Conservation Wins In Battle For Depot Road Land

by William F. Galvin

            HARWICH – Voters said they want a clear vision of affordable housing projects that will fit into the town’s local comprehensive plan, presently being rewritten, thus denying a request by the housing committee for eight acres for a Home Sweet Home program in last Thursday’s special town meeting.

            The article was seeking to authorize selectmen to convey eight acres of 28 acres under town control along Depot Road. The article was supported by both the board of selectmen and finance committee.

But the planned use ran into opposition from the real estate and open space committee in a public forum last June, and those sentiments within the conservation and preservation segment of the community remained strong at Thursday’s meeting.

Conservation Commission Chairman Chester Berg said he appreciated the goals of the housing committee, but cited the sensitive nature of the 28-acre parcel, recommending any use should be consistent with the local comprehensive plan and the open space land management plan, which is also being refined.    

“If the housing committee would work a little more closely, I’m sure we can find a more suitable parcel,” Berg said.

Housing Committee Chairman Gerry Loftus said the committee is aware of the sensitive nature of some of the land and that is why they were asking for only eight acres.  He spoke to the open space and land management plan filed with the state several months ago, adding, “nowhere does it mention the housing committee.”

There are 14,000 acres in town, Loftus said, and 3,200 are tax exempt, 1,500 are held in conservation and only 100 acres, including the Gomes Way project, have been provided for affordable housing. Loftus said the committee will conduct a survey to determine if the Depot Road land is suitable for 32 bedrooms, similar to the Habitat for Humanity development on Gomes Way.

But neighbors in the area said they needed more details. Joanne Rys, an abutter to Gomes Way, said the project was worked out beforehand. Housing committee member David Purdy said a survey of the property is needed before they can define the specifics of the project. He said the Gomes Way project took several years to work out and there was plenty of public input along the way.

Richard Houston said town planners are pushing for development in the villages where sewering can address density. He urged the town retain the contiguous open land for public water supply protection and conservation.

Real Estate and Open   Space Committee member Margo Fenn, former executive director of the Cape Cod Commission, cited nearby public wells for both Chatham and Harwich, linkage to other conservation lands, important wildlife habitat, rare habitat species and vernal pools as reasons not to use the site for housing.

“There are species of the working type,” John Bangert responded. “It takes a village to raise its people and these people need 32 bedrooms.”

Bangert said the town needs affordable housing, citing the goal of obtaining 10 percent affordable housing stock as mandated by the commonwealth. He said the committee had done its homework.

Planning Board Chairman Matt McCaffery said affordable housing and conservation issues are on the board’s agenda, but they could not come up with a consensus on this because “key people could not meet with us.”

McCaffery and several others spoke of what he termed the “schizophrenic policy” of spending thousands of dollars to purchase open space and in the next article using open space to provide affordable housing.

The planning board chairman recommended the town buy existing housing and put people there. He cited the $3.6 million project that creates 20 bedrooms of affordable housing on Main Street Extension on town-donated land. He said that money would go a long way to purchase existing buildings.

The planning board wants to look at all these issues so the town can have a policy on the type of land that should go for affordable housing, McCaffery said. He added when the market is low the town could buy and when it’s high they could build. He said the town should be more focused on that strategy.

Voters defeated the measure on a voice vote.

A proposal to expand the number of annual liquor licenses for restaurants in town from 14 to 17 was met with some opposition in Thursday’s session. Bill Doherty, a county commissioner and local resident, cited the problems on the Cape with substance abuse and said he has never had a “problem going more than 1,000 yards to find a liquor store or pouring license in town.”

Doherty said he also does not see how the issue is tied to economic development. Board of Selectmen Chairman Ed McManus pointed out all the licenses are in use and the Country Inn property would not be able to operate as a viable restaurant without a license. The license that existed there has been given to Harwich Port Pizza, he said.

McManus also said as the East Harwich village expands, it would be nice to have more than one license in that commercial district. The plan is to locate one of the three licenses in each of three villages, including Harwich Port and Harwich Center.

“Expanding it will provide more competition to year-round businesses that are struggling now,” responded former selectman Allin Thompson. But voters approved the increase in liquor licenses.

Voters indefinitely postponed two articles seeking to establish and expand special revenue accounts for the municipal golf course without debate. They approved all other articles, including the sign code amendment; an $81,772 supplemental appropriation for the school department; and adjustments to the FY10 operating budget.  

11/19/09