Fwd Barnstable Historical Commission - Public HearingGrayce, first let me apologize for taking up your time with issues you may consider trivial at a time when you are probably jumping through hoops getting ready for tomorrow's hearing.
However and in reference to Ms. Bishop's 5/16/2022 email to you I feel compelled to emphatically refute the unwarranted and unfounded allegation of verbal abuse at our HOA meeting. Recollections
of events may vary, but this one simply did not happen, quite the contrary and I am requesting her allegation against me be removed from the Commission records. The President of our
HOA has already corrected Ms. Bishop (see email below) and pointed out that she unjustly accused me of verbal abuse by mistaking me for another attendee. I have also provided Ms. Bishop
with a copy of the Historical Commission's abutter list showing my wife and I were included and as such probably have a voice in this matter. Ms. Bishop has apologized to me for her
unfounded comments but failed to copy you or retract her earlier email.
Thanking you for your time and assistance in this matter,
Peter Atkinson
Teresa Hanafin
12:01 PM (3 hours ago)
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to kristen, me
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Kristen, it was not Peter Atkinson who interrupted you at the Annual Meeting. That was Lew Solomon. In fact, Peter spoke to you after the meeting quite kindly. I was standing there and
heard him.
And apparently the Historical Commission has a broad definition of "abutters." Carol Sim, who also lives on Heath Row, also received a notice of the hearing.
So Peter's response didn't come out of the blue. It came because the Commission invited him -- and others who live nearby -- to comment.
You can quibble with what he wrote, but it was legitimate under the Commission's guidelines.
Teresa
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: kristen bishop <kristenbishopre@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, May 16, 2022 at 11:35 AM
Subject: Re: Barnstable Historical Commission - Public Hearing
To: Peter and Fiona Atkinson <pandfincabo@gmail.com>
Cc: <grayce.rogers@town.barnstable.ma.us>, Teresa Hanafin <teresahanafin@gmail.com>
Grayce,
I apologize for you having to hear petty HOA complaints. Pete is NOT an abutter (although he so "kindly" gave his 'blessing' to our addition) so it is of no value to you or to the meeting
this week.
Not that it matters, but I did present to our HOA last year so everyone would understand our small rental times and have time to ask me any questions. Pete had time to discuss these
non-related concerns with me, but he did not. Rather he stopped me from speaking and verbally assaulted me. My HOA board just sat there and did not speak up - so I am no longer taking
part in the HOA (as many others in my neighborhood have already chosen to do). Again, I apologize, but I'm sure you've seen it all!
Again, not that it matters in regard to this meeting or the committee, but I did buy this house to retire in and that is exactly why I am asking for the addition. I am currently 52,
so I am not quite there yet. The weeks that I do not use with my family I rent out. Last year I had think I had three weeks that we did not use the house and I rented those. So when
Pete saw 'fully booked' it meant that the very few weeks I was not using were booked - not that every week was booked of course. This is exactly what the prior owner had done since
the 1990's. I do not rent my house all year and for the very few times I do rent it out in the summer I have a MA tax ID number, a short term rental permit from Barnstable, a yearly
inspection from Barnstable, all my renters book through Airbnb and are vetted and pay the near 22% Cape Cod tax to support our community, my HOA covenants do NOT restrict short term
rentals and I personally vet each renter. Also, I've never had a single complaint about the few times I have rented, which makes the fact that Pete is upset about this even more puzzling.
If we are approved for the addition I will not be renting any longer. But that is my choice and if I wanted to I certainly could and I would do so by the STR laws of Barnstable and
our HOA covenants.
Sorry again for his note. And thanks again for all your help in this process,
Kristen
Kristen Bishop
On Sun, May 15, 2022 at 3:02 PM Peter and Fiona Atkinson <pandfincabo@gmail.com> wrote:
Ms Grayce Rogers
Planning & Development Department,
Barnstable Historical Commission
.
Reference: 139 Regency Drive, Marstons Mills, Map 063, Parcel 073
Director, Commissioner & Ms. Rogers,
We are writing to you regarding the abutter notice we received just yesterday, informing us that the Barnstable Historical Commission will be holding a public hearing this Tuesday,
on the proposed partial demolition and expansion application for the above referenced property.
My wife and I live in the same Lynxholm subdivision and are aware of the apparent passion the applicant has for the property, the area's history and their plan for significant additional
investments.We have no basic objection to the demolition or the size and design of the proposed addition. We do however, have several concerns over the future use of the property and
the way the non-resident applicant has remotely managed this property as a general rental property in a single-family residential (RF) zoned district for the past two years.
The applicant claims their "Camp Adelaide Guest House '' was purchased as a retirement home, but to our knowledge, the applicant has never indicated when they plan to retire and continues
to promote the property for rent on Facebook and Airbnb. The applicant initially claimed at a HOA annual meeting, it would be just a one-time summer season short-term rental and while
we are fairly certain the property will have been duly registered as a short-term rental with the local municipality, the applicant advertises year-round rentals and 28+ day rentals
on Facebook and Airbnb.
A February 2021 quote on the property's Facebook page states - "Welcome to the Camp Adelaide Facebook page. We rent our house all year round and are open to short visits in the off
season. Currently we are fully booked all of June, July and August 2021. We do have openings in April and May of this year - spring is a great time to explore the Cape!" We believe
the continuing business practice of year-round long and short-term rentals may contravene both the residential zoning ordinance and the HOA covenants that prohibit certain businesses.
In addition, and again while we are confident the applicant obtained the necessary health and occupancy certificates, the current Airbnb listing offers accommodations for up to six
guests in three bedrooms including a two bedroom basement bunk room. The property's Facebook page was promoting upto eight guests with the addition of a queen sleep sofa in the great
room. However, the Town's property record lists only two bedrooms in just 796 sq. ft of living space with an unfinished basement and the applicant's NOI narrative mentions only one
bedroom in the living space. We are concerned that the approval of what appears (the applicant's sketches lack the necessary detail) to be a three-story addition (2 x 400 sq.ft. floors
plus a 200 sq.ft. walkout basement) with an extra bedroom/bathroom, a second kitchen and an expansion of the existing basement bunk room, will simply facilitate both the continuance
and expansion of the applicant's current rental business and could overload the septic system and limited onsite parking.
Should the demolition and addition be approved we would sincerely appreciate it if you could find a way to condition your approval on the applicant becoming a resident of our community
and not continuing to manage the property as an ongoing business.
Respectfully yours,
Peter & Fiona Atkinson
25 Heath Row,
Marstons Mills,
MA 02648
Copies to: Kristin Bishop, Applicant.
Teresa Hanafin - RDOA.
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