12/15/1982 GROWTH STUDY COMMITTEE Minutes

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Grow. St. Com. 12/15/82 Page 2. Chm. Terry asked if it might be difficult to get people to go along with commercial establishments on the lower floor, and residences on the second floor? Perhaps the new Business Association could help in that regard. Sel. Thomas asked if there are other places where that has worked? Mr. Barber answered affirmatively, citing as examples Chart House Village in Hyannis, and in Newport. , also Long Wharf in Boston. Ms. Anderson asked if it would be similar to Pickering Wharf in Salem, which is not working out very well. Mr. Barber responded that Pickering Wharf was not properly phased. He said there will always be some turnover. Another problem with that Center is that Salem has a declining population - where here we have an in- creasing population. And the new South Cape Beach State Park will undoubtedly increase it more. There will be more commercial development - the choice is between this Center concept, or strip development. Sel. Thomas pointed out that strips are already starting here, regretably. Chm. Terry again urged the committee members to keep in mind the con- cept that we are striving for. Sel. Thomas asked how it could be made attractive for one business to go in behind an- other? Chm. Terry stated that the most attractive sites will undoubtedly go first - so someone would need to do a selling job to developers. Mr. Barber concurred - he said it will be necessary to convince them of the economic advantages, and assure them of the town's cooperation. He told the members not to forget that an engineering study will still need to be done to determine the feasibility of the plan. This. is the time to act, he stated, because village centers are now "fashionable", and cited recent action by Weymouth and Attleboro as examples. Sel. Thomas suggested looking at Hyannis, where the retailers are fleeing from Main Street to Route #132. Mr. Barber pointed out that these are both strip developments, and that Route #132 could be in trouble in a few years, due to traffic problems. Chm. Terry stressed that this policy concept is good - Mashpee now has the land, and they should plan wisely. Once the opportunity is past, and the land is gone, we can't get it back, he pointed out. It will just require the business community and everyone to work together. Sel. Thomas asked if we could provide land-owners with incentives to get them to go along with the plan? Mr. Barber said yes, and that is what is being done here - they are being given breaks with set-backs, higher density, etc. Sel. Thomas asked if they could be given a tax incentive? Mr. Barber said it is possible, but that is a dangerous policy. Mr. Marsters, agreed, saying that makes people suspicious. Chm. Terry said we don't want to jam anything down anyone's throats - we need to convince them to work together. All agreed that this concept is good and desirable. But Mr. Marsters said he still thinks the commercial area is too small. Sel. Garland stated that he doubts we could support another big shopping center. He said Cotuit Landing is in trouble all ready, after only five months, and cited some examples. He asked Mr. Marsters if he thinks Jordan Marsh and the big stores are going to come in here? Mr. Marsters responded that he does think so. Sel. Garland said he feels the present development of the New Seabury Shopping Center is an abortion. Mr. Marsters said he feels there is a need for relief roads. Mr. Barber agreed, as did the rest of the Committee, that it would help to have at least one more road to serve the Village Center in the proposed plan. Earle Marsters said once again that he feels the commercial area is being cut down too much. Michelle Stone disagreed. She said with good planning, you don't expect to have another big shopping center within 15 miles of an existing one. Chm. Terry said he feels what is needed are small specialty stores. There was a murmer of agreement, and Mr. Barber cited craft stores, specialty stores, and restaurants as the kind of estab- lishments that will be needed - again mentioning the coming State Park. Sel. Garland asked, other than a hotel/motel, how large would the average commercial lot be? Mr. Barber said 10,000 - 12,000 square feet. Sel. Thomas said she would hate to see MacDonalds with their golden arches come in. Mr. Barber said they have the privilege of chanting their franchise designs - many no longer have golden arches.