OPEN SPACE AND COMMUNITY CHARACTER

Martha's Vineyard's open spaces and distinctive character are constantly challenged as a result of continuing development pressure. However, the efforts of the Martha's Vineyard Commission, the Island towns, the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank and a variety of non-profit organizations have been quite successful in preserving the Island's open spaces and character, despite the Vineyard's enormous growth over the past generation.

OPEN SPACE

Presently, approximately 34% of Martha's Vineyard is public open space or protected by means of conservation restrictions. This compares to 42% on Nantucket. Approximately 38% of the Vineyard's coast is accessible to the public and 1% is semi-public (e.g. town beaches).

PLANNING FOR OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION

The MVCRegionalPlan [document not yet available online] and OpenSpaceActionPlan [document not yet available online] outline policies and strategies related to open space protection and public access. The Commission has also helped towns prepare their open space plans. Whether through land purchase, conservation restriction, or their many education programs, several Vineyard ConservePartnerList [document not yet available online] play important roles in open space preservation on the Island. Probably the most successful single strategy for open space preservation has been the creation of the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank in 1986, funded from a 2% tax on real estate transactions, that acquires open space for the protection of Island landscapes, habitat and public use.

CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT

Most Island towns have cluster-zoning by-laws that allow developers to cluster development on one part of a property in order to preserve the rest as open space, something the Commission often requires as part of its review of Developments of Regional Impact.

AGRICULTURAL LAND

In 1900, 56% of the land of Martha's Vineyard was reported as farm acreage. Improved land agriculture. Now, only about 20% of the land is actively farmed (crops or pasture) of which about 12% takes advantage of agricultural easements, which provide for a reduction in property taxes in exchange for giving away of development rights on the property. The Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society, and the Farm Institute, work to preserve and promote agriculture on the Vineyard.

COMMUNITY CHARACTER AND SCENIC VALUES

In his landmark 1973 Looking at the Vineyard (LookatVineyard 23K) , sponsored by the Vineyard Open Land Foundation, Kevin Lynch advanced the notion that the Vineyard could accommodate a considerable amount of development without destroying the Island's traditional character, provided this development was kept out of sight. The first two Districts of Critical Planning Concern created by the MVC in 1975 were the Island Roads District and the Coastal District, both of which restrict development in those areas where it would have the greatest visual impact. This strategy has been largely successful. The tremendous housing growth in the quarter century since then is generally well disguised from public view due to the regulation separating drive ways entrances by 1,000 feet. However, impacts beyond the visual—notably traffic impacts—have not been so unobtrusive.

COMMUNITY CHARACTER, ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION

Historically, the Vineyard was made up of a number of small towns and villages, each with its own distinctive character, separated with large areas of farmland or woodland. In the past generation, development on the Vineyard has, to a certain extent, followed the sprawl patterns prevalent across North America: car-oriented suburban subdivisions and commercial strip development on Upper Main Street in Edgartown, on Upper State Road in Tisbury, and most recently in the North Tisbury area of West Tisbury. The MVC works with the towns to preserve the distinct character of each part of Dukes County.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION

The MVC has created several Districts of Critical Planning Concern and towns have created several historic districts in order to preserve the distinct character of these areas (see MapHistoricDCPCs [document not yet available online] ). There are a number of historic districts and individual structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

ARCHITECTURE

The harmonious overall visual character of Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands is largely the result of the fact that people have continued to build using traditional local styles and materials. For example, exterior materials are typically white clapboard in Edgartown, colored siding in Oak Bluffs, and natural cedar shingles Up-Island. The Commission is particularly concerned about issues of architectural design in DRI review for buildings in highly visible locations such as in the Island Roads DCPC, or on main streets in town centers.

ARCHEOLOGY

Native settlement in Dukes County dates back thousands of years and European settlement over four hundred years. The MVC has helped identify MapArcheological [document not yet available online] within which particular attention must be paid to protect these irreplaceable resources.