West Tisbury is now the first town on the Island to enact regulations around short-term rentals, though other towns have also started to consider the best way to handle the controversial properties.
Oak Bluffs voters rejected the controversial light industrial mixed use proposal, Edgartown residents decided to postpone a proposed party bylaw indefinitely, and after a long discussion West Tisbury passed regulations on short-term rentals.
Democracy at the ground level — in a grammar school gym, a town hall and a performing arts center — arrives today when a trio of town meetings opens the political season on the Vineyard.
Among the items voters will consider at the Oak Bluffs town meeting are paying for upgrades to the town’s wastewater and harbor infrastructure, and business-friendly zoning amendments.
Short-term rental restrictions, a change in town energy policy and $1.8 million in library renovations all top the warrant for West Tisbury annual town meeting next week.
Efforts to ease the Island’s housing crunch, funding for repairs to South Beach and potential borrowing to shore up aging septic pipes will all be put before Edgartown voters at town meeting next week.
Vineyarders will have four different elections this year. The presidential primary takes place on March 5, annual town elections start in the spring, state primaries are on Sept. 3 and the general presidential election on Nov. 5.
Chilmark voters swiftly approved the only article on a special town meeting warrant Monday, allowing the nonprofit Chilmark preschool to take its next step toward constructing a new school on town-owned land.
This spring, town meeting voters across the Island will see significantly higher proposed school budgets for the next fiscal year, with percentage increases ranging from more than 7 per cent to nearly 12 per cent.
West Tisbury voters will weigh in on an initiative to promote private affordable housing in town at their fall special town meeting next week, along with deciding on a series of minor funding articles.
