The Martha’s Vineyard Commission postponed the Hob Knob Inn expansion deliberation and decision during a brief meeting Thursday night. The project will likely be reopened as a public hearing.
The commission closed the public hearing on the controversial project last month, after several meetings of hearing from abutters who criticized the project for being, in a word, excessive.
The latest iteration of the project involved adding a pool, nine new parking spots, and 19 new guest rooms, expanding its spa and fitness rooms, and incorporating the Tomassian & Tomassian Law building across the street.
But after hearing concerns from commissioners and members of the public, Hob Knob is going back to the drawing board. The Hob Knob applicants asked for the commission to defer deliberation and decision so the project could be modified again. They plan to submit a new proposal by the end of the calendar year.
“In all likelihood we will reopen the public hearing, because I cannot imagine that they would postpone without wanting to make revisions in their application that would merit review at a public hearing,” commissioner Douglas Sederholm said.
In other business, the commission unanimously approved its new slate of officers — Joan Malkin will head the commission as chair, Jim Vercruysse as vice chair, and Ernie Thomas as clerk treasurer.
“I am very confident that we are going to be led by a very well-prepared and evenhanded chair; I’m really looking forward to it,” Sederholm, the former chair, said of his successor.
Commissioner Ben Robinson also updated commissioners that the Energy Policy review committee is making the rounds to Island towns to get their input on the proposed changes to the commission’s policy.
Last month, commissioners discussed the nonbinding policy at length. The policy aims to reduce or eliminate fossil-fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emission for developments of regional impact (DRI), to maximize energy efficiency of DRI buildings and other structures, and to improve overall energy resilience.
The committee has met with Chilmark selectmen, and will present to Oak Bluffs selectmen on Dec. 8, West Tisbury selectmen on Dec. 16, and Aquinnah selectmen Dec. 15. The committee will meet with the Edgartown planning board and energy committee sometime in early January, and no meeting is set yet with Tisbury. The committee will also meet with the Martha’s Vineyard Builders Association and its membership on Dec. 17.