A long-awaited project along Dublin Lake moved a bit closer to happening Thursday when the Planning Board gave approval for a bathhouse relocation project at the Dublin Lake Club. 

“The bathhouses are 70 years old and in terrible shape,” said club President Tom Draper.

The update would include the bathhouses being relocated to a parking area that is actually further from the lake than is currently the case, with an infiltration trench being dug to address runoff, which is not required. The club floated the idea of adding showers to the new project, but the Zoning Board of Adjustment frowned on the proposal, and showers would not be part of the new bathhouse.

Club member David Shonk explained that the plan is to remove the cement slabs on which the current bathhouse exists and reduce the number of trees to be removed, based on input from the town’s Conservation Commission. Chris Kessler, a landscape architect with the firm Gradient, explained how the project takes into consideration wetlands at the location. 

Following Planning Board questions and input, the plan is to relocate the bathhouses 50 feet into the the 100-foot wetlands buffer, with the club providing engineering details about work in deep-scope areas, and the club will secure a letter from the Department of Environmental Services expressing their approval of the project as well as a DES survey document attesting that “best built practices” will be observed. A drainage maintenance program will also be implemented. 

The board approved the club moving forward with these conditions. Board Chair Archie McIntyre recused himself from the deliberations and the voting, citing his membership in the club. Vice Chair Caleb Niemela presided over this portion of the meeting, later noting that the club must now present its project to the Zoning Board of Adjustment. 

The board also discussed the matter of unauthorized signage in town, which has also been a topic at Select Board meetings. 

“We need some sign regulations. I don’t think we want to look like another nearby town,” said Carole Monroe, the Select Board’s representative to the Planning Board.

The point was made that many of these signs are theoretically of a temporary nature.

“We need to define temporary,” said board member Brie Morrissey. 

“Perhaps this needs to be addressed with a warrant article next year,” said McIntyre.