The Martha’s Vineyard Commission decided a public hearing was not necessary for the latest plans for the Hob Knob’s proposed expansion.
The new plans reduced the number of parking spaces at the Tomassian property from 17 to nine. The parking spaces have been removed to clear space for a new lawn area.
Commissioners closed the Hob Knob hearing on Jan. 21, leaving the written record open until Jan. 28. The new plans were submitted on Jan. 27.
The boutique inn’s proposed expansion has gone through several iterations and multiple public hearings, following strong opposition from abutters, including plans that called for a pool, which has since been nixed.
Commissioners closed the original public hearing in November, only to reopen it Thursday night after new plans were proposed, following objections from abutters.
The project aims to double the size of the boutique inn by adding two new guest rooms and enlarging the existing spa and fitness room with four new treatment rooms, which all add 1,450 square feet.
The project also seeks to incorporate 124 Upper Main St., the Tomassian & Tomassian Law building. The Tomassian building’s office space would be removed, and a 4,401-square-foot addition would be added in its place. An existing carriage house would also be renovated, altogether creating 10 new guest rooms and four new employee rooms for the inn.
Daniel Bailey, an attorney for the Greely family, whose property abuts the Hob Knob, requested the hearing be reopened, citing concerns the new lawn area would feature cocktail parties, catering, and gatherings, but commissioners did not reopen the hearing.
Commissioners have the ability to apply conditions to the use of the new lawn area.
“We have a written record. I think we can figure out the potential impacts on abutters with this change, and I’d like to move it along,” commissioner Douglas Sederholm said.
This was submitted with two proposals one for the existing Inn and another to acquire a property across the street and turn that into a massive Inn. It was suggested from one of the opponents that they approve the Inn expansion but turn down the purchase and expansion of the property across the street. This sounds reasonable for the residential district and neighbors of this community. vote no on the six bedroom home to be turned into a 20 bedroom Inn vote yes on the modest expansion of a current Inn.
I would like to address the MVC decision to not discuss the lawn to be installed instead of parking. True, a lawn is better than a parked vehicle, but a lawn requires maintenance, invites noise generating equipment, and does not offer anything for bees, for birds, for butterflies. Now, the MVC says it wants to be carbon neutral by 2050, which is well beyond irreversible climate change by the way, but does not take advantage of opportunities to do so, nor to cease developments contrary to this or any environmental goals. In addition, I wonder why a lawn is planned when wildflower gardening would be so much more appealing and beneficial and in tune with local, regional, national and international goals.