Updated July 11
Neighbors of a proposed housing project were apprehensive about its potential impacts to the Pin Oak Circle neighborhood in West Tisbury.
The West Tisbury planning board unanimously voted to continue a public hearing for 88 Pin Oak Circle — a lot where Island Housing Trust (IHT) proposed building a duplex — on August 21 to gather further information.
According to a brief to the board, the proposed duplex would be around 1,700 square feet in size on a 20,038-square-foot lot, acquired by IHT in 2022 — less than an acre. The duplex would consist of two units: a two-bedroom residence on the first floor, and a one-bedroom residence on the second floor. The second floor unit would be made affordable to households earning 140 percent or less of the area median income, with the two-bedroom unit further restricted to year-round occupancy.
According to the Dukes County Regional Housing Authority, 140 percent of the median income in Dukes County for a four-person household is $150,400 in 2022.
“It’s quite small, but this is part of the old West Tisbury state subdivision from 1971,” IHT real estate associate Pamela Scott, who presented the proposed project during a public hearing on Monday, July 3, said. “Most of the lots in this subdivision are small, like this lot and most of them have homes on them.”
At the time of the public hearing, it was uncertain whether the units would be for ownership or for rent.
The board asked clarifying questions to Scott, but were not uniform in their thoughts on the project.
“I really have reservations about including a market-rate house or unit in a place where there’s going to be an affordable unit above it,” board member Virginia Jones said, adding that there should only be two rooms, considering the small size of the property. Jones said that the lot was designated for affordable housing.
Scott said the units were not being sold at market rates. “We’re trying to serve the whole spectrum of needs on the Island,” she said, pointing out that a household with two teachers may not be able to qualify under the 140 percent median income threshold. “We’re hoping to be flexible and offer the first-floor, two-bedroom unit to working professionals.”
Board member Amy Upton said a part of the confusion may be stemming from how the “language is shifting” around the Island’s housing issue. “Affordable has a lot of concepts attached to it, stigma even, and so does market rate, at the opposite side of that spectrum,” she said, adding that some housing is being aimed to be “attainable” for the middle-range income, year-round Islanders.
Most of the neighbors at the public hearing expressed concerns over the project.
David Bryant, who lives across the street from the project lot, said two families moving into the units would result in an increase in noise and traffic in the area. “It is gonna have an impact, at least on us,” he said.
Abutter Janice Haynes said while she had no issues with affordable housing being built, she expressed concern over the project being a duplex, and how the septic system would work for the neighborhood.
“I don’t think a duplex is appropriate, I don’t think that many people is appropriate for that size lot, and I just think it’s too much,” she said.
Linda Holt, who lives on Pin Oak Circle, asked the board to consider preserving the lot as open space for conservation purposes, and to protect the “rural character” of the area.
Pin Oak Circle Road Association representative Phyllis Coogan said there’s a lot of unanswered questions about the property at this point.
IHT board member Jefrey DuBard underscored that the nonprofit developer and the Dukes County Regional Housing Authority have had a “stellar record” for developing affordable housing. DuBard also took issue with what he saw as “generalizations” that the people who qualify for affordable housing will cause disruptions to the neighborhood. He advocated for the neighbors to not jump to negative conclusions, and be fearful of what could happen.
“Personally, I think it is offensive to sort of consider that there’s some correlation between the amount of money someone has and how they live,” DuBard said. “I dare say that the lobster and all of the other discarded stuff that I see around West Tisbury … most of it was not due to people who are struggling to survive.”
Upton pointed out that what was presented is still early in the public hearing process.
Among the public, a person who spoke favorably for the project was former West Tisbury affordable housing committee member Ted Jochsberger, who lives across from the property. He disagreed with reducing the proposed room numbers, and added that the impact from the occupants to the neighborhood would be small. “I think the more housing we have, the better off we are,” he said. “It’s a smaller unit, but it’s better off than living in your car.”
After further discussion, the planning board unanimously voted to continue the public hearing. The board expressed a need to receive more information from the applicants.
A previous version of this story had the incorrect size of the proposed duplex.
20,038 square feet seems a bit large for a two unit affordable housing unit. Perhaps IHT could scale it back – cut out the bowling alley, shooting range, indoor squash court?
In a more serious vein – this seems like a very modest project and in an existing neighborhood, which is what I hope IHT continues to do. As a West Tisbury resident I support the project.
Ask other important questions like
1. How much will the realestate tax be?
2. Will they get tax breaks for affordable units?
3. How will the septic affect any of the bodies of water in WT with nitrogen concerns.
4. Spell out what ‘under the 140 median income’ is. And use all households not just cherry picking.
Most likely you will get answers that turn your head to IHT
NIMBY. This is why there is a housing crisis.
As the closest abutter to this property I SPECIFICALLY said I was not opposed to an affordable house being built there, our issue is only with the SIZE of the project, and I believe that was the biggest objection of most of the neighbors.
The solution to the Island housing problem is to build triple deckers.
They won’t need elevators.
In the meantime bring in some double wides like at the Tisbury School.
This case is important because it will set a precedent going forward. Should IHT be able to buy a house in any neighborhood and build a duplex? They are probably aiming to do this in every neighborhood on the island. I don’t support that type of project.
what’s the deal with the Motel next to Cumberland farm ?
Add a 3rd floor – room for 30 1 bedroom apartments.