<p>The Martha’s Vineyard Commission voted 8-2 Thursday night to approve eight new second-story rental apartments at Post Office Square in Edgartown. Commissioners who backed the plan said the acute need for workforce housing outweighed other problems.
The Martha’s Vineyard Commission voted Thursday night to approve eight new second-story rental apartments at Post Office Square in Edgartown.
The vote was 8-2 in favor of the project, under review by the commission as a development of regional impact (DRI).
“I think given the extreme need for additional workforce housing, housing that is affordable to real people that need to live here, that the need for this just outweighs what the problems are,” said commissioner Linda Sibley, who voted in favor of the plan.
Charles Hajjar proposes building eight apartments with a total of 15 bedrooms in second-story attic space of two buildings in Post Office Square. Five apartments are planned for the second floor of the building that houses the Edgartown Post Office, and three are planned for the building that houses a Bank of America vestibule and other retail space.
The plan includes reorganizing and adding 14 additional spaces to the parking lot at Post Office Square.
“It’s reasonably-priced housing for the workforce,” said attorney Sean Murphy, representing Mr. Hajjar before the MVC Thursday night. “There’s a definitive need for these kinds of rentals.”
The apartments — seven two-bedroom apartments and one one-bedroom — will be offered at reasonable rates to members of the workforce and will address a need for affordable rental housing on the Island, Mr. Murphy said. He said subletting will not be allowed and the owner has agreed not to sell or transfer the apartments to a third party for 10 years.
Mr. Hajjar, who attended the meeting, said he was in the business of rentals, and had no intention of turning the apartments into condominiums.
Neighbors and other Edgartown residents expressed concern about impacts on traffic and parking in the already-congested area.
“I think that this project has the potential to have a lot bigger impact on the traffic problems than is being considered,” Gregory Palermo told the commission, noting that traffic from the parking lot often spills into Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road.
The applicant offered to limit residents to two cars per unit and to restrict resident parking to the center of the lot.
Commissioners noted benefits and detriments when it comes to traffic and parking.
Brian Smith said the people who live in the apartments will be able to walk to public transportation and places like the grocery store.
The plan has been scaled back since it first came before the commission, going from 10 apartments and 20 bedrooms to eight apartments with 15 bedrooms.
“I think there are some obvious problems, problems we might describe as mixing a little urban concept here with a nearby neighborhood which is a beautifully planned rural development,” Mrs. Sibley said, referring to the nearby Dark Woods subdivision. “And it’s difficult because these two things are so close to each other. I actually think this is the right place.”
The roll call vote follows:
Voting yes were Clarence A. (Trip) Barnes 3rd, John Breckenridge, Christina Brown, Fred Hancock, James Joyce, Linda Sibley, Brian Smith and James Vercruysse.
Voting no were Madeline Fisher and Leonard Jason Jr.
Comments
Is this going to be for
Couri EdgartownIs this going to be for ISLANDERS or summer people???? I have a family and I'm from here and can't find ANYWHERE to live!
It is obvious that the
Abutter 1 EdgartownIt is obvious that the Commission does not listen to anything the residential neighbors have to offer, nor do they enforce the conditions they promise at their previous hearings. The neighbors have attended meeting after meeting and received promise after promise from the Commission. All for nothing. This will make most of the traffic pour on to Mariner's Way, which is a private way for residents of Fair Isle and Mr. Convery's business tenants, not the general public. This opening was to be closed to traffic per a condition placed on the project at the first approval. The Planning Board, without any input from the owner or people who have rights in the road, or the benefit of an easement, opened it and made a virtual highway thru it. This approval only changes the direction of the highway thru Mariners Way, which will only make things worse.
They don't seem to care......
Edgartown resident EdgartownThey don't seem to care........nightmare waiting to happen!
In the mean time, it would be
Leah Thaggard Hattiesburg, MSIn the mean time, it would be nice if more residents would offer their guest house, cottage , over the garage apt., for the university students that come to work the summer months. I lived six summers on the vineyard, and was fortunate to find a guest cottage where I lived and was even paid to work for the family. I was even able to have another daily job and would go home with a pocket full of money to help with my college after summer.Daily, I would sweep though the main house, kitchen, picking up, etc, then on my day off do a full cleaning and was paid weekly. It worked out great, because we got out of school in May, I would go open the main house and deep clean it, so it would be ready for their arrival. I realize you may need that apt. a few weekends during the summer, or even a week, but kids make friends and can stay a few nights else where if needed. I just know there are so many unused properties. Owners, call the chamber and help a student and yourself. Many of these students, are your former vacationers. (like me) My son, is a college students now and will be working in Edgartown. He leaves in a few weeks and just found housing in Vineyard Haven, yesterday. I could have worked at Disney, but was able to spend my summers making money in a beautiful area, instead of breaking even.
I do not go to the Post
Truthteller CAI do not go to the Post Office daily in the summer due to horrendous traffic problems. I used to ride my bike out there but that is not safe nowadays in the summer traffic. This is a nightmare too terrible to contemplate.
I'll vote for it as long as
Also an Edgartown Resident EdgartownI'll vote for it as long as it is written somewhere that those apartment will forever be year round affordable homes. I'm afraid that two years or so from now they will turn them into expensive summer condos.
These are market rate
isalnder VHThese are market rate apartments for year round islanders. Guaranteed to be rentals for at least 10 years. This is a perfect location for such housing. Residents can walk to the bank, dentist, pharmacy, grocery store, several restaurants and jump on a bus to anywhere on the island. If they have cars they will leave in the morning and come home at night producing no additional parking pressure or traffic issues. These are for people who actually work, it's not subsidized housing.
People who receive housing
Marie Vineyard HavenPeople who receive housing subsidies also actually work.
Call me crazy but half the
Caroline New YorkCall me crazy but half the fun we had as young and dirt poor Vineyard workers was to band together and rent some dive for the summer. Workforce Housing Plan sounds so political, so forced. I made the BEST friends being roommates with a gaggle of people as poor as I, some of whom are still good friends, 40 years later. No one made it easy for me and I found what I needed. I was always respectful of the home as were my roommates. We pooled our resources when one of us had more money than another and we were never late on paying rent. It was undoubtedly some of my favorite memories of decades on the Vineyard.
Did you even read the article
islander VHDid you even read the article? This is for year round islanders who go to work every day. Nothing to do with Summer workers and no subsidies at all.
My dear Islander, I lived on
Caroline New YorkMy dear Islander, I lived on the Vineyard year-round for decades. I was gainfully employed year-round too. But my paycheck was meager and I had to play the ages old Vineyard game of rotation housing - One house in the winter; another in the summer.
The article Does Not
Nancy Vineyard havenThe article Does Not designate that the housing is for Islanders. It simply says summer workforce which could mean college students, international students, or any other combination of seasonal workers.
And let's get real folks. We're talking about 15 units. Not a high-rise!! Great idea!!
Leah, it would be good,
Truthteller CALeah, it would be good, indeed, if it was like that as it was years ago. We are living in a litigious age; offering one's guesthouse, etc, could only lead to problems for the owner; liability issues apply; things are not as they used to be. The world has changed and we must understand that and realize that lawsuits and deep pockets are endemic in our civilization. Sad, but true.
Do you know the "market rates
Dianne Smith, RN Chilmark, MADo you know the "market rates" for "workforce" housing that were presented at the first public hearing? $1,700 per month, plus utilities. We also heard at the same hearing that an $80,000+ annual income would qualify a tenant for that particular market. How many of us ever came close to that annual income here, even working two or three jobs at a time?
Sorry. "Affordable," even for our work force, depends upon how many people can be crammed into a unit and how many trucks can be crammed into the parking lot. I am dismayed that the MVC came to a decision after only two public hearings, knowing that many of our year-round and seasonal residents are just becoming aware of the project. I understand that the Commissioners are weary after the many VH Stop & Shop hearings, but I believe they've given this public discussion very short shrift.
We need SAFE and truly affordable housing, parking and transport on Martha's Vineyard, NOT the "Edgartown Lofts" project at "Four Flags" that the MVC has just approved. Please, Edgartown voters and residents, monitor the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals meetings to follow.
There is a huge plight for
ErikR PhiladelphiaThere is a huge plight for housing for both summer workers and year round residents. There is limited development on the Island and this is a good step forward, building on top of what is already there. Everyone realizes that the Island does not want "urban sprawl" but the truth is that the growing number of people who live there year round and in summer need more people to serve them in all seasons and they need housing
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