Lumber sits outside of the Homeport restaurant in Menemsha this week.
Ray Ewing

Homeport Construction Stopped

Construction to modify a deck at the Homeport restaurant in Menemsha was halted last week after the Chilmark building department found the new owners hadn’t secured a building permit.

Construction to modify a deck at the Homeport restaurant in Menemsha was halted last week after the Chilmark building department found the new owners hadn’t secured a building permit.

The department issued a stop work order to Boston restaurateur Seth Woods and his business partner Eric Berke. The two bought the Menemsha institution from Bob and Sarah Nixon last year for $3.1 million. The new owners had plans to replace the restaurant’s existing concrete deck with a wooden deck and pergola, which did get approval from the conservation commission earlier this year.

But town officials said they didn’t go to the zoning board or get a permit, forcing the work to stop.

“To my knowledge, there was never a permit issued,” select board chair Bill Rossi said at a meeting Tuesday. The Chilmark site review committee will consider the proposal on Monday, after which the plan may have to go before the town zoning board.

A public hearing for the Homeport’s common victualler's license is scheduled for May 2, and, according to the restaurant’s website, the waterfront eatery plans to open May 26.

Mr. Woods and Mr. Berke were not in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting.

In other business, longtime select board member Warren Doty bade farewell at Tuesday’s meeting, the last of his 24-year tenure in the position.

“It was, actually, mostly a privilege,” Mr. Doty said, in a characteristically wry comment.

Mr. Doty will remain the Chilmark representative to the regional high school building committee after his retirement. The town election to replace him on the board will take place April 26.

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 04/19/2023 - 15:08

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R Scott Patterson Edgartown

How can the owners of a well know business that is in an extremely public vacation think they could build a deck without a permit and not get caught? Do they think rules don't apply to them?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 04/19/2023 - 19:24

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Mike M. Boulder Colorado

I hope everyone can work expeditiously as a team to support this business owner to make reasonable improvements to an existing business. There are few dining options in this part of the Island - improving this one will be appreciated by many! Good luck

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/20/2023 - 08:09

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Rosemarie Marangio Concord

It's always 'something' with the homeport. I'll stick with the 'Back Door.' And I miss their seafood chowder.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/20/2023 - 12:54

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Miranda Edison Menemsha

They better not mess w the key lime pie recipie, permit or no permit.

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