Commission approves revised pool‑fence plan at 21 Little Bay with added mitigation

The Orleans Conservation Commission approved a revised plan request for 21 Little Bay that adds approximately 35–40 feet of 4‑foot‑high mesh pool fence in a limited area of the previously permitted project, contingent on clarified mitigation details.

Rob Calderero (PSD) and Katrina Higgins (Bartlett Tree Experts) said the fencing would affect a small, previously unmitigated planting bed; the project team proposed an additional 325 square feet of lawn removal adjacent to the resource, planted with a salt‑tolerant native seed mix and shrubs (including fragrant sumac) to offset the small incursion. The team said the added planting raises the mitigation ratio from the prior 25:1 to roughly 26.4:1.

Commissioners asked for clear delineation (stone edging or other markers) so future mowing does not encroach on the restored area, and requested seed mix specifications be included in the revised mitigation plan. The commission approved the revised plan with a special condition to delineate the new mitigation area and to incorporate the Bartlett revised mitigation plan into the file.

The motion carried with all present members voting in favor.