Boothbay Harbor selectmen welcomed new town planner Isabelle Oechslie June 27. Oechslie comes from South Portland where she worked for a year as a community planner after spending over two years in Saco as a planning and economic development associate and program coordinator. She will spend half her time in the Harbor; the other half, in Damariscotta.

Town Manager Julia Latter said Oechslie will start July 5 in Damariscotta and the next day in the Harbor. Oechslie spoke about her time in Saco and South Portland and some of her work experience like site plan and subdivision reviews for South Portland, updates to Saco's comprehensive plan, initial outreach for updates to South Portland’s comp plan, and zoning rewrites and more in both cities.

“What I'm most excited about is the opportunity to continue to work in the coastal area … I'm really interested in climate change adaptation planning and everything that goes into that like sea level rise and issues facing communities … What drew me (was) obviously the close-knit feel of the community.”

Oechslie said she looks forward to getting acquainted with all the town employees in the coming week and eventually the community.

“So if you have a chance to stop by the office, I will be there to say hello … Thanks again for having me and I'm sure this won't be the last time I'm in front of you all. I already have some ideas planned for future workshops with you all.”

Selectmen approved a wharves and weirs permit, 4-1, for PGC8 LLC at 37 Atlantic Ave. to add two three-piling dolphins and replace 100 pilings all within the existing footprint. Selectman Denise Griffin dissented on the grounds the permit, issued after the work was done, sets a bad precedent.

Lauren Stockwell of Stockwell Environmental Consulting said Department of Environmental Protection and Army Corps of Engineers permits were in hand, but the Harbor's permit was submitted late due to miscommunication, and work went ahead.

“On super high tides the chain was getting pulled under and the float was getting tipped and at some point was getting caught under the main pier where the dock is and where people sit to eat which was dangerous ... So it was a safety issue.”

Chair Mike Tomko said despite being an after-the-fact approval, decisions are only impacted by whether the board’s criteria are met. Griffin maintained it is still a bad precedent to approve the permit without a fine or increase in fee.

“I don't have an issue with the work being done here, but that's not the point ...Other people go out and build a humongous dock and after-the-fact come and ask us for approval? Then what? We're wasting our time.”

Latter said the fee schedule does not specify fines for after-the-fact approvals, it does say such approvals come with triple the application fee.

New England Aqua Ventus’s Rob Trotta introduced the offshore windmill project being planned. Trotta said with design and scope still being determined, NEAV acknowledges that when construction for the line moves forward, Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor will see some disruption on Route 96 for a period. “We want to be respectful of that and we're looking to work with the town for some type of community benefits agreement to be able to give back for that inconvenience.”

Trotta said there will be no work this summer as NEAV is still pursuing permits and talking to consultants, but a more refined timeline is expected by year’s end.