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Planning board approves Sankaty Head Golf Club dormitory to house seasonal employees
Summary
The board granted a Major Commercial Development special permit for Sankaty Head Golf Club to build a 12‑unit employee dormitory on Sankaty Road, citing the club’s long‑range housing plan and a finding that the project helps address seasonal housing needs.
The Nantucket Planning Board on May 12 unanimously approved a Major Commercial Development (MCD) special permit allowing Sankaty Head Golf Club to build a 12‑unit, one‑and‑a‑half story dormitory for seasonal employees on its property on Sankaty Road.
Why it matters: The island has a persistent shortage of seasonal and year‑round rental housing for hospitality and grounds staff. The club said the dormitory would centralize employee housing on the 27‑acre site and reduce worker commute trips from town.
Applicant presentation: Kevin Dale, counsel for Sankaty Head Golf Club, told the board the site has been part of a multi‑year planning effort to provide housing for the club’s seasonal staff. “Ten of the units would be constructed and finished, and the two units in the basement would be left unfinished but used in the future if needed,” Dale said. He asked the board to waive three parking spaces out of the 12 normally required, saying many occupants will not have cars and the site already has nearby parking used for employee housing approved earlier.
Board discussion: Board members praised the proposal’s housing focus and noted that the site is buffered from the main roads and served by existing transit connections. One member said bus service stops nearby, reducing the need for onsite parking. Planning staff confirmed the project would place utilities underground, install a septic system sized to the dormitory, and meet other site‑plan recommendations from town consultants.
Public comment: An abutter, Kevin Worley of 80 Sankaty Road, asked whether the dormitory was the last housing project planned on the parcel and whether single‑family houses nearby would revert to single‑family occupancy rather than short‑term rentals. Dale replied that the dormitory would “provide almost all of the housing needs for employees” and that the club is not planning additional major housing projects in the near term. He also confirmed existing single‑family houses on separate parcels would remain separately owned and that the club’s intent is to maintain the current usage.
Board action: Planning Board members voted to approve the MCD special permit with the findings and staff conditions, including recommended engineering comments. The board also accepted the applicant’s request to waive three parking spaces based on the nature of the use and existing on‑site parking availability.
Next steps: The applicant must finalize engineering items and coordinate with town staff on site improvements and septic design before building permits are issued. The board’s approval allows the club to move from planning into the permitting and construction phase.
Quote: “This new dormitory would put us just about where we want to be,” counsel Kevin Dale said, adding it offers “new, clean, safe” housing for seasonal staff.
Ending: The unanimous vote reflected the board’s view that the dormitory advances the town’s practical need for employee housing, while requiring standard engineering follow‑up before construction begins.
