Manchester Conservation Commission approves order of conditions for 48 Central Street project

MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA — February 24, 2026 — Manchester-by-the-Sea Conservation Commission unanimously approved an order of conditions for a landscaping project at 48 Central Street, closing out a multi-meeting case that required significant design changes. The commission, presided over by Vice Chair Henry Ottinger with all six members present, voted 6-0 to approve the order after consultant Mike DeRosa of DeRosa Environmental confirmed that a pergola and gas line had been stripped from the plan, leaving primarily pavement-to-grass conversion, porous paving, and plantings. A central question was whether two concrete equipment pads — installed by a prior owner without permits — should be included in the current application; commissioners rejected a separate after-the-fact filing, with Commissioner Gordon Lumsden arguing, "This would be the time to fix it." Neighbor attorney Orestes Brown, representing abutters Lisa Martinez and Chris Williams, argued no sufficient alternatives analysis had been provided and that retaining walls in the no-disturb zone posed unaddressed stormwater diversion risks. The commission also granted a certificate of compliance for a shed at 11 Magnolia Avenue and a one-year extension at 2 Herald Street, both unanimously, and deferred action on a roughly $5,000 Beaver Solutions maintenance bill pending finance department clarification.