I am writing in regards to the request before the Martha’s Vineyard Commission to build an auto repair shop at 8 Vineyard Meadow Farms Road. I will try to summarize the concerns our neighbors in both communities have. To date there have been over 100 letters of opposition to this project.

The request for said auto body and repair shop has been heard before the West Tisbury Zoning Board of Appeals several times without resolution and the ZBA board has referred it to the commission for the upcoming hearing on Thursday. In order to be approved by the ZBA, a “special exemption” is required.

Concerns are as follows:

The presence of such a business at the entrance to this residential/agricultural zoned neighborhood that serves as the gateway to Long Point (one of the most beautiful spots on this Island) is just not appropriate. A business of this nature belongs in a commercial zone.

The neighborhoods have already been shaken up by the PFAS contamination from the airport, with the highest concentrations being at the properties at the head of these roads. In the more recent past, there was contamination of the wells in the adjacent neighborhoods by leakage at the airport laundromat. The applicants, in their defense, are taking measures to mitigate more contamination, but auto repair is “dirty” work and the risk of leakage and more contamination of our water supply is still worrisome. In addition, the aquifer for the whole Island lies under the adjacent state forest and so the risk isn’t only to those immediately adjacent.

On top of leakage concerns, there is a risk of fire from an auto body/ repair shop. This property is located directly across from Manual Correlus Forest and there are no fire hydrants in either neighborhood. If a fire got into the canopy of the forest it would be extremely difficult to control

In addition, this proposed business is adjacent to a heavily trafficked area. A school bus stop and the community mailboxes are located right there at Waldron’s Bottom Road is the summer entrance to Long Point and is heavily trafficked by both cars and bicycles. The driveway entrances to the proposed auto repair shop and the adjacent residential properties don’t have great sight lines. More traffic would only add to these issues.

And of course, noise pollution and potential decrease of property values in this quiet neighborhood would be an unfortunate byproduct of this project.

The residents of these neighborhoods have weighed in with letters of almost universal disapproval of the application. There seem to be too many negatives to grant a “special” exemption and this situation might serve as an impetus to review the special exemptions for residential/agricultural neighborhoods.

Joseph O’Donnell, MD

West Tisbury