent walls, which could render rear‑yard infiltration devices ineffective when seawater overtops the seawall. Motel and the project team replied that no increase to the seawall is proposed, that Race Coastal Engineering inspected the seawall and reported it in good condition, and that the DEC typically requires justification before raising seawalls.

The vote and next steps: Chair moved the resolution that the commission had completed its review and determined the project is consistent with the LWRP; commissioners seconded and the motion passed by unanimous voice vote. The commission noted that site‑specific permits (wetlands, building, floodplain development) remain part of subsequent reviews by other village offices and the planning board.

The commission’s written resolution and any standard conditions will be posted with the meeting record.