Orleans Conservation Commission Continues Three Coastal Rebuild Cases, Approves Hinkle Lane Drainage

ORLEANS — January 20, 2026 — Orleans Conservation Commission continues three coastal rebuild hearings, approves Hinkle Lane drainage. The commission voted 7-0 on all actions at its January 20 meeting, continuing notices of intent for properties at 199 Namequoit Road, 17 Marsh Lane, and 355 Tonset Road to future hearings after raising concerns about footprint expansion within coastal buffer zones, wildlife corridor loss, and flood resilience. The most contentious case was 355 Tonset Road, where Lavender Hill LLC proposes to raze and rebuild a single-family dwelling and garage on a site abutting Nauset Harbor and a salt marsh; Member Judith Bruce called the project's roughly 950-square-foot increase in the zero-to-50-foot coastal bank buffer "a non-starter," saying it was "so illogical to me that we would put a brand new huge house right into an area that we know is going to flood." An amended Order of Conditions request for a large two-car detached garage at 9 Nauset Road also drew pushback, with Vice Chair Jerry Wander citing "continual requests" and the commission unanimously withdrawing a mistakenly moved closure before continuing that hearing to February 17. The commission unanimously approved a road repair and drainage project on Hinkle Lane, adding a special condition requiring a pre-construction meeting that includes the town water department, and also voted 7-0 to authorize Chair Drusilla Henson to sign a letter to the Cannabis Control Commission supporting a waiver that would redirect a local dispensary's Positive Impact Plan contributions to the Putnam Farm food pantry project.