The Nantucket Finance Committee on Feb. 10 voted to support a series of zoning map changes and master-plan implementation articles recommended by the Planning Board, while recommending that several open-space parcels owned or managed by conservation entities be held for further review.

The votes covered multiple small rezonings that phase out the RC2 (mixed commercial/residential) district identified in the towns master plan, moving parcels into residential or more tailored commercial districts (R5, R10, CTEC, CN, CDT) consistent with neighboring uses. The committee followed the Planning Boards positive recommendations on most parcels, and supported the Planning Boards recommendation to take no action on a set of open-space parcels after the Land Bank and other conservation stakeholders asked for more time to clarify intended uses.

The Planning Board presented the rezonings as part of a multi-year effort to phase out RC2. Staff explained technical differences among the districts: RC2 is a mixed, higher-intensity district historically including lots with 5,000-square-foot minimums and a wide set of commercial uses; R5 and R10 are primarily residential with 5,000 and 10,000 minimum lot sizes respectively; CTEC is a lower-density commercial/entrepreneurship district with a 10,000-square-foot minimum and fewer permitted commercial uses; CN (Commercial Neighborhood) is lighter commercial for restaurants, offices and similar uses; CDT (Commercial Downtown) is the downtown commercial district that allows inns and guesthouses.

Why it matters: the changes are intended to finish an island-wide, multi-year implementation of the master plan zoning goals and to give property owners certainty about the likely future uses of their lots. Several rezones require a two-thirds vote at Town Meeting because they alter commercial/residential designations.

Key details and outcomes

- The committee supported Planning Board recommendations on multiple map-change articles (including Articles 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 and 40) with roll-call unanimous approvals at the Finance Committee level.
- On Article 41 (multiple open-space parcels proposed to move into the R40 Town Overlay), the Planning Board moved to take no action after the Land Bank raised short-term concerns. Finance Committee members agreed with the Planning Boards decision to "take no action" and urged additional coordination with the Land Bank and Conservation Foundation before Town Meeting.
- Several individual rezonings were clarified in committee discussion: example conversions highlighted included Surfside Road parcels moving from RC2 to R5 or R10 to align with neighborhood patterns; Nobadeer Farm Road parcels moving into CTEC to match adjacent commercial trade uses; and three parcels in the downtown area proposed to move from ROH (Residential Old Historic) into CDT to allow expansion of guest houses.

Quotes

"RC2 was identified in the master plan to be phased out over time. We are nearing the end," Planning staff member Leslie said while describing the series of small rezonings.

"The Land Bank came forward and they had some short term concerns with a few of their properties that were included. So the Planning Board agreed to take no action for now," Leslie said in describing Article 41.

Ending

The committees advice on most map changes means those items will go to Town Meeting with a positive Finance Committee recommendation. The items the Planning Board moved to "take no action" will remain on the warrant (the town attorney and staff explained that once an article is posted it must be disposed of at Town Meeting) but are now flagged for additional work between conservation stakeholders and the Planning Board prior to any future resubmission.