09/16/2025 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT COMMITTEE Minutes (2)

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,�yrxrasr�.a Town of Mashpee Community Preservation Commission " 16 Great Neck Road North ° Mashpee, MA 02649 Exploring a Community Development Corporation When asked whether Mashpee has a community development corporation (CDC), the answer was no. However, the idea of forming one was raised as a promising avenue for a future CPC application. A member of the public shared past experience founding a CDC in Somerville, noting its success. The Outer Cape has a regional partnership that could serve as a model. Committee members expressed interest in the idea, acknowledging it as a potential step toward expanding housing opportunities in Mashpee. Habitat for Humanity and Affordable Housing Developments The conversation turned to Habitat for Humanity, which has received CPC support in the past. While its projects may not resolve the larger housing shortage, they provide vital homes for individual families. Committee members expressed hope that Habitat would find more land in Mashpee suitable for development. They noted that Habitat has shifted toward larger, multi-unit developments, sometimes building in phases. This evolution may make it more feasible to address broader needs. Other recent affordable housing developments, such as the project in East Falmouth, were mentioned as examples of building multiple homes on small parcels. Committee members also discussed the diversity of existing affordable housing in Mashpee, from family-oriented projects like Breezy Acres and LeClair Village to senior housing such as Asher's Path and Homeyer(low-income / subsidized). A key challenge remains finding land connected to sewer lines to facilitate new construction. New Membership and Committee Reflections The Committee welcomed Seana Pitt, the Conservation Committee representative. The Committee expressed pride in the breadth and scale of projects supported through CPC, noting the wide range of open space, recreation, housing, and preservation initiatives completed in Mashpee. Members emphasized that Town Meeting voters deserve credit for consistently supporting CPC recommendations. They highlighted the volume of work achieved over the years, evidenced by the sheer number of photos taken for the presentation. Ms. Waygan remarked on the variety of projects, describing Mashpee's CPC portfolio as both extensive and impressive. Reflections on 475 Nathan Ellis Purchase and Community Use Another focus of the meeting was the acquisition at 475 Nathan Ellis Highway. Ms. Barbee and Ms. Waygan recently visited the property, describing it as a wonderful experience. They found the building in good condition and noted the beauty of the adjacent beach. While there, they encountered neighbors a man, a woman, and their dog who expressed gratitude to the town for purchasing the land. They explained that it provided them and others in the area with a small beach on John's Pond, which they now considered their own community spot. The neighbors even exchanged phone numbers with Ms. 6