Press & Commentary
From Your Councilor by Ann Canedy
Precinct 1- BARNSTABLE PATRIOT -
June 3, 2005
Is it Spring yet?
 Two-acre
Zoning
Of all the seven villages of Barnstable –
Hyannis, Barnstable, West Barnstable, Centerville,
Cotuit, Marstons Mills and Osterville – only
Hyannis and Barnstable are not zoned two acres. There
are a plethora of arguments regarding two-acre zoning
in Hyannis, but that’s the subject of another
article. I am advocating for an ordinance
to create two-acre zoning in Barnstable Village.
When I went door to door two years ago, one of the
most frequently asked questions was why Barnstable
Village was left out of the two-acre zoning protection
when the massive zoning change for the rest of Barnstable
occurred several years ago. There were political and
non-political reasons why Barnstable was carved out.
The non-political reasons include the theory that
the south side villages were more vulnerable to nitrogen
loading in the embayments. The north to south flow
of the aquifer and the cleansing nature of tidal flushing
twice daily on the north side gave some credence to
that argument. West Barnstable was included in the
original mix because it is not connected to public
water and relies on wells
In recent years, however, we have seen the negative
effects of contamination in Barnstable Harbor due
to nitrogen overloading caused by road run off and
failing septic systems. Even state of the art Title
5 systems cannot filter out nitrogen. Oyster beds
off Scudder Lane have been closed due to contamination;
Hinckleys Pond is being choked by phosphorus. Property
considered unbuildable a few years ago because it
could not be perked can be perked now due to more
sophisticated technology, increasing the buildable
lot availability.
The north side has seen unprecedented development
pressures, perhaps precisely because the rest of the
Town of Barnstable has two-acre zoning. There are
approximately 827 acres of vacant land and developable
acres on developed lots of two acres or greater left
in Barnstable and Cummaquid. The undeveloped land
includes large subdividable tracts of wooden lots
and of old historic estates along Route 6A and the
bay shoreline. These areas along Route 6A and the
Bay are low lying, close to the flood plain in places
and consist of clay deposits that impede both runoff
from impervious surfaces and septic effluent. Even
Cummaquid Heights has not reached its potential build-out.
Since public discussion began several months ago,
at least five subdivision plans creating 15 lots and
11 ANR plans involving an additional 25 lots have
been received at the Town’s Planning Division.
Anecdotally, aging residents with large parcels of
land regularly get calls from realtors asking if their
property or extra acreage is going to be offered for
sale. A recent ad in a local newspaper heralded a
two-plus acre lot in Cummaquid by suggesting that
the interested buyer purchase and subdivide quickly
before two-acre zoning is approved.
The draft version of the revised Local Comprehensive
Plan, in describing Barnstable Village, recognized:
“With the extension of two acre zoning to five
out of seven of the Town’s villages, pressures
have increased in this Village.” When the LCP
was adopted by the Town Council and approved by the
Cape Cod Commission in 1998, it was noted at that
time that Maraspin Creek and the yacht club basin
were showing signs of stress from road run off and
that Otter Lane, Cape Cod Village Condominiums, Route
6A area and Beales Way were considered areas of critical
concern due to wastewater issues. It was recommended
that lot sizes be increased for both environmental
protection and historic landscape protection.
The issue of two-acre zoning has been discussed on
and off at our Barnstable Civic Association. The resolve
of the Civic Association is to support two-acre zoning.
As your Councilor, I believe that two-acre is what
a majority of you think would be best to preserve
the unique historic and rural qualities of this Village.
You tell me so at events and on the street. However,
when there have been public hearings on this matter,
only those with vested interests –realtors and
developers -show up. If this is what you want, I need
your help. Please e-mail me at anncanedy@comcast.net,
view the proposed
Ordinance on my Web site www.anncanedy.com, attend
a Planning Board meeting (held every Tuesday between
noon and 2 p.m. or every other Monday night at 7 at
Barnstable Town Hall 2nd floor. The squeaky wheel
very often gets the grease. Your opinion counts!
Opinions & Letters - The Register -Townline.com
Gauvin: Barnstable Village: Aches instead of acres
By Paul Gauvin/ From this corner
Thursday, June 2, 2005
<Read
More>
Route 6A update
Like Cape Cod weather, all you have to do is wait
a second, and the status of the Route 6A repairs will
change. Recent correspondence from the MassHighways
Division indicates that they will address any remaining
potholes but do not plan to overlay the remaining
Barnstable section for “a year or two.”
MassHighways is turning its attention to Sandwich
and Yarmouth this Fall. Senator O’Leary’s
office and I continue to lobby on behalf of Route
6A improvements and we will keep you informed.
Dredging
Despite our recent plummeting by Nor’easters,
the dredging in the Harbor has held up. In fact, had
it not been done in a timely fashion, the Harbor would
be impassable and probably closed for the season.
Rabies
Please be aware that rabid animals continue to be
caught in Barnstable and Cummaquid. Stay away from
and do not feed wild animals, including feral cats.
Baiting has begun in specified areas. If you see any
animal acting aggressively or lethargically, call
the Animal Control officer immediately at 508-790-6274.
On off hours, call the police.
Red Tide
All of Barnstable Harbor is closed to the harvest
of all shellfish (clams, oysters, mussels) and carnivorous
snails due to the phenomenon of toxic, naturally occurring
microscopic plankton called “red tide.”
Lobster, crabs, shrimp, and finfish are safe to eat.
Scallops are safe as long as only cleaned muscle meat
is consumed. Eating contaminated shellfish can cause
muscle paralysis, nausea, and respiratory stress.
Please take this seriously and buy seafood only from
restaurants or licensed seafood markets.
Cleanup
Civic-minded Barnstable residents led by Janet Edmonds
attempted to brave a driving rain May 21 for the Barnstable
Village clean-up, but the weather was unrelenting
and the event was called off. Because the season is
now upon us, it probably won’t be rescheduled.
So please take a bag with you when you walk and pick
up the trash left behind this winter.
Playground
A group of young moms are working on adding other
playground equipment to the swing set at the Hollow.
If you are interested in joining the effort, please
contact me and I will pass along your name to the
appropriate group. Funds are needed and cheerfully
accepted.
Honor
Barnstaple, England, our sister city, recently bestowed
the title of Honorary Burgess upon Lou Cataldo, Barnstable,
Massachusetts resident and historian in “recognition
of his outstanding service to the Town in promoting
and maintaining the twinning and friendship links
between Barnstaple, Devon and Barnstable Massachusetts.”
Congratulations, Mr. Cataldo!
Bone Hill Farm
Thanks to so many of you, the Bone Hill Farm has been
saved with closing anticipated in mid-June. This project
was a perfect example of a successful partnership
between neighborhood activists led by Duncan Gibson
and Karl Christiansen, the Town Council, Open Space
Committee, Mass Audubon, Barnstable Land Trust and
many other sources of public and private funds. Events
Mark your calendar for June 25, for Arts in the Village
and corresponding family events the same day at the
Sturgis Library and Barnstable Historic Society.
Summer will arrive. Have faith.
--
Ann B. Canedy
Barnstable Town Council Precinct 1
Box 23, Cummaquid, MA. 02637
I invite your opinion.
What’s your issue? Send
me your comments. Thank you, and it continues
to be a pleasure to serve the people of Barnstable.
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