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Engineer presents hybrid retaining‑wall design for damaged coastal property; neighbors press for details
Summary
A Pine Tree Engineering representative proposed a hybrid concrete‑substructure and granite face to replace a storm‑damaged retaining wall; neighbors raised concerns about added concrete apron, elevation increases and impacts to adjacent property and town access.
Jeremy Prude of Pine Tree Engineering presented a hybrid design to replace a damaged 90‑foot retaining wall at Wallace Circle in the village shoreline zone. Prude told the board the proposal reuses existing granite facing, adds a cast‑in‑place concrete substructure and raises a portion of the wall to elevation 17.54 to improve resiliency after January 2024 storm overtopping.
"By adding height, you add the ability to the storm," Prude said, explaining the design ties into bedrock where possible and reuses the granite face to address abutter concerns. He described geotextile, crushed stone backfill and a reinforced concrete substructure intended to retain the land behind the wall while presenting a historically consistent face.
Neighbors questioned whether the stacked granite could be pinned and epoxied for extra resiliency and whether the proposed concrete apron and added mass in front of the existing footprint would change wave patterns and increase scour on adjacent properties and town infrastructure. Several speakers noted existing underground utilities and the location of septic distribution boxes and urged careful consideration of construction impacts.
Board members and the applicant discussed alternatives and field‑fit details; no binding vote was recorded during this presentation and the board requested additional details on pinning, final cross‑sections, ties to bedrock and the contractor’s construction approach before taking a decision.
