Martha’s Vineyard is home to six towns, each with locally created and adopted land development policies. However, each town’s decisions affect housing all over the island. The towns on Martha’s Vineyard also contend with housing problems unique to seasonal communities, such as demand for short-term rentals, timeshares, and seasonal homes, all of which help to drive housing costs out of reach for year-round residents. There is also not enough housing for seasonal workers. Simply put, there is not enough supply to accommodate the demands of all the markets vying for a place to live on Martha’s Vineyard.
Against this backdrop, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) hired Barrett Planning Group to analyze island-wide zoning barriers to affordable housing, prepare town-by-town recommendations, and offer advice for a series of model bylaws. The purpose of this project was to highlight ways that all six towns can work together to increase the supply of affordable and attainable housing on Martha’s Vineyard. Our charge consisted of the following key tasks:
- Analyze existing zoning for regulations that affect housing development;
- Identify island-wide trends in affordable housing policies and regulations;
- Recommend zoning amendments; and
- Advise the MVC about the content for model bylaws to increase the types and overall supply of housing on the island.
We reviewed and analyzed all six zoning bylaws and other development regulations and consulted with local and regional stakeholders. Through our own independent zoning reviews and insights gathered from interviews, we focused on thirteen topics, including removing barriers, creating specific incentives, and preserving existing housing. We also wanted to understand the housing-friendly policies that already work in these communities, policies that could be improved, technical problems in zoning (such as lack of clarity, inconsistency, or obsolete provisions), and conflicts with fair housing. We found that overall, the towns on Martha’s Vineyard lacked effective policies for creating and preserving affordable housing. In addition, we found significant differences from town to town in housing terms and definitions. These individual distinctions make it difficult to have larger, regional conversations about housing affordability and combat what has become a significant island-wide economic problem. To help MVC and the towns address these challenges, we made specific recommendations to institute common terminology and provide for a wider range of housing types with fewer permitting obstacles. MVC will continue to work toward coordinating island-wide regulatory updates.