The land bank commission voted Monday to open the Caleb’s Pond Preserve, a three-acre strip of marsh and other habitat near the Chappy ferry that the land bank purchased in 2020. The opening is going forward without any of the planned waterfront access.
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank will soon open a new preserve on Chappaquiddick, though its plans for the land won’t be as robust as once hoped.
The land bank commission voted Monday to open the Caleb’s Pond Preserve, a three-acre strip of forest, scrub and marshland near the Chappy Ferry that the land bank purchased in 2020. But the opening is going forward without any of the planned waterfront access, after the Edgartown conservation commission last week rejected the land bank’s plans for a stairway down the bank of the pond.
The denial came after “a lot of heavy neighbor pushback,” land superintendent Harrison Kisiel said at a land bank commission meeting Monday.
Mr. Kisiel said he first came before the town in June with plans to construct an elevated boardwalk and kayak launch over marshland on the property, in addition to the stairs.
The conservation commission referred the land bank to the town marine advisory board, which determined that the boardwalk violated the terms of a district of critical planning concern in the area, which does not allow piers.
Last week, the land bank returned to the conservation commission with a plan that excluded the boardwalk and featured the stairs, but that was denied.
“Their reasoning was that the earthen steps would negatively impact a protected resource area,” he said. “I just don’t quite know how we would like to move forward with this. An option that we do have is we could appeal to DEP.”
Steve Ewing, the Edgartown representative on the land bank commission, recommended the land bank reapply with the conservation commission later, rather than appeal the proposal with the state.
“Let it sit for a while, maybe a year, and come back to it,” he said. “Let the dust settle for a little bit, you know. There’s no sense to get everybody’s hair up with an appeal.”
“The ConCom’s a little reluctant about setting precedent on this particular salt marsh,” he said.
Mr. Ewing added that some nearby residents are already walking across the marsh, despite concerns about habitat damage from the boardwalk.
The land bank commission voted to reapply for the boardwalk sometime in the future, as recommended by Mr. Ewing, as well as voting to open the property to the public.
With the vote to open the property to the public, land bank staff will get to work clearing the trail and pond viewing area they have approval for, Mr. Kisiel said, in an interview with the Gazette.
Mr. Kisiel said they plan to have work done on the roughly 350-foot trail done and ready for the public by mid-January.
The land bank purchased the property in 2020 for $1.2 million and it hasn’t yet been opened.
Comments
Sounds like NIMBYism at its
MartySounds like NIMBYism at its ugliest. I’ll be sure to check back in a year to learn if the MVLB follows up on opening up the access.
As a resident of Chappy I
Beike Arnoltd ChappaquiddickAs a resident of Chappy I hope the Land Bank is able to provide water access at this site. It would allow the public to access Caleb’s Pond when that is currently very difficult. As the property stands now, the public spent 1.2M to buy a property that only benefits the neighbors by providing them with a buffer. The Land Bank should benefit everyone not simply those that reside next to a property. Similar facts are playing out at the Sheriff’s Meadow Francis Preserve on Chappy where neighbors have essentially blocked the public from using the beach, which is also near Caleb’s Pond. And of course, Cape Poge where the neighbors are seeking to block the public from accessing a large swath of Chappy shoreline. Hopefully the town, Land Bank, and Sheriff’s Meadow will side with the right of the public to access the water from public land.
"Heavy neighbor pushback"
RB Eastville"Heavy neighbor pushback" seems like a way of life on old Chappy these days. Do these same neighbors have access to Caleb Pond or have they also been denied by the ConCom? And why should the Land Bank wait a year? Is something going to be different? They've owned the property for three years already.
Wonderful to see the Land
David Foster West TisburyWonderful to see the Land Bank open additional conserved land on Chappaquiddick. But, for people who enjoy exploring that "island" and all Land Bank properties, it would be helpful to know a bit more. The article does a nice job of discussing what kind of access was desired and was denied, but it doesn't indicate what may be allowed, whether there is a trail, etc.
“Let it sit for a while,
RC DC/OB“Let it sit for a while, maybe a year, and come back to it,” he said. “Let the dust settle for a little bit, you know. There’s no sense to get everybody’s hair up with an appeal.”
Wow, just wow. In other words, kick it down the road, get the same answer and then appeal?
A quick look on Google Maps
Azure EdgartownA quick look on Google Maps shows at least one private pier in Caleb’s Pond so it seems to be contrary to law to prohibit a public pier as well. There are also plenty of moored boats in the pond so presumably residents are crossing the marsh somehow to get to their boats. The town and Land Bank should stand up for the rights of the public now and not wait a year.
THIS! Agreed
Amy EdgartownTHIS! Agreed
Couldn't agree more with the
Chappy Guy ChappyCouldn't agree more with the theme of the other comments. As is, this property does nothing more than soak up LB fees on $60mm of property sales for the benefit of immediate abutters. Importantly, I believe that a close read of Article VI of the zoning bylaw shows that the waters in Caleb's Pond are part of the Surface Water District DCPC, wherein "piers and piles" and also "boat ramps" may be allowed by Special Permit from the Planning Board. The coastal land on the site is within the Coastal District DCPC, wherein the proposed uses are also allowable, per 8.4.A and 8.4.B of the zoning bylaw. Shame on theConCom for their obstructionist behavior.
I absolutely agree with all
Penelope Dixon ChappyI absolutely agree with all of the comments. I’ve lived on Chappy for years and enjoyed driving by Calebs Pond every day. In the past I used to do oystering there, but the oysters are gone now. It would be wonderful to have more access and as it was purchased with our money, we should be able to do so. Like the other properties on Chappy, those privileged enough to have these properties when they were available, should not be able to keep them just for themselves, but need to share them with the public. I know that is hard for many rich people to understand.
It will be good to have
Chappy Res. Chappy year roundIt will be good to have access to that body of water for the public. There are names with sway in that area. It is a real shame to not work with the Land Bank on a modest modular/seasonally removable kayak access while they continue to allow more private tear down and rebuilds and new lawn with no habitat value negatively impacting the resource and water quality.
The Edgartown CC is sloppy, needing a refresh, biased towards those with sway, and put misplaced focus on wrong projects and politics while not holding the feet to the fire of new coastal private mansions who lawn up to the pond -
we will use this area, launch dock or not, for kayak access -
That’s the irony: people will
Beike Arnoltd ChappaquiddickThat’s the irony: people will launch kayaks regardless and they can legally cross the salt marsh to do so, especially if fishing, fowling, or navigating. The boardwalk and pier would have allowed the activity without impacting the environment. A single pier could also have been shared by all the neighbors (both waterfront and not), rather than every house littering the pond with piers. Shame on the town.
Caleb’s Pond: Neighbors have
Nelly ChappyCaleb’s Pond: Neighbors have piers, but Land Bank can’t. Cape Poge: Neighbors have moorings, but others can’t anchor. Francis Preserve: Neighbors have a private swim beach, but public can’t swim at Francis Preserve beach. Chappy is getting ridiculous and the town goes along with it. The state needs to step in and stop this illegal behavior.
The rich don't like us common
Ed from EdgartownThe rich don't like us common folk much.
All LB properties have a max
Gina Menemsha/NYCAll LB properties have a max of maybe 6 parking spaces so doubt this area will be over run
What a waste of money. The
PorterWhat a waste of money. The Land Bank could have bought a parcel with water access for 1.2M that would have benefited the entire island. The only beneficiaries of this deal are the abutters. I want my Land Bank taxes back. This borders on malfeasance by the Land Bank for using public money for private benefit.
What's happened to Edgartown?
Nelson Sigelman Vineyard HavenWhat's happened to Edgartown? Where are today's champions of public access? I remember Ted Morgan and Larry Mercier, men who fought hard for public rights and saw through the inevitable smokescreens. The town's North Neck parking lot is part of their legacy. Land Bank, press the issue; good people are on the con com. They'll come around. A simple boardwalk to provide canoe and kayak access is a reasonable request.
It's pretty interesting a
Mike EdgartownIt's pretty interesting a portion of our purchase prices can be used to purchase property that cannot be accessed by the people that contributed to its purchase. We need to rollback and reconsider and tax monies being used for purchases where the public cannot use it. I think the public can use it and can't wait to see how lawsuits shake out. Ask Greenwich Connecticut how they fared when they tried to deny public access to their beaches. Methinks the public will win, its just a question of when.
Calebs Pond is a beautiful,
Norma ChappaquiddickCalebs Pond is a beautiful, peaceful and rare spot. I appreciate the natural beauty of this small pond, where the light is gorgeous any time of day, I can see the state of the tide on my way to the ferry, and the birds fish without disturbance from the road. I also enjoy the opening of Calebs as seen from the outer harbor. That little peace of undisturbed water in it's pristine setting is a miracle to behold. It is so peaceful. It's a shame the shellfishing isn't what it used to be. We used to find dinner there. I am very happy to leave it to it's peaceful existence.I have many places to kayak, including the Land Bank put in on Cape Pogue. World class. We don't need to be everywhere.
Add new comment