Nantucket Preservation Trust is sponsoring a citizen warrant article for Nantucket’s Special Town Meeting to make it easier to move houses with residential reuse potential that would otherwise be demolished. While NPT will always advocate for the preservation of buildings that contribute to the Nantucket National Historic Landmark District, we know that there are a number of structures demolished each year that could otherwise be moved and used for year-round housing.
The proposed bylaw makes amendments to Nantucket’s existing zoning bylaw. Currently, the law calls for buildings slated to be demolished to be advertised as available to be moved for 30 days. If someone responds to that advertisement wanting to move a structure, they currently only have 30 days to complete that house move. Given the complicated logistics of moving a house, 30 days is not enough time to secure all the necessary approvals and permits. Our proposed amendments extend the period for moving a house from 30 days to 6 months, to make it more feasible to complete the move. The proposed bylaw would also clarify the timing and process for advertising a structure to be moved. Click here to read the proposed article.
Moving structures is a part of Nantucket’s heritage. At Special Town Meeting on Tuesday, September 17, we hope the voters of Town Meeting will support this article and make it easier to move reusable structures, and help keep perfectly good homes on island, not in a landfill.