Government
Thursday night meetings in the Olde Stone Building in Oak Bluffs have been well attended in recent weeks, perhaps a little reminiscent of 10 or 20 years ago when the Martha’s Vineyard Commission was reviewing development plans at a steady clip. But the crowds this time around, mainly made up of town officials and members of the building community, are there for a different reason as the commission conducts a biennial review of its checklist for developments of regional impact.
The Martha’s Vineyard Commission has approved a plan to expand the Sepiessa Affordable Housing development in West Tisbury.
The application from the Dukes County Regional Housing Authority and the Island Housing Trust will add three affordable housing units with six bedrooms to the housing development on Clam Point Road. Right now, the housing complex consists of four units with six bedrooms.
The development is located on a three-acre parcel of land with a Title V septic system.
West Tisbury selectmen this week approved a new tax rate and discussed whether to intervene in the sale of a prime lot at an old farm.
At a public hearing Wednesday the board voted to approve a single tax rate of $5.26 per $1,000 valuation. The rate is an increase of 0.34 over the fiscal year 2012 rate of $4.92, and comes in response to a 5.5 per cent increase in the tax levy and a 1.5 per cent decrease in town property values, board of assessors director Kristina West said.
The Aquinnah selectmen approved the start of the commercial bay scallop season, appointed members to the new Gay Head Lighthouse committee and set next year’s tax rate at their meeting Tuesday.
Commercial scalloping begins in Menemsha Pond in Aquinnah Dec. 10; the daily limit is two level bushels.
Shellfish constable Brian (Chip) Vanderhoop said there are “lots of scallops, so eat up.”
The Edgartown zoning board of appeals Wednesday upheld a cease and desist order prohibiting helicopter landing at the Boch home in Katama.
While an attorney for Barbara Boch cited Massachusetts law that allows Mrs. Boch, the widow of car dealership owner Ernie Boch, to land a helicopter on her property, the board cited neighbor concerns and precedent in affirming the building inspector’s cease and desist order.
The Edgartown selectmen are ready for Take Two in trying to find a buyer for the Warren House.
The town purchased the circa-1690 North Water street house for $3.5 million in 2004, with the idea of expanding the Edgartown Public Library, located next door. But this proved unfeasible, and the mansion, now in disrepair, was listed for sale in September.
The house was placed on the central register with minimum bids of $2.5 million. The town did not receive any bids by the end of November.