By MEGAN DOOLEY

A passionate group of Edgartown residents spoke out against allowing tour buses on narrow town streets, asking the selectmen at a public hearing Monday to preserve and promote a walking culture downtown instead.

“The time has come to develop some kind of bylaw to prevent this crazy thing from happening,” said Bailey Norton, of bids to allow sightseeing tour bus companies access to Main, North Water and Summer streets. “Let’s ... protect historic Edgartown and preserve what we have of this beautiful village,” he said.

Mr. Norton cited a 1984 agreement approved by the selectmen that barred tour bus access beyond Church street. The idea was to encourage buses to park and unload, allowing tourists pedestrian access to the town. But he said the agreement had been all but forgotten.

“It’s something that we’ve been concerned about,” Mr. Norton said. The issues of concern include downtown congestion, bicycle traffic and the condition of downtown roads. “It’s just crazy to even think of this. This is all for the bus companies, for their private business to make a profit off of our towns and inconvenience everybody in town,” he said.

Katama resident Robert Hughes said the town should send the message that it is welcoming to visitors and tourists, but not in buses. “Walking tours are welcome,” he said. “The way we do it in this village is we walk.”

Selectman Arthur Smadbeck noted that of the number of Edgartown residents at the hearing, not one spoke in favor of approval of tour buses through downtown streets. “It’s worth noting that this is an overwhelming response to a public hearing from the town,” said Mr. Smadbeck. “I think that I will take note of that in anything that we’re doing. We really need to be cognizant of the feelings of the people in town.”

The public hearing was held in response to an application made by Martha’s Vineyard Transport tour van company owner Ron Minkin in March, to operate a sightseeing tour van through town. In June, Mr. Minkin accused the selectmen of stalling the application process, forcing him to lose out on this summer season’s business. Mr. Minkin claimed that in an informal poll of locals and business owners, 100 per cent were in favor of the tour operation. But Monday’s public hearing evoked another side. Mr. Minkin did not attend.

“If there is a reapplication of this, we will take note of what happened at this hearing today,” said Mr. Smadbeck.

Selectmen also held a public hearing on town negotiations with Comcast cable company. The 10-year Island-wide contract with Comcast expires next June. Cable advisory committee representative Tim Connelly said the committee wanted to hear residents’ questions, concerns, and expectations.