voices: the community speaks of Nantucket and GHYC

Published in The Inquirer and Mirror on Feb. 5, 2004

Harbor should remain unchanged

To the Editor:
(Originally sent to the Nantucket Board of Selectman)

The issue before the town and the Selectmen that currently overshadows all else in its present and future impact on our community is the proposed development of the Great Harbor Yacht Club.

There are several resources on Nantucket that everyone agrees are absolutely essential to the unique character of this island, and Nantucket Harbor is one of these. The importance of our harbor for its commercial, recreational, historical, environmental and aesthetic values are beyond question. Every aspect of life on this island is tied to the maritime heritage of the great harbor of Nantucket.

Our belief is that Nantucket's waterfront must be viewed and judged - exactly as the federal government holds its national parks and public lands. These are public trusts, available and accessible to the public for the maximum advantage for the greatest number of people. Our harbor is no less one of our "national parks".

Nothing is predictable; no value is safe unless carefully safeguarded, and our harbor must be viewed in this way. In 1930, even though the great depression was at its height, and money was very, very hard to come by, Nantucket Town had the foresight to buy (by Town Meeting vote) Jetties Beach from the family that privately owned it. Now, 75 years later, can anyone imagine the Jetties Beach not being town-owned? Nantucket today owes it to Nantucket's future to never relinquish any of its harbor frontage.

Other immediate aspects - all speaking forcefully against the yacht club development - are the rights of peace and quiet of those residents who would have to suffer the vastly increased noise, traffic, pollution, lack of parking spaces, intrusion on their privacy in what has been a pleasant, traditional neighborhood, and most of all, the destruction of the natural life of the Creeks. The report of the Town Biologist Tracy Curley is devastating: "It is my professional opinion, based on the analysis above, that the project presently proposed would be harmful to and significantly alter the existing biotic communities, within and adjacent to the project area resulting in an unacceptable degradation to water quality, plant and animal habitat and biodiversity."

The clear obligation of the Board Of Selectmen and the appropriate town boards is to protect the community and to act in its best interests. We urge them to do so forcefully to head off a development that will eventually be deeply regretted, and can in no way whatsoever benefit Nantucket

Reva and Mort Schleslinger