Marion Trust #1, Michael Craffey, is allowed to repair an existing seawall and remove invasive phragmites at 522 Point Road after the Marion Conservation Commission issued an Order of Conditions during its November 16 public meeting.
“I appreciated all the description that Dave (Davignon) gave us, the methodology. Having seen the plans, I feel pretty good about it,” said commissioner Emil Assing in proposing conditions for approval. “I thought it was pretty good that they included some siltation fencing.”
Assing proposed conditions addressing storm-damage protection, as well as habitat, flood control and protection of fisheries. He recommendation reinstalling erosion controls.
Conservation Commission Chairman Jeff Doubrava called the plan “clear, defined and measurable.”
Representing Craffey, David Davignon of Schneider, Davignon & Leone Inc. explained that the work to occur on the lot at 522A Point Road based on the NOI filed six months ago has been updated after the applicant engaged a firm to conduct a survey and form a plan.
The applicant sought a three-year Order of Conditions.
The survey, said Davignon, identified salt marsh to the east and west of the pier at Blankenship Cove, along with saltmarsh in multiple locations, a coastal bank and land under seawater.
“The focus of the plan was maintenance of what he has for licensed structures along the shoreline,” Davignon told the commission. The stone seawall, he said, needs work on the north side of the pier, and the pier needs work on three sides.
Davignon laid out a three-piece plan to permanently take care of the issue behind the seawall to the north. The plan proposed a trench and a 12-inch-thick concrete wall behind the seawall to be backfilled so as not to lose anymore soil through the seawall. That will involve excavating from the back of the seawall, which varies in height from 3.6 feet to 1.2 feet.
Upon completion, the applicant plans to install an erosion-control barrier. Davignon said, based on a licensed plan from 1999, the area consisted of lawn, and the owner would like to restore it or use native plantings. An area of invasive plants will be used for a work site.
In the last piece of the project, a chunk will be taken out of the southwest section of the pier. Some of its pieces have fallen into the cove. The method proposed would put granite blocks back in and mortar. Davignon said the pier seems to be solid except for that corner. The project will require a mini-excavator to clean out the corner where the seawall has come apart.
The alternative, Davignon said, would be a barge to bring in and set two stones. Overall, the pier is not in a deteriorating situation.
Qualifying his question as just a thought, Commissioner Shaun Walsh asked if the liner wall would cause any hydraulic pressure behind the wall and result in a washy area. Walsh suggested pipes. Davignon liked the idea but said it would require finding voids in the wall to slide in pipes.
Davignon told Walsh leaving the stones in place would make sense for added protection. They agreed the stones would help against any wave action.
Having made a site visit and observed water behind the wall, Assing asked if the wall construction will need more than one day during low tide. Davignon said it will happen “piecemeal” and take possibly up to five, low-tide day cycles.
Davignon said the contractor, Steve Fielding, has a lot of experience repairing seawalls.
The grade will be returned to what is atop the seawall. Assing asked about the removal of vegetation. Davignon said, “It’s out-of-control invasives,” and said an excavator would scrape the area.
No members of the community responded to the invitation to comment on the project, and the public hearing was closed.
Jonathan and Jill Castle were voted an Amended Order of Conditions for the construction of additions to the existing residence along with the demolition of out-buildings and associated site work to include wings razed and rebuilt on new foundations at 406 Point Road.
Representing the Castles, Rick Charon of Charon Associates said the project was originally approved in an extensive Order of Conditions in April, but he has since learned that there are structural problems with the existing foundation. The proposed solution atop a 100-foot buffer zone, coastal bank and flood zone is to tear down two-story wings measuring 290 square feet on one side and 330 square feet on the other.
The replacement wings will be built upon new crawl spaces.
A Request for Determination of Applicability filed by Peter and Laura Grauer for house reconstruction at 1 Allen Street was voted a Negative Box 2 determination.
A glitch in abutter notification prompted the Marion Lands Trust LLC to request a continuance in its application for an Amended Order of Conditions for the proposed development of a residential lot behind 369/371 Wareham Street. The case was continued to December 14.
Davignon made the commission aware that the applicant is continuing with a majority of previously permitted activity at the site, but he agreed to make the updated conditions clear to the commission in writing.
The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission will be held on Wednesday, December 14, at 7:00 pm at the Police Station and also accessible live via Zoom.
Marion Conservation Commission
By Mick Colageo