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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5-9-2024 Draft Minutes LCPC 1 Local Comprehensive Planning Committee Minutes Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 5:30 PM Call to Order Wendy Northcross opens the meeting at 5:30 p.m. with an introduction of Committee Members. Member Present Absent Wendy Northcross X Cheryl Powell X Mark Hansen X Amanda Converse X Sue Rohrbach X Meaghan Mort X Alyssa Chase X Asia Graves X Fran Parks X Katia DaCunha X Lindsey Counsell X Jennifer Williams X Bob Twiss X Avery Revere X Also, in attendance are Planning & Development Staff; Elizabeth Jenkins, Director; Jim Kupfer, Assistant Director; Kate Maldonado, Senior Planner; Kyle Pedicini, Community & Economic Development Planner and Karen Pina, Principal Assistant CALL TO ORDER NOTICE OF RECORDING The meeting will be televised live via Xfinity Channel 8 or high definition Channel 1072. It may also be accessed via the Government Access Channel live stream on the Town of Barnstable’s website: http://streaming85.townofbarnstable.us/CablecastPublicSite/watch/1?channel=1 In accordance with Massachusetts General Law Chapter 30A Section 20, the Committee must inquire whether anyone is taping this meeting and to please make their presence known. APPROVAL OF MINUTES  Approval of Minutes from March 28, 2024 Wendy Northcross entertains a motion to approve, moved by Lindsey Counsell, seconded by Avery Revere, Vote: All aye PUBLIC COMMENT Meaghan Mort makes public comment as a member of the public, resident of Marstons Mills; accused of being paid actors for Housing Assistance Corp. (HAC). Town Council public comment - accused of losing their minds. Has learned a lot from all members on LCPC. Blatant lies about our members. Someone undermining and anti housing. 2015 was homeless. History of working to survive. Has lived in almost every Cape town. History of housing and experience. CNA license, still overpaying for rent. 2 Transportation issues. History of nursing. Wage history. Family crisis and medical issues with child. Rental history and home listed for sale. Living with family now. Rentals are far above what we can afford. Still going to school and work 60 hours a week. Never paid for housing advocacy. Always been a resident. We have work to do. Still in survival mode at almost 40 years old. Asia Graves, public comment. Member of LCPC, echoing the same issues that Meaghan Mort has spoken about. Her Mother is going to be homeless in less than a month. Her apartment complex would not allow her to live there. She’s trying to work with people to get mother help for housing in Boston. People in our communities that are actively struggling. People can’t get to these meetings. Never paid by HAC or any organization for housing. Has had human trafficking issues, people on Cape Cod have experienced these things. Previously lived in a rooming house. Received a letter stating didn’t believe that she lives here. Disheartening, hopes as a community can do better. Everyone deserves clean safe stable housing – no roaches/rats/rodents. She is here to help not hurt. TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION Kate Maldonado, kicking of Economic Development chapter. Thank you to Committee meetings. Had a great turn out. Public comment on 4 chapters on line on public website, click on each chapter. Comprehensive information. Can re watch any specific spot. Infrastructure question survey is live and on line at town website. Presentation done. Barnstable Local Comprehensive Plan Project Page. After Kyle Pedicini’s presentation will break out into groups. Topics - Economic Development Goals & Strategies.  Economic Development presentation discussing current and anticipated regional needs and best practices by Paul Niedzwiecki, Chief Executive Officer of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce Paul Niedzwiecki will come at next meeting May 30 th.  Economic Development presentation discussing the Town’s current status related to economic development as well as current and anticipated needs by Kyle Pedicini, Community & Economic Development Planner Kyle Pedicini in attendance. Economic Development; see presentation – promoting Concepts; General Economic Development Goals. Presentation. Recent History – Regulatory Agreement (RA) districts established. 23 projects since 2004. Growth Incentive Zone (GIZ) – reauthorized to 2028. Exemptions from Cape Cod Commission (CCC) and streamlining permitting. Permitting Coordinator. Helps to organize how/where to go – Site Plan. Map of the GIZ. Want growth to take place in certain areas where want the growth and protect natural resources. Incentive history. Relief on property taxes. Tax increment financing (TIF) for new investments. Zoning changes – Gateway Medical District. Highway Business District. Cape Cod Mall zoning for hotels, mixed use. Medical Marijuana and home occupation ordinance. Downtown Hyannis Zoning. A lot of targeted investment. Arts HyArts Cultural District and Barnstable Village District. HyArts Shanties program. Has expanded – now at 100 artists participating each year. Barnstable Economic Development Recent History of (TDI) – transformable develop initiative, one of only 13 in the state. Snack Shack. Façade grant. Hyannis Village Green re design. Local business boost program. Funds from TDI with Hyannis BID given to businesses. Small business owners. 115,000 in 2023. Access to experts from the state. Working on Hyannis Village Green. Local Business boost program. Capetown Plaza RFP issued to redevelop this plaza. Now will be the Landing at Hyannis. Business Barnstable.com For small businesses. Hyannis investment prospectus. Demographics, median income - 799,000 median sale price for single family home. Median wage 64,220. Average age is 47.1 – older than median age in MA. Cape Cod Healthcare top employer. Graph – wages aren’t keeping up. COVID has exasperated the problem. No housing for the workforce. 3 Industries for Barnstable. Education, jobs. Economic Development challenges in Barnstable. Out of reach housing prices resulting in a lack of workforce. Older side of population. More retirees. Biggest challenge is the seasonal economy. Lack of high paying industries. Diversify our economy. Impact with global economic trends. Limited public transportation options. High demand for medical services. How to attract. Fishing/commercial vessel value per community. Seafood processing plant? Ranked 4th for commercial fishing industry. Possibilities for other fishing and processing plants. Natural resources and polluted estuaries can provide setting for the development of new clean water technologies. Local trade schools and community college be better incorporated for local workforce development. Sports facility. Indoor fields and conference space – losing this economic value. COVID more remote work, expanding broadband infrastructure. Examples of other communities: Falmouth EDIC- broadband taking on this industry project. Plymouth & Wareham redevelopment authorities. Quasi- public agency . Affordable housing projects. Provincetown and Yarmouth tourism funds. Winston Salem “Restaurant Row” program. Low interest loan program to incentivize dinner restaurants in downtown. Berkshire Community Land Trust – affordable for housing and lease out agricultural. Possible next steps for Barnstable. Broadband. $297,000 in CDBG funding. Need competition for this industry. Need competitors. States Digital Equity Planning Program. Need more capacity. Hyannis Harbor – working with consultant for Hyannis Harbor Master Plan. Climate resiliency and seal level rise. Great Streets Hyannis – two way travel in Downtown Hyannis. Two way make more attractive place to visit. Downtown Hyannis District Improvement Financing program currently being explored. Cheryl Powell – interested to know about increase in business with two way traffic. Kyle Pedicini, probably had vacant properties in this – Savanah Georgia when they converted to two way traffic. Amanda Converse - When two way traffic slower can see businesses better, people cutting through now. Frances Parks was here when two way was there before. Huge diversion now, two way would be a major increase for business. Wendy Northcross, Gateway City, define why? Based on average income. Generally communities that need some help. Benefit when applying for grants? Kyle Pedicini, based on income. Bob Twiss, why not encouraging more for broadband? Kyle Pedicini, open Cape Partner to implement it. Yarmouth Open Cape laid. Need a lot of stakeholders/IT Dept., won’t be overnight needs a comprehensive look. About working with a community partner and build the capacity. State is investing a lot right now. Gotta get ahead of this. Amanda Converse, a lot of residences in Falmouth driving this, the public got involved. Wendy Northcross, Open Cape – people aren’t happy with their broadband and don’t want to pay more. Amanda Converse, CDBG funds? Elizabeth Jenkins, town had approx. $300,000 of COVID money that came with Community Block grant. Hope to role out with Open Cape from South St. Main St. and will encompass – associated improvement that will help with the connection cost. Paid for by program as well. Amanda Converse, always tot kicked off internet with her retail business. Elizabeth Jenkins, yes will connect with Open Cape and larger projects. 4 Frances Parks, maybe dedicate a committee for this? Wendy Northcross, Hyannis Harbor Master plan will that be part of what we discuss? Susan Rohrbach, working on Harbor plan right now? When does contract with Xfinity expire? Kyle Pedicini, yes, working with consultant public meeting in early June. By July hoping to incorporate into this document. Does not know when Xfinity contract expires. Susan Rohrbach, is Verizon making some moves into our community? Kyle Pedicini, huge investment, not sure. Would like this to come/Verizon. Competition is a good thing. Wendy Northcross, explains that Verizon cities have lost population - Verizon is to move out beyond core cities, possibly on the map with them now. Wanted to go totally wireless. Thinks may be in some places now. Amanda Converse, tourism dollars. Other towns invest more? Kyle Pedicini, used to manage Yarmouth, based off a formula, usually ½ a million a year, have to use on different things. Parades, festivals. Barnstable is held flat, has shrunk. The TDMD is big part of the equation. Possibly part of the solution. Wendy Northcross, meals tax got put into water solutions. Sports tourism. There was a project but didn’t go through. Conference center. Downtown is best place for this. Maybe a meeting house. Other things on the shoulder season. Tourism is not the driving factor. Kyle Pedicini, going to take a lot of money and investment. Meaghan Mort, TIF, well paying jobs. General Patton Drive – house sold for $500,000, which increases property tax. Tax abatement program for year round. Kyle Pedicini, abatements go through Assessing. People who live year round get the break for this. TIFF advisory committee would look into this for median income/wage. Meaghan, can we get information for this? Kyle Pedicini, yes. Susan Rohrbach, median income include benefits? How does tourism fund enter? Kyle Pedicini, BID may do similar functions, but is a business improvement and for businesses directly. Wendy Northcross, occupancy tax – rank low with this tax nationally. Other communities have successfully used for infrastructure use with this money, have to convince community and guests. 14.54% for occupancy. 2.75% goes into water protection. Amanda Converse, LCPC, the BID is not publicly funded, done by property owners and special tax assessment. For benefit of Downtown. Meeting space, out of ceiling with types of events we can host. Tourism dollars, what 127,00 spent on. Kyle Pedcini, partner with all and marketing the town and some economic projects. Different events, when people come into Downtown. Can share a breakdown, special events. Wendy Northcross, bringing businesses to HYCC. – Also Village Green. 5  Initial goal setting exercise for the Economic Development Chapter -Breakout Groups- commenced at 6:50 p.m. Back from Breakout Groups: Report: Elizabeth Jenkins – Local Business category – permitting and access to capital, micro grants biggest barrier. Continuing to improve customer service. Supporting public transportation for visitor and workforce. Emerging sectors how to grow and incentivize types of businesses; horseshoe crab farming, need for more space and impact on business of sewer. Blue economy; sharks, water quality – ocean recycling all tie into what we have here. Profitable economic opportunity. Educational organizations , satellite educational programs. Cape Cod Community College. Infrastructure, mooring a boat. Transient moorings. Barnstable Harbor, no dedicated commercial slips. Aqua culturing. Blue americorp. Upgrades to broadband and wifi for business. Create a plan quickly. Health Care Sector: more health care, encourage jobs and services here. Barriers regarding limitations and health care costs. Engaging Cape Cod Hospital – evaluate land uses, keep services concentrated. Retail and medical marijuana, create housing for traveling nurses. Report: Jim Kupfer- Place space – be more specific, goals and strategies for each location, specific to geography and culture. Policy locally owned businesses, diversity and culture. Market, not just local but national and regional. Strategies, economic impact – industry specific and what can support as analyzed. Incentivizing to reinvest in Barnstable, programs to promote workforce housing to support. Designer View – adding criteria into Site plan review and differences between that and historic review. Adding specific for strength in local business and strategy. Encourage investment. Retain in house community development and collaborate with partners throughout the Cape. Blue Economy – Building on traditional regional economy. Building upon the traditions Strategies – education, support of and growth of the innovative that can be shared and exported. Wages. Environmental jobs, education, programs, with Cape Cod Community College to understand. GIZ = supporting additional economic programs, similar ways where other village centers could have partnerships. Hyannis has BID, some local partnerships. Strategies – collaborate with stakeholders, and include residents and other community members. Visitor base sector – enhance and expand walkway to the sea. More unique harbor uses, like water taxies, agreed to improve traffic. Economic visitor base sector. Buses that come through and destinations and parking. Support eco tourism, eco lodges, glamping and streamlining permitting for hotel/motels and the like. Susan Rohrbach, section on blue economy – working with education – idea of a 4 year college. Way to connect for this and start up businesses, good to add in there. Meaghan Mort, support for the music scene. Armory being a possible location/place for this?? Avery Revere, community had a lot to say about this planning process. Heard amazing public comment tonight. Everyone is working hard and forward thinking, this is good, not simple thinking. The leadership of the Planning Dept. is amazing/acknowledge how hard we all work. GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE NEXT MEETING  May 30, 2024 at 5:30 PM to be held in person at the Barnstable Town Hall James H. Crocker Jr. Hearing Room 367 Main Street, Hyannis, MA Wendy Northcross will not be here for the on May 30 th meeting. MATTERS NOT REASONABLY ANTICIPATED BY THE CHAIR 6 Asia Graves – meeting schedule for the summer? Wendy Northcross - one meeting in July and one meeting in August. May have a recorded session virtually in June, except for one time. Town Council has Thursdays. After September we can do maybe two a month. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn made by Lindsey Counsell, seconded by Asia Graves, Vote: All Aye The meeting ended at 7:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Karen Pina Principal Assistant, Planning & Development Dept. The list of matters are those reasonably anticipated, which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.