voices: the community speaks of Nantucket and GHYC

5 Hatch Circle
Nantucket, MA 02554

13 Feb 04

Nantucket Conservation Commission
37 Washington Street
Nantucket, MA 02554

Dear Commission Members,

I am opposed to the massive dredging that would be necessary to accomodate the construction of a pier with slips for the Great Harbor Yacht Club.

The project means that a considerable amount of harbor waterfront will be taken from the inhabitants of the Town of Nantucket and it's visitors who may enjoy boating, kayaking, digging quahogs, or push-scooping for scallops. The entire area will be lost forever to a private club.

The area in question was subject to massive dredging in the early 1950's. The amount of harbor bottom that was pumped out filled land 2'-3' deep, from the rear of a hay barn where 56 Union Street is now located, running south - all the way to the Creeks and up to the railroad bed. It buried old catboats that were in the path, filled the ditches and devasted the entire marshland - killing all the fiddler crabs, quahogs, clams and countless other living material. This dredging material filled so much of an area that it allowed for the building of the properties that exist there today.

I urge you to keep the GHYC project as simple as possible and not allow for ANY variances or concessions, but rather to adhere to the rules and regulations already established by your commission.

Thank you for your attention and consideration to this very important matter.

Sincerely,

Lionel J. Starr
Native Natucketer

cc: Board of Selectmen
Moncure Chatfield-Taylor