DRIs

Developments of Regional Impact

The MVC Act (Chapter 831 of the Acts of 1977, as amended) authorizes the Commission to review developments that are either so large or have such significant impacts on their surroundings that they would affect more than one town. Such projects are labeled Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs). Once officially classified as a DRI, the project must be approved by the MVC before a town board may issue a required permit or take any action. The Commission weighs the potential benefits and detriments of the proposal to determine whether the application should be approved, approved with conditions, or denied.

• Step by Step DRI Process: This section outlines the steps that are followed in the review of DRIs. A pdf for printing is available here.
• DRI Policies:  This page lists and provide links to policies used in the review of DRI applications.
• Active DRIs: This page has a table that indicates the status of each project currently being reviewed by the MVC.
• Previous DRIs: This page is a table listing projects that were reviewed as DRIs in the past.

Documents for Town or County Referring Officials and Boards

• DRI Checklist: This document lists the Standards and Criteria that set various thresholds used to determine whether a proposal is a Development of Regional Impact.
• Tools to Identify Geographic Triggers: This document explains the following  three mapping tools to help building inspectors and referring boards determine whether a given parcel falls within the geographic areas referenced by several DRI Checklist items.
• On-Line Interactive Maps: This mapping tool shows which parcels are affected by items on the DRI Checklist that refer to specific geographic areas on the Island. One map is provided for each town, namely:
  • Aquinnah,
  • Chilmark,
  • Edgartown, 
  • Oak Bluffs,
  • Tisbury, and
  • West Tisbury.
• DRI Geographic Parcel Matrix: These spreadsheets provide the same information as the interactive map for each town:​
  • Aquinnah,
  • Chilmark,
  • Edgartown,
  • Oak Bluffs,
  • Tisbury and
  • West Tisbury.

Documents for Applicants

• DRI Application Form:  This form must be filled in by an applicant whose project has been referred for review to the MVC.
• Making a DRI Application: This document describes how an applicant should prepare an application.

Other Useful Documents

• MVC Act: Sections 14 and 15 of Chapter 831, the MVC's enabling legislation, outline the criteria that the Commission uses in weighing the potential benefits and detriments of a DRI.
• DRI Procedures: This outline of the DRI process includes administrative details not included here.

Note: If there is any discrepancy between this website and the official documents of the Martha's Vineyard Commission such as Chapter 831, the Procedures or the DRI Checklist, the latter take precedence over this or any other general guidance.