Nantucket Town Government Roundup, March 13 - 26

As the coldest winter in recent memory finally draws to a close, several high-profile local political issues are beginning to re-emerge along with the flowers. Find new information on an effort to close a short-term rental corporate ownership loophole and prevent unpermitted demolitions of historic structures, among other topics, below.

• The Board of Health and Select Board passed an amendment to the Board of Health’s short-term rental regulations, which incorporates language from the town’s general short-term rental bylaw blocking most corporations from directly owning short-term rentals on Nantucket. During a presentation on the amendment, town counsel appeared to reference a Current expose on a loophole some corporations are using to avoid those regulations, but the amendment won’t affect any of the companies implicated in the expose.
• What is a demolition, anyway? That’s the question the Historic District Commission is trying to answer after a historic cottage in Madaket was demolished without a permit in what the property owners claimed wasn’t a demolition at all. More discussion on the topic is expected soon, once town staff have had a chance to look into the question.
• The Select Board officially voted through a series of comments on town meeting warrant articles, which the Current first reported here.
• A significant portion of a Nantucket Public Schools plan to renovate the athletic facilities at Vito Capizzo Stadium passed unanimously on consent at the Historic District Commission, though it will still need approval from Town Meeting and at this spring’s local election before any work can begin. The HDC voted to allow the demolition of the existing grandstand, boosters building, and field house, and the construction of a new team room and concessions and boosters building. The plan has primarily drawn attention for the inclusion of a turf field, which the HDC did not rule on.
• The town has established a Recreation Facilities Working Group, which will “undertake a comprehensive analysis of existing recreational facilities on island, as well as the demand for recreational facilities across the entire community.” According to a statement from the town’s communication department, the group includes representatives from Town Administration, the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Department of Public Works, Nantucket Public Schools, the Nantucket Islands Land Bank, and the Select Board.
• The town has received $290,500 in funding to support the installation of rooftop solar photovoltaic systems at municipal water and sewer department facilities. The solar is projected to reduce the town’s energy bills by around $25,000 a year and will also reduce carbon emissions.
• The state also awarded the town a $118,041 green communities grant to fund energy efficiency and clean energy projects, and sent the Nantucket PFAS Action Group some funding for a PFAS community health survey.
• Local social justice advocate and campaign strategist Clay Evans pulled papers to run for Select Board, but later told the Current that he will not contest the election, choosing instead to focus on getting his Master’s degree. Evans left the door open for a potential future Select Board run, and said he is interested in serving in an elected position for the town after he completes his education, but he will not join Amy Eldridge, Jill Vieth, and Clifford Williams in this year’s race.

And here are the local government stories we’ve covered in full over the last two weeks:

• A ban on turf is “not under consideration, ”Board of Health chair Ann Smith told the Current after a tumultuous meeting marked by accusations that the discussion on the merits of an artificial turf field at Vitto Capizzo stadium strayed close to a violation of the state’s open meeting law. Since the meeting, both the Board of Health and Select Board have been accused of open meeting law violations.
• Superior Court Judge Elaine M. Buckley has denied a lawsuit filed by two Nantucket Public School teachers in May of 2025 against the town in Nantucket Superior Court for its failure to implement the Paid Family & Medical Leave Act.
• Local charter boat captain Brian Borgeson, who sponsored the successful effort to legalize short-term rentals across Nantucket last fall, is running against incumbent Hillary Hedges Rayport for a seat on the Planning Board.
• Town finance director Brian Turbitt will step down from his post on April 21st.
• The Conservation Commission has approved a town proposal to provide alternative access to homes on Baxter Road, though the proposal is still a long way from being realized.
• Significant unpermitted work was done in a wetland near 34A Grove Lane, prompting the Conservation Commission to take enforcement action.
• Toscana is clashing with the town over a cap on the amount of yard waste any individual contractor can deposit at the landfill, which was imposed by a unanimous vote of the Select Board.
• Bar Yoshi will change managers as the Select Board holds a potential suspension over its head after liquor law violations over Christmas Stroll.
• The Great Harbor Yacht Club may be out of compliance with the state permit that allows it to develop its property near the harbor, according to the Harbor and Shellfish Advisory Board.
• The Planning Board has approved a redevelopment plan for 159 Orange Street, which currently houses the popular coffee shop Roastd, and two adjoining properties on West Creek Road.
• Some local students are pushing the School Committee to reform how grade point averages are calculated at Nantucket High School, giving more weight to harder classes.
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