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Other News April 16, 2008
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etcetera
1. A number of unspecified additional things; 2. pl. additional items, odds and ends

DEVELOPER EXPLAINS PART 2 OFABREM QUARY TO ZBA Part two of the Abrem Quary 40B affordable housing development off South Shore Road went public at the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting last Friday.

Developer Cliff Schorer of Nantucket Homes for People, Inc., presented this second half to the ZBA on April 11. It includes 36 more units, which he described as bungalow-style and smaller than the 28 units in phase two, with one or two bedrooms in each and lower costs.

He added that the plan includes two levels of affordability based on percentages of Nantucket's median income. Twenty-five percent of the units will be sold for $139,000 to $199,000 to applicants whose qualifying household incomes are 80 percent of Nantucket's median income. The other 75 percent of the houses will be sold for $199,000 to $329,000 to islanders who make 150 percent of Nantucket's median household income.

Phase two would be developed on 2.4 acres on two lots, one north of Blueberry Lane and the other just north of Augie Ramos' property.

After showing the board a drawing of the site plan for this project and fielding questions, Schorer requested that review of this project be conducted by the ZBA and the Historic District Commission sitting together in order to streamline the review process.

"We are perfectly happy to work very closely with the HDC, however we are unwilling to get a comprehensive permit and satisfy this level of permitting then be subject to another level of permitting," said Schorer who added that the state's Housing Appeals Committee determined that HDCs are supposed to be part of the review process for 40Bs and not a separate process for developers to go through.

Interim Zoning Board of Appeals Administrator John Brescher said that it was unlikely that this joint review would occur. As this first meeting was preliminary in nature, the ZBA did not allow neighbors, abutters and other members of the public to comment on the application. They will get their chance to speak on this application at a special ZBA meeting just for Abrem Quary phase two scheduled for May 19 at 7 p.m. in the garage at 2 Fairgrounds Road. For details, call 228-7237.

DEREGULATION MEANS LOWER INSURANCE RATES - MAYBE Massachusetts drivers are now able to choose from a variety of auto-insurance options following the deregulation that began last week.

Rates will no longer be set by the state, as had been the case for nearly 30 years, and insurance companies will be able to set their own policy rates and put together packages meant to attract customers. These benefits may be the best part of the new system for drivers on Nantucket.

Even though Nantucket has q low incidence of car theft, major accidents, vandalism reports and other factors that are taken into account when insurance companies calculate costs, island drivers are unlikely to see a major drop in their monthly bill, according to Jim Congdon, vice president at Congdon and Coleman Insurance. "Everyone in the state is going to benefit," said Congdon. "But on Nantucket, a five or 10 percent savings is not going to add up to much because the cost is already low."

Congdon explained that in areas such as Boston, where rates are much higher, a policy 10 percent cheaper could save someone hundreds of dollars a year, but on Nantucket, it will not be as much.

"Not only is there new competition, but companies are putting together coverage packages," said Congdon. "An example is when you buy a new car, it starts to depreciate right away. Some companies are offering packages that will pay you back for the full price of the car for the first year."

Other benefits include faster forgiveness for accidents and moving violations, and reductions in teen driver insurance for those students who maintain good grades along with a clean driving record.

Another way for drivers to save money on their car insurance is to buy a policy from the same company that insures their house, as well as staying put with one company to accrue loyalty benefits, Congdon said. "A lot of insurers are pushing that as a means to honor those customers who have been with the company for a while," he said.

Congdon cautioned against people who are already locked into a long policy from switching insurance companies because of the new deregulation law. While canceling a policy to save some money may seem like a good idea, policyholders often face penalties from their existing company that would cancel any savings. "We have been getting calls from people who are interested in switching, but the industry doesn't want to see people canceling their policies in April and starting over," said Congdon.

While the new policies may be saving Bay State drivers, don't count on the state's new Web site to give an accurate calculation of what you may be paying. "The Massachusetts site is just not working or giving an accurate price on new policies," said Congdon. "It's best to visit a local agent."

THE OSPREYS ARE HERE According to the Maria Mitchell Association, the first nesting pair of ospreys for the year was spotted arranging sticks on an osprey pole on the south side of Long Pond by Rob Early on March 18.

In the nearly four weeks since Early's sighting, more reports of ospreys returning to island feeding areas and nesting poles have been called into Maria Mitchell, including those birds building a nest on a pole at the North Head of Long Pond and

at Jackson Point. I


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