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Planning board flags gap in ordinance on archaeological 'shell middens'
Summary
Board members said the town's definition of historic resources focuses on structures and omits non-structural archaeological resources such as shell middens; the Chair took an action item to revise the ordinance language to cover those resources.
Members opened the meeting by noting the island's nonstructural archaeological resources. The Chair said the island has historic shell middens and that the town's ordinance language 'really doesn't handle that well at all in terms of requirements'; board members agreed this omission should be addressed.
The board discussed prior research by the local historic preservation commission and noted that older maps identifying middens are not widely distributed because the commission withholds detailed locations to prevent disturbance. The Chair said he would take an action item to review and propose ordinance language to ensure the town's land-use standards protect archaeological and other non-structural historic resources.
Board members asked staff to cross-check the definition of 'historic' and whether the existing structure definition already covers piers and similar features; the group agreed to return the item to a future agenda with proposed wording and references to the comprehensive plan.
The board did not take a final ordinance vote at the meeting; the item was recorded as a staff action item for revision and future consideration.
