Quorums were met easily as town meeting season opened Tuesday evening in Edgartown, West Tisbury and Oak Bluffs. Edgartown’s meeting stretched for more than five hours, but voters hung in there to make sure a second night would not be necessary.
In Oak Bluffs, voters rejected the controversial light industrial mixed use proposal, which had dominated debate in recent weeks, Edgartown residents voted to postpone its proposed party bylaw indefinitely, and after a long discussion West Tisbury passed regulations on short-term rentals.
The West Tisbury meeting began with a series of goodbyes after being called to order at 6:22 p.m., as the town honored a group of longtime town officials.
Select board chair Jeffrey “Skipper” Manter gave a speech honoring town moderator Dan Waters, who officiated his final annual town meeting after announcing that he will not seek reelection.
Mr. Waters received a standing ovation.
Select board member Cindy Mitchell, meanwhile, spoke in honor of town accountant Bruce Stone, who will also be retiring this year.
“For me, you are the embodiment of what is meant when we use the term good government,” she said, in a speech addressed to Mr. Stone. “Clearly, West Tisbury loves you.”
Mr. Stone also received a standing ovation.
With the farewells out of the way, the town went on to the business of the evening. After an exhaustive discussion of the short term rentals bylaw which lasted more than an hour, the article overwhelmingly passed with 151 votes for and just 12 against.
“This would prevent the Marriott from coming in and buying a property,” town legal counsel Isabella Lew said of the bylaw, which aims to restrict corporate investment in short term rental properties.
The regulation also is designed to ensure that short term renting continues to be allowed for town residents in light of recent state court decisions, said short term rental committee chair Bea Phear.
West Tisbury voters approve short-term rental bylaw.
— Mark Alan Lovewell
The town also passed a stricter, more energy efficient building code, which passed 136 in favor to 77 opposed, and approved a $1.8 million expense to replace the HVAC system at the town library.
Edgartown moderator Steve Ewing opened the Edgartown town meeting at 7:13 p.m. and was still looking fresh in a blue suit and crisp white shirt when he adjourned it after midnight.
Voters passed the proposed budget of $46.5 million with relative ease, along with big ticket spending items such as $1.5 million to buy the former Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank headquarters on Upper Main street and $4.8 million to repair an aging septage main along Edgartown-West Tisbury Road.
Both articles passed with only minor discussion. Some wondered what the land bank building would be used for, to which town administrator James Hagerty replied:
“Not a McMansion like next to Depot Mobile Station.”
Mr. Hagerty went on to explain that the overall intent of the purchase was keep it from being transformed into a large home, and instead be used by the town for affordable housing or an extension of town hall.
Edgartown moderator Steve Ewing stays strong.
— Maria Thibodeau
Voters also approved $1.1 million to restore the South Beach area, and increased the short-term rental tax from 4 to 6 per cent.
A proposed party bylaw that would limit people to having no more than two parties a month with more than 50 people, nor host five large events per year without town approval, elicited much discussion on both sides of the issue. In the end the bylaw was postponed indefinitely.
A suggestion to postpone a proposed bylaw to ban leaf blowers was also floated, but voters decided to stay the course. The bylaw to ban leaf blowers was voted down 94-89.
The final article of the night, to place restrictions on short-term rentals, had been put forth by Lucy Dahl, who then on town meeting floor proposed postponing the article indefinitely. The motion carried.
Voters in Oak Bluffs passed a $40 million budget, as well as several other large funding items, including $1.6 million for a new elementary school oiler, $1 million for a new fire truck and $4.7 million to reconstruct the town’s aging harbor jetties.
All three items will also need to be approved at Thursday’s election.
During discussion about the light industrial mixed use proposal, planning board chair Ewell Hopkins said the overlay district could have provided the town with another tool to determine where new businesses could go in Oak Bluffs, a municipality that is predominantly zoned for residential uses.
But several voters lined up to speak against the article, voicing concerns over the potential impact on neighborhoods, along with health and environmental worries.
“There are too many unanswered questions to this,” said resident Susan Desmarais.
When moderator Jack Law called the article, it was overwhelmingly rejected to strong applause.
Zoning continued to be the hottest contested topic throughout the night in Oak Bluffs. Another overlay district that would have allowed professional businesses such as lawyers and veterinarians outside the main business district was rejected.
Voters also denied Geoff Rose’s petition to allow marijuana stores in more parts of the business district. That article, the last of the night, was the only one that needed to go to a hand count. It was defeated 99-51.
Addison Antonoff and Ethan Genter contributed reporting.
