Request for Amendment to Order of Conditions_FLCA.docxREQUEST FOR AMENDMENT TO ORDER OF CONDITIONS
The following is a request to the Conservation Commission for amendment of the Order of Conditions (Mass DEP File #246-0691 issued 5/25/16) relating to rehabilitation of the boardwalk
and dock at the Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area.
Many people using the new dock on Fitzgerald Lake have told us about difficulties in entering and exiting kayaks as the dock is 18" above water level. After considering many possible
remedies, we have concluded that the best way to solve the problem is to install a platform closer to water level at the southwest end of the dock. The platform will be roughly 9' long,
will extend 6' from the dock, will include a 12"-wide step between the dock and platform, and will be 8" above water level. Decking on the platform will be supported by two 2" x 6"
beams attached at one end to the dock and at the other to two vertical 4" x 4" posts driven into the lake bottom in open water. The method of construction will be identical to that
used for building the dock in 2016. Douglas Thayer of Thayer Woodworking and Design has provided a plan for construction of the platform, a copy of which accompanies this request.
As the platform will be over open water, disturbance of the site will be minimal. Two new 4" x 4" support posts will be driven into the lake bottom while the rest of the structure will
be above water. The posts will be driven from canoes tethered to the existing dock and all other construction work will be done either from the canoes or the existing dock. Our observations
indicate that the water level in the lake has been stable since beaver access to the Fitzgerald Lake dam drain was blocked in 2015. As a result, we do not expect that the platform will
ever be under water. The new platform will be a great convenience for the many boaters and fisherfolk who use the dock for launching on a regular basis and it will clearly improve
the safety for those who find it a challenge to launch from the dock. Funding for the new construction will be provided by the Broad Brook Coalition.
Bob Zimmermann
President
Broad Brook Coalition
May 25, 2018