The following is an update on the Local Comprehensive Plan. In accordance with the Final Memorandum to the Town Council on Establishment and Appointments to the Local Comprehensive Planning Committee (LCPC), a process was conducted by the Town Manager that produced anticipated appointments to the LCPC, to be forwarded to the Town Council for ratification. A vote to ratify the appointments was initially anticipated for this [April 28th] Town Council meeting; however, after discussion with Town Council Leadership and the Appointments Committee Chair, it was mutually agreed that additional time was needed to prepare a Resolve for consideration by Town Council, the objective being consistency with the Committee appointment framework outlined in the above-cited memorandum. We will keep the Town Council, the applicants, and the public apprised as the appointment and ratification process moves forward.
We are proceeding with the budget preparation for FY 2023 as per the budget action calendar. The public hearings on the proposed FY 2023 Capital Improvement Program will begin later this evening. We have finalized the proposed FY2023 Operating Budget and anticipate submittal of the operating budget to Town Council on May 10, 2022 with a first reading at the May 19, 2022 Town Council meeting. The Town Manager Fiscal Year Rate hearings were held on March 22, 2022 at 11:00 AM and I approved the proposed rates on April 25, 2022 including the modification to the Water Supply Division rate (reduction from 7% increase to 5% increase). All proposed rate changes shall be posted on the Town website. For information on our fiscal year budgets, please view the Town’s Open Budget website at http://budget.townofbarnstable.us.
We continue to have regular conversations with Vineyard Wind (Phase I ongoing project). The Phase I Covell’s Beach parking lot activity is coming to a close for the upcoming summer season and following this work the lot will be restored and ready for the families and visitors that enjoy the beach this summer. At the March 17, 2022 Town Council meeting we received an update from the team for Phases 2 & 3 relevant to those two respective projects. We expect to finalize the Host Community Agreement for the Phase 2 project (Park City Wind) next week as authorized by Town Council as that project proceeds with its permitting phase. Legal is preparing the additional action for Town Council consideration in the near future relative to the Phase 2 landing at Craigville Beach. They are as follows:
Approval for Change of Purpose to Allow for Easement Grant
Authorization for Petition to Legislature for Article 97 Approval to allow for grant easement by the Town
Grant of easement in landing and crossing (Craigville Beach)
We continue discussions regarding a proposed Phase 3 (Commonwealth Wind) landing of cable in Barnstable. At the presentation on March 17, 2022 the proposed landing locations for cable in Osterville were shared with the Town Council. To date I have only had discussions with Commonwealth Wind (Phase 3) project representatives but have not commenced negotiations of a Host Community Agreement and shall not do so until authorized by Town Council. I do anticipate bringing a Resolve to Town Council in the near future requesting authorization for the Town Manager to enter into negotiations regarding a Phase 3 Host Community Agreement in the near future. We will keep you advised of our progress on this matter.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Massachusetts will invest $42.5 million to restore and protect water quality on Cape Cod in fiscal year 2022 (press release attached). Some Twenty-one (21) individual projects will be funded as part of the watershed-wide Cape Cod Water Resources Restoration Project, which will include seven (7) fish passage installations, ten (10) storm water remediation projects and four (4) salt marsh restoration projects. The funding is provided through the federal Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program. NRCS worked with the project sponsors – the Cape Cod Conservation District, the Barnstable County Commissioners, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and all 15 Cape Cod towns – to identify project sites. Barnstable has been identified for two grant funded projects for migratory fish passage improvements in Long Pond and Upper Marston Mills/Middle Pond. We will keep you advised of our progress on this grant opportunity.
Update on the Water Resource Management efforts of the Department of Public Works including the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan.