It was another tough Selectmen meeting for Shea Doonan, whose aquaculture permit request off Planting Cove Island was once again met with hesitation from the board.

Doonan, whose initial request was denied in October, came back to the board with a new proposed location in December.

Selectmen gave him the go-ahead at the Dec. 6 meeting to continue with the process of requesting an aquaculture permit for a half acre diagonally across the water from the Harbormaster’s Office.

However, after Catherine Brodeur transferred her aquaculture permit for a half acre site near Ram Island to Shea Doonan a few weeks ago, the circumstances changed.

Doonan chose to continue to pursue his request for a second half acre in order to keep expanding his business.

“I really want to follow through with this. I can see the path to success now,” he said. “With your permission I can continue on this path of growth. I think it’ll be great for the town. It’s good for the water and for local businesses.”

Harbormaster Isaac Perry commended Doonan on his enthusiasm but said that the department’s regulations require a review before giving someone a second half acre.

“[Doonan] has only been on the site the last few weeks, so we don’t really have anything to base our review off of,” Perry said. “Moving forward with another half acre is a real leap of faith…I would caution the board with moving forward because it doesn’t fit with our regulations.”

As well as Perry’s concerns, residents near the proposed area also spoke up with their worries. Resident Jay Somerville said he doesn’t think it’s a good spot for an oyster farm to flourish.

“This place is an existing shellfish area,” he said. “The depth of water is nowhere near three feet in this area in low tide…During most winters the area in question freezes solid at some point. I think there’s a long list of disqualifiers.”

Doonan responded that he would take his gear out when the water froze and that having three feet of water was not a necessity for oysters to grow. He also said he didn’t see any signs of shellfish when he scoped the area out.

“I saw scallops, but that doesn’t disqualify it from being there,” he said. “I dug up a few spots and didn’t find any quahogs. I did the test the same way the [Division of Marine Fisheries] would.”

Rob Hurd, the waterfront director at Tabor Academy, also said that having a shellfish farm in that spot would impede navigation.

“That whole area is one of the areas for our crew programs,” he said. “That would eliminate us being able to use that area as practice…We support shellfishing and oystering and uses of the harbor, but we are concerned it might effect what we’re doing.”

Ultimately the board agreed with Perry.

However, per Doonan’s request, instead of outright denying the permit, the board continued the public hearing until the June 20 meeting.

Doonan said this might give him a chance to earn a favorable review from the Harbormaster Department, while also allowing him to not have to start the entire application process over.