Residents Prefer Commercial To Residential In West Harwich

 HARWICH – At a hearing on the conversion of an office building to apartments, West Harwich residents made it clear that they prefer that the building remain commercial.

Davenport Company is proposing to convert the office building at 72 Route 28 into 10 residential units. During a planning board meeting Aug. 12, residents said they were concerned about the number of new and proposed apartments in the village.  

 “I urge you to support the town vision and not the Davenport vision,” Sally Urbano told board members.

 She was referring to the vision the town and Cape Cod Commission approved as part of the area being declared a district of critical planning concern. The West Harwich Special District seeks to protect significant cultural, architectural, archaeological, historic, economic and transportation resources. The Davenport project is within the special district. 

 Residents said the village needs light retail and commercial operations and not just dense housing. 

 The Davenport proposal seeks to convert a 10,956-square-foot, two-story office building into eight one-bedroom and two studio apartments on the 33,981-square-foot lot. The Davenport Company is seeking a multi-family use special permit and a site plan review special permit. 

Davenport Attorney Paul Tardif said the existing structure will remain and there will be no changes to the exterior of the building, which was constructed in 1989. Units will be no less than 120 square feet, he said. While 15 parking spaces are required, the plan calls for a total of 40 parking spaces. A patio is proposed at the rear of the building, which he said would be a gathering place for tenants. Responding to one resident’s letter, Tardif said additional recreation space could be added by converting five parking spaces to green space.

Planning and Community Development Director Christine Flynn said the project meets the dimensional and use requirements  of the Commercial Highway 1 zoning district. She had several questions, however, including if the units would be restricted for affordable or attainable housing, whether the units would be restricted to year-round rentals, and whether short-term rentals would be prohibited.

Tardif said the units would not have affordable or year-round restrictions, although he added that the Davenport Company usually does year-round housing. As for short-term rentals, he said that they would not be prohibited, but they would not be encouraged.

The number of parking spaces drew concerns from residents from Pinewood Village Condominiums, located to the rear of the proposed project. Condominium President Alan Longton questioned why the need for so many parking spaces.

Pinewood condominium resident Marie Gunnerson said the 40 parking spaces “scream of short-term rentals.” She cited the potential for parties and large gatherings on the patio to the rear of the building. Both Langton and Gunnerson said the project will be too dense for the area. They urged continuation of the commercial use.

 “Why not commercial?” Gunnerson said. “It doesn’t have the same impact as residential.”

Mary Albis said she understands the need for housing, but added that the proposal threatens the character and charm of the area because it will shift the village to a more suburban setting.

Albis questioned the impact on the nearby Herring River. Plans to develop the Baker property with up to 40 units on the corner of Route 28 and Depot Street, the conversion of the West Harwich Baptist Church to housing units, and the proposed 242-unit Pine Oaks Village IV project could all have an effect on the river, she said.

Urbano cited the latest draft of the town’s local comprehensive plan, which calls for housing to be dispersed throughout the town, not located in just one area. She said Route 28 in West Harwich has some of the worst traffic congestion in town and the Davenport project would add to it.

 Her number one concern, she said, is keeping the village character of West Harwich. Instead of housing after housing, she said, there is a need for restaurants and shops to enhance the village character. Captain’s Row along Route 28 in the neighborhood is proposed to become a National Historic Register District.

“I hope you use all your power to turn this down,” Urbano said.

Helen Baker spoke about her family’s efforts over more than 50 years to restore a historic home and barn in the village which she  said was the stage coach stop in the past. More housing is being built just up the road in Dennis Port, and West Chatham needs more light retail and commercial, she said.

With the absence of an engineer’s stamp on the site plans, and the potential need to adjust the site plan to address recreational needs, the planning board voted to continue the hearing to Tuesday, Sept. 9.