The following letter was sent to the Edgartown affordable housing committee: We own a home at the end of Duende Lane that abuts both the proposed affordable housing land and the farmland owned by Mr. Daniels that is being leased to Donaroma’s Landscaping company in what we believe strays far from any accepted understanding of what is agricultural use. We support farming on this Island, but this is no longer a farm. This is a processing plant that blights the land, disrupts ecology and disturbs all who live there. We also support the idea of affordable housing on the Island, and are willing to consider this project. But this larger issue of a growing public nuisance on the land owned by Mr. Daniels and turned into a dumping ground by Donaroma’s must be addressed first as it impacts those of us who live there now and any future residents of this proposed project.

This has degraded and endangered a once beautiful area, including the protected frost bottom and the endangered moths inhabited there. The town needs to move immediately to clean and restore this area and to put a cease and desist order immediately against what is happening on this land.

We have witnessed and documented with photographs the following:

• A processing plant where large and loud beeping trucks bring refuse from other landscaping projects on the Island, to a mixing station on this property where there are hundreds of bags of mulch and compost that are stacked 25 feet high on pallets.

• The use of a large amount of chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides. We fear that these chemicals and these processes which are taking place less than 10 yards from our well may be affecting both the water supply and the environment, including the endangered and protected moths whose habitat is very close by.

• Mounds of smelly compost (one 30-plus feet high) that attracts flies and literally blocks the sunlight from our property and sits only inches from our property line.

• The land also appears to be leased to other contracting companies, for storage of equipment, tools, staging, construction debris and abandoned and rusting trucks.

Over the years, we have spoken directly to Mr. Daniels and asked him in a neighborly fashion to consider that what he is doing with the land is neither a residential or a farming use, but industrial usage of the land.

We also have spoken to Michael Donaroma, town selectman and owner of the landscaping company in question here, on three separate occasions, asking him to address the impact this is having on the neighborhood and environment. These requests have gone ignored, and instead the problem has gotten out of control. Recently we have brought the issue to town officials, including this board, and the board of health, who agree that there are questions as to whether this is truly agricultural activity, and whether all paperwork, permits, and processes have been complied with, and whether this is a safe and legal usage of the land.

There was a time when this field grew wildflowers and nurtured wildlife, including the protected moths. People walked their dogs and rode horses along this ancient path. What has happened to this land is not in keeping with the history of this Island to protect the natural habitat and beauty.

If this is not resolved, we are determined to continue to push this issue to be addressed by the town and raise questions in connection with whether or not this abutting land will be approved for this affordable housing project. The dignity of this land and the surrounding beauty needs to be restored for us to support this project, and should be considered before any ground is broken.

We appreciate this letter being read at this public forum and submitted to the official public record of this meeting. We are forwarding this letter to the boards of health and selectmen. We welcome any questions or any suggestions on how best to move forward.

Charles and Julie Sennott
Edgartown