The Town of Nantucket’s Planning & Land Use Department (PLUS), in partnership with Town Administration and IronMountain, is launching an initiative to digitize its extensive collection of planning, zoning, historic district, and land use documents. This project aims to enhance accessibility, streamline retrieval processes, and preserve vital records for future generations.

Project Overview

The Digital Archive Project (eDocs) is a two-phase effort designed to modernize the storage and accessibility of PLUS records. The project will involve collecting, preparing, scanning, and uploading documents to the Town’s centralized digital archive. Due to the need for specialized scanning equipment and resources, all scanning will be completed by IronMountain at an off-island facility.

• Phase One (April - June 2025): Digitizing approximately half of the department’s documents.
• Phase Two (September - November 2025): Completion of the digitization process.

Benefits of the Project

• Improved Accessibility: Streamlined access to critical planning, zoning, and historical documents.
• Preservation of Historical Records: Safeguarding essential records for future generations.
• Enhanced Efficiency: Modernizing storage and retrieval to support government transparency and operational efficiency.
• Sustainability: Reducing reliance on paper archives to promote environmentally friendly practices.

Document Availability During the Project

While the digitization process is ongoing, there may be a 24–48-hour delay if requested documents are in production. Otherwise, access will remain uninterrupted.

Budget Overview

The project’s budget allocation has been approved at four Town Meetings:

• Annual Town Meeting 2021: $250,000
• Annual Town Meeting 2022: $250,000
• Annual Town Meeting 2023: $500,000
• Annual Town Meeting 2024: $500,000

Project Vendor

• IronMountain, Inc. is the company responsible for specialized scanning at an off-island facility.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is the Town of Nantucket digitizing its planning and land use documents? To improve accessibility, efficiency, and preservation of critical land use information, while promoting transparency and reducing reliance on physical paper archives.
2. Will I still be able to access documents during the digitization process? Yes, but there may be a 24–48-hour delay if requested documents are currently being digitized.
3. When will the project be completed? Phase One is expected to conclude by June 2026, and Phase Two will finish by November 2026.
4. ** Who is managing this project?** The project is being managed by Kevin Manuel in collaboration with IronMountain, Inc.