MVC reopens 54-acre subdivision public hearing

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A screenshot from drone footage of the 54-acres in Edgartown. — Martha's Vineyard Commission

The Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) will reopen the public hearing on the large 54-acre, 28-lot Edgartown subdivision project dubbed Meeting House Place after additional offers were made.

The project, which began its development of regional impact (DRI) process in February, significantly altered its design in August after meeting with the commission.

The project proposes to offer a significant contribution to affordable housing by building a cluster of 10 below-market-rate townhouses for first-time homebuyers and “empty nesters,” along with a $1 million contribution to Edgartown affordable housing, and a 1 percent fee paid to Edgartown affordable housing on any future sale of the development’s homes.

In September, the MVC’s Land Use Planning Committee voted to recommend the full commission deny the controversial project — one of the largest the MVC has reviewed. Commissioners felt the Island does not need the proposed 28 4,800-square-foot homes with added garages.

A decision by the full commission has been postponed several times.

On Monday, the MVC received the additional offers from applicant Doug Anderson, who requested the public hearing be reopened.

In a press release, the MVC said it is obliged to consider the revised plans and offers. “This is not an unprecedented action. There have been numerous DRIs that proceeded through many iterations before a final decision was made,” the release states.

The new proposal will be separately labeled on the MVC website. The public hearing is expected to be sometime in January. Updated offers and designs will be put on the MVC website.

The commission has the project on its agenda for Thursday at 7 pm, but will not deliberate or make a decision.

7 COMMENTS

  1. EXTORTION. The Land is zoned for how many houses? if this gets denied people should not be able to complain about lack of affordable housing anymore

  2. The project was denied after substantial review of the impact to the present and future goals of the community. And now,here we go again ……with waving dollars in our faces! It was said that revised proposals of this type are not without precedent….are we known to have a culture that if the payoff is big enough we can rationalize and compromise our values? I urge our decision makers to stand firm and they probably should be insulted that it is felt a decision reversal can be”purchased” whenever big money appears.

  3. This proposal is an attempt to ameliorate the affordable housing problem and it is denied due to needless envy of large homes. If people want to build 4800 sq ft homes and add to the tax roles they should be allowed especially if they contribute to affordable housing budgets and want to build 10 below market rate houses. MVC should have no role is this and we shoot ourselves in the foot. I await the Hinckley hardware lot proposal that will also get shot down.

  4. Ive been here longer than meeting house place. So I want to be hooked up to the waste treatment plant before them. Then we can talk.

  5. This subdivision is a nothing burger with a side of affordable housing. How many complainers live in neighborhoods with more houses and bigger footprints?

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