07/26/2021 BOARD OF SELECTMEN Minutes

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3 Board of Selectmen Minutes July 26, 2021 APPOINTMENTS & HEARINGS Public Comment: (continued) Arden Cadrin, Sturgis Lane indicated that clearly the Chair of the Planning Board has contempt for public comment and community participation, and it does not appear he is representing those who have elected him. Ms. Cadrin stated that residents and stakeholders must be involved at every step of the Mashpee Commons review process to be well educated on the impacts with a voice that must be heard. Ms. Cadrin urged the Board of Selectmen to develop and implement a very robust information strategy around this proposal and allow public engagement and outreach for public forums and workshops. The information strategy would allow residents the opportunity to ask and to have questions answered in the right manner. For transparency, it was suggested that information also be posted on the Town's website and on Cable Channel 18. Marjorie Hecht related concern with respect to public comment not being offered at the last meeting of the Planning Board, Ms. Hecht made note of a 2018 report that studied(5)Massachusetts development projects including Mashpee Commons. The report entitled Smart Growth in Unintelligent Places was written by VHS the consulting firm Mashpee Commons has hired for the proposed traffic study. While Mashpee Commons was hailed as a smart growth project there are several limitations. This includes the existing infrastructure ill equipped to meet the dense development demands of traffic and wastewater management. The Mashpee Commons expansion project falls under 40B and with no density cap the Town of Mashpee may be left with daunting problems that would be incredibly expensive to fix. Structures are required to be in place to handle the density and larger populations. In quoting the article development does not pay for itself. Municipal services usually have to be expanded and new schools would need to be built. Ms. Hecht indicated the evaluation from the 2018 report still stands. New urbanism is a nice idea, but Mashpee is the wrong place. If housing is the goal,then why not do this. It was noted that Mashpee Commons under special permit is able to build 96 affordable units, 386 total. In closing Ms. Hecht stated that Mashpee does not need to be a little city to showcase a vanity project to bring in a large profit for the developer. Jessie Little Doe Baird in concern indicated it is inexcusable the Planning Board is not allowing the taxpayers a voice under public comment at their meeting. Ms. Baird is extremely concerned the project consisting of four-story buildings is unacceptable and would take on the character of New Bedford. If the resource is allowed to be damaged by neglect the Tribe will not lay down to allow the waters to become further polluted and to allow our resources to be further destroyed. Aboriginal people have their rights,the right to hunt, fish, to gather and to forage as they have done aboriginally. Ms. Baird urged the Town of Mashpee to do the right thing to make sure this will not happen and that others will not have to take the time to fight this. Vernon Pocknett, Sr. spoke in support of water quality issues, and the matter of hunting and fishing. Mr. Pocknett stated that Mashpee Commons was once a great place to pick herbs and berries. There are very few spaces along the river to forage. There is also concern for the box turtle habitat. The more that is taken out of Mashpee the less the Tribal people would have aboriginally. Mr. Pocknett indicated that it is important to look at the water quality before we start building and expanding. It is crucial to get our water quality right.