121 Whitehall Road - Notice of Intent

What is proposed

The applicant seeks permission to install a temporary, seasonal dock from the rear of the 121 Whitehall Road parcel into Lake Gardner. The structure is a modular, pile‑supported dock intended to be assembled in spring and removed in autumn each year.

The dock is described as 40 linear feet in length with a total deck surface area of 192 square feet. It is made of multiple 4‑foot by 8‑foot aluminum frame sections with PVC (PVE) decking panels.

Where and how big

The dock would be located off the rear yard of 121 Whitehall Road, extending into Lake Gardner. Site plans show the dock positioned from the property’s lakefront; onshore storage for dock components is indicated to be more than 100 feet from the water.

The design dimensions provided in the permit materials are 40 feet long and 192 square feet of deck. The plans include a hand‑drawn layout showing post locations, approximate dimensions, distances to property boundaries, and a north arrow.

Construction, materials and schedule

The proposed system is modular: interchangeable aluminum frame sections (4' x 8') with PVC panel decking. The dock is supported by aluminum pipe posts that rest on 8" x 8" square aluminum pad feet on the lake bottom. No fill, excavation, or bank anchoring is proposed; the applicant states the dock will not be attached to the shoreline.

The applicant states that the dock components are removable. The installation window is described as no earlier than April 15 and removal no later than October 31 each year. Dock components will be stored on the property when not assembled.

Environmental and regulatory review

This project was filed with the Amesbury Conservation Commission as a Notice of Intent under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (M.G.L. c. 131, §40). The project was assigned DEP file number 002‑1352.

The Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP) reviewed the submission (Heritage Hub Tracking RC‑87262; NHESP file no. 24‑18825) and issued a determination dated September 23, 2024 that, as proposed, the project would not adversely affect habitat of state‑protected rare wildlife species and would not result in a prohibited Take under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. The NHESP letter notes that changes to the project or work delays could trigger additional review.

An Order of Conditions (the wetlands permit that specifies allowed work and conditions) was issued by the Amesbury Conservation Commission for DEP file 002‑1352. After the work was completed, the Commission issued a Certificate of Compliance indicating that the work regulated by that Order had been satisfactorily completed; that Certificate was recorded at the Essex South Registry of Deeds (Book 42966, Page 385).

(Note: an Order of Conditions is the Conservation Commission’s formal permit under the Wetlands Protection Act; a Certificate of Compliance is the Commission’s confirmation that permitted work and conditions were fulfilled.)

Public notice, hearings and status

The required public notification steps were documented in the project file. An abutter notice and a legal notice advertise a Conservation Commission public hearing on the Notice of Intent; the abutter notice lists a public hearing date of August 4, 2025 at 6:30 PM to be held virtually. Certified‑mail receipts and a provided abutters list are included in the record.

As reflected in the project record: NHESP issued its determination on September 23, 2024; the Conservation Commission issued an Order of Conditions for DEP file 002‑1352; and the Commission later issued and recorded a Certificate of Compliance for that file, indicating the Commission found the permitted work completed per the Order.

If you would like copies or excerpts of specific documents in the file (for example, the dock plan, the NOI project description, the NHESP determination, the Order of Conditions, or the recorded Certificate of Compliance), I can provide those next.