Aside from the contentious meeting about Tisbury School and setting a date for a special town meeting of Sept. 24, the board of selectmen had a relatively calm hour of town business.
The board held off, once again, setting aquaculture regulations for Lake Tashmoo and Lagoon Pond, after commercial fisherman Lynne Fraker made what town officials said were good points about those regulations, including setting an application fee, making sure the town keeps control over the leased area, and four pages of other issues.
The regulations will be brought back once some of Fraker’s suggestions are incorporated into the regulations.
Chris Schillaci, an official with the state Division of Marine Fisheries, was at the meeting, and said he would work with the town on setting regulations.
In other business, the board voted to send a letter to MassHousing about a proposed Chapter 40B development known as Harborwood LLC, at the former Hinckley’s Lumber site at 61 Beach Rd. The developer is proposing 68 housing units, including 17 for families below the 80 percent median income levels.
Chapter 40B is a state statute that allows projects with an affordable housing component to bypass some local zoning rules. The letter is the town’s initial reaction to the appropriateness of the development.
“This site is inappropriate for the proposed development, due to environmental constraints,” the letter states. “The site is located within the flood hazard zone and subject to inundation and flood surge. The development concept will lead to a loss of flood storage capacity, and likely increase the flood hazard for the area.”
Stormwater drainage, emergency access during strong storms, flood insurance issues, and the ability to have a wastewater facility were also cited in the letter. “The increased traffic from the project cannot be accommodated by the local intersections and roads.”
Robert Sawyer, who has been the spokesman for the project, could not be immediately reached for comment.
Selectmen also approved the hiring of Michael Cutrer as a special police officer, and appointed five crossing guards — Rosemary Littlefield, Stephen Nichols, Rita Reynolds, Cheryl Pinkham, and John Rollins. Rollins will help Tisbury School students headed to Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, Police Chief Mark Saloio said.
The library’s annual 5K race to West Chop Lighthouse was also approved, for Sept. 22 at 9 am.
