The public hearing for a special permit to construct the turf field was continued to March 24.
The Oak Bluffs planning board continued a public hearing on a special permit for the planned turf field and track complex at the regional high school, forgoing a presentation from the high school on the project.
Instead, the board heard a report on Thursday from Boston-based engineer Howard Stein Hudson on a traffic study conducted on the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road corridor between Barnes and County Roads.
The public hearing for a special permit to construct the turf field within the town’s water protection overlay district was continued to March 24, when the high school is expected to be given the floor to present. When asked by regional school committee chairman Amy Houghton how long the public hearing may last, planning board chairman Ewell Hopkins had no definitive answer.
“The big variable is public input,” he said.
Mr. Ewell added that during public comment following the high school’s presentation, opinions on all aspects of the turf field project will be taken. Though, he said he hopes comments refrain from redundancy and remain relevant to the special permit question at hand.
He said for the remainder of the public hearing, the planning board will “move as rapidly as we can.”
During the traffic study presentation Tuesday, consultant Keri Pyke showed numbers and the anticipated impact of planned developments, from the turf field to the YMCA expansion to new housing along the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road corridor.
As a mitigation, Ms. Pyke suggested two new traffic circles on the road, one at the high school and another at County Road. The board largely agreed that these circles would be a good addition, with Mr. Hopkins noting that a circle at County Road could help with traffic should the undeveloped land across the street be realized.
After the presentation, Ms. Houghton asked whether the board could have an out-of-sequence meeting to better move along the public hearing on the athletic fields and allow the high school to present.
“I’m not comfortable with starting before the 24th,” Mr. Hopkins said. He added that the board needs time to review all relevant materials before the presentation.
Comments
With the real chance to get
Joanne islanderWith the real chance to get MSBA money for the high school rebuild now a reality, we need to rally the towns and get this done! Up to $40 million is within our grasp!! We need to FIX the track (which is in need of emergency repair) and put the rest of the project on hold until we (1) reach 6-town consensus on the funding formula for the rebuild, (2) lock down the state funding. Whatever you think of turf versus grass, this is the time to work together on much more important goals -- getting an updated and functional EDUCATIONAL facility for the island kids. Athletics are great and important, but the school is falling down!!!
Or better yet. Build both.
Stunned IslandOr better yet. Build both. One privately funded and one publicly funded. The island is capable of doing both. This sounds like another convenient excuse to kick the can down the road again. Still stunned!
I’m sorry, but this would be
Islander61 OBI’m sorry, but this would be just another delay tactic. The track is past it’s useful life. Repairs have been done and the experts have said another repair isn’t possible. If anything, this is more of a reason to get the new field project done now, show the MSBA we can come together to get a school based project completed. Oh yeah, if you hadn’t heard, the track and field project will be privately funded, not paid by tax payers, once the Town of Oak Bluffs planning board Chair stops his delay tactics. Please don’t delay any longer. Get the field approved and permitted so the fund raising can officially begin, construction can start and another class of student athletes doesn’t miss out on a badly needed track and field replacement.
The track and field may be
Sally West TisburyThe track and field may be built by a private donor, but the towns have already been billed about $500,000 and counting for the design, approvals and permitting. And the towns will bear the cost down the road of maintaining and replacing. That's lots of taxpayer money on athletics when we need to build a new school for education!!
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