West Tisbury voters approve affordable housing project

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The crowd at the West Tisbury special town meeting. — Photo by Edie Prescott

West Tisbury voters moved briskly through their special town meeting Tuesday, and approved all eight articles on the warrant in 48 minutes.

A total of 156 voters, or 6.3 percent of the town’s 2,494 registered voters, attended.

The Fire Station Lot Affordable Housing Project generated the most discussion. The proposed project is slated for town-owned property at 565 Edgartown Road, as part of the land originally donated in the 1950s by Susie Scott. Larry Schubert, chairman of the affordable housing committee, explained the land in question is about 4.9 acres.

The conceptual structure will have a maximum of 18 bedrooms and seven buildings with a Sepiessa Point Apartment design, and would leave a major portion of the property available to the town for future use. The Gretchen Manter ball field would remain, and its parking lot would get a proper surface. The density is approximately 1.8 apartments per acre.

“It will be a minimum amount of property, primarily just under the buildings, and the town will maintain control and ownership through a ground lease,” Michael Colaneri, vice chairman of the affordable housing committee, said.

Property abutter Michael Hull objected to the project. “It’s a very crowded area in terms of traffic every summer; we have the ball field, we have the fire station, the youth hostel, and we’re adding just a little bit more to what goes on in the area,” he said.

Sue Hruby asked if proper due diligence has been done. “I’m all for putting a project here, however I find 18 bedrooms alarming in that space,” she said. Ms. Hruby was looking for traffic and septic studies.

Many acknowledged that year-round affordable housing is badly needed.

“They are not derelicts,” said affordable housing committee member Ted Jochsberger. “They are people who do housework, who serve in our restaurants, work in our local stores, and even teach our children. Some are even our children and grandchildren who would like to return home, but can’t afford to live here.”

Doug Ruskin weighed in. “I just want to underline that the town has already voted to put affordable housing in this location, and this article is simply speaking to the mechanics in the first step of accomplishing that.”

The moderator asked the “counters” to come forward, as this was considered a “momentous decision” and required a two-thirds vote. Article 7 was passed 140-15, and cheers followed.

“This is a slam dunk,” said Ted Bayne.

The meeting began with a report by Dan Rossi, police chief and chairman of the West Tisbury highway building committee, who said that the Old Courthouse building was not meeting the needs of the highway department. He said the committee wanted to recommend a highway barn be built behind the public building safety property. Mr. Rossi described the proposed look of the new building. “It would meet the needs of the highway department for well over 20 years,” he said. The committee hopes to have a proposed cost of the project by December.

Only five of the eight articles, including housing, generated discussion. J.C. Murphy asked about the cost of a personnel bylaw change. “The $57,000, where will that be going to, and to whom?”

Gerry Gallagher, chairman of the personnel board, said there is a requirement that the board review job descriptions and pay scales every five years. “The $57,000 goes to the people who have to be adjusted in order to meet the new wage scale, which is a cross-section of just about everybody in the town,” he said. “It represents about a 2.3 percent increase over our previous wage scale. We feel this is competitive.”

Voters also approved $4,000 to erect a new light pole and street light at the intersection of Old County Road and State Road, and approved $6,000 for cemetery fence repair on the northwest side of the West Tisbury Cemetery.

“This is an attempt to remove an embarrassment,” selectman Richard Knabel said. “It’s disrespectful to the people who are buried there and to the families who have loved ones buried there, and we have to do something.”

Three articles passed unanimously and without discussion. Voters approved payment of a bill for $1,741 from Oakleaf Landscaping; a change in signage rules; and $12,500 for maintenance of the Howes House.