The Town of Nantucket is holding its Annual Town Meeting on Monday, April 1, 2019 beginning at 6pm in the auditorium of the Nantucket Public High School. There are a number of issues including those related to zoning, appropriation for road improvements, bike path extensions, groundcover ratio bylaw change, and the leasing of town owned land, among others. Click here to read the 2019 Annual Town Meeting Warrant.
For every Annual Town Meeting the NLC reviews the warrant and offers the following 2019 recommendations based on articles that would have a negative or positive effect on the environment, natural resources of the island and quality of life. Click for a printable version of the NLC’s 2019 Annual Town Meeting Voter Recommendation Sheet.
Articles 11, 12 & 17 Various Road Transportation Improvements
The Land Council traditionally does not take a position on these types of appropriation requests. However, we wanted to remind voters that without further controls on future growth and build-out, the Town will continually ask for these types of infrastructure improvements well into the foreseeable future. Additionally, in regards to Article 17, the Land Council believes the Town should have done more to put the cost of Lovers Lane improvements on the Richmond Development off of Old South Road and not the taxpayers.
Article 14 YES Landfill Closure Costs
The Land Council supports the capping and closure of those landfill cells identified in the Warrant.
Article 16 YES Orange St Bike Path Extension
The Land Council supports efforts to remove vehicles from the road and encourage more sustainable less polluting modes of transportation.
Article 32 YES Community Preservation Fund Appropriations
The Land Council supports the proposed Open Space Conservation/Recreation appropriations.
Article 36 YES Island Wide Municipal Energy Study
The Land Council supports this strategy to develop a baseline energy study.
Article 38 through 46 YES Zoning Map Change Various RC-2 Properties
The Land Council supports the planning board’s continuing efforts to eliminate the RC-2 district and replace it with a more appropriate zoning area.
Article 47 YES Zoning Bylaw Amendment to change Groundcover Ratio in the Residential Old Historic District.
The Land Council supports reducing the groundcover ratio from 50% to 40%. This will help to reduce impervious surfaces in a critical Nantucket Harbor watershed. The reduction of impervious surfaces will help alleviate an already insufficient stormwater system.
Article 50 NO Zoning Map Change VTEC to VN
The Land Council disagrees with the proposal and supports the neighbors who oppose this change.
Article 53 YES Zoning Bylaw Amendment Swimming Pools
The proponent offered revised and scaled down language at the Planning Board public hearing. The Land Council supports the intent of this article and sees that swimming pools in some areas of the island are inappropriate. We are also concerned about the maintenance of pools and their affects on the environment and groundwater.
Article 60 NO Zoning Bylaw Amendment Secondary Lots
The Land Council agrees with the Planning Board’s negative recommendation. We will continue to carefully review and comment on future changes to the Secondary Lot provision that will be excessive and incompatible with our island’s carrying capacity limitations.
Article 62 YES Solar Energy Overlay District
The Land Council agrees with the creation of a solar energy district for the landfill site.
Article 63 NO Clarification of Height Limitations in Certain Flood Zones
The Land Council feels more thought, study and input is necessary on this article. The residents of all affected areas need to be notified about the changes and potential ramifications. The HDC should provide their comment and recommendation.
Article 66 YES Noise Bylaw Change
The Land Council agrees with the proposed changes that will improve the effectiveness of the noise bylaw.
Article 69 & 70 YES Sewer District Map Changes
The Land Council supports these properties entering the sewer district because of their location in certain watershed areas.
Article 72 YES Bylaw Amendment
The Land Council supports the adoption of this code to improve energy efficiency.
Article 74 YES Whale Heritage Site
The Land Council supports the proposed designation.
Article 75 YES Rental Registration System
The Land Council agrees with the intent of the article and thinks the Town should further investigate this concept.
Article 83 NO Use of Town Owned Sankaty Bluff and Beach Land
The Land Council continues to have serious concerns about the geotube expansion project and recommends that Town owned land not be used as proposed.
Article 84 & 85 NO Yard Sale Acquisition and Conveyance
The Land Council would like to see a more comprehensive approach to the Yard Sale paper road program for the Madaket area that takes into consideration the amount of additional impervious groundcover that could be created. We are also concerned about the many currently undisturbed paper roads that would be converted to lawns and gardens maintained with fertilizers and pesticides.