In 1973 every Island town took steps to adopt comprehensive zoning. A year later, a land use commission for the Vineyard was introduced as a compromise to the Kennedy bill. The state commission was endorsed by a referendum vote in all six Island towns in March 1974.

An Act to Protect Land and Water on Martha’s Vineyard was signed into law on July 27, 1974 by Gov. Francis W. Sargent at the Katharine Cornell Theatre.

A timeline follows, with highlights of the commission through the decades.