The Harwich Conservation Commission faced a reduced bench on Wednesday evening, navigating a complex agenda of coastal infrastructure projects with only four members present. Chair John Ketchum, serving as a stable anchor for the board during a period of town-wide administrative transition, called the meeting to order in the Don B. Griffin Room. Ketchum noted the importance of procedural consistency, stating, I'd like to call to order the June 4, 2025 meeting of the Harwich Conservation Commission... We are going to start with a pledge of allegiance.

The primary focus of the session centered on a joint-use dock and dredging application for 31 Mill Road and 6 Bara Drive. The proposal, which has seen its dredging footprint expanded to reach a required 3-foot clearance, now involves the removal of 250 cubic yards of material. Engineering representatives Sean Riley of Ty and Bond and Dan Croto of Moran Engineering presented technical updates to the commission, but members remained wary of the environmental price tag. The proximity of the work to the salt marsh—currently within six feet—raised significant alarms regarding the potential slumping of the marsh bank.

Member Sophia Pilling maintained her reputation for strict adherence to environmental safeguards, questioning whether the project’s benefits outweighed the risks to the resource area. We must ensure that any project within this proximity to the salt marsh does not compromise the long-term stability of the habitat, one member noted during the discussion. Vice Chair Mark Coleman echoed these technical concerns, focusing on the need for precise mitigation and the impact of sediment movement on the surrounding ecosystem. Motion Made by M. Coleman to continue the hearing for 31 Mill Road and 6 Bara Drive to a future meeting pending further study of marsh stability. Motion Passed 4-0.

The commission also revisited the contentious proposal for a new pier, ramp, and float at 37 Nan's Way and 11 Nuns Road. Mark Burgess of Shorefront Consulting and the design team from Bluefax Design updated the board on efforts to address navigation concerns previously raised by the Harbormaster. While the applicants are exploring redesigns to minimize impact on shellfish habitat in Oyster Creek, the board signaled that further coordination with town departments is necessary. Vivienne Mulhall-Maguire joined the consensus that a cautious approach was required to protect the creek's delicate balance. Motion Made by V. Mulhall-Maguire to continue the hearing for 37 Nan's Way and 11 Nuns Road to allow for further redesign. Motion Passed 4-0.

Tom Evans, President of the Harwich Conservation Trust, and engineer Nick Nelson also appeared before the board to discuss ongoing ecological restoration efforts. The meeting highlighted a recurring theme in Harwich: the delicate tension between expanding private waterfront infrastructure and the town’s increasing commitment to infrastructure realism and resource protection. With Wayne Coulson and Susan Cyr absent, the four-member quorum emphasized the board's role as a procedural gatekeeper during the current leadership vacuum at Town Hall.