Tisbury’s select board voted this week to permanently ban houseboats from all town waterways, with the exception of two existing vessels: oyster farmer Jeffrey Canha’s houseboat, moored in Vineyard Haven Harbor, and artist Marion Wilson’s floating studio Rascal, which is tied up at the western end of Lagoon Pond.
Houseboats are defined as “a type of vessel constructed on a raft, barge or hull that is primarily for habitation and for which transportation is only a secondary purpose,” according to the new regulation approved Monday, which also prohibits “non-water-dependent” floating businesses and other vessels not meant chiefly for travel.
The exceptions for Mr. Canha’s and Ms. Wilson’s pre-existing houseboats are not transferable to new owners, new uses or substantial changes or new vessels, under the newly-approved prohibition.
The vote took place during a public hearing on proposed new waterways regulations that had been postponed from the previous week due to technical difficulties.
The remainder of the proposed regulations, a draft of which is posted on the town website, remain to be approved.
The hearing continues May 24 at 4:15 p.m.
Also Monday, the select board appointed Jaqueline Hokanson as assistant election warden.
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