The July 15, 2021 Town Council Meeting of the Barnstable Town Council was conducted remotely and
physically closed to the public. The public was able to view through Comcast Channel 18 or Live Streaming on
the Town of Barnstable’s website. Town Council President Matt Levesque opened the meeting by inviting Town
Councilor Paul Neary to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Town Councilor Kris Clark offered a Moment of Silence in
memory of Tim Ferreira, a 9-year member of the Hyannis Main Street Waterfront Historic District Commission, who
passed away on Sunday, July 11th. President Levesque offered a Moment of Silence for Carol Puckett, Administrative Assistant in the Planning & Development Department to the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Land Acquisition and Preservation Committee, who passed on Saturday, July 10th. Ms. Puckett was a valued Town employee for 15 years
and will be greatly missed. Next up was Public Comment. Due to the length of the Agenda, Town Manager Mark Ells did not present his Town Manager Communications, however, they can be viewed here. OLD BUSINESS began with Town Councilor Jessica Rapp Grassetti presenting those agenda items for appointments and reappointments. Agenda Item 2021-130 Appointments to a Board/Committee/Commission: Conservation Commission; Council on Aging; Mid Cape Cultural Council; Infrastructure and Energy Committee; Planning Board; Recreation Commission; Sandy Neck Board; Waterways Committee; and Youth Commission members which were approved. Councilor Eric Steinhilber recused himself from Agenda Item 2021-130B Appointment to a Board/Committee/Commission: Youth Commission member which was approved.
Agenda Item 2021-181 Reappointments to a Board/ Committee/Commission: Airport Commission; Board of Assessors; Board of Health; Community Preservation Committee; Comprehensive Financial Advisory Committee; Conservation Commission; Council On Aging; Disability Commission; Elderly & Disabled Taxation Aid Committee; Golf Committee; Historical Commission; Housing Committee; Infrastructure and Energy Committee; John F. Kennedy Memorial Trust Fund Committee; Land Acquisition and Preservation Committee; Licensing Authority; Mid Cape Cultural Council; Old King’s Highway Historic District Committee; Planning Board; Recreation Commission; Registrar of Voters; Sandy Neck Board; Shellfish Committee; Youth Commission; and Zoning Board of Appeals. Town Councilor Clark submitted an amendment to the members of the Shellfish Committee which was approved and the item as amended was approved. President Levesque recused himself from Agenda Items 2021-130A, 2021-181A, 2021-174 and 2021-175. Vice President Paula Schnepp assumed control of the meeting.
Agenda Items 2021-130A Appointment to a Board/Committee/Commission: Youth Commission member and Agenda Item 2021-181A Reappointments to a Board/Committee/Commission: Youth Commission were approved. Vice President Schnepp reserved the right to participate in discussion for Agenda Items 2021-174 and 2021-175. Assistant Town Clerk Janet Murphy said the gavel would then get passed to Precinct 1 Councilor Gordon Starr who also wished to reserve the right to participate in those items. Assistant Town Clerk Murphy said the gavel would then pass to Precinct 2 Councilor Eric Steinhilber who took control of the meeting. Councilor Steinhilber introduced Planning and Development Director Elizabeth Jenkins to present a summary of Agenda Item 2021-174 Amending Article XIV, Chapter 240, Section 128 of the Zoning Ordinance to add a definition for Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) and Dwelling Unit, and revise the definition of Dwelling, Single-Family and add Article V, Chapter 240, Section 47.2 Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to the Zoning Ordinance. The Town Council discussed three amendments. Two of those amendments were incorporated into the item which was approved.
Director Jenkins presented Agenda Item 2021-175 Amending Article XIV, Chapter 240, Section 128 of the Zoning Ordinance to revise the definition of Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) and amending Article V, Chapter 240, Section 47.2(C)(4) to allow ADUs with greater than 900 square feet by special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals which was approved. President Levesque returned to the meeting and Director Jenkins, joined by Wayne Kurker and Attorney Mike Ford to present Agenda Item 2021-182 Regulatory Development Agreement with 77 Pleasant Street Realty Trust /Wayne Kurker Trustee to Redevelop 77 Pleasant Street, Hyannis with an 81 space gravel parking lot. The redevelopment also includes relocating an existing historic residential two-family dwelling within 21 feet of Pleasant Street which will continue as a two-family dwelling which was approved.
Community Preservation Committee Chair Lindsey Counsell and Barnstable Historic Society Board Member Rich French to present Agenda Item 2021-187 Appropriation Order in the amount of $89,950 in Community Preservation Funds for the restoration work to the Barnstable Historic Society Inc.’s building at 3087 Main Street/Rte. 6A, Barnstable which was approved.
NEW BUSINESS began with Finance Director Mark Milne presenting Agenda Item 2022-001 Acceptance of a State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Grant in the amount of $7,692,669 from the U.S. Department of the Treasury for the purpose of responding to the economic and public health impacts to the community from COVID-19 which was approved. Agenda Item 2022-002 Supplemental Appropriation Order in the amount of $15,000 for the purpose of paying operating expenses of the Legal Department for the services of the law firm of Anderson & Kreiger which is serving as outside counsel to the Town with respect to two lawsuits filed against the Town by the Conservation Law Foundation was referred to a Public Hearing on August 5, 2021.
Community Preservation Agenda Items 2022-003 Appropriation and Transfer Order in the amount of $816,793 from Community Preservation Undesignated Funds for the renovation of Centerville Recreation Playground located at 524 Main Street, Centerville, MA and Agenda Item 2022-004 Appropriation and Transfer Order in the amount of $125,000 from Open Space/Recreation Community Preservation Funds for the renovation of Barnstable Hollow Field Playground located at 0 Millway, Barnstable, MA were referred to Public Hearings on August 19, 2021.
Director Jenkins presented Agenda Item 2022-006 Acceptance of a Transformative Development Initiative (TDI) Challenge Grant in the amount of $45,000 from the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency’s TDI Challenge Grants Program for support for temporary “Pop Up” Retail and Food Service which was approved. Agenda Item 2022-007 Amending the Code of the Town of Barnstable, Part I General Ordinances, Chapter 240 Zoning by adding a Mixed-Use Sub Zone of the Medical Services Overlay District was given a First Reading and referred to the Planning Board. A SPECIAL MEETING will be held on August 5, 2021 to discuss Fiscal Policy. The next regularly scheduled Town Council Meeting will be held on Thursday, August 19, 2021. The meeting Agenda will be available on the Town of Barnstable’s website (www.townofbarnstable.us).
