Urging Community To Attend Town Meeting And Support Rezoning Of Woodland Drive Properties

To the editor: I’m writing to urge my fellow Nantucket residents to attend the Special Town Meeting on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, and vote in favor of rezoning and including 13 and 13A Woodland Drive in the sewer district. This is a unique opportunity to create a year-round housing development similar to Sachem’s Path, with 100% local control and no request for Town funds.

Upon voter approval of the zoning change and inclusion of the property in the sewer district, a set of voluntary, permanent deed restrictions—which have already been recorded against the deed—will take immediate effect:

• ● Year-round Occupancy: Homes must be occupied for at least 10 months each year.
• ● Leasing: If rented, leases must be for a minimum of 12 months.
• ● Dwelling Limit: Each buildable lot will be limited to one single-family dwelling.
• ● Affordability: Homes will be priced to remain affordable for individuals earning up to 240% of Nantucket’s Area Median Income (AMI), with the goal of offering significantly lower prices through additional subsidies.
• ● Right of First Offer: Essential workers, including teachers, healthcare providers, and public safety professionals, will have the first opportunity to buy homes before they are publicly listed.

Affordable homeownership opportunities are scarce. For example, a recent sale of a 4,000-square-foot vacant lot in Richmond’s Sandpiper Place closed at $620,000—more than 88% of the maximum sale price for a Covenant home. The least expensive vacant lot available today is $850,000.

Without any contributions from the Town or outside sources, we can deliver completed houses for under $1 million. With subsidies from funds already approved by voters in previous years, the price can be significantly lower.

Without this rezoning, the project cannot proceed. Current zoning make it impossible to address the housing needs we face, and this has been a longstanding issue. Even Sachem’s Path was built in LUG-2, where the minimum lot size is 80,000 square feet.

By approving Articles 12 and 14, we can enable environmentally sustainable development. The concept plan includes neighborhood-friendly designs with shared green spaces, ensuring privacy while fostering community. Working with local contractors, we’ve developed a plan for each home to be equipped with roof-mounted solar panels, capable of generating enough energy to meet their entire needs, including heating and cooling.

Cliff Williams intends to develop his property in the same manner and his project requires your support on Articles 11 and 13.

I encourage all Nantucket voters to attend the meeting and support this essential project. Together, we can take a meaningful step toward securing affordable housing for our essential workers.

Thank you.

Stephen Maury