As a winter-long discussion begins in Chilmark about the impacts from overly large houses on the landscape and character of the town, it is ironic to see the Coast Guard refusing to budge much on its plan to build an overly large replacement to the historic boathouse that burned in the July 2010 Menemsha fire.

The selectmen and town historical commission are unhappy about plans to build a commanding structure smack in the heart of a picturesque village whose weathered shacks and commercial fishing fleet have attracted tourists and artists for as long anyone can remember. The plans have been downsized slightly from a first draft presented late last year, and some architectural details have been changed to incorporate features of the distinctive mansard-roofed building lost in the fire. But not enough changes have been made to satisfy the concerns of the town, chief among them the fact that the height of the building still far exceeds the maximum allowed under zoning. This puts the new boathouse badly out of scale with the surrounding buildings and means the building may be visually impairing — in picture-postcard Menemsha, of all places.

Coast Guard planners and architects say the size of the replacement structure is necessary to meet the future needs of Station Menemsha. It is of course important for the lifesaving station at Menemsha to be properly equipped for the future. But the boathouse plans need more discussion, and it may help to bring in an independent planning agency such as the Martha’s Vineyard Commission for another look. Because the property is owned by the United States government, review by the state-chartered commission, or any local land use boards for that matter, is not required. But the Coast Guard could voluntarily send the plans to the commission for a nonbinding review as a development of regional impact. The Steamship Authority did this several years ago with the plans for rebuilding the Oak Bluffs terminal. The result was healthy, wide-ranging public discussion about an important regional facility, and in the end an improved plan.

Sending the boathouse plans to the MVC for review would make good use of the commission’s unsung resources. It would also be a show of good faith on the part of the Coast Guard that it intends to listen to the concerns of the Chilmark community on this important project in a place whose special character matters to every person on the Vineyard.

The moment calls to mind the time in the 1980s when a characterless steel building was planned as the replacement Agricultural Hall on the Panhandle Road in West Tisbury. Thanks to a grassroots community effort, an antique barn frame was instead reconstructed on the spot. Today the hall that was built around that frame is the gathering place for community events, farmers’ markets and that rite of August, the Agricultural Fair — a handsome structure we sometimes take for granted, forgetting about the hard work and determination that was banged into every mortise and tenon.

The Coast Guard boathouse will be a similarly important landmark in a highly visible location. Chilmark town leaders should not back off from insisting that the new boathouse be built to their satisfaction, and in keeping with the character of the Menemsha village. This is the chance to get it right.