More than nine years after Tisbury officials and residents first began discussing their visions for the town’s future, the planning board this week unanimously adopted a master plan to guide development decisions.
Judi Barrett, of Barrett Planning Group in Hingham, last week recommended adding a new town hall department for planning and sustainability and changing municipal leadership from a town administrator to a town manager.
Tisbury needs more restaurants, apartments and year-round jobs, according to the results of a recent community survey from the town’s master plan steering committee that drew 437 responses.
As Tisbury imagines what development over the next 10 to 15 years will look like, some half-dozen consulting firms collaborated to produce varying scenarios for the future, including specialists in transportation, economic development and natural resources.
Tisbury has so far operated without a master plan, a document intended to guide town boards by outlining a clear vision for development, but that's about to change.
The complex task of writing a master plan — a comprehensive planning document to guide the town through development, land use and other far-reaching decisions — is under way in Tisbury.
Greetings from the Tisbury planning board this year will come in the form of a survey that will be used to gather information for the development of a master plan.
"A well-constructed master plan provides the basis for decision-making regarding the long-term physical development of the town. It usually leads to specific zoning bylaw changes to effect the goals expressed and to set the tone for all land-use decisions. The plan also serves as valuable documentation when seeking grants or other forms of assistance," states the press release issued by the planning board last week.
The parking in Tisbury is terrible, but traffic is worse. The police, fire and emergency services are first rate. The town should invest in lots for affordable housing and could begin by developing the southwest wedge off Holmes Hole Road. And although Tisbury harbor generates needed revenue, it is above all a vital resource that must be kept environmentally healthy.
