Planning board clears Clifton Dock reconstruction to raise pier above flood elevation

The Mount Desert Planning Board on June 24 approved a conditional-use application from Clifton Dock Corporation to raise and reconstruct a permanent pier, ramp and the building platform at 9 Clifton Dock Road in Northeast Harbor.

Agent William B.G. Gartley of Gartley & Dorski Engineering told the board the work responds to prior storm damage and aims to bring the lowest structural elevation from roughly elevation 10 to a new target of 17.5 feet. "The new will be at 17.5," Gartley said, and he described submitting a wave analysis and associated regulatory filings (including the permit reviews that go to FEMA and Corps review) as part of the project’s resiliency strategy.

The project package documents replacement of granite cribbing with cast-in-place concrete and steel pipe columns, a concrete leveling pad, a longer gangway and adjustments to utility routing (moving power lines and fuel piping underground). The applicant also said the float configuration and marina footprint would not move seaward and that the permanent structure footprint would remain the same in plan.

Board members reviewed the application under the town land-use ordinance (sections 6A, 6B, 6C and section 59) and discussed the local floodplain provision 4.3.2F for elevating and reconstructing nonconforming structures in an area of special flood hazard (VE zone). The agent said a FEMA elevation/LOMR pathway had been pursued and that the wave analysis reduced the modeled elevation by one foot in his submission; the board examined whether the proposal met the ordinance standard that changes be made “to the greatest practical extent.”

After detailed checklist review, the board found the standards set out in 4.3.2F and the shoreland sections met for the project and approved the application by voice vote. Members congratulated the applicant; the agent indicated construction was expected to begin after required permits are obtained and suggested a likely early-September mobilization date in the construction season.

The approvals are conditioned only on the applicant completing any required state and federal permits and submitting final documentation to the town as applicable.