Surfside Crossing 40b
Nantucket Residents Josh Posner of Baxter Road in ‘Sconset and Jamie Feeley of Evergreen Way have proposed a 156 unit subdivision off of South Shore Road in Surfside. The project takes advantage of the Massachusetts 40b statute whereby a developer can bypass local zoning as long as 25% of the development is “affordable”. The proposal is a mix of apartments and single family houses. The land is currently zoned at two acres which could only allow a 7 lot subdivision.
The developers need to first receive a Project Eligibility Letter (PEL) from a State Subsidizing Housing Agency before the project can move forward in the permitting process. MassHousing has been chosen as that entity and is required to seek municipal input on the project before issuing the PEL. Last night the Selectmen voted to send a letter of opposition to the project which will be finalized in the coming weeks. The major impacts from the project will be traffic, noise, groundwater pollution, demands on public sewer and water infrastructure, endangered species, archaeological resources, and overall concerns about the density for this rural area.
The Land Council voiced its opposition to the project and will be ready with legal counsel and expert consultants when the application is officially made to the Nantucket Zoning Board of Appeals. Many residents have expressed outrage about the development and its size and intensity. It is doubly distressing that the developers are local residents Josh Posner and Jamie Feeley of Cottage and Castle, who are disrespecting their island neighbors and community to maximize personal gain.
Sewer Failure and Oil Discharge Update
The Town of Nantucket continues to investigate the causes of the catastrophic sewer main break from a few weeks back. The Town has set up a plan to investigate the entire length of the sewer main from the Nantucket Yacht Club out to the wastewater treatment plant in Surfside. Dewatering of two specific sites have occurred in order to excavate and expose the underlying sewer main. The Town hopes to understand the nature of the break and if the quality of the remaining portions of the sewer main are suitable for continued use. The Land Council will continue to monitor the Town’s progress. Many questions remain about the sewer system and potential deterioration that it has succumbed to over the years. The public needs to be satisfied that the overall integrity of the sewer system has been investigated to ensure that all potential pollution is prevented.
The State Department of Environmental Protection was on island yesterday to continue their investigation of the petroleum leak from the outfall at the Easy Street Bulkhead. The DEP is focusing on a certain area inland of the outfall to determine the source and potential cleanup options.