HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarch 18, 2022 NANTUCKET TOWN AREA PLAN WORK GROUP
Meeting Of March 18,2022
FINAL AND APPROVED MINUTES N -
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Attending: Mary Anne Easley,Marsha Fader, Mickey Rowland, Lee Saperstein, and Henry :
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Absent: Liz Almodobar, Regen Horchow,Alison King, and Mary Longacre. r- =41
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Attendance was verified by a roll call;there was a quorum at all times. The meeting was
recorded and can be viewed at"Meeting Recording:"
Meeting Recording:
https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/eYPGgOhylbLH-
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Access Passcode: 3B&dSe?L
Chair Henry Terry called the meeting to order at 4:02 pm. He gave an abstract of the official
notice of public participation in remote meetings and said that the meeting was being recorded.
There was unanimous consent to approve the posted agenda. Approval of the draft minutes for
the meeting of March 1, 2022,was moved by Mary Anne Easley, seconded by Mickey Rowland,
and approved unanimously by roll-call vote.
Henry Terry then called on Lee Saperstein to talk about a public survey of opinions to which he
replied that, in accord with the earlier Work Group discussion of surveys, he had met with
Andrew Vorce, Planning Director,to discuss possible forms of public participation of which a
survey was one. Andrew Vorce was in favor of a survey and wanted only to know how much it
might cost. The survey done by the Town Area Association of spas and hot tubs was mentioned;
its cost was $881. The Work Group request for a survey was approved. A blank Town
Association Survey is attached to show how one might look.
Mary Anne Easley suggested a process improvement, namely that one person receive suggested
questions and create a draft survey. Lee Saperstein said that he would gladly accept the draft
questions and that he would ask Henry Terry to help with editing the draft survey. He noted that
the Town Association survey had been edited thoroughly by staff of the NPEDC and expected us
to be treated similarly. Marsha Fader agreed that she liked a good survey but hated a poorly
assembled one. Would respondents know what a Plan or Area Plan looked like? It is clear that
an introductory paragraph to the survey that included links to the existing plans would be needed.
She asked for guidance on asking a good question to which Lee Saperstein suggested that the
Town Association survey can be used for that. He likes to succinctly describe a problem,then a
suggested remedy, and then ask for the respondent's support for the remedy. Using the Likert
Scale,there can be a graded response. He noted that parking in the Old Historic District could
make a good example.
Finding a parking place in the Old Historic District can be difficult. One suggested
remedy to the parking problem is to initiate paid parking in the district. In general,
without worrying about the details, do you favor paid parking?
Strongly disagree disagree somewhat disagree neutral somewhat agree agree strongly agree
A question on eligibility, i.e., residency, was answered by reference to the Town Association
survey where residents were sent a coded postcard and then asked to take the survey. Henry
Terry said that they had a good response but was concerned that the post office did not forward
postcards to off-Island addresses.
A question on non-residential people,retail business owners, hospitality proprietors, artists, etc.
was answered by saying that this was mentioned in the last meeting. From the minutes, "Alison
King volunteered that she had met with a representative of the Chamber of Commerce who
promised to send her a list of all Chamber members in the Town Area. She met also with a
representative of the Artists Association of Nantucket and they committed to sending her a list of
all artists with homes or studios in the Town. She promised to review the information provided
to ensure that the businesses and artists actually are within the Town area. These data on
businesses will help to formulate a response from the Economic Development sub-group, she
and Mary Longacre."
Marsha Fader then asked about quality-of-life issues such as noise and light pollution; how, she
wanted to know, can we enter them into the survey. Indeed, second-story decks and sitting
spaces can compound the problem and she was unsure how noise from them and their intrusive
nature could be controlled. A check on the Zoning Bylaw, Chapter 139, Zoning, of the Code of
the Town of Nantucket, showed that decks are mentioned only by what they are not,which is
ground cover. There was a discussion of regulation versus enforcement and how it is that many
regulations are frequently ignored because no one is policing them. Lee Saperstein said that their
sub-group could recommend a zoning change for decks, defining them and, like pools, increasing
the required separation of them from the property line.
Marsha Fader then asked if anyone knew how new developments controlled neighborhood noise.
Lee Saperstein suggested that it was a matter of lot size, ground cover, and required setbacks.
He noted that we have had several major new developments over the past decades: Woodbury,
Naushop,Nashaquisett, and now Richmond and they all depended on spacing to control noise.
Mickey Rowland said that there were different types of noise and their irritation factors could
vary: loud conversation, amplified music,pool and air conditioning machinery, and traffic.
Some of those sources can be shielded and others not.
Henry Terry asked,then, if there were any more comments. Hearing none, he suggested that
adjournment could come by acclamation and so it was.
Adjournment. 4:48 pm
The next meeting will be Tuesday,April 5,2022, at 4:00 pm. Please supply draft questions by
Monday,the 4th•
For reference: Subcommittee composition.
2. Land Use: Liz Almodobar and Mary Anne Easley
3. Housing: Marsha Fader and Mickey Rowland
4. Economic Development: Alison King and Mary Longacre
5.Natural and Cultural Resources: Liz Almodobar and Marsha Fader
6. Open Space and Recreation Plan: Mary Anne Easley and Henry Terry
7. Services and Facilities: Regen Horchow and Mickey Rowland
8. Circulation; Mary Longacre and Lee Saperstein
Lee W. Saperstein, Secretary, saperste@mst.edu.
Nantucket Town Association Survey
This is a survey about spas (also known as hot tubs) in Nantucket's Residential Old
Historic District (ROH) and 'Sconset Old Historic District (SOH). It has 16 questions and
will take lessthan five minutes to complete.
This survey is being conducted by the Town Association of the Nantucket Civic League.
Thepurpose of the survey is to help inform Town Boards and Nantucket voters about
what residents of the SOH and ROH think about hot tubs/spas/jacuzzis.
Thank you for completing the survey. Please know that your email, name and address
will NOTbe shared without your permission. It is being collected for the purpose of
auditing the number of responses and ensuring a valid survey.
* Required
1. Email
2. Your Name
3. Please select one: *
Mark only one oval.
( --) I own property in the Residential Old Historic District (Nantucket
CD Town)I own property in the Sconset Old Historic District
c) I live in ROH or SOH year round as a RENTER
C) I don't own property or live year round in ROH or SOH but I want to take this
surveyanyway
4. To ensure a valid survey, please indicate your ROH or SOH address, or indicate "n/a"
if you do not have one. *
5. Please enter the four digit code from the postcard you received in the mail. If you
didn't get a postcard, enter "No Code" . *
6. Which best describes how you use your residence in the ROH or SOH? *
Mark only one oval.
C) I am a year round resident
C--) I am a seasonal resident (3 or more months per year)
C ) I live less than 3 months a year in my ROH or SOH residence
�} Not applicable
7. Please choose one. *
Mark only one oval.
C) I offer all or part of my residence for rent 8 or more weeks per year
cD I offer all or part of my residence for rent 4 to 8 weeks per year
I offer all or part of my residence less than 4 weeks per year
I do not offer my residence for rent
C) I occasionally offer my residence for rent
C.) I prefer not to say
CD Not applicable
8. Please select all that apply: spas and hot tubs create *
Check all that apply.
I I Therapeutic benefits for homeowners
Benefits for neighborhoods
I I Noise pollution (from use)
I ( Noise pollution (from mechanical)
I I Visual impacts
- Light pollution
Privacy impacts
Odor impacts
I Energy use concerns
- Safety concerns
An attraction for mosquitos
- Drainage, stormwater management, and/or pool water disposal issues
9. Do you currently have an outdoor pool or spa/hot tub at your residence?
If you own more than one property in the ROH or SOH,answer yes if any of them have a hot tub or spa.
Mark only one oval.
}Yes
CD No
c D Prefer not to say
10. Size: current code defines a spa/hot tub as 150 sq. ft of surface area (e.g. 10'x15') or
less. Please choose one: *
Mark only one oval.
(} 150 sq. ft. is a good maximum size for a spa/hot tub
C) 150 sq. ft. is too large for a spa/hot tub - they should be smaller
() 150 sq. ft is too small for a spa/hot tub - they should be allowed to be larger
CD Size doesn't matter because I don't want hot tubs or spas in the ROH or SOH
11. Another size consideration about hot tubs and spas is the volume of water they
contain, which relates to how deep they are and how they may be used. Swimming
pools are defined as containing more than 1000 gallons. Please chose one: *
Mark only one oval.
C) spa/hot tubs should be limited to 1000 gallons or less.
The amount of water in the spa/hot tub is not an important issue to me
C) I don't know
C) Gallonage doesn't matter because I don't want hot tubs or spas in the ROH or SOH
12. Spas and hot tubs are not compatible with the historic character of the ROH and
SOH district *
Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statement.
Mark only one oval.
1 2 3 4 5
Strongly disagree cpC) cj cj cpStrongly Agree
13. Fences, berms, and tall, dense vegetation required to screen spas and hot tubs
from view can be a problem. *
Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statement.
Mark only one oval.
1 2 3 4 5
Strongly disagree () (J Strongly Agree
14. Is there anything else you would like to say (or any questions you have)
about hottubs and spas in the ROH or SOH?
15. Is there anything else you would like to tell us about quality of life in the
ROH orSOH?
16. Would you like your email address to be added to the Nantucket Town
AssociationMailing List, so we can let you know about future events and
initiatives?
Mark only one oval.
(� Yes
No
CD
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