Aquinnah selectmen review HPP draft

0
Aquinnah will be developing a strategic plan to create affordable housing over the next ten years. —file photo

Aquinnah board of selectmen met Tuesday and discussed the town’s housing production plan (HPP), a state-recognized planning tool that permits the town to have some say in the location, type, and pace of affordable housing development. According to a draft prepared by Roslindale-based JM Goldson Community Preservation and Planning and Boston-based RKG Associates, Aquinnah has exceeded the state’s goal that 10 percent of year-round housing units be affordable to low- or moderate-income households.

As a result, the town’s HPP doesn’t have a regulatory purpose; instead, Aquinnah has undertaken the effort to establish a strategic plan over the next 10 years for production and preservation of affordable housing as part of an Island-wide effort to complete HPPs for all six towns on Martha’s Vineyard.

The primary housing needs in Aquinnah are more affordable homeownership units, more diverse housing options that provide alternatives to conventional single-family houses, and more market-rate and affordable rental units.

Development constraints summarized in the draft dealt with environmental impacts, regulatory barriers, and infrastructure capacity. Of the approximately 3,500 acres in Aquinnah, 380 acres are permanent wetlands and an additional 170 are seasonal wetlands. The variable nature of soil in Aquinnah requires a site-by-site analysis to identify proper uses for the land. Aquifers range from very poor to variable, and in areas where groundwater is found, there is uncertainty as to its quantity and quality. No parcels within Aquinnah are served by town water, and the variability of soils can make locating wells challenging. Wastewater treatment primarily relies on onsite disposal systems, with the exception of the wastewater facility on Wampanoag tribal lands, which is currently operating at 25 percent of capacity.

“Although Aquinnah’s zoning bylaws provide strong development limitations to protect the community’s natural resources and scenic beauty, the bylaws include provisions for compact siting and various mechanisms to promote creation of affordable housing,” the draft stated.

The town will allow smaller lot sizes in certain areas, and new developments of cluster housing will have well-designed cottage-style homes and duplexes disguised as single-family homes to preserve open space and scenic views. Some homeowners will create year-round affordable accessory apartments, and some owner-occupied duplexes will include an affordable unit.

Another goal is to create a walkable town center along State Road with a mix of uses, including town offices, residences, recreation areas, and home businesses.

Tribal and town governments will explore collaborative housing ventures and sharing resources, and zoning changes and new types of housing may also be considered and built on tribal lands.

Potential sites were off Lighthouse Road, Jeffers Way, State Road, two off Black Brook Road, and another near Old South Road.