The Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC), following a public hearing on April 1, approved a proposal by Kathryn and Michael (Gates) Rickard to add a retail section to their bakery, Rickard’s, on Cook Road in Tisbury.
“They approved us, and we are allowed to do what we wanted to do and are looking to provide the community with plenty of pastries,” Mr. Rickard said in a phone call last week. “We got a huge amount of support from the community, which we greatly appreciate, with over 20 letters written and several people who attended the hearing to say nice things about us.”
The MVC voted to approve a development of regional impact (DRI) modification to allow the Rickards to operate a 200-square-foot retail section in their 3,200-square-foot bakery, for the sale of breads and pastries made on the site and hot and cold beverages. The building had been restricted to wholesale business only, under a previous DRI decision in 1989.
The Rickards submitted a DRI modification application for the retail operation’s formal review in January. In pre-hearing meetings, the MVC’s land use planning committee’s main concern was how expanded business might impact affect traffic. In response, the Rickards agreed to not add lunchtime sandwiches to the menu.
“Right now, we don’t serve sandwiches, but we want to reserve the right to go back to the MVC in the fall for that possibility,” Mr. Rickard said last week.
The MVC may monitor traffic at the site this summer, to get a more accurate picture of how much business the retail sales generate, Mr. Rickard said, and he will provide sales numbers as well.
