After a demolition appeal, Nantucket commissioners discuss proactive list to protect at‑risk historic buildings
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Summary
Following recusal from a demolition appeal, the commission held a postmortem on a recent loss and discussed creating a recurring inventory of at-risk properties, earlier owner notification and targeted outreach to neighbors to prevent demolition by neglect.
Commissioners at the Nantucket Historical Commission meeting on Nov. 21 held a focused postmortem after a contested demolition appeal and explored tools to prevent future losses from demolition by neglect.
Chair Rita Carr recused herself from discussion of the New Wales Street demolition appeal because her employer, the Nantucket Preservation Trust, was the appellant; Barbara Halstead also recused. The commission framed the agenda item as an opportunity to evaluate whether the commission or other town bodies could have acted earlier and what steps could be taken to protect similar resources.
Commissioner Sarah McClain urged a proactive approach: "we just need to do a better job of protecting the buildings before they get too far down that road," she said, recommending a prioritized list of properties and earlier maintenance enforcement so owners do not reach the point where demolition becomes the economically easier option. Commissioners discussed creating an annual survey and sending letters to owners to put them on notice about maintenance expectations.
Public commenters supported the idea of a public list and neighbor engagement. Abby Camp said the "Building with Nantucket in Mind" framework and a local definition of a "significant structure" would help focus scrutiny and public information. Anne Duet urged the commission to advertise the list so neighbors can report properties and serve as the "eyes on the ground." Duet also clarified that the Historic District Commission is elected and independent from the select board.
Staff suggested leveraging the commission's existing CLG survey work and MACRIS data to identify threatened properties in targeted neighborhoods, and to use preservation restrictions where feasible. Commissioners acknowledged capacity limitations and discussed a model where community volunteers or a designated commissioner periodically drive or walk neighborhoods to update a list that staff can act on or forward to the building department.
No formal policy change was adopted at the Nov. 21 meeting; the discussion concluded with agreement to explore how to operationalize a recurring survey and notification process and to return the topic for further action.