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LCPC Meeting Notes_Mar 30_2023 1 BARNSTABLE LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MEETING NOTES-LCPC MEETING, MARCH 30 2023 Notes by Jill Slankas and Dillon Sussman Community Survey, Discussion after Presentation of Results • Barnstable Village has empty buildings commercially zoned; not being used. • Fran - surprised that people said there was not enough open space; maybe people are not aware of all the trails and public open space? • Lindsey - thought community engagement was well done & well attended and thought survey reflected things heard at those meetings. Development of Draft Vision Statement Why does a Comprehensive Plan have a vision? • Cheryl - so everyone is on the same page and focused • Frances - doesn’t think vision statement is necessary • Mark - thinks of a vision along the lines of a mission statement for a company; need to look at the situation that exists, the things that will be ongoing, and the things that we think we can realistically change. • Susan - agrees that the town needs to have the means to bring things into action and the vision should reflect what the town can accomplish What do you want your Vision to accomplish? • Susan - hopes that it would set the tone of what the town wants to accomplish in the next 10-20 years and that it would inform people of that. • Cheryl - agrees with the concept that the vision needs to be lofty but also contain items that are able to be accomplished. • Amanda - shared values and what we want the community to be like from the shared lens of the LCPC; believes it could reflect more of a “dream” of what the town would be like. • Carlos - concerned that some people are left out; his vision is that whatever is accomplished as part of the vision helps serve those in the community who need help. • Felicia - thinks values are important; but ultimately the plan will need to help set policy, or re- direct policy, over the next 10-20 years. Group Discussion (Barnstable’s priorities, values, and vision) • Finding a balance between needs and wants • Susan - surprised by big emphasis on need for connectedness between people and by how many people are down on town government; she thinks the town makes an effort but it must not be enough or connecting with people in an effective way. 2 • Words are key and very important as they speak to people differently. Values: • Joy—a joyful community - Builds connection - Quality of life - A life worth living - Is the government responsible for joy? • Safety—community safety; safe in their house; safe in the beach water; safe drinking water; traffic safety; and security. • Inclusion • Paycheck sustainable • Cultural competence - understanding what people want and need; respect for other people; make the effort to try to connect with the community. • Resident to resident, village to village, neighbor to neighbor that inspires a successful, connected, community. • Support our local business to in turn support local families in an inclusive, thriving community • Real community—want to be part of a real community; diversity, inclusion, connection, caring for others, knowing your neighbors, sense of responsibility, sense of place, housing for all. • Need to understand the demographics (aging population; wealth center) and how it will be for the next 10-20 years; how will the younger population fit in. Dwindling middle class. Will we become a community where you are either serving or being served? Nantucket or Barnstable— what do we want to be? • Balance and diversity in the economy--need to foster entrepreneurship; balance retail and service, infrastructure to support knowledge-based work; ways to bring and keep young families here to fill the schools • Beautiful place—who wouldn’t want to be here? • Diversity—includes cultures, thought, ages, etc. • Maintaining habitats for wildlife; biodiversity • Protecting the environment—because without it we are dead; values wildlife and plants; helps to keep a healthy ecosystem, foundation of economy • Mark—thinks talking about the environment can be polarizing to some • Susan—thinks the environment is a given and so is the economy • History • Character • Healthy • Prosperous 3 LCPC Members’ Vision Statements LCPC Members spent 10 minutes working individually to draft a vision statements. They then read them to each other. Their vision statements follow. Wendy Northcross Wendy was not present at the meeting, but she had sent a vision statement in advance of the meeting and it was read out loud. Our vision is to support the prosperity and potential of every person in every village in the town of Barnstable. To assure this, we will: • Honor and heal the natural environment, especially our waters. • Create housing to support our working people, help our children stay connected to their Barnstable heritage and provide equitable homes for all generations. • Provide access to world class education, outstanding recreation, every mode of transportation, and a transparent Town government. • Encourage living wage employment, celebrate human achievement, and raise up those who need assistance to live, work, play or create in Barnstable. • Strengthen the health, safety and enjoyment of every person in Barnstable**. • Enable processes that will activate our vision for Barnstable’s quality of life. **(This includes police and fire services, medical care, food security, mental health, village character, historic and cultural assets and climate resilience. But I don’t think the vision statement is the place for a terribly long list of things - those should be referenced later in the plan with some specific strategies, goals and objectives.) Avery Revere Barnstable is a vibrant and diverse community where people and nature thrive together. We are committed to creating a healthy, safe, and equitable environment for all residents, and to protecting our natural resources for future generations. THE TOWN OF BARNSTABLE WILL PROACTIVELY: • Design and build infrastructure that is resilient and adaptable. • Utilize renewable energy and ecologically friendly practices in its built systems. • Encourage redevelopment over new development. • Support a diverse economy that serves everyday needs, that is not destructive to the 4 environment, does not exhaust natural resources, nor monopolize an industry. • Attract businesses that provide living wages and growth opportunities to their employees. • Incentivize development that provides significant and truly affordable/accessible housing. • Ensure accountability of healthcare and social services so that they meet the needs of all residents. • Build systems that provide safe and reliable transportation for all residents. • Safeguard and enhance affordable and job-based educational resources. • Encourage participation in and use of recreational opportunities and open space. • Respect and honor the character and history of its seven villages, economy, and people in the face of imminent change. • Facilitate communication between: Town & Residents, Village to Village, and Neighbor to Neighbor. Additional notes from Avery’s vision: • Nimble • Paycheck sustainable • Year-round community • Ocean • Environmental Management Plan • Harbor Mark K. Hansen 1. Encourage cohesive structural design that plays to the history and character of the individual villages 2. Create village centers that offer safety and convenience for their residents and an enhanced experience for their visitors 3. Preserve maximum access to waterways and beaches while weighing environmental considerations. 4. Support local and upstart industry by way of grants, low cost loans, and priority to local residents. 5. Identify perpetual funding opportunities through transfer taxes or like type vehicles to subsidize the creation of accessible housing. 6. Continue to improve infrastructure and communications to assist in expansion and future development. 7. Acknowledge previous efforts and continue to support the continuation of those efforts. Additional Notes: • Where are the attendees? 5 • Include members of various boards that share the vision • Values, Vision -> Policy • Language - Affordable vs Accessible • Balance->Vision defines that • Needs now vs. future • Needs vs. wants Cheryl Powell Our vision for the future of the seven village of Barnstable will support the core values intrinsic to our growing community which will protect and promote our rich [history] and unique Cape Cod character, natural environment, physical, and human infrastructure for future Barnstable residents, promoting community and connections that embrace our valuable cultural diversity for future generations to enjoy and on which they can further build to sustain our shared values and community at large for an ongoing healthy, prosperous, and connected community Robert Twiss The seven diverse yet interconnected villages form one community that is an integral part of Cape Cod. The town will preserve its history, environment, and community for future generations through active stewardship of community character and quality of life while balancing growth, infrastructure, and natural systems. Barnstable encourages a diversity of age, culture, education, and economics to create a sense of place where all members of our community, including the whole range of senses, will have housing which they can afford, with both fresh water and ocean assets sustainable for the indefinite future and inclusiveness in which all members of our community feel both welcome and safe. Susan Rohrbach 1. Protect our environment and our water for ourselves, future generations, visitors and our economy 2. Community that people feel good about living in, where neighbors and villages are connected and all feel safe and part of the town. 3. Preservation and enhancement of village character and historical relevance and of a variety of housing types that are accessible to all residents. 4. Town government that is effective, responsive, and open and people who feel connected and make an effort to be informed. Good schools and services. 5. Community that is inclusive, values diversity of backgrounds, thought, income levels, etc. and cares for those in need. • Additional notes: Balance between people and environment. Proactive. Jennifer Williams We will: 6 • Proactively protect our natural resources, ocean, ponds, estuaries, open spaces • Proactively protect our historic resources and the unique character of each of our villages • Promote the safety of our community through access to clean water, healthcare, mental health resources, housing, and food security • Facilitate communication between town and residents, village to village, neighbor to neighbor that inspires a successful, connected, community. • Support our local business to in turn support local families in an inclusive, thriving community Additional Notes: • Aspiration-look and feel • Inspiring-Practical • Proactive • Forward thinking • Inclusive • Joy • Community leads to joy • If not us, then who? If not now, then when? Carlos Barbosa • Fairness—Need participation of whole community. Give all people the opportunity to participate. Lindsey Counsell Barnstable is embarking on a 60-year plan to restore our coastal embayment’s and protect our ground water. To complete that planning other areas of the town must be included such as freshwater ponds, drinking water supply and roadside stormwater drainage. To date this planning is incomplete at best and funding is not secured. In order to protect our groundwater and environment new development should be directed to redevelopment and areas with the infrastructure to support it. The town is at buildout of available lots and further construction on marginal land will only negatively impact our natural resources. Open Space, Community Housing, Coastal Resiliency, Climate Change, Renewable Energy, Transportation and Recreation plans and studies are available and programs are in place that the town will be required to meet. These programs should be used to guide the direction of future development away from sensitive resource areas to already disturbed and developed sites and be resilient and adaptable. In order to achieve these goals, incentive programs will be needed and should developed to guide and direct appropriate development that has limited effect on the environment, traffic, supports economic growth and produces the desired results. Improved communication is needed for more open town government on this planning effort. Keeping the citizens informed on the needs, costs, schedules, and long-term goals will ensure success of these efforts. 7 Frances Parks The Town of Barnstable will provide a safe, healthy community for its residents. It will work to balance the needs of a clean environment, business, recreation, history, and culture. Additional Comments: • Does not think Barnstable should aim to “grow”. Does not want Cape Cod to look like Long Island. Felicia Penn • We will be responsive to our resident’s needs for a clean and healthy environment and water. • We will be proactive in creating locally-scaled and designed pay-check-sustainable housing. • We will grow an educational system that causes all students to excel. • We will provide essential infrastructure to balance our economy. • We will maximize access to green and open space to support habitats and rejuvenate ourselves • We will create a safe and secure community for residents and visitors alike • Values: honesty, integrity, caring, sharing, communication, truth, a-political decision making Amanda Converse The Town of Barnstable honors our history, stewards our environment and celebrates our culture, and supports our local economy. The health and connectedness of our community is paramount. Fostering a sense of place is a priority. Diversity of culture, thought, demographics and experience is honored. Additional Comments • Mark - would like the vision to have some sort of call to action (for people to get involved and volunteer, etc.) • Bob - kind of likes the 2010 vision statement for its inclusiveness; in favor of a vision statement that is one paragraph for the local comprehensive plan. • Carlos - fairness—opportunity for the underserved community to be at the table in these discussion. - Talk to people. Don’t assume that just because someone is not fluent in English they are unintelligent. - People in Barnstable do not have food in their house. They are choosing between buying food and buying medicine. Government should be more helpful. • Lindsey - need to development a comprehensive environmental resource plan that looks 60 years out; • Frances - Does not think Barnstable should aim to “grow”. Does not want Cape Cod to look like Long Island. • Avery - Need to be nimble, can’t predict the future - Should include the summer population in this discussion