Madaket work group focuses on zoning overlay, ADU rules and preservation in housing chapter draft

The Madaket Area Plan work group reviewed a draft of Chapter 3 on housing and discussed pursuing a Madaket-specific zoning overlay, how recently enacted state ADU rules and proposed cottage-colony guidance could affect the area, and protection for historic buildings.

The discussion centered on whether a zoning overlay specific to Madaket should be recommended in the plan to address density, secondary and tertiary structures, short-term rentals and protection of historic structures — and what outside technical help and public review that would require. Chairperson Bruce Mandel said the group needs an agreed boundary for Madaket before zoning recommendations are finalized.

"The next item of business is to review our draft copy of chapter 3, the housing chapter," said Bruce Mandel, chairperson of the Madaket Area Plan work group, introducing the discussion. He told members the chapter will address existing conditions, preservation, improvement and new development and that the agreed boundary for Madaket will be "germane to everything that we do."

Work group members Michael (surname not specified) and Lars (surname not specified) walked members through a circulated draft. Michael described the draft’s structure and said it follows the state-required planning elements for housing: "The housing element identifies and analyzes existing and forecasted housing needs and objectives, including programs for the preservation, improvement and development of housing." He and Lars recommended exploring a zoning overlay for Madaket to address density and coastal-resilience concerns rather than attempting to write zoning text without outside assistance.

Lars said survey results show strong community support for low density and that zoning is the key tool the group can use: "The most important work to come out of the entire group, in my opinion, and it touches many chapters is zoning." Both presenters said a professional with experience in coastal towns and local zoning would likely be required to draft a defensible overlay and that the cost and scope for that consultant work remain to be determined.

Town staff and planning-process issues also shaped the discussion. Mandel and Michael said the planning department told the work group that Madaket’s existing zoning is antiquated and that the department would not itself initiate a Madaket zoning amendment; the work group would need to develop a proposed approach backed by survey results and public outreach.

Members also discussed state-level changes that could affect local rules. A town staff member, Joe (surname not specified), said a newly enacted state ADU (accessory dwelling unit) law and a separate cottage-colony concept are moving quickly at the state level and could alter what local regulations can require. "Governor Healey just signed a ... it's called ADU," Joe said, and he recommended the group watch how the state language and the town’s cottage-colony proposals interact before finalizing Madaket recommendations.

Septic, sewer and wastewater feasibility were raised as limits on density and cottage-colony-style development. Joe said the group is "guesstimating" that some cottage-colony proposals would use tight tanks and emphasized the need to develop conceptual site plans to test whether small lots could physically accommodate septic systems or require sewer extension.

Historic-preservation issues and other overlays were raised as constraints the work group must account for. Mandel noted that the town’s historic-survey overlay identifies properties built up to 1975 as potentially historic, and that demolitions or major alterations can affect federal historic designation. He said the housing chapter should reflect interactions with the Historic District Commission (HDC) and the town’s existing overlays (village height, country overlay, solar overlay) when proposing any zoning changes.

Public commenters and several work group members emphasized trade-offs between conserving Madaket’s low-density character and addressing housing affordability and workforce needs. JP (work group member) said zoning alone may not solve the island’s affordability problem: "Are we perhaps, trying to achieve too much through zoning alone?" Michael responded that zoning can address some features (height, open space, lighting) and that workforce housing in Madaket is likely impractical without sewer and transportation infrastructure.

Members described an internal process for chapter completion: small drafting teams will prepare chapters to about 90% completion, post the drafts for comment on the group’s Google Drive, and then refine them. Mandel said he would post boundary graphics and other supporting materials. The group set March 14 as its next meeting.

Procedural decisions recorded in the meeting minutes were limited to routine votes: the work group unanimously approved the minutes and unanimously adjourned the meeting. The housing chapter discussion produced no final zoning ordinance or regulatory adoption; members said the work group will consider commissioning outside legal or planning expertise if it decides to pursue a Madaket-specific zoning overlay.

The work group identified immediate next steps: refine and post the housing chapter draft for comment, collect boundary maps and watershed/study materials to the shared drive, and assess potential costs and scope for outside consultants to draft a zoning overlay and technical analyses for septic/sewer feasibility.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to approve minutes (mover: Michael; seconder: Art) — outcome: approved unanimously. - Motion to approve minutes from the 01/10/2025 meeting (mover: Lars; seconder: Michael) — outcome: approved unanimously. - Motion to adjourn (mover: Michael; seconder: Jesse) — outcome: approved unanimously.

The work group will continue housing and land-use discussions at its March 14 meeting and said it will circulate a near-final housing chapter and related graphics on the Google Drive for review.