Loosening restrictions on land while tightening them on the water sparked considerable discussion at the Tisbury board of selectman meeting on Tuesday.

Sixteen proposed harbor regulations restricting when, where and how boats operate in Vineyard Haven harbor were debated during the public hearing.

A regulation stating “all commercial ferries shall operate within hours compliant to noise regulations” drew pointed comments from selectman Tristan Israel on the Steamship Authority’s adherence to harbor restrictions.

“I give them a B-plus in showing respect for the regulations for our town,” he said. “I won’t give them an A.”

Another regulation is designed to establish emission standards for the waterfront area. “No odor or smoke deemed offensive shall be allowed,” the regulation states.

Harbor master Jay Wilbur suggested that state emission standards could be the model for those on the waterfront, although the actual regulations should be more strict.

One proposal is to enforce headway speed and no wake inside a line from the Eastville jetty to the navigational market nun six, and another would create a designated anchorage off the causeway inside a line between the Eastville jetty and Packer’s wharf.

Added was a regulation to ban the discharge of treated or untreated sewage into the harbor. Previously, treated sewage was considered safe for dumping but selectman Thomas Pachico explained the treating process and why he added the regulation to the list.

“They grind it up, electrocute it, chlorinate it, and dump it into the harbor,” he said. “I don’t want to swim in it.”

Two regulations regarding storage were also included on the list. This winter, dinghy storage on Tisbury beaches is prohibited and storage on a mooring will only be permitted with the harbor master’s permission.

Tisbury resident Richard Alcott called the storage regulations “well needed.”

“Owen Park is quickly becoming a boat yard,” Mr. Alcott said. “We’re getting less and less beach and more and more boats.”

A final draft of the proposed harbor regulations will be presented June 13.

Generating further discussion and support from selectmen was an affordable housing initiative introduced by David Vigneault.

The plan proposes the creation of five buildable lots for year-round Islanders who are currently priced out of the market.

“We all have been doing the summer-winter shuffle,” Mr. Vigneault said. “This is a non-buildable lot and we can make it five buildable lots.”

The lots would be created by purchasing and then dividing a property on Edgartown Road that boarders Winyah Lane into five lots.

The property, once used as a grazing pasture, is owned by the Duart family, and is deemed unbuildable because the property has only 30 of the 50 feet of frontage needed for building.

Those interested in building and living on the Duart property would need the town’s permission, as each of the properties would have less than the minimum frontage.

The plan would also enact housing restrictions on the properties, so that they stay affordable for future generations.

“Sitting right here now, I think [the plan] is inventive, creative, I wish you all luck and go for it,” Mr. Israel said.

The issue of handicapped access in the Annex building, where many public meetings are held in Tisbury, was raised by the Cape Organization for Rights of the Disabled (CORD).

As of now there is handicapped access to the building, but not to the bathrooms inside. Money has been appropriated for a plan to change the interior layout and do minor renovations to the building, as well as modify bathrooms to fit the needs of the handicapped, but the plan has not been finalized.

“Until such a time as that’s done, I think they need to hold these public meetings in an accessible location,” said Gary Fauteux, CORD member and a resident of Hillside Village.

Mr. Israel then made a motion that public hearings be held outside the Annex building until renovations are complete. The motion was seconded by Mr. Pachico.

Revisiting what Mr. Israel called the biggest concern on the Island, a list of citizens who will be asked to join an affordable housing committee was released during the administrative session of the meeting.

If they accept the positions, Walter Collin, Margaret Curtain, Richard McElhinney, David Ferraguzzi and Barbara Silvia will be members until June 30, 2001.