Oak Bluffs selectmen Tuesday held a public hearing for Donald Edgar, a boat repairman who has been operating Don’s Marine Service at his Newton Avenue home since 1985. Mr. Edgar’s neighbor, Robert Kaye, claimed Mr. Edgar’s business was in violation of several of the town home-business bylaws. Neighbors and boat owners turned out in force to support Mr. Edgar.
Mr. Kaye told selectmen that Mr. Edgar’s home business was noisy, toxic, and a blight on the landscape. Mr. Kaye said that he was in negotiations to sell his property, and that Mr. Edgar’s business was damaging his property value. Mr. Edgar and Mr. Kaye have had a contentious personal relationship that has resulted in court charges in the past.
Town building inspector Mark Barbadoro told selectmen that when he initially investigated Mr. Kaye’s complaint, Mr. Edgar’s property was cluttered with boats that were in various shape of disrepair. He was also in violation of the home-business bylaw for having storage on a property less than two acres. However, Mr. Barbadoro said the appearance of the property improved considerably following his initial conversation with Mr. Edgar, and that Mr. Edgar had agreed to reduce the size of a tent that allowed him to work outdoors.
Mr. Edgar subsequently applied for the permit needed for the new tent. Based on Mr. Edgar’s good-faith efforts, Mr. Barbadoro declined to enforce the home-business bylaw. Mr. Kaye then took his complaint to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), which in turn referred the matter to the selectmen.
“This is a conflict that has a history long before I came to Oak Bluffs,” Mr. Barbadoro said. “But a special [home business] permit is still needed from the selectmen.”
Mr. Edgar stood silently while a long line of neighbors and boat owners spoke to his skill and personal integrity.
“He’s part of the fabric of our town,” Mark Wallace said.
“Don is one of the top outboard mechanics on Martha’s Vineyard,” Benjamin Mayhew said. “He’s a hardworking guy, and his skills are very much needed and appreciated by our Island community. This is more a personality problem with the neighbor.”
Quentin Walsh, a retired attorney, said that Mr. Edgar’s business is over 30 years old and should be grandfathered in as a home business. “Don Edgar has taken care of the town harbormaster’s boat, the shellfish warden’s boat, and the police boats, former Oak Bluffs harbormaster Everett Whorton said. “He’s a very important part of the economy. He has the community support, and we’d like to see him get his permit.”
Selectmen voted unanimously, 5 – 0, to grant Mr. Edgar a home business permit on the condition that the combined size of the tent and shed on his property is less than 750 square feet.
