Nantucket residents will gather for our Annual Town Meeting on April 3, 2018 to discuss and vote on the 90 Articles in the Warrant (VIEW FULL WARRANT).
In addition to approving the operating budget for the Town and County of Nantucket there are many other complex, and relevant, articles up for consideration.
The Community Preservation Committee is recommending that over $2.5 million be given to various entities who work in the areas of historic preservation, open space and affordable housing (Article 34).
Article 35, sponsored by a private citizen, would establish a $30 million Tax Levy Override to be placed on the ballot to be voted on by Nantucket voters. The $30 million would “meet unmet Town needs and empower the Board of Selectmen to set the split rate factor and the amount of the residential exemption to shield Town residents from the impact of the override”. This is another way of saying that the bulk of the $30 million would be paid by our non-resident taxpayers.
There are many zoning articles, most of which seek to change zoning. Following is a list of the streets that are impacted: Appleton Road, Orange Street, Sparks Avenue and WIlliams Lane. Cherry and Pleasant Streets, Sun Island Road, New Street in Sconset, Davkim Lane, Wyers Way, Airport Road, numerous roads in Madaket, Polpis Road, Evergreen Way. Wherowhero Lane, Nobadeer Farm and Old South Roads and South Shore Road.
Articles 53 through 57 deal with sewer district changes for various properties located in Sconset, and on South Shore Road, Folger Road, Morgan Square and Hawthorne Lane.
Article 59 would put a ban on herbicides and pesticides containing glyphosate which has proven to be dangerous.
Article 60 is a resolution against offshore seismic testing and offshore oil and gas development.
Two articles filed by a private citizen, Articles 63 and 64, would discontinue the development of 6 Fairgrounds Road and the the Ticcoma Green project, slated for affordable housing. One also asks the Town to put a 7 year moratorium on the use of public resources for the purpose of “new construction of housing”.
Article 67 asks for a Home Rule Petition which would change the name of the Board of Selectmen to the Selectboard. The article would also change “selectman” to “member”.
For more information: 2018 Nantucket Annual Town Meeting