The Boothbay Planning Board voted 4-0 June 12 to deny a Murray Hill Road applicant a permit to construct a 324 square foot deck. Suzanne Adams and Marcia Rowland of New Vineyard sought approval for a building permit at their 57 Murray Hill Road property. The board denied a permit based upon a lack of buildable area. The house is a non-conforming property in a general residential and shoreland overlay zone.

The deck was part of an overall property renovation project. Besides adding a deck to a house’s east side, the proposal included a complete interior renovation and shoring up a shed’s structural support. Abutter Steve Dwyer supported the proposal. He told board members it would improve the neighborhood’s appearance. “There hasn’t been a lot of activity on the property since 2004, and I think this is a good project. The deck would look out on a pond, which is wonderful,” he said.

But the project didn’t meet ordinance regulations. “The problem I have is there is no buildable area and since this is a non-conforming property, I don’t see any way around it,” said board member Bruce Bowler. Members advised the renovations were permissible, but the deck addition wasn’t. 

In other action, the board approved Rice Point, LLC’s proposal for replacing a pier with a new one at its 65 Rice Point Road location. The new pier’s dimensions are 30 feet by 6 feet. The proposal also includes a 36-foot by 3.5-foot runway with three floats. Two are 10 feet by 20 feet. The other, at 10 feet by 10 feet, is a low profile kayak float with two three-pile dolphins at each float’s end. The board voted 4-0 to approve a permit.

The meeting ended with a pre-application meeting with Barlow Wharf, LLC for a proposed renovation of its 25 Lincoln Street wharf. Eben Wilson represented the business. He explained the proposal as “looking to improve and raise the level of a historic stone wharf, fish house and wooden pier.” The proposal includes a 16-foot-wide portion for commercial lobster trap and gear work.

The board also voted 3-0 to elevate Dimzie McBride from an alternate to regular board member. Four of five regular member slots are filled. Peggy Kotin holds one of two alternate member positions. The board meets next at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 17 in the municipal building’s conference room.