01/15/2020 PLANNING BOARD Minutes

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SUMMARY / BACKGROUND Mashpee Commons Limited Partnership(MCLP)and its principals own approximately 250 acres in the Town of Mashpee.Approximately 186 acres(collectively,the"Property")is contiguous,and includes the successful mixed-use development known as"Mashpee Commons."' The existing development on the Property is governed by the Mashpee Zoning Bylaw,a 1986 Special Permit,a 1994 Development of Regional Impact(DRI)permit and Special Permit,and a Chapter 40B Comprehensive Permit with accompanying DRI and Special Permit. While the existing entitlements allow additional growth,constraints in the zoning and the uncertainties surrounding discretionary permitting do not allow an optimal outcome for the Town,the region,or a predictable development process for the developer. The applicants therefore propose a development agreement that will allow development on the Property in a manner that will produce a model smart-growth community in conformance with the goals of the 2018 Regional Policy Plan,while at the same time ensuring private success. Such an agreement will help the community address significant housing,wastewater, and transportation challenges,and,at the same time,provide significant benefits resulting in smart economic development, additional open-space opportunities and environmental enhancements. VISION FOR DEVELOPMENT The right type of development,in the right location, has the potential to,make significant strides toward addressing the housing crisis,while helping to restore the water quality of the estuaries,spark economic development and add year-round jobs,and create a controllable and appropriate level of growth to moderate property taxes by increasing the tax base. Through the most recent update to the Regional Policy Plan(RPP),the Cape Cod Commission has identified and designated Community Activity Centers—areas that would begin to accomplish the goals of having the right type of development. The Regional Policy Plan sets forth a vision of development within Community Activity Centers that includes mixed-use and multi-family housing, providing diverse services,shopping, recreation,civic spaces, housing and job opportunities with adequate infrastructure and pedestrian amenities.The RPP recognizes these Centers as areas with a concentration of business activity, community activity and a compact built environment. Almost in prescient anticipation of the CCC's vision designating the Property as a Community Activity Center, MCLP has been working on building the right(or"smart")type of development for over thirty years. In this regard, Mashpee Commons has been recognized nationally and locally for its achievements and design.Currently, there are more than 1,000 jobs provided and roughly 100 people living in Mashpee Commons. It is also the Town's largest tax payer.And yet,the combination of a substantial land area under common ownership/control of an experienced developer that is guided by the principles of smart-growth, including environmental benefit,social benefit and viable financial performance presents the opportunity to do more. These opportunities include: responding to the region's critical housing needs with increased supply and diversity, responsibly increasing the Town's tax base, addressing poor water quality through sewage disposal infrastructure improvements,and providing conservation land and park areas. i The Property is described in Exhibit A.