2012 AUGUST-MASHPEE EDIC Plan for Executive Park

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While these problems are not insurmountable for firms interested in relocating to the Cape, it means that traditional locational factors--cost, infrastructure, and transportation--will probably not be as effective a method of business attraction as they would be in other locations. Mashpee's success, therefore, will depend upon identifying and growing firms that need to be, or have a strong desire to be, on Cape Cod. For firms that focus on an intra-Cape Cod locational decision,these disadvantages are not relevant. aMashpee is in a strong competitive location for industrial, commercial, and service firms making a locational decision on Cape Cod. Mashpee's transportation access is good relative to most Cape Cod communities. It is close to the Bourne and Sagamore bridges and is centrally located for access to Cape Cod. It is served by Route 28, a major east-west route, and Route 130 which connects to Route 6 at Exit 2. Mashpee's location, midway between Falmouth and Hyannis, Cape Cod's largest commercial and population centers, may be attractive to businesses. vWhile transportation access is good, road capacity is a major long-term infrastructure issue for Mashpee. All of the Town's major arteries, Route 28, Route 151, and Route 130, are two-lane roads that have limited capacity to support an increasing number of vehicle trips. A traffic analysis prepared for the Town by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Associates, based on Mashpee growth projections for 2004 and for full buildout, indicates that widening of Route 28, Route 151, and portions of Great Neck Road would be required to support the increased traffic load projected. One finding from the traffic analysis is that commercial and industrial development is the major contributor to increased traffic. Transportation management and capacity are a challenge that Mashpee must address to support substantial new commercial and industrial development. An effective long-term mitigation strategy, minimizing environmental, fiscal, and economic impacts of expanding Mashpee's transportation capacity, will require a multifaceted approach that includes road improvements, increased use of bikes,public transportation and car- pooling,trip reduction activities, and regional traffic reduction initiatives. The Mashpee Water District has plans to assure sufficient water capacity for the Town well into the next century. The lack of sewer service continues to be a serious constraint to development within the Town. When commercial or industrial development sites are located in marine embayments with overloaded levels of nitrogen, special wastewater treatment efforts are needed to prevent further nitrogen loading. According to the Cape Cod Commission, wastewater denitrification technologies for a 10,000-square-foot building cost $7,000 to $12,000. For large-scale development, more extensive and expensive wastewater treatment is necessary. High energy costs affect the competitiveness of the Cape as a development site for energy intensive industries. Natural gas services are provided through Colonial Gas and electric service through Commonwealth Electric (ComElectric). ComElectric's rates are among the highest in New England and put the Cape Cod region at a competitive disadvantage. ComElectric does offer an economic development rate that reduces electric rates for new investment or expansions and a lower rate for reuse of vacant buildings. This rate reduction is quite substantial, beginning at 58 percent and rising to the full rate over seven years. A 25 percent rate reduction applies to reuse of vacant buildings. These discounts should be widely advertised to new and expanding firms. The telecommunications infrastructure on Cape Cod, and within the Town of Mashpee, will require upgrading to take full advantage of opportunities related to information-technology related businesses. Telecommunications services are particularly important for Mashpee to attract high technology companies and promote telecommuting-based businesses. Unfortunately, NYNEX has been slow to upgrade Cape Cod's telecommunications infrastructure to support the current standard for high-quality telecommunications service--ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network). ISDN provides multiple channels for the transport of 14