To the Editor:
I’d like to add to your coverage of the April 9 Edgartown town meeting by drawing the attention of your readers to the fact that five changes were made to the Edgartown zoning bylaws that relate to workforce housing. These changes are as follows (in the order in which they appeared in the town meeting warrant):
- The town meeting decided to prohibit fractional ownership of residences by commercial groups.
- A substandard lot can now have a two-family structure, not just a one-family structure.
- The staff housing bylaw now allows the employer to either own or rent the structure, and relaxes some of the requirements when an existing structure is being converted to staff housing.
- Structures having more than one dwelling unit can now have as many as six dwelling units, an increase from four dwelling units.
- A new bylaw was added that specifically allows dwelling units above commercial space.
It’s often said, and it’s certainly true, that there is no single solution to the very serious housing problems here on Martha’s Vineyard, but these five changes will help.
Thank you to the Edgartown voters who approved these changes.
Julia Livingston, chair
Edgartown zoning bylaw review committee
