Commission approves garage addition at 54 Uncle Israel’s Road with oak‑replacement and limit‑of‑work conditions

Matthew Cole of Cape Associates presented a plan to expand a house at 54 Uncle Israel’s Road that places the two‑car garage portion within the local jurisdictional strip around an isolated wetland. Cole said the proposed garage will be built substantially where the existing driveway sits and that excavation limits will be approximately 4 feet beyond the new foundation to accommodate machinery.

Commissioners questioned whether a nearby oak tree would be affected by excavation; Cole said the tree is roughly 6 feet from the new structure and the team will seek to preserve it but agreed to a replacement condition if it cannot be saved. The applicant accepted a condition requiring a 2‑for‑1 replacement with native trees in the commission’s jurisdiction if the oak is lost, plus a revised site plan showing a delineated limit of work.

A motion to approve the project, referencing Cape Associates’ narratives and plans dated June 2026, passed on a voice vote with the listed special conditions: a revised plan showing the limit of work; 2‑for‑1 native replacement of the oak if impacted; and a prohibition on dumping in the wetland. Commissioners also emphasized that replacement plantings should be native species.

Why it matters: the approval permits a residential expansion within the 100‑foot buffer to a wetland but ties the permit to clear limits on excavation and mitigation to protect vegetation and buffer functions. Staff will require the revised plan and inspect for compliance.

Next steps: applicant to submit a revised plan showing the limit of work and evidence of proposed native species for any required replacement trees prior to construction.