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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Comment from Bob SchulteRobert A. Schulte Centerville, MA 02632 1 August 12, 2025 Mr. Jacob Dewey, Chair Zoning Board of Appeals c/o Anna Brigham, Principal Planner VIA EMAIL TO ANNA BRIGHAM Planning & Development, 3rd Floor 367 Main Street Hyannis, MA 02601 Re: Wilkens Lane Properes LLC - Appeal 2025-013 Dear Chair Dewey & ZBA Members, I am wring to you regarding the ZBA’s ongoing review of the above-referenced appeal for the proposed Wilkens Housing Phase II residenal mul-family housing project (the “Project”). I’d like to thank the ZBA members for their review of the Project and the serious consideraon that is being given to the numerous issues and concerns that have been voiced by members of the community. Several of these are discussed below. First, I want to express my support for the economic analysis of the Project performed by the Town’s Comprehensive Financial Advisory Commiee (CFAC). I have watched all of the CFAC discussions held to date on the Project and feel the issues/quesons asked by the CFAC members have been excellent. If the ZBA were to ulmately vote to grant a special permit for the project, I urge it only be granted if it is subject to Development Condions which address the recommendaons made by the CFAC and any other crical issues/concerns discussed by the ZBA members and the public. One of my greatest concerns regarding this project is the amount of addional “market rate” housing versus “affordable” and “workforce” housing that would be created by the Project. While we hear me and me again about the need for affordable and workforce housing for the residents of Barnstable, most of what is being proposed to be built – including this project and its predecessor, Wilkens I – is market rate housing. More market rate housing to aract more people from outside Barnstable and/or off Cape is NOT what we need. If Barnstable officials want to do more than simply pay lip service to the affordability issue, the Town needs to require developers to include a higher percentage of affordable housing in their projects. As the former chair of the Town’s Commiee to Review and Assess Zoning & Review the Town’s Use of Regulatory Agreements, I understand Barnstable’s Inclusionary Housing Ordinance currently requires at least 10% of new rental housing to be affordable. However, I will remind you that both the Commiee to Review and Assess Zoning and the Commiee to Assess and Recommend Strategies for Housing Creaon recommended that the Town increase the inclusionary affordable percentage requirement from its current 10% to something higher, (e.g., 15% - 20%, or a ered approach based on project size). Robert A. Schulte Centerville, MA 02632 2 I know the developer has agreed to include 13% affordable units in this Project. However, if the Town is going to make any real progress in achieving its goal of increasing the percentage of its affordable housing, I ask the ZBA to require a minimum of 20% - 25% of this Project’s units to be affordable. Addionally, it is my understanding that there is currently no requirement for the Project’s developer to pay any type of system development charge, impact fee, sewer connecon fee - or whatever you choose to call it - for adding 320 more units to our sewer service requirements. The Town is requiring single- family residenal homeowners to pay a fee of $10,000 connecon fee once the sewer is run past their property. In the interest of fairness and equity, it seems the Town should be considering the imposion of a system development charge for this Project and all other large mul-family housing projects to address and account for the significant addional demands that will be placed on our sewer system as a result of such projects. In preparing these remarks for your consideraon, I watched videos of the ZBA hearings and read all of the public correspondence regarding the Project. Without repeang the raonale and details of public comments previously submied to the ZBA, summarized below are addional key areas for which I believe Development Condions for this Project should be established – and strictly enforced.  Establish a Preference for Local Residents – to be verified through an applicaon process with annual reporng to the Town Council  Prohibit Seasonal Rentals to Ensure Year-Round Housing Needs Are Met – to be verified on a regular basis with annual reporng to the Town Council  Solar Power & Energy Resilience – require installaon of rooop, canopy and garage mounted solar panels immediately with baery back-up for common area and emergency systems  Emergency Access – create a second emergency vehicle access route to Phinney’s Lane  Pedestrian Access – secure and build safe pedestrian connecon to neighboring shopping areas, Hathaway’s Pond recreaon area and between Wilkens I and Wilkens II  Public Transportaon – provide on-site bus stops for both Wilkens I and Wilkens II  Water Use Management – independently monitor and verify water usage esmates, require quarterly reporng to endure capacity and fire safety in the Barnstable Village Water District Thank you for the opportunity to share my concerns and thoughts on the Project. Once again, I ask the ZBA to give serious consideraon to the issues and concerns raised by both the public and the CFAC, and either: 1) reject the request for a special permit; or 2) make any special permit subject to enforceable Development Condions that address the issues and concerns discussed above. Sincerely, Bob Schulte Robert A. Schulte Centerville, MA