CPC Minutes

Community Preservation Committee

Minutes of Meeting November 29, 2017

Wellfleet Town Hall Hearing Room

Present: Chair Gary Sorkin, Andrew Freeman, Robert Jackson, Elaine McIlroy, Janis Plaue, Geraldine Ramer, Thomas Siggia

Regrets: Rhonda Fowler                                                                                                                          

Chair Gary Sorkin called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m.

Minutes

Jan Plaue moved to approve to minutes of September 20, 2017.  Geraldine Ramer seconded, and the motion carried 7-0. 

Needs List

Gary Sorkin and Mary Rogers will be presenting the Needs List at the December 12, 2017 Board of Selectmen’s meeting.  These need to be updated to reflect 2017 needs.  Representatives will send updates to be included. 

Funds Available

The Committee reviewed the projections for Fiscal Year 2019 funds and the money available for funding the projects that are approved at Town Meeting in April. There will also be an additional $180,000 provided the 2014 project for AADU is rescinded.

Review of Applications

The Committee reviewed the seven applications that had been submitted by November 15, 2017. 

Application #18-01 Building Financial Capacity for Housing by the Wellfleet Housing Authority is for $100,000. This money would be transferred into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.  This would make the money available for Community Housing use without waiting for a Town Meeting approval or used to jump start a project.  Money from the Trust Fund was used as additional help with one Buy-Down this year.

CPC members discussed Housing needs.  Andrew Freeman gave his view of Wellfleet needs seasonally, full-time, the older population, the shellfishing population and those who provide services to the rest of the populations. He said he considers affordable housing for seniors as the biggest need. Secondly, he said, we need some affordable housing for those under 65.  The service work force and seasonal workers also need housing.  Elaine McIlroy explained how the Housing Authority had determined the findings on this in the Affordable Housing Plan.   The other members of the committee offered their ideas relating to job availability and the situation of young people leaving Wellfleet.  Gary Sorkin said there is a need for larger developments for Affordable year-round rentals to make an impact.  Andrew Freeman said Cluster Development was another possible approach. 

Application #18-02 Making Homes Affordable is another request by the Wellfleet Housing Authority for $100,000.  Gary Sorkin said the purpose is to help those qualified with viable credit and able to afford the mortgage buy down for first-time home buyers.  

Application #18-03 The request for construction of two homes by Habitat Homes at 2082 Route 6 by Cape Cod Habitat for Humanity is for $240,000.  The 2014 project for AADUs on this property needs to be rescinded and $180,000 returned to the CPA Fund Balance. A Habitat representative will be invited to the next meeting.

Application #18-04 There was a Community Housing project proposed at the Campbell-Purcell property in Eastham by Pennrose Properties for $200,000.  Eastham wants the 70% local preference.  There are 65 units for work force and Affordable units.  Elaine McIlroy explained the lottery process.  Wellfleet would not be included in the local preference.  It does create Affordable Housing for the lower Cape.  Charlie Adams had made an early pre-application presentation, so CPC members decided they did not need to have him come back.

Application #18-05 Preservation Hall applied for an extension to the building as an historical preservation with a component for outdoor grounds as an Open Space project.  There was a consensus that the addition does not comply with allowable uses for historical preservation, but their representatives should return with a detailed plan for an Open Space/Passive Recreation request for the outside.  The Historic Preservation part of the application was rejected.

Application #18-06 The Historical Commission requested a continuance of the Historical Plan for $20,000.  This entails 50 additional Form B’s, library binders, comparisons with other towns on best practices, and communications with homeowners of historic properties.   Elaine McIlroy asked if the consultant could train someone in Wellfleet to create the remaining Form B’s.  Tom Siggia will submit a revised plan that includes a program for local intern(s) to work with the contractor now preparing the Form B’s. 

Elaine McIlroy informed the Committee of the Abandoned Homes Initiative by the Attorney General.  This could make funds available to the Historical Commission.

Application #18-07 A Cape Housing Institute request by Community Development Partnership is for $15,000.  The CDP representative will be invited to the next meeting to discuss the proposal to offer future workshops to more people and to provide advocate training. 

Agenda for Next Meeting

The next meeting will be Wednesday, December 13, 2017.  Representatives from Preservation Hall, Habitat for Humanity, the Historical Commission and CDP will present to discuss their projects.  The Committee will make decisions on all applications after the presentations.

Adjournment

Jan Plaue moved to adjourn. The meeting was adjourned by consensus at 11:10 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

_________________________                            ________________________

Mary Rogers, CPC Coordinator                            Gary Sorkin, Chair

The Community Preservation Committee approved these minutes at the meeting held 12/13/17.