Clifton Dock changes are a go.
Jun 26, 2026
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MOUNT DESERT—Applications for three marine structures came before the Mount Desert Planning Board, June 24. Two of the applications were to add a bit more room to one floating structure off Harborside Drive.
The other was to elevate and protect a pier and dock on the Clifton Dock Road, which serves the Northeast Harbor Fleet. According to its website, “Clifton Dock in Northeast Harbor (was) added in 1946 to provide additional moorings, dinghy tie-up, and fuel for boats.”
After significant damage to marine structures throughout Mount Desert Island and Maine’s coast from January 2024’s mammoth storms, towns and property owners are still repairing, rebuilding, and shoring up locations.
The storms brought gusts of over 75 mph in the Down East region, moved a camp out to sea, destroyed Bar Harbor’s shore path, impacted Otter Creek’s fish house, and caused damage to multiple roads and structures throughout Mount Desert Island. It also left more than 14,000 Versant customers without electricity.
All island towns have had damage to roads, trails, and structures. There was also significant damage within Acadia National Park. Across the island from Northeast Harbor, the Seawall Road still hasn’t had its permanent repairs.
The final application for the Mount Desert Planning Board’s meeting was for Clifton Dock Corporation, represented by William B. Gartley, P.E., Gartley & Dorsky Engineering & Surveying.
This application for 9 Clifton Dock Road in Northeast Harbor was to raise and reconstruct a permanent pier/dock and reconstruct its gangway.
The board also had a site inspection prior to the meeting.
“We met at the parking area outside of the Clifton Dock. We observed that the elevation of the dock as it exists is below the flood plane and (the) purpose of them being here is to increase the elevation of the existing building,” said Planning Board member Anne Dalton.
“They’re not going to change the footprints according to what they described,” Dalton continued. “We walked out onto the dock past the building. We talked about the granite wall footprint also remaining the same, and we observed the piping for the fuel for the water that’s coming in the side (that) is going to be underground. The building will be moved and put on a platform into the parking area while they do the construction of the underpinnings.”
The purpose is to elevate the access, Gartley said. It will be elevated by 7.4 feet.
Gartley said that during the 2024 storms, the property was significantly damaged and partially underwater.
The goal, Gartley said is “to prevent that in the future and create some resiliency in the structure.”
The floats and marina aren’t changing.
“We don’t have to change the location. We’re not proposing the size of anything to change. The gangway is going to be longer, but that float that it lands on is a pretty sizable float. It’s 40 ft long. So, we’ll be landing closer to the, a little beyond, the middle of that float opposed to on the shore side,” Gartley said.
The improvements will likely occur this fall.
Two of the structures were for Eleanor Waud Dorr Declaration of Trust, represented by Kevin Smith.
The first request was to add two 8’ X 28’ floats to an existing 352 square foot communal marine structure at 48 Harborside Drive.
The neighbor, Eliza L. Gray, at 47 Harborside Drive also asked to add the two 8’ X 28’ floats to an existing 352 square foot communal marine structure.
There was a site inspection by Planning Board members earlier in the day.
“There’s walkways going down from each of the properties to a single dock going out over the harbor. And of course they meet at where the the start of the dock is. And obviously these two neighbors share a dock which is very good. And everything looked very very nice,” Planning Board member Allen Kimmerly said.
The floats are finger floats that run parallel to the shore.
All the conditional use applications that came before the board, June 24, were approved.
The Planning Board will review another application for a marine structure—this time on Red Spruce Road—at its July 8 meeting.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
Planning Board agendas/information.
“Massive destruction on a proportion never seen”
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/zfyT42vu2wA?rel=0&autoplay=0&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=0
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