Subdivision could sprout off Massasoit Bridge Road
BY PETER B. BRACE
Larry Nathanson wants to subdivide his 7.6-acre lot at 10 Massasoit Bridge Road into four lots. Nathanson's four lots, which are in the LUG-2 zone, that would each be at least a half-acre in size, could all include secondary dwellings along with one for his own property, a fifth lot that would be created should he get approval.

Because of the relatively high number of new houses that could be built in this rural, low-density part of Madaket, the board recommended, 4- 0, that Nathanson consider filing an approval-required (AR) application to develop the land. If he went for the approval-not-required application that he is allowed by law because of legal access to his land lot, the board would not get the opportunity to structure a road improvement plan for the southern end of this dirt and sand road.

Through his engineering firm of Blackwell & Associates, Nathanson had requested a sketch plan review of his preliminary proposal for his land specifically to see what sort of road and infrastructure improvements he would need to complete to get Planning Board's approval of his development. Because Massasoit Bridge Road is really only drivable from Red Barn Road to just past Nathanson's house - roughly 1,200 feet - where the brush closes in over the road, the board said it would probably only require that section be improved.

In October, Planning Board member Barry Rector suggested and Chairman Don Visco agreed, that residents of the road form a homeowner's association to maintain the road, another requirement of the approvalrequired application process.

"This is just my opinion, but the best route to follow would be to go for an AR and that way we wouldn't see a ribbon of asphalt out there," said Visco. "It's such a long road, you know."

Massasoit Bridge Road runs from Red Barn Road along Long Pong, past the landfill to the north and eventually connects with Madaket Road near the start of Barrett Farm Road. If Nathanson files an AR plan, the board gets the chance to apply conditions to the final plan, should it approve it, that would prevent the entire length of the road from being paved and drainage installed.

Nathanson admitted that the road is pretty impassable as it is and that he, having already reached verbal agreements with his neighbors and the Nantucket Islands Land Bank about maintaining this section of the road together, would like to see it stay that way.

"Having lived there for 35 years, I can tell you that through traffic is minimal," he said. "There are the few hardcore drivers that do go through."

Nathanson's engineer, Art Gasbarro, agreed, telling the board his client would rather do a 16-foot wide road than the 22-foot wide paved road that is standard for this part of the island, but the board seemed to be leaning toward an 18- foot gravel spec road instead.

Although Gasbarro did not say specifically when Nathanson would be filing his definitive plan, he indicated that it would be sometime this fall.

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