A bylaw restricting Jet Ski use, banning gas-powered leaf blowers, and proposing hefty borrowing for a new pump station will be coming before Oak Bluffs voters next week at the annual town meeting.
Oak Bluffs will be holding its annual town meeting on April 8 at the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center at 7 pm. The full warrant can be viewed here.
The largest spending project the town is considering is gathering $2.5 million for the replacement of a pump station on Dukes County Avenue. The new pump station would be elevated, to address storm surges. This funding is contingent upon both voters’ approval and passage at the ballot for a Proposition 2.5 debt exclusion.
Oak Bluffs residents are also facing a proposed $42.28 million town budget, a more than 6 percent increase to the current $40.28 million budget. And there are several large-expense warrant articles for voters to consider, such as vehicle purchases and a proposed $335,000 to bid for and hire consultants to develop the Oak Bluffs Coastal Resilience Plan.
There is a series of proposed bylaws for voters to review, including updating the town’s accessory dwelling unit regulations to align with state laws.
The proposed Jet Ski bylaw would restrict personal watercraft to 6 mph in the Oak Bluffs sections of Sengekontacket and Lagoon Ponds. It arose with town officials worried about riders unsafely operating Jet Skis and potentially damaging shellfish beds.
The Oak Bluffs town election will be held on April 10 at the Oak Bluffs library from 10 am to 7 pm.
