Fritz Quits: McClure Resigns From Planning Board

Frederick "Fritz" McClure abruptly resigned from his elected position on the Nantucket Planning Board on Tuesday. McClure, whose term was supposed to run through May 2023, cited "poor planning" and a recent Planning Board debate in which the validity of a survey by the Nantucket Town Association on spas in the old historic district was questioned.

McClure had been increasingly isolated on the board, and recently cast the lone vote against the Planning Board's Town Meeting warrant article to codify short-term rentals and allow them by right in all zoning districts.

"The immediate cause (for the resignation) was the discussion at the end of Monday night’s planning board meeting about the validity of the resident survey relating to spas in the old historic district," McClure said in an e-mail to the Current.

The survey, which received 453 responses from resident and non-resident Nantucket property owners, found that a strong majority were in favor of banning hot tubs and spas in the historic zones of town and Sconset. Seventy percent of respondents preferred no hot tubs or spas. It comes just weeks before Town Meeting voters will consider a warrant article sponsored by Anne Dewez that would ban spas and hot tubs in the downtown and Sconset historic districts, and another that would significantly limit their size.

"I think the characterization of the survey by the Board as being suspect or flawed is unfortunate and inaccurate" McClure stated. "But beyond that I have been increasingly frustrated with the planning process and the anger evident in the discussion about several issues before the voters at the ATM (annual town meeting). It is unfortunate and I fear will continue regardless of the outcome. I believe it is directly attributable to poor planning. Unfortunately, I have been unsuccessful in changing any of this and hope that others, especially younger people will step in and become more active. Discussion and debate is healthy; but much of what is being said in the current climate is not."