HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune 6 23 } 'tom.•
st'
202
TOWN AREA PLAN WORK GROUP 3 JJN 22 aM
Meeting of June 6,2023,at 3:00 pm by Zoom
FINAL AND APPROVED MINUTES
Attending: Mary Anne Easley, Marsha Fader,Alison King (arrived at 3:11 pm), Mary Longacre, Mickey
Rowland,Lee Saperstein, and Henry Terry.
Absent: Regen Horchow.
Attendance was verified by a roll call;there was a quorum at all times. The meeting was recorded and
can be viewed at the following address:
1. Call to Order.
Chair Henry Terry called the meeting to order at 3:00 pm. Mary Longacre reviewed the rules on remote-
attendance meetings,which have been amended recently, and said also that this meeting would be
recorded. Henry Terry called the roll, live, and confirmed the reported attendance.
2. Agenda Approval.
Henry Terry asked for approval of the agenda; Mary Anne Easley moved approval, Marsha Fader
seconded, and it was approved unanimously.
3. Minutes Approval.
Mary Longacre suggested that the explanatory notes added by the Secretary had not been discussed at
the meeting and were therefore inappropriate for the minutes. Lee Saperstein said that these notes were
part of the Master Plan Summary provided to the Work Group at its formative meeting by the Planning
Director. Mary Longacre then suggested that, since it was being discussed at this meeting, it would be
all right to include them in these minutes. Hence,the quote from the Master Plan Summary read by
Marsha Fader at the last meeting and the additional explanatory notes, underlined, are included here.
"Land Use Plan: identifies present land use and designates the proposed distribution, location,
and inter-relationship of public and private land uses. This element shall relate the proposed
standards of population density and building intensity to the capacity of land available or planned
facilities and services. A land use plan map illustrating the land use policies of the municipality
shall be included." (quotation taken from the Master Plan Summary provided to us by PLUS
personnel.)
Explanatory notes added by PLUS personnel to the language of the General Law in the Master
Plan Summary:
• "Rezoning properties in the R-1 district to other districts, likely including a combination of
ROH,R-5, and/or R-5L.
•Rezoning of large parcels along the west end of Main Street and North Liberty Street.
• Consideration of ROH district standards such as ground cover and height for possible revision."
1
Mary Longacre then moved approval of the amended minutes of the meeting of May 19,2023,which
was seconded by Marsha Fader; the motion passed unanimously.
4. Public and Member Comments.
There were no members of the public present,hence no public comments.
5. Discussion of Area Plan.
Henry Terry invited Marsha Fader and Mickey Rowland to discuss their current Progress Report,
number 3, on Housing. This report had been circulated earlier by Henry Terry and was also displayed on
a"Share Screen"by Mary Longacre; it is appended to these minutes.
Marsha Fader explained that the report was divided into four sections: Inspiration, Housing Issues
Identified with No Data, Housing Issues to Be Supported with Data, and Action Plan. She started by
saying that she had reviewed Master Plans from other nearby coastal communities and learned a lot from
the Cohasset Master Plan. She noted that the Cohasset Plan included a substantial portion on housing.
The second section in her deport, on housing with no associated data, lists issues that have been
discussed by the Work Group but which have no readily accessed data. Some of these issues were raised
in responses to the questionnaire and others came from group discussions. It was noted that data may be
sought from sources within the Planning Department and that contact with Megan Trudel, Land Use
Specialist, might help. The data in section 3. came from the GIS Coordinator,Nathan Porter, and need
additional clarification, such as the location of the developable parcels and lot. She finished this
presentation by asking if the Work Group wished to recommend that the developable parcels be
dedicated to housing.
Mary Anne Easley noted that many of the questionnaire responses to the question on providing housing
for others within their homes suggested that they,the homeowners, definitely needed more information
from the Town on what is allowable and frequently could use subsidies to provide winterization and the
required conveniences required by the Town's Code: second entrance, separate bathroom and kitchen,
etc. Marsha Fader noted that there is little information for seasonal owners who have empty houses.
Mary Anne Easley responded that our Work Group should not be recommending accommodations that
are not year-round, i.e.,the"Nantucket Shuffle". Lee Saperstein added that we should look at the
definitions in the zoning code of accessory dwellings, apartments, second and tertiary residences, and
tiny houses to see if we wish to recommend amendments that could make it easier to rent a portion of
one's home. It will take amendments to the zoning code and the zoning use chart to realize any
suggested amendment.
There was a brief conversation on deed restrictions, such as those that prevent sub-division of a lot or
construction of a second dwelling, and it was noted that many of these expire after 30 years if not
renewed.
2
Lee Saperstein suggested that the Town does have data on Short-Term Rentals, STR,that is acquired
through the STR permitting and taxing requirements. Thus,we might get an idea of how many STRs
there are in the Town Area. This would be another data question for Megan Trudel. He also praised the
Progress Report by noting that it will help to inform the Master Plan even if only by identifying issues
that need further work. Mary Longacre noted that the small area plans, such as this one for the Town
Area, are meant to identify distinguishing characteristics of a neighborhood and are not meant to cover
the entire Town. Lee Saperstein also asked Mary Longacre if the NPEDC had met with the planners on
Marthas Vineyard or other Cape communities. She answered that officials from the six towns on the
Vineyard had met by Zoom with Nantucket officials to discuss a variety of issues,not specifically
planning.
Marsha Fader then asked if the small area plans will be assisted by consultants. Mary Longacre said that
it was her understanding that a consultant will be used to help with the Master Plan but that the small
area plans were to be written by local-area volunteers who would be knowledgeable of the distinctive
characteristics of their own neighborhoods. Marsha Fader then said that it is disappointing that the Town
Area, which surrounds the Commercial Downtown, CDT, does not include it. Mary Longacre
recognized the physical proximity and added that the substantial difference in character meant that a
work group that included both would be unwieldly large. Lee Saperstein suggested that the Town Area
Plan could allude to those features in the CDT that impact the Town Area heavily. He suggested also
that it might be of interest to learn how many full-time and seasonal residents live in the CDT; also, if
there are any STRs in it. Responding to Mickey Rowland's question about the status of the Master Plan,
Mary Longacre said that it belongs actually to the Planning Board and she is uncertain as to its status.
In preparation for the close of the meeting,Henry Terry summarized the data needs for housing. Mary
Longacre suggested that a list of these be given to Megan Trudel who can seek answers. He then
announced that the next meeting will feature a report on economic development. It will be Friday, June
16, 2023, at 4:00 pm EDT. Next,he asked if work group members would accept a permanent change to
the start time for the Tuesday meetings to 3:00 pm. The response was unanimously positive. At that
point, Mary Longacre moved adjournment of the meeting, Mickey Rowland seconded it, and the vote to
adjourn was unanimous.
6. Adjourn.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:50 pm
The next scheduled meeting is Friday,June 16,2023, at 4:00 pm. This meeting will be by Zoom.
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
3
Lee W. Saperstein, Secretary, saperste@mst.edu
PROGRESS REPORT#3: HOUSING
Marsha L. Fader Et Mickey Rowland
6.5.23
Outreach: MASS Area Plan Examples, Megan Trudel,Alan Worden, Preservation Institute/PIN
1. Inspiration Off-island, coastal Massachusetts Town Area Plans have become the inspiration for encourag-ing
and supporting efforts at greater research and data-gathering.
Example: Cohassset Master Plan: While this is a plan for a larger area than what is in our
boundaries, it does set a more objective, well-founded standard with data, analysis, and scope of
the study.
Professionally prepared, this plan includes the following on pages 28-49
(https://www.cohassetma.org/Docu- mentCenter/View/1851/Cohasset-Master-2019-Plan---Final):
Introduction • Key Findings • Demographics (Population, Households, Race Ft Enthnicity) • Income
• Housing Characteristics • Housing Market • Development • Affordability • Municipal Tools •
Public Input
• Housing Goals & Recommendations
We are currently working with none of this information!
2. Housing Issues Identified with No Data
• Plenty of Housing - but Empty,Seasonal Houses
• Not Enough Year-round Use of Existing Housing
• Preservation of Historic Houses
• Quality of Life Challenges
• Zoning Relevance
• Loss of Mixed-Use Zoning
3. Housing Issues to be Supported With Data
• Demographics: Who lives here?
Of 1531 Residential lots on 256.25 acres, how many are year-round?
what age groups, income, etc are served?
• Lot Study: Identify, Locate& Understand:
53 Developable parcels on 9.98 acres.
1 Potentially Developable lot on .07 acres
13 Undevelopable lots on 3.68 acres
• Housing Options: Focus on:
- description of what housing exists (housing size on lot size, etc.)
- study evolution of town layout & zoning allowances & its impact
- identify the anomalies
- identify the opportunities
4.Action Plan: Outreach: MASS Area Plan Examples, Megan Trudel,Alan Worden, Preservation Institute/PIN
This is the first and only Town Area Master Plan. The town within our defined boundaries is what is
essential Nantucket - unique from any other historic town in the US. It is a critical and rare
4
opportunity to study close- ly and study with a broad view. This study requires an outreach.
We have commitments from Megan Trudel, Alan Worden, and the Preservation Institute/PIN for help
with the questions listed above and we will continue to seek assistance to create a foundation for
strong, data-sup- ported recommendations. What we have identified may not be supported by data
and vice versa, there may be issues uncovered with the study of relevant data.
5