2/24/2014 BOARD OF SELECTMEN Minutes

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7 Board of Selectmen Minutes February 24, 2014 APPOINTMENTS & HEARINGS: Horsley Witten, Inc. —Affordable Housing Feasibility Study: Through grant funding, the Town was able to employ the services of the Horsley Witten Group in Sandwich to conduct a feasibility study at 209 Old Barnstable Road, Mashpee. The study at the Town-owned 3.8 acre site was a recommendation of the Mashpee Affordable Housing Committee for the development of future affordable housing. Brian Kuchar of Horsley & Witten was in attendance to discuss the feasibility study and preliminary schematic of the undeveloped site located at the intersection of Old Barnstable Road and Lowell Roads. Two conceptual schematic plans for 24-two bedroom affordable housing units with associated parking, on-site wastewater treatment systems were presented to visualize the site layout. It was disclosed the site is mapped and listed in the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) as a priority habitat of rare species, the Eastern Box Turtle. Therefore, a conservation restriction (CR) to preserve the habitat would be required if the parcel were to be developed. For every one acre of disturbance, 1.5 acres would be required to be preserved at a site similar to the habitat of the Eastern Box Turtle. This would equate to a vegetated area encompassing 5.7 acres suitable for this generalist species. It was suggested the Town consult the NHESP to review the site itself for the presence of the turtle habitat. Minimizing disturbance to the existing vegetation and clustering the development is an option to minimize the impacts to the Eastern Box Turtle habitat. Possibilities for development include 24 two bedroom units, four units in each building located around a central parking area, 48 spaces per unit. The additional scenario depicted by Horsley & Witten included one large 24 two bedroom unit, a complex with a centralized parking area for 48 spaces with increased open space areas. Walter Abbott, Chair of the Mashpee Affordable Housing Committee recommended the Town consider twenty to thirty units at the site location. As a concession to the required land for the turtle habitat, Mr. Abbott suggested utilizing the land off Route 130 near the fenced in area adjacent to the military base. It has noted that this site location will be the future location of the Mashpee Dog Park.