Hello Monomoy:

Two Articles that would have grandfathered 32 Monomoy Rd and other commercial short-term rentals were voted down at Town Meeting, That’s only the latest win. Our questioning of the Nantucket Planning & Development Committee proposal to redo its planning guidelines – more than a year after we created the Monomoy Area Plan on their original proposal – gained support. And of course the big win with the solar farm deciding not to build in Wyer’s Valley on the water company property. We’re on a roll.

The MCA partnered on all of these. The Nantucket Land and Water Council took the lead on the solar farm issue. Executive Director Emily Molden credits our legal brief as a major contributor. The Nantucket Civic League joined us in questioning the new NP&EDC proposals. And we supported ACK.Now in its opposition to the STR Articles.

On STRs, we have no intent to change the historic practice of individuals renting their homes. Our red line is real estate companies running a business in a residential area, prohibited in the zoning code. Nobody lives at 32 Monomoy. On the Monomoy Area Plan, volunteers spent hundreds of hours creating a brilliant plan on NP&EDC guidelines – we can’t ask them to do it again. We are not against solar power, but this industrial installation was moving with little public discussion of siting or mitigation of endangered species. 

It’s worth checking our terrific MCA website, created by Leo Mullen. mcanantucket.org. You’ll find the Monomoy Area Plan there. Also a complete Action Plan by Ed Orenstein for lawns and fertilizers to mitigate harbor pollution – plus Debbe Nicholson’s common sense actions for reducing night lighting. In the Member Area, there’s the Monomoy Directory created by Laura Choma, who is also our treasurer and does so much more for the MCA. 

We are a philanthropic bunch. During Covid, the board and MCA contributed generously to the Nantucket Food Pantry. At the last annual meeting, we learned about Our House, the community program to provide a safe, nurturing place after school for Nantucket youth – in a house donated by our neighbor Teckie Shakelford. It is gratifying that many of you contributed to Our House. One visitor was amazed to learn that the biggest need they fill is food insecurity – on Nantucket!

I’m sad to report the death of Sandy Taylor, a friend to many of us and the wife of our first president Ted Taylor. She was fun and enthusiastic – and a great gardener.

Stay well as the days grow shorter … and think warm.

Ken Roman, President

The Monomoy Civic Association. BOARD: Laura Choma, Matt Dwyer, Meg Dwyer, David Ernst, Anne Finucane, Steve Leinbach, Michael Metz, Leo Mullen, Debbe Nicholson, Ed Orenstein, Jeff Parker, Michael Stanton and Matthew Westfall