Citizens encouraged to offer input on zoning changes
BY PETER B. BRACE INDEPENDENT WRITER
Tomorrow night, Nantucketers will get their first chance to tell the Planning Board what they think of this year's zoning articles that are up for consideration at Town Meeting.

The board and Planning Director Andrew Vorce are continuing their pursuit of the Land Use element of the 41-81D Master Plan with the submission of Town & Country Overlay District changes, the rezoning of several island neighborhoods and proposals for new zoning districts that transition between town and

country areas.

Also on the docket for discussion at Thursday night's public hearing are Articles 25, 26 and 27 that would establish a downtown waterfront overlay district for Nantucket and Madaket Harbors. A recommendation from the Harbor Plan Advisory Committee and the Urban Harbors Institute, these articles seek to preserve the integrity of Nantucket's urban waterfront areas by recommending that there be no conversion of commercial uses to residential use, and that no new residential structures are built within 25 feet of the harbor. Additionally, existing residential property owners modifying their residential space in the district would have to provide a public benefit.

What is also likely to draw a large crowd, especially from Tuckernuck Island, is Article 28 that would permanently ban all new docks, wharves and piers, except for commercial uses, repairs and replacement to existing ones and piers for public use.

Other zoning articles up for consideration that are likely to generate discussion, protests and amendments include:

+ Article 30, removing 52 lots from the town district between Polpis and Monomoy roads and putting them into the country district;

+ Article 31, a zoning map change for part of the 3M Subdivision that includes Doc Ryder Drive, Hatch Circle, Henderon's Drive and Swayze's Drive that changes 44 lots on these roads from the RC-2 to R-10 district;

+ Article 32, a zoning map change for the 3M Subdivision including Farm View Drive and Golf View Drive to change 29 lots on these roads from the RC-2 to R-10 district;

+ Article 33, a zoning map change for Miacomet Avenue and Otokomi Road that changes 16 lots on Miacomet Avenue from RC-2 or LUG-2 to R-2;

+ Article 34, a zoning map change for Miacomet Avenue and Otokomi Road converting 11 lots on Otokomi Road, Valley View Drive and Celtic Drive from LUG-2 to RC-2;

+ Article 35, a zoning map switch for Miacomet Avenue and Otokomi Road putting the LUG-2 portions of 12 lots on Miacomet Avenue, Otokomi Road, Surfside Road and Celtic Drive into the RC-2 zone;

+ Article 36, a zoning map change for Miacomet Avenue depositing the LUG-2 portions of 8 lots on Miacomet Avenue into the RC-2 district.

The hearing is tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at the Planning Board offices at 2 Fairgrounds Road. For a copy of this year's Town Meeting warrant, go to

www.nantucket-ma.gov/Townmtg/ATMindex.html. I