Surfside Crossing Developers Respond To Environmental Justice Petition

To the Editor: We write in response to the Environmental Justice (EJ) article relating to Surfside Crossing (SSX). After more than seven years of permitting and review, Nantucket’s Surfside Crossing continues to move through the process with the shared goal of addressing Nantucket’s critical need for affordable housing. While there will always be differing perspectives on projects of this scale, we believe it is important to focus on the facts — and the needs of the community — at large.

The Surfside Crossing project, now before the Housing Appeals Committee (HAC), has already been reviewed and approved by the Massachusetts Environmental Protection Agency (MEPA) in 2020. That approval, for the same project now under consideration, remains in effect today.

This property was originally recommended by Nantucket’s Director of Planning and Land Use Services because of its many community advantages:

• Walking distance to the schools
• Convenient access to the year-round bus line
• Direct connection to the island’s bike path network
• Availability of town water and sewer
• Proximity to iconic Nantucket beaches
• Location within an established, vibrant year-round neighborhood

These factors make Surfside Crossing one of the most logical and sustainable sites on the island for addressing our housing challenges.

The designation of the entire mid-island area (and beyond) as an Environmental Justice Community by the state underscores the importance of ensuring that year-round residents have fair access to safe, affordable housing. This area includes the vast majority of Nantucket’s full-time population — evidence of how critical it is to move forward with solutions that serve the whole community.

We remain committed to working collaboratively, respectfully, and transparently with all stakeholders. Our mission remains to meet the urgent housing needs of Nantucket — for high-quality, affordable, and attainable homes, in a way that strengthens the island’s year-round community — and holistically supports our economy.

Sincerely,

Jamie Feeley and Josh Posner
Surfside Crossing