Citizens file 22 articles
BY MARY LANCASTER
Housing appears to be the main issue on the minds of those who submitted citizens articles this year for the annual Town Meeting in April. Of the 22 articles proposed, five address affordable housing, including some of the allocations decided on by the Community Preservation Committee. Among other subjects, a builder wants to return the start of the work day allowing power tool noise to 7 a.m., and a new tax break is being proposed to inspire renovations to historic homes.

Barbara Gookin authored two housing related articles. The first seeks to alter the percentage allotments of the Community Preservation Committee which is now a minimum of 10 percent of available funds for open space, 10 percent for historic resources and 10 percent for community housing. There is a five percent provision for administration of the funds, and distribution of the balance of 65 percent is determined by the committee according to what it feels address the island's most pressing needs at the time and fit within the Community Preservation Act statute.

Gookin has eliminated the administrative percentage and wants to change the formula to not less than 10 percent for open space and 10 percent for historic resources, but with 80 percent going toward community housing. Gookin said this or a similar formula exists in other towns in the state but she does not know how they handle administrative costs. She said she does not feel the CPC has done enough to create affordable housing in its five years, and while some of its allocations fall under the housing umbrella, such as funding for Sherburne Commons and the Housing Office house recycling program, few new housing opportunities have been created to solve the island's housing crisis.

Gookin's second article seeks to change wording in the secondary dwelling permitted uses provision of the zoning bylaw so that it mandates secondary dwellings shall only be created to provide housing opportunities through affordable year-round rentals. The current bylaw states that these housing opportunities are the "primary purpose" of secondary dwellings. She said her article's mandate adds a new enforcement factor to the bylaw.

Curtis Barnes put in an article proposing that 25 percent of Land Bank revenue be used for affordable housing and that some Land Bank property be allowed to be used for affordable housing with Town Meeting approval. Barnes believes the island conservation groups have done an excellent job protecting more than half of the island, but that now it is time for strategic planning and use of some of those parcels to attend to the community's housing needs. He cited Land Bank properties such as behind The Muse where it would be appropriate to build reasonably priced units.

The Community Preservation Committee allocated funds to 16 of the 26 proposed projects submitted for consideration. Among its allocations, the CPC wants to give the Nantucket Housing Office $175,000 towards obtaining additional affordable homes to recycle and $155,000 to continue into the sixth year the office has been running, as well as $45,000 for the Interfaith Council's rental assistance program for residents with short-term financial emergencies.

The largest CPC amounts of $400,000 each are slated to help the Historical Association restore Greater Light on Howard Street for public enjoyment and use as an arts facility, and a contribution towards Parks and Recreation's goal to build new playing fields on Land Bank property off Nobadeer Farm Road. CPC member Ken Beaugrand said it will be a three to four year project and his committee wants to get it going while the land is available, with the view that the town will assume the balance of the $2 million project.

There are three $300,000 allocations for purchase of the UMass Field Station, the Linda Loring property conservation restriction and the preservation project for the First Congregational Church. The CPC's total appropriations, including $93,211 for administrative and operating expenses, comes to $3,034,741.

Richard Loftin submitted an article proposing to change the date in a zoning bylaw relating to mixed income residential developments from 2007 to 2009. Loftin could not be reached, but Planning Director Andrew Vorce explained the basics behind this proposal. Loftin submitted an article that passed at the 2004 Town Meeting allowing developers to use plans already created, then divide them further as an incentive to building affordable units on smaller lots. The sunset date at that time was Dec. 31, 2007; however because no one has yet shown interest in the option to 40B dense developments, the article seeks to extend the date this choice may be considered until the end of 2009.

Aaron Marcavitch, assistant administrator of the Historic District Commission, submitted an article as a citizen that proposes a new tax break for people making renovations to historic homes or properties subject to a preservation restriction which are considered significant within the Nantucket Historic District. The article creates a special property tax assessment which abates the building's additional assessed value after renovation for seven years.

Marcavitch explained that if someone had a home valued at $1 million and did a 25 percent, or $250,000 renovation, that would add $700 to that property tax bill which would not have to be paid for seven years. "Let's give an opportunity for people doing good work," he said. "You might as well reward them with what you can reward them with."

Builder James Lydon characterizes Nantucket as a middle-class, blue collar town where many people struggle to meet the cost of living and maintain the viability of small businesses. Last year Michael Kopko succeeded in having the noise bylaw changed so that power tools and similar equipment could not be used until 7:30 a.m., a half-hour later than the previous law. Lydon submitted an article to restore those two and a-half hours to the work week by allowing such noise to begin at 7 a.m., and he is passionate in his quest.

"The noise bylaw is just another small nail in the coffin of the local economy. It interferes with the livlihood of thousands of island tradesmen and it has no legitimate purpose," said Lydon. "Small town America doesn't exist off-island, and if we support, as many voters do, wine in grocery stores, Amazon.com, Internet prescription drugs and the box stores, it will be a thing of the past here."

Ken Gullicksen, an attorney and volunteer firefighter, submitted an article that would allow call fire crews and other volunteer emergency personnel to take advantage of the town' discounted group rate for health insurance, though they would pay out of pocket for the total amount of that cost. Gullicksen said he has his own insurance and is submitting the article on behalf of colleagues who are not able to afford market rates but serve the town.

Eric Shaw is hoping to pursuade the town to let him give it a reasonable amount of money and take legal claim to his 58 Madequecham Valoley Road property. Shaw could not be reached, but airport commissioner Foley Vaughan offered some history of the somewhat complicated situation. Vaughan said Shaw bought the property from someone else who claimed ownership. The area in question is within property taken in 1941 and designated as airport land. According to Vaughan, this is not the first dispute over the title, and the airport won a similar case in an appeals court a couple of years ago. Shaw believes his property is outside of the airport land bounded by Weeweeder Avenue.

Nine of the articles were submitted by the Town Government Study Committee, which will also offer some 30 recommendations at Town Meeting that do not require article form. The nine are:

+ To have the selectmen in 2010 and every five years hence appoint a Town Government Study Committee which will make a periodic review of town government.

+ To change the title of Town Administrator to Town Manager.

+ To delete reference to a personnel board and Our Island Home board from the charter.

+ To establish an audit committee which will appoint an outside audit firm to review the town's accounting procedures.

+ To alter the appointment powers of the Town Administrator giving that person ability to appoint advisory boards while leaving appointments of regulatory boards to the selectmen.

+ To limit the number of hours a selectman may be employed by the town.

+ To have the Shellfish and Harbor Advisory Board be appointed rather than elected.

+ To have the Historic District Commission appointed rather than elected.

+ To have the Planning Board appointed rather than elected.

The Energy Study Committee has submitted an article to extend the sunset date for their work from April 2007 to April 2010. This is to give the five member appointed group the opportunity to complete initiatives including creation of an electric aggregate to gain a low power rate for residents, develop a longterm energy plan for the island, try to encourage use of energy efficient vehicles for town departments and assist the town with an appropriate plan for management of the bulk fuel storage project.

There are petitions for inclusion in the sewer district map for 10 addresses on Hummock Pond Road; and a similar article regarding 36 addresses on South Shore Road, Blueberry Lane, Field Avenue and Folger Avenue.

Catherine Ernsberger put in an article seeking to allow Allen Comeau a sewer hook-up at 9 Comeau Lane to be granted by Sandra Comeau of 7 Comeau Lane. According to a map, the location was not included in the existing sewer map for 'Sconset.

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