Nantucket Current | Stop swimming pools on Mariner Way

To the Editor: The construction of three large homes and a cottage on Mariner Way, at the entrance to the Old Historic District (OHD), left most passersby speechless in disbelief. The scale and density contrast sharply with the historic charm of the area.

Surprisingly, the owners were not informed of the August 2022 HDC applications for these properties. Had we known, our coalition would have supported the HDC Commissioners expressing their concerns about consolidation and timeliness in 2022.

When we finally learned of the developer’s plans in April 2023, it was too late to impact the size of the homes, but we set about fighting the proposed pools at each of the properties with the Conservation Commission . How could we allow not one, not two, but three swimming pools in an already problematic flood zone, adjacent to wetlands and just steps from the port?

Over objections from our team, the Land & Water Council and others, Con Com approved above ground (originally in-ground) pools. These now above-ground pools have been back at the HDC for review since January 2024, and there are many concerns about the visibility and relevance of the OHD from the Nantucket Preservation Trust, the Historic Structures Advisory Group, and our powerful team of neighbors.

We urge readers to encourage HDC to adhere to the principles outlined in Building with Nantucket in Mind. They have the power to rule on the basis of “relevance”, as they did when they rejected a garage in Mariner Way as well as a “spa” in Mill Hill in 2021.

Pools are not appropriate in this context and would jeopardize Nantucket’s status as a National Historic Landmark. The preservation and protection of areas of historic interest are essential to the development of tourism, which represents an enormous benefit to the economy.

A special thank you to Commissioner Diane Coombs for her decades of service and stewardship of our historic district. She denounced the incongruity of the houses with the streetscape and vehemently opposed the swimming pools on Mariner Way.

Let’s make her proud and say no.

Sincerely,

Amy Ford Keohane and John Hartig
Union Street