voices: the community speaks of Nantucket and GHYC

Moncure Chatfield-Taylor
91 Washington Street Extension
Nantucket, MA 02554

Tel: (508) 228-5828

November 5, 2003

Mr. C. Marshall Beale, Chairman
Nantucket Planning Board
1 East Chesnut Street
Nantucket, MA 02554

Re: Great Harbor Yacht Club Proposal

To the Chairman of the Planning Board:

My name is Moncure Chatfield - Taylor and I live and work at 91 Washington Street Extension, Nantucket Mass. I own property adjacent to the property referred to as the Todd Building, to land of the Great Harbor Yacht Club, Inc. and to property owned by John B. McElderry, Jr. (see attached plan.) I am writing you with several concerns related to the Application for a Major Commercial Development for the proposed change of use of the boatyard to a yacht club.

My concerns are in three main areas: parking, boat racks, drainage and the proposed marina.

Parking -
There are already not enough parking spaces in the neighborhood. Allowing developers a variance for less parking than is required will only add to the problem.

My neighbors to the immediate north are the Salt Marsh Center and Sea Nantucket Cottages. The cottages have four residential units with one parking space. With the Todd Building to the immediate south there is a retail store and two residential condos. The frontage of my lot between them is only 24.29 feet, and if people park at the beginning of my driveway then I sometimes can't get out or in , even though I have six parking spaces. In season this happens frequently, and I am forced to find the person or move other cars in order to get in or out. This happens during normal business hours as well as during the evening and especially during special events.

Further down the street there is no relief. During the season many employees park at the end of Washington Street Extension and walk to town. Last winter the town eliminated many of these parking spaces when it built the water containment pond. So already there are less spaces down here than one year ago.

I would like to remind you that this area is not in the normal street grid of the town, it represents a dead end, an extension to the town layout, and there is no availability for overflow on-street parking because there are no more streets. This is all there is.

The developers are stating that the facility will contain between 300-500 people at one time for the majority of the day. Unless you anticipate that these members will carpool, and guests will arrive without their cars in the lot, then there is not enough parking. Please don't exacerbate an already existing parking problem by granting variances for parking.

I notice that the parking plan encompasses the land of the Todd Building, but I do not see the owners of that building named as owners of record or as an applicant. Doesn't the owner of the property need to apply?

Boat racks -
It is my understanding that there will be valet service boat racks in certain areas with car parking spaces underneath. I understand that there will be boat racks close to my property to the South. At a recent neighborhood meeting called by the developers, it was disclosed that these boat racks will be 20 ft. tall. That is almost as tall as my building. Are these boat racks allowed along property lines in town? I would hope if they are allowed that proper setbacks and screening are required. Are car parking spaces under boat racks considered the same as regular parking spaces?

Drainage -
If this project is to go forward please insure that drainage of surface drainage and storm water run-off does not impact the adjacent properties. There is already a problem here of drainage in the neighborhood.

Marina-
The pier and slips are of great concern to me. One of my chief reasons for buying property here was to have access to Francis Beach, where I have a boat moored off the beach at the channel.

I believe that my mooring may be affected by the proposed pier and slips of the yacht club, If this pier is built, where is everybody who has moorings who are displaced supposed to go? Are the 114 people with boats and their guests supposed to park on the same 104 spaces as the patrons for the health club various restaurants and pool? Anyone who has ever been lucky enough to get a town slip can tell you that however many parking spaces which the town has for marina parking is not enough on most days, and those are reserved exclusively for the tenants of the town pier.

Summary
With further tightening of parking, the twenty foot tall boat racks, and the possible loss of the mooring fields this project represents a loss of quality of life for me and I believe the community at large. Certainly a project with these reported resources should end up a benefit to the community rather than represent a loss. Rather than granting variances based on hardship, the town should hold this project to its highest standards.

Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,

Moncure Chatfield - Taylor