The Boothbay Harbor Appeals Board denied Joseph and Jill Doyle’s administrative appeal of a Sept. 8 planning board approval Dec. 16. The approval was for abutter Boothbay Harbor Waterfront Preservation’s site plan revision, a 0.5% increase in impervious surfaces. The initial appeal hearing was tabled Oct. 28 and remanded to the planning board for more thorough findings of facts. Nov. 17, the planning board reaffirmed its Sept. 8 decision with more references to the town ordinance.

BHWP’s site plan revision reduced a brick paver pathway by 670 square feet and increased a splash pad’s diameter from 25 to 26 feet. The changes mean an increase from 28.87% to 28.47% of impervious surfaces. Maine Department of Environmental Protection and Army Corps of Engineers approved the changes before the planning board’s Sept. 8 approval.

Appeals board Chair Wendy Wolf and member Rosemary Bourette were at the Dec. 16 hearing in person, member Lawrence Rebel via Zoom, and members Tom Minerich and Ronald Cohen were absent. Denial of the appeal was unanimous. Attorney Joe Saviski of Perkins Thompson represented BHWP, Scott Anderson of Verrill Dana represented the Doyles and town attorney John Cunningham was present. The hearing, advertised for 7 p.m., convened at 6 p.m. and the town has not responded to inquiries as of this posting.

The Boothbay Register caught BHWP President John O’Connell outside the town office after the hearing. “We are very pleased that the board of appeals agreed the planning board's findings of fact was thorough and complete,” he said. “This allowed them to deny the appeal.”