<p>Oak Bluffs selectmen this week discussed concerns about delivery traffic at the Camp Ground and fielded complaints about the Martha’s Vineyard Craft Beer Festival.</p>
Oak Bluffs selectmen this week discussed concerns about delivery traffic at the Camp Ground and fielded complaints about the Martha's Vineyard Craft Beer Festival.
The first craft beer festival, which featured beers from dozens of craft brewers, music, and food, was held Sept. 24 at Washington Park.
At Tuesday’s board meeting Veronica Lytle, whose Chapman avenue home abuts Washington Park, was blunt in her distress over the noise and drinking.
“It was horrible,” Ms. Lytle said. “The music was unbelievable, the amount of people was unbelievable. We were told this was like a wine tasting. They kept pouring and pouring and pouring.”
Selectman Greg Coogan said he checked out the event and spoke to the police officer assigned to the festival.
“It certainly had a big turn out, bigger than I expected,” Mr. Coogan said. “There are certainly things they could do better.”
Selectmen agreed to ask organizer Erin Bayer Santos and representatives of the Oak Bluffs police department to discuss the event at a future meeting.
Also Tuesday, selectmen discussed parking and delivery issues at the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association.
In a sharply-worded letter to board chairman Gail Barmakian, the president and a board member of the association asked selectmen to create more loading zones and prevent delivery trucks from parking in the Camp Ground while they make deliveries to Circuit avenue businesses.
“Being a good neighbor, the Camp Ground accepted for many years some level of truck traffic, but our neighborliness has been abused,” wrote Camp Meeting president Patricia Han and board member Frank Gould. “In retrospect, this show of neighborliness was a mistake by us. We have been unfairly put in the position of subsidizing the businesses of Circuit avenue. We can no longer allow this situation to continue.”
Selectman Michael Santoro said adding more loading zones to downtown streets should first be considered by the Oak Bluffs roads and byways committee, and the board did not discuss the loading zone issue in detail.
The board did talk about parking issues surrounding large events at the Tabernacle.
“One of the things we suggest when we do special events is we ask people to arrange to have people bused in,” said Mr. Santoro.
Camp Meeting Association executive director C.J. Rivard said the Camp Ground limits the number of large events.
“It’s not a weekly thing, but it is certainly enough to put pressure on parking all over town,” Ms. Rivard said. “The museum alone sees over 12,000 visitors by this time of year.”
Mr. Santoro said the town considers a park and ride facility outside of town a top goal.
“We’re looking for a short term solution in a year or two,” he said.

Comments
It's sad to see our town
Rob Leatherber Oak bluffsIt's sad to see our town leaders allow commercial events in our public parks. What are they thinking? We are already the island party town. These parts were given as public spaces not for off Islanders to make a buck at islander expense. It undermines the beauty, residential nature and safety of these parks and the businesses in the commercial sector.
Many people come to Oak Bluffs for its natural beauty. They are not looking for a party. Town officials are hurting one of the most important facets of our town by letting this stuff happen.
Sad? A public place used by
BillyB OBSad? A public place used by the public? Sad? I think our leaders did a fine job with this first year event. Fine tune it for next year. But I for one had a wonderful time and enjoyed catching up with many, many Island friends.
The teetotaling Methodist
Sara Piazza EdgartownThe teetotaling Methodist founders of the Campground are spinning in their graves.
Yes very sad in deed public
Bob EdgartownYes very sad in deed public spaces should not be used by the public. They should be looked at from afar and admire them for what they are. Oh wait hundreds of islanders had a good time in the public space well that has to stop!! Maybe if it was dark and they shot off fireworks it would be ok to use the public space. Please people grow up and just because you do not like something there should be tolerance for people who do. This was a great event with few real problems and I hope it continues.
The audacity of the public
Brian OBThe audacity of the public gathering in a public place is outrageous! I agree we should cancel the loud fireworks in both Ocean Park and Lighthouse beach. While we're at it let's ban the public from gathering on public beaches altogether, and ban those raucous Sunday night band concerts in Owen Park and Ocean Park. And those darn parades for July 4th and the Feast. We have to stop the insanity so I can get back to binge watching Judge Judy reruns on a lovely Fall day.
Unlike most other events of
Arnold Plotiin Oak BluffsUnlike most other events of the same scale and success on public park lands in OB this event has zero charitable component attached to it. Maybe Erin Bayer Santos would consider donationating a significant portion of the proceeds to a struggling charity on the island like Rising Tide Therapeutic Equestrian Center? Perhaps towards the future upkeep of Niantic Park? Public event on public land with only private benefit seems to be the shortcoming with this event
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