Members of the building community came out in force Thursday night with concerns about the Martha Vineyard Commission’s proposed changes to the DRI checklist, the list that dictates what projects are referred to the regional body. Most of the concerns centered around whether the commission would regulate large houses as developments of regional impact.

As the northeast continues to recover from Hurricane Sandy’s historic destruction two weeks ago, federal and state disaster relief officials visited the Vineyard on Thursday to assess damages and help begin the reimbursement process for damages to town property sustained during the storm.

Initial estimates to town and county owned coastlines and property Island-wide swelled to over $14.2 million.

After a tax rate classification hearing on Tuesday, Tisbury selectmen voted not to apply a tax shift to commercial properties and to continue the 20 per cent residential tax exemption of the average residential property value. Last year the average residential property value was $784,700 allowing residents to subtract $156,940 from their property values before paying their taxes. This year the average residential value in town is $757,475 resulting in a tax exemption of $151,495.

Edgartown selectmen approved new mooring regulations for Edgartown harbor on Monday, stipulating that boats applying for a mooring must pay state excise tax to obtain an annual mooring permit. Harbor master Charlie Blair presented the amendments to mooring regulations, which state that if excise tax is paid to another town in the commonwealth, a copy of the paid bill should be sent to the harbor master before the mooring can be used. Out-of-state excise tax payments will not be accepted.