A key Martha’s Vineyard Commission subcommittee informally, but strongly, recommended rejecting the 54-acre, 29-lot Meeting House Way subdivision on Monday.
A key Martha’s Vineyard Commission subcommittee informally, but strongly, recommended rejecting the 54-acre, 29-lot Meeting House Way subdivision on Monday, leaving the fate of the expansive project in limbo three days before it is set to go before the full body for a final vote.
“This is a character issue,” said longtime commissioner Linda Sibley at the land use planning committee meeting Monday night. “It’s enough that we have to deal with individual McMansions out there. But there’s something about the character of this development that isn’t compatible . . . I can’t see this. No, I can’t vote for it.”
The LUPC generally votes a recommendation on most development of regional impact (DRI) projects before they come before the full commission for a decision. The commission is not bound to follow the recommendation.
On Monday, commissioners decided rather than take a vote, to simply take a straw poll on the Meeting House development — the largest subdivision to come before the commission in decades. Commissioners said the consensus was so clear, it would not be worth running through a list of proposed conditions for the project.
The straw poll was 8-2 against the project. All commissioners eligible to vote on the project were present save four: Ernie Thomas, Josh Goldstein, Gail Barmakian and James Joyce.
“Where do we draw the line? Where do we finally say enough of development, of suburbanization of Martha’s Vineyard?” asked commission chairman Doug Sederholm. “I think it’s too much.”
The applicant, Douglas K. Anderson, is a Utah-based developer who bought the property with in 2017 for $6.6 million. He has been represented by Edgartown attorney Sean Murphy and engineer Douglas Hoehn at commission hearings.
On Monday, Mr. Murphy said he would take the commission’s straw poll back to Mr. Anderson and decide over the next days whether they wanted to pull the project without prejudice or let it move on to the full deliberation and vote this Thursday. If the commission votes to formally deny the project, the applicant has the option to appeal the decision in superior court.
Executive assistant with the commission Lucy Morrison confirmed on Tuesday that the commission heard back from the applicant and that they want to proceed as planned with deliberations on Thursday.
The Meeting House Way subdivision has labored through the commission’s permitting process for nearly two years, receiving two full redesigns before coming back for its third public hearing before the commission over the past month and a half. A previous iteration of the plan was similarly rejected by the LUPC in a heated 7-2 vote in the summer of 2019, after which developers went back to the drawing board.
The project is proposed for vacant land off Meeting House Way in Edgartown that contains rare moth habitat and natural heritage land.
The current iteration of the plan has evolved from the original proposal in 2018, with smaller maximum home sizes, more open space, and the inclusion of 14 deed-restricted town-homes priced at approximately $400,000. The 28-lot project has a maximum home size of 3,800 square feet, significant energy and nitrogen standards, and a more than $1 million affordable housing offer that would go to the Edgartown affordable housing committee.
But commissioners on Monday — framing the subdivision as a defining moment for the body and the Island — said the changes were not enough for a project they felt already teetered much too far on the fulcrum of development versus preservation.
“This is one of the inflection point decisions for the MVC,” said commissioner Ben Robinson. “This is such a complex project, and I think we should be striving for simplicity. And the complexity belies the problem — that we can’t even get through the list of offers, to even get to what we would consider conditions, because it is so complex, because it is so big, and because it is essentially unwarranted for the Island.”
Most others agreed and said it would take significant changes to alter their decision. They included Ms. Sibley, Mr. Sederholm, Mr. Robinson, Joan Malkin, Rob Doyle, Fred Hancock, Jim Vercruysse and Christina Brown.
Two commissioners — Clarence A. (Trip) Barnes and LUPC chairman Richard Toole — indicated they would vote yes on the project, saying that the applicant had followed all the commission’s recommendations and that a rejection would be unjustifiable. Mr. Barnes had previously voted to approve an earlier version of the project at an LUPC meeting back in 2019.
“They’ve done almost everything we suggested they do, at every iteration, and it keeps getting better and better and it has come a long way since day one, when I would have said no way,” Mr. Toole said. “I am concerned about, we keep moving the goalposts. When this thing started, the rules were such and such, and now they seem to be stricter.”
Mr. Barnes said the project was “as good as it was going to get.”
“I think they’ve done a hell of a job, they’ve changed it around . . . it’ll bring in money for the town. I’m for it,” Mr. Barnes said.
But after the straw poll, Mr. Toole decided it wasn’t worth running through the applicant’s offers, instead letting them use the poll as a bellwether for their decision to either go on with or delay the scheduled vote on Thursday.
“I think the applicant heard the bad news,” Mr. Toole said. “I think we’re asking for a big change here.”
Deliberations are officially scheduled for the meeting of the commission's full body on Thursday, at 7 p.m. over Zoom.
Comments
I'm shocked!!! The MVC has
Ken Rusczyk Oak BluffsI'm shocked!!! The MVC has rarely met a development that it doesn't dislike. The beat goes on.....and on.....
Don’t build nothin’ nowhere.
David New EnglandDon’t build nothin’ nowhere. No how. And then complain about housing for people who work here. Don’t build nothin’ nowhere no how. Never again. Nope - you just want a park.
The average person who lives
Island meadow EdgThe average person who lives and works here cannot afford these homes. They would most likely be vacation homes.
I live here yes round and yes
a local EdgartownI live here yes round and yes am one who has trouble finding housing and this is not the answer. This is wealth looking out for wealth and the man from Utah is not concerned about the integrity of the island and protecting it.
Once again, I express my
Lorraine EdgartownOnce again, I express my opposition to this development. It is going to change the character of that area in ways that are conducive to the quiet enjoyment of abutters property. Taking a bicycle trip though that area on a lovely autumn day is so peaceful and green and glorious. A project of that size with the accompanying dwellings, garages, vehicles, dogs, bikes, skate boards, roller blades, music blasting, car washing, all the detritus of suburban living; no thanks and no thanks and no thanks, thank you very much.
A bike trip down the dirt
Bob EdgartownA bike trip down the dirt road is anything but peaceful and quiet. Where is your uproar over the Hob Knob Inn proposal for downtown Edgartown? What about those neighbors and abutters that are going to have a parking lot created next to a bedroom window!! And that is in a residential district. You talk about character you are changing a residential zone into commercial zone with that proposal. Wake up your friends on that one.
"dwellings, garages, vehicles
bs Oak Bluffs"dwellings, garages, vehicles, dogs, bikes, skate boards, roller blades, music blasting, car washing" None of these things were happening in your neighborhood either before it was built. Typical NIMBY response.
So are you willing to pay the
Really West TisburySo are you willing to pay the taxes on that property? My guess is not but you are willing to leverage a minority opinion, or at least a minority of year round islander opinions, to make it seem as though that development is evil. Let’s be clear development provides jobs, good job and not just temporary jobs. The fact that there are people, many born and raised here, that are actually trying earn money on this island and not just use it as a vacation/seasonal get away. Year round island working residents need more protection to earn wages.
Thank you MVC subcommittee
martha edgartownThank you MVC subcommittee for wisely upholding the goals of the Martha's Vineyard Commission's existence as a protection from the further suburbanization of our precious Island. As far as more tax dollars and jobs coming from this project, go to the early morning incoming ferries and see the hundreds of workers coming with lunch pails and backpacks to work on the hundreds of construction sites already in progress. Enough is Enough!! Thank you for a no vote on this destructive development. Our beautiful Great Pond is reason enough but everything about this project is a negative for this Island. Thank You!
Thank you MVC for totally
William EdgartownThank you MVC for totally missing the mark and blowing it once again for the real workforce and people of martha’s vineyard. Here was your opportunity to do something and yet you still managed to screw us again..
You got that right. Screwed
Jake MVYou got that right. Screwed all of us again by the self righteous MVC narrow view of the world who cannot follow their own rules. Your legitimacy is highly questionable and your credibility is damaged. You have not acted for those of us Nor in our best interests on the island but only for your own narrow special interests which is NOT consistent which the Charter powers granted the MVC. You have really screwed this one up.
Good to see the MVC
Mark EdgartownGood to see the MVC protecting the character of the island.
Thanks to the members of the
island girl islandThanks to the members of the MVC -- just because you have talked about changing the plan and imposing different or more restrictive conditions doesn't justify this large project in any way No matter how you try to squeeze this project in it is too large and too complex. Keep things smaller, less suburban and enormously simpler. We are an island; we don't need, and shouldn't wish to resemble "anwhere" USA. These projects are purely and simply about makimg money - lots of it! There is very little that is either beneficial or desirable. I am very disappointed by Trip's vote and even more by Richard Toole's. I know both as very good people and Richard as a committed conservationists. They must have seen a different plan................or they got hood winked.
I so agree with you on every
Island meadow EdgI so agree with you on every point!
This is all about profit for someone in Utah!
This kind of building has to stop. I don’t want to live in the Hamptons. I chose to live here for what this island represents to my family and how we choose to live. We need to listen to Emily Reddington. The Edgartown Great Pond is a precious estuary and we don’t want to see it destroyed over time solely for profit. Someone mentioned that the town would benefit from this. This kind of thinking is dangerously short sighted.
The island is becoming a
Local EdgartownThe island is becoming a suburb and losing the character we love one bigger ferry and small development at a time. Thank you to those on the Committee for understanding that the island is not an endless resource to exploit. Enough is enough. We don’t want more houses for off islanders to rent. Thank you for protecting and preserving the integrity of the island.
Good news!
Mack and the boys West TisburyGood news!
A sad day. The team proposing
Greg M IslanderA sad day. The team proposing this has followed all of the rules and was willing to help address housing needs for everyday folks like teachers, fire fighters and policemen who’ve been priced out of the market. I see a lawsuit soon. This is incredibly selfish of the haves, and the haves are doing their best to keep us have nots continue with our struggle to raise a family here. For shame.
Even developers are allowed
Reject this project VHEven developers are allowed to lick their wounds.
Though the intent of the MVC
Island Resident EdgartownThough the intent of the MVC is to protect and preserve our Island, I suggest everyone read their founding constitution. The State has allowed a completely subjective and mostly unscientific determination by our residents concerning land use. I would guess someday a Federal court will bust the ability of voting members to turn down projects when there is really no scientific basis or other stated standards. My comments are not about this project, just the unfair methods used to make determinations at the MVC. So I say continue on, until a Federal Judge finally looks at this method of determining proper land use.
Thank you Thank you....We can
Diane EdgartownThank you Thank you....We can not support this type of development. Our infrastructure is too weak. We are an island with limited resources starting with sewage . Can you imagine these houses when they rent out to large groups of people. We are at our limit as an island. We can’t even build a sustainable grocery and postal system for our current residents . Please, Please we need a moratorium on all building.
A moratorium is not declared
Moratorium MVA moratorium is not declared but is it in effect and real.
Of course I don’t want to see
Shelley EdgartownOf course I don’t want to see further development on the Vineyard. It is not the same place it was 40 years ago, and I don’t like it. But I am one for always pointing out hypocrisy: Once people have their own piece of the pie, they then start denying others the same. Just saying...
The pie has been consumed and
martha edgartownThe pie has been consumed and we're out of pie. This Island can only be spread so thin and then it's over. It's not hypocrisy it's 2020 reality.
Pie? Allow me to ask you this
Island Resident EdgartownPie? Allow me to ask you this. Towns are taxing absentee land owners at full buildable value. Then when the same landowner wants to follow local zoning, the MVC says sorry, you can't follow local zoning. If you want to restrict building, change the zoning, or stop taxing people at full value. You can't have your pie and eat it too.
Real nice one MVC - real
William EdgartownReal nice one MVC - real shame and loss for the low and middle income residents of the island. Now we all get to look forward to seeing the five mansions go up here while the island workforce gets screwed again. There goes $1M toward affordable homes for us and another 14 affordable townhomes one of us could have had a chance to buy.
Classic MVC can’t see the forest for the trees. Island residents get nothing and the land gets developed anyways - MVC screws up again.
Real unfortunate - MV commissioners you should all be quite ashamed of yourselves.. Embarrassing.
Of the 338 unsold homes for
SandyOf the 338 unsold homes for sale today, 72% are priced over$900,000. It appears that the high end market supply is pretty saturated already. If the MVC approved this and the developers went bankrupt, or even threatened to, how would that work out? It is not a difficult scenario to imagine, given the raging pandemic and the long streak of price increase.
I hear a lot of comments lamenting lost employment potential, is that our seasonal workforce speaking up? Many people in the construction trades work seasonally and collect government benefits in the winter. Others commute daily by car and ferry from southeastern Massachusetts. I doubt they are leaving the comments on this website.
Interestingly, it seems every other comment here is anti-MVC. Unusual for the demographic that reads the Gazette, it makes one wonder who is writing the comments. Surely not the people hoping to purchase a town home several years from now with unknown association fees, covenants, possible condo fees, income restrictions, and eligibility, and surely not the aforementioned tradespeople. Hmmm
Thank you MVC. I'm not for
TisKid VHThank you MVC. I'm not for any developments until I can get into Edgartown from Ocean Heights in less than 15 minutes during the summer, until I go a couple years without traffic jams in VH, until it doesn't take an hour and a half to get a package at the post office, until Chilmark becomes more reasonable with their zoning, etc. But not before.
Trip Barnes needs to go. How
Maria Rose TisburyTrip Barnes needs to go. How is he even my Tisbury representative when he doesn’t even live in my town? We all know he lives in West Tisbury. Trip, care to respond?
Thank you MVC!!
BF EdgartownThank you MVC!!
Thats exactly what you’re there for!!
Now, please, we beg you, protect our downtown by denying the proposed Hob Knob atrocity!
This project doesn't come
JayEff EdgartownThis project doesn't come close to passing the stink test. If the MVC approves it, we have to start raising the questions (1) is the MVC working to it's mandate and (2) is it time to close the MVC down. Aside from all the very solid reasons cited to reject it, do we need some developers to swoop in to MV, look to make some money and go back to Utah? This is what the MVC is supposed to protect us against. MVC: do your job and kill this once and for all!
The message is clear from the
William K. Edg.The message is clear from the MVC. No more developers. Especially, if you are from off island. Why not just make it a rule? The developers could have saved $6.6 million the interest on that money for 2 years and the development and legal costs incurred so far.
There. It is a rule. No developments, no golf courses, no, no, no. Now that 54 acres is worth nothing and the Land Bank can buy it for pennies on the dollar. Good job. Who cares about the off islanders that lost all that money?
Certainly not the MVC. No island developer would purchase land because they are smarter than that. Not really smarter they just know from experience that there is no chance that the MVC would allow anything like that to be built.
I would like to thank the MVC on behalf of the seller of that land. They got $6.6 million from an off islander foolish enough to think they could make a profit. Silly people.
I would also like to thank the MVC because my house will now be more valuable since no one else can build here. Thank you.
My advice to the developers? Withdraw the project. Sub divide to 8 lots that conform to minimum zoning allowing you to avoid the MVC. Sell the large lot that is leftover to the next unknowing victim. The law and right to improve property have no place here. We do what we want. Sell to someone who does not know that.
Taking property rights away
Mark Island GroveTaking property rights away from citizens. Time for a big law suit. Where does Edgartown stand on this?
Tax dollars lost.
Now that the project has been
KebOB Oak BluffsNow that the project has been denied, trust me it has! The location would be perfect for a pig farm. And we all know that Martha's Vineyard needs more pork.
I am so saddened to see such
HowWillWeProceed VHI am so saddened to see such fervent talk about "the character" of the island, when that phrase really does seem like a euphemism for classism. Please explain to me how on earth you are going to preserve the character of this place when the only people who will be able to afford to live here are millionaires/billionaires? Doesn't anyone understand that the character you are trying to preserve is predicated on having thriving middle and working class families here to assist in the very work of preservation that you are all so eager to implement? Where is the logic? We are headed for Nantucketville, and it is all because of housing. Period. "Sad," as Donald Trump would say before shrugging and slumping off to the golf course...again..
It should all be 1/4 acre
Dee Ouchman Isles of LangerhansIt should all be 1/4 acre lots of low income housing!
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