2025 Nantucket Town Election: Planning Board Candidates

On the eve of the 2025 Nantucket town election, the Current invited the two candidates for the open, one-year seat on the Planning Board to share their platform and top priorities with voters in 600 words or less.

The polls will be open at Nantucket High School from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. this Tuesday, May 20th.

Below are the candidates' statements, posted in alphabetical order:

Liza Hatton:

My name is Liza Hatton, and I am running for the one-year seat on the Planning Board.

Playing a deciding role in the issues that come before the Planning Board requires a well-rounded understanding of Nantucket, best gained from experiencing island life from many perspectives. I have been a year-round island resident for 14 years, and before that, I've been coming to Nantucket seasonally since I was born.

Over the years, I have lived, worked, commuted, and run across all corners of the island.

Professionally, I currently work as a real estate broker, and I have had my real estate license since 2014. During that time, I have also worked for a general contractor on the island, and I hold a construction supervisor license.

As an adjunct to my professional life, I’m a member of the continuing education committee for the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, the Nantucket Builders Association, and the Sconset Civic Association. I also volunteer with the Sconset Clean Team and the Nantucket Garden Club.

Having trained for five marathons and numerous half-marathons here, I am intimately familiar with the island's bike paths, traffic intersections, and Land Bank trails.

For eight years, my husband and I lived in employee housing on Old South Road, so I understand the frustrations of traffic congestion in that area.

From these lived experiences, I have a clear sense of what works and what needs improvement as we plan our island’s future.

The lack of affordable and attainable housing impacts everyone on the island, but especially the workforce of our community. In 2019, my husband and I were fortunate to qualify for the covenant program. Purchasing our covenant home has transformed our lives. We are a testament to how smart planning can benefit community members.

It is a complex issue, but if there is an opportunity for me to help make affordable and attainable housing more accessible, I want to be involved. It is important for us to focus on how to encourage development of affordable and attainable units by private contractors. The town cannot be expected to solve this issue on its own.

The next 10 years are going to be pivotal in our growth as an island. We need to work together to make sure we decide on a master plan that embodies our goals as a community. Stormwater management and coastal resiliency need to be incorporated into our plan. Working together with other town boards and committees, I will ensure our growth incorporates all facets of our island, and I will make meeting the needs of our growing community our priority.

I am seeking a seat on the Planning Board to add a voice for my generation since I have noticed a gap in participation on Town Committees and Boards. My flexible work schedule allows me the time necessary to dedicate to the Planning Board. I first expressed interest when I applied for an alternate position last year. Once I pulled papers to run for a full seat, I began going to every meeting to ensure I am up-to-date on current applications and to add to my knowledge.

As a member of the Planning Board, I will be fair, honest, and reasonable in all the decisions I participate in. I will work alongside existing board members and town staff to come up with solutions that are mutually agreeable. I believe that transparency and communication are the most important attributes of someone in public office.

Please vote for me on May 20^th, and I promise to give a fresh and independent perspective to the Planning Board!

Hillary Hedges Rayport:

Nantucket is a beautiful place that in many ways has become a victim of its own success. We’ve seen growth without regard for qualities long considered foundational to this historic island. Struggles with traffic and the boat are just a few factors that make life difficult. Construction is everywhere, but with the worst housing crisis in Massachusetts, we can’t build our way out. If longtime residents question whether their children have a future on this island, what kind of community will we be?

I’m running for Planning Board because I have years of experience in government on Nantucket and in preservation planning, and I’m passionate about using planning tools to create a better future. I bring an independent mind, free from any conflict of interest, and dedicated to finding solutions. As your representative, I will fairly apply our subdivision control laws and carefully evaluate special permit applications. But Planning Board members are also responsible for Nantucket’s Master Plan. For the past four years I’ve been advocating for more dynamic long-range planning. My petition to restructure the Nantucket Planning & Economic Development Commission, which is our Regional Planning Agency responsible for comprehensive long-range planning for the island region, has passed twice at Town Meeting – most recently with over 70% of the vote – and is currently at the State House. Importantly, my interest in planning does not end with the applications in front of the Planning Board; it’s about how we work together to create a future we all can believe in.

If elected, I will prioritize bringing more of the community into the community plan. Our Master Plan is 16 years out of date and is currently being updated by a consultant. How do we include the voices of the whole community? The Master Plan forms the basis for future zoning changes and strategic investment. If our Master Planning process falls short, it will be a lost opportunity or even a turn for the worse. Secondly, I promise to ask tough questions and demand accountability in planning. It should never again happen that at Town Meeting a voter has to ask, “Who’s behind this anyway?” about up-zoning sponsored by the Planning Department, as happened at ATM 2025. Lastly, I believe there are small things we can do to make life better. For example, traffic and parking are a headache for many, and impact businesses. The 130-spot public parking lot by the downtown Stop and Shop is privately owned under a public-benefit license through the Department of Environmental Protection. Unlike the rest of the Boat Basin, this lot has never had a management plan. There are many spots marked “reserved,” and off-island contractors leave vehicles there for days. With leadership and initiative, we can work to bring this lot back for public benefit.

Some have made much of the fact that I am a part-year resident. I split my time between Nantucket and Boston, and at this point in my life, I have no other choice. I have a 25-year history with this island, I’m here every month of the year, I’ve listened to all the Planning Board and NP&EDC meetings for years, no matter where I am. I’ve demonstrated my commitment, and I hope Nantucket voters will select the candidate with the experience and the backbone to turn our planning function in a forward-looking direction. I humbly ask for your vote.