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HomeMy Public PortalAboutBrewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-27 Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 1 TOWN OF BREWSTER COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PLAN FY23-FY27 PREPARED FOR: Community Preservation Committee Town of Brewster 2198 Main Street Brewster, MA 02631 DATE APPROVED: 03/23/2022 PREPARED BY: JM Goldson LLC Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 2 This page intentionally left blank Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 5 KEY DEFINITIONS 6 Executive Summary 8 BACKGROUND 8 PLANNING PROCESS 8 CPC FUNDING GOALS & TARGET ALLOCATION POLICY 8 Chapter 1: Overview 10 INTRODUCTION 10 CPA ELIGIBILITY 10 BACKGROUND 10 APPLICATION AND FUNDING PROCESS 16 Chapter 2: Overall Policies and Goals 20 FIVE-YEAR TARGET ALLOCATION POLICY 20 OVERALL CPA GOALS 21 Chapter 3: Community Housing 22 NEEDS 22 GOALS 22 ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES 24 Chapter 4: Open Space 28 NEEDS 28 GOALS 28 ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES 30 Chapter 5: Historic Preservation 36 NEEDS 36 GOALS 36 ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES 37 Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 4 Chapter 6: Outdoor Recreation 42 NEEDS 42 GOALS 42 ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES 44 Appendices 48 Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thank you to the community members and Town staff who contributed their time and local knowledge to this report by participating in interviews and focus groups and attending the public forum and presentation of the draft plan. COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS Faythe Ellis, Chair Sarah Robinson, Vice Chair Sharon Marotti, Treasurer Elizabeth Taylor, Clerk Roland Bassett Jr. Christine Boucher Bruce Evans Peggy Jablonski Paul Ruchinskas TOWN STAFF Peter Lombardi, Town Administrator Donna Kalinick, Assistance Town Administrator Jill Scalise, Housing Coordinator Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 6 KEY DEFINITIONS This list of key definitions is intended to assist the reader and is not intended to replace applicable legal definitions of these terms. The following definitions are for key terms used throughout the document, many of which are based on definitions per MGL c.44B s.2 or other statutes and regulations. Active Recreation – Requires intensive development to create outdoor recreation and often involves cooperative or team activity, including playgrounds, ball fields, and paved bike paths. Areawide Median Income – The median gross income for a person or family as calculated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, based on the median income for the Metropolitan Statistical Area. Chapter 40B – A state statue which enables local Zoning Boards of Appeals (ZBAs) to approve affordable housing developments under flexible rules if at least 20-25% of units have long-term affordability restrictions. Community Housing – As defined by the Community Preservation Act is housing for individuals and families with incomes less than 100 percent of the Areawide Median Income, including senior housing. In general, the occupant(s) should pay no greater than 30% of his or her income for gross housing costs, including utilities. Community Preservation – The acquisition, creation, and preservation of open space; the acquisition, creation, preservation, and rehabilitation/restoration of land for recreation; the acquisition, preservation, and rehabilitation/restoration of historic resources; and the acquisition, creation, preservation, and support of community housing. Community Preservation Act – A state law, MGL c. 44B, is enabling legislation that allows communities to raise and set aside funds for community preservation projects, including open space and natural resource conservation, outdoor recreation, historic preservation, and community housing. It is funded through a combination of a local property tax surcharge of up to 3 percent and a variable state contribution from the Community Preservation Trust Fund. Community Preservation Committee – The committee established by the legislative body of a city or town to make recommendations for community preservation, as provided by Section 5 of MGL c. 44B. Community Preservation Fund – The municipal fund established by Section 7 of MGL c. 44B. Historic Resource – A building, structure, document, or artifact that is listed on the state register of historic places or National Register of Historic Places or has been determined by the local historic preservation commission to be significant in the history, archeology, architecture or culture of a city or town. Household – All the people, related or unrelated, who occupy a housing unit. It can also include a person living alone in a housing unit or a group of unrelated people sharing a housing unit as partners or roommates. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 7 Housing Production Plan – A community’s proactive strategy for planning and developing affordable housing. In a HPP, a community creates a strategy to produce housing units and meet the 10 percent goal under Chapter 40B. Local Historic District – An area or group of historic structures that are deemed significant to the town’s history, archeology, architecture, or culture and protected by public review. Low-income Housing – Housing for persons or families whose annual income is less than 80 percent of the areawide median income (AMI). The AMI is determined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Moderate-income Housing – Housing for persons or families whose annual income is less than 100 percent of the areawide median income (AMI). The AMI is determined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Open Space – Land to protect existing and future well fields, aquifers and recharge areas, watershed land, agricultural land, grasslands, fields, forest land, fresh and saltwater marshes and other wetlands, oceans, rivers, streams, lake and pond frontage, beaches, dunes and other coastal lands, lands to protect scenic vistas, land for wildlife or nature preserve, and/or land for recreational use. Passive Recreation – That which emphasizes the open space aspect of a park, and which involves a low level of development, including picnic areas and trails. Preservation – The protection of personal or real property from injury, harm, or destruction. Recreational use – Recreation uses are often divided into two categories: passive and active recreation. See definitions for “Passive recreation” and “Active Recreation.” Recreation, under the CPA, does not include horse or dog racing, or the use of land for a stadium, gymnasium, or similar structure. Rehabilitation – Capital improvements or extraordinary repairs to historic resources, open spaces, lands for recreational use, and community housing for the purpose of making the above functional for their intended uses and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal, state, or local building or access codes. With historic resources, “rehabilitation” must comply with the Standards for Rehabilitation stated in the United States Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (codified in 36 C.F.R. Part 68). With recreational use, “rehabilitation” includes the replacement of playground equipment and other capital improvements to the land or facilities which make the related land or facilities more functional for the intended recreational use. Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) - The official list of units, by municipality, maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) that is used to measure a community’s stock of low- and moderate-income housing for the purposes of M.G.L. Chapter 40B’s 10 percent goal. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 8 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY BACKGROUND The Community Preservation Act (CPA) is a state law, MGL c.44B, that was enacted in 2000. Brewster adopted the Community Preservation Act in 2005. The CPA creates a way for communities to raise and set aside funds for community preservation projects. These can include open space conservation, outdoor recreation, historic preservation, and community housing. Brewster generates CPA funds through a local real property tax surcharge of 3 percent. There is also a variable distribution from the State Community Preservation Trust Fund (Trust Fund). Since the beginning of the program, Brewster has collected over $19 million.1 Brewster has funded about 70 community preservation projects since adoption. These initiatives included capital improvements, land acquisition, assistance programs, as well as plans and studies. PLANNING PROCESS The Community Preservation Committee (CPC), through the Town of Brewster, contracted with JM Goldson, a planning consultancy, to assist with the preparation of an updated Community Preservation Plan. The consultant team’s role is to study existing plans, identify Brewster’s community preservation needs and resources, and to solicit community input. Soliciting community input was an important component of this planning process. The CPC sponsored focus groups and interviews with a variety of community members. They also held an interactive online forum to help understand community priorities for the use of CPA funds in coming years. CPC FUNDING GOALS & TARGET ALLOCATION POLICY Below are the goals for each CPA category and a brief description of the target allocation policy. Each goal is further described in the following chapters. The goals are not listed in order of priority. TARGET ALLOCATION POLICY When Brewster adopted the CPA in 2005, it did so with a customized bylaw increasing the minimum allocation amounts for each funding area to reflect community priorities. This plan recommends bylaw amendments to remove the customized allocation requirement and to defer to the statutory minimums of 10 percent for each of the three categories: community housing, open space and recreation, and historic preservation. In addition, through this plan, the CPC establishes a five-year target allocation policy which will guide funding allocations to address the top community priorities of community housing and open space. Further information about this policy is detailed in Chapter 2. OVERALL CPA GOALS 1. Prioritize allocation of CPA funding to create and support community housing and preserve open space/natural resources, including multi-purpose projects that address both housing and open space needs. 2. Secondarily, support eligible outdoor recreation and historic preservation projects. 3. Support eligible projects that demonstrate compatibility with the Brewster Vision Plan and other CPA relevant plans, along with community initiatives and goals such as at the Pond Parcel and/or Bay Parcel at the former Cape Cod Sea Camps property. 1 This number differs from the Coalition Website Total due to the removal of $571,315 from FY2005 and the addition of $59,440, approved in early 2022 from the budget surplus. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 9 4. Encourage leveraging of CPA funds with other public and private funding as well as donation, bargain sales, and the like. 5. Allocate funding for regional projects that demonstrate clear community benefit and contributions from other communities in the region. COMMUNITY HOUSING GOALS 1. Create community housing, including affordable housing, that will address documented local and regional housing needs including, but not limited to, affordable year-round senior housing options, year-round rental housing and housing assistance for low-income families and seniors, and housing for residents with special needs, such as Veterans. 2. Support eligible housing initiatives and ongoing work of the Brewster Affordable Housing Trust to address local housing needs. 3. Continue to support local capacity to implement housing initiatives, including through the Town’s housing coordinator position. 4. Support the preservation of the existing stock of affordable rental and ownership housing. 5. Continue to support the Brewster Buy Down Program to assist eligible first-time homebuyers. OPEN SPACE GOALS 1. Continue to protect drinking water quality through strategic land conservation of private properties in Zone II Drinking Water Protection Areas including through fee simple acquisition and conservation restrictions in partnership with local/regional land trusts, other private organizations, and other public entities. 2. Support strategic land conservation to protect the water quality of freshwater ponds including through fee simple acquisition and conservation restrictions in partnership with local/regional land trusts, other private organizations, and other public entities. 3. Support open space conservation efforts to facilitate coastal management and community resilience including to support managed retreat to address coastal erosion. 4. Fund the preservation of natural resources, especially to ensure the health and expansion of salt marshes such as the removal of invasive species, protecting floodplains and uplands adjacent to salt marshes, and restoring natural tidal flow. HISTORIC PRESERVATION GOALS 1. Preserve, rehabilitate, and restore historic resources that provide a high level of community access and benefit, such as the historic structures owned by the Brewster Historical Society and historic buildings on town owned parcels like Cape Cod Sea Camps and Spruce Hill. 2. Support the preservation of Native American sites and artifacts through archaeological investigation. 3. Continue preservation efforts to protect historic town records. OUTDOOR RECREATION GOALS 1. Rehabilitate existing playgrounds, parks, and other outdoor public recreation facilities to improve quality and accessibility. 2. Create all-ages outdoor recreation facilities including those geared toward older adults, such as pickleball courts, and accessible facilities for individuals with special needs. 3. Expand and improve bike trails and bike trail connections, including the key recreation destinations. 4. Rehabilitate hiking trails and create improved trail connections, including improved boardwalks, such as the boardwalk to Wing Island at the Cape Cod Museum Trail. 5. Fund preservation of key private recreation sites to ensure public access and enjoyment. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 10 CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW INTRODUCTION The Brewster Community Preservation Committee (CPC) created this Plan. The Plan guides the use of CPA funds for fiscal years (FY) 2023-2027. The CPC will use this plan to help decide how to recommend spending CPA funding. The CPC encourages future applicants seeking CPA funds to refer to this plan to guide their CPA requests and encourages Town Meeting members to use this plan to guide decisions on allocation of funds. This plan is created in accordance with the Community Preservation Act (CPA), Massachusetts General Laws c. 44B s.5(b)(1). The law states: The community preservation committee shall study the needs, possibilities, and resources of the city or town regarding community preservation, including the consideration of regional projects for community preservation. CPA ELIGIBILITY The CPA provides funding for four general project types: community housing, historic preservation, open space, and outdoor recreation. See eligibility chart included in the appendices. Community Housing: CPA funds can be used to acquire, create, preserve, and support community housing for households with incomes at or below 100% of the area median income. Historic Preservation: CPA funds can be used to acquire, preserve, rehabilitate, and restore historic resources that are listed on the State Register or determined to be locally significant by the Historical Commission. Open Space: CPA funds can be used to acquire, create, and preserve open space and natural resources. Outdoor Recreation: CPA funds can be used to acquire, create, preserve, rehabilitate, or restore land for recreational use. BACKGROUND CPA STATEWIDE The Community Preservation Act (CPA) is a state law, MGL c.44B, that was enacted in 2000 by Governor Paul Cellucci. It creates a way for communities to raise and set aside funds for community preservation projects. These projects can include open space conservation, outdoor recreation, historic preservation, and community housing. It is funded through a combination of a local property tax surcharge of up to 3 percent and a variable state contribution from the Community Preservation Trust Fund. As of August 2021, 187 communities have adopted the CPA, which represents 53 percent of the Commonwealth’s cities and towns. CPA ON CAPE COD Many towns on the Cape adopted the CPA in 2005 to convert the Cape Cod Open Space Land Acquisition Program2 (Cape Cod Land Bank) to CPA as enabled through MGL c.149 of the Acts of 2004. The CPA enables communities to collect money to fund community preservation projects. Per MGL c.149, Cape Cod towns may 2 MGL c. 293 of the Acts of 1998 Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 11 not amend the amount of or revoke the CPA surcharge on real property until after fiscal year 2020.3 Any debt authorized through the Cape Cod Land Bank may be repaid with CPA funds. CPA IN BREWSTER Brewster adopted in 2005 - Town Meeting voted to adopt in November 2004 and it was approved through a ballot vote in May 2005. Brewster generates CPA funds through a local property tax surcharge of 3 percent and a variable distribution from the State Community Preservation Trust Fund. Since the start, Brewster has collected over $19.5 million (as of January 2022). Since Brewster adopted CPA, the town has appropriated over $17 million to community preservation projects across the four CPA funding categories, according to the Brewster Community Preservation Committee (note, the CPA Projects profile on the following page includes more detail about Brewster’s CPA-funded projects): 1. Community housing ($4.47M) – 26 percent of total allocations 2. Historic preservation ($2.70M) – 16 percent of total allocations 3. Open space ($8.49M) – 49 percent of total allocations 4. Outdoor recreation ($1.60M) – 9 percent of total allocations Up to 5 percent of total CPA funds may be spent for CPC administration. In addition, the CPA statute requires a minimum of 10 percent be spent or reserved for each of the following CPA categories: 1. Community housing 2. Historic preservation 3. Open space and Recreation Brewster’s local bylaw, as of January 2022, requires that 50 percent of total CPA funds must be spent or reserved for open space, 10 percent for community housing, and 10 percent for historic preservation. The remaining 30 percent may be spent on community housing, historic preservation, or active recreation. Note that this plan recommends amending the local bylaw to eliminate these customized minimums and adopt a more flexible target allocation policy, as described in more detail on the following pages. WHO DECIDES HOW THE FUNDS ARE SPENT? Brewster established a Community Preservation Committee (CPC) as required by MGL c.44B, which is responsible to make funding recommendations to Town Meeting. Town Meeting has the authority to approve or deny the CPC’s recommendations. Town Meeting can also approve the CPC’s recommendation at a reduced funding amount. Town Meeting may not approve funding without a recommendation from the CPC. The CPC has nine members including four members at-large who are appointed by the Select Board. Per MGL c.44B, the CPC also includes a member from each of the following five entities: • Conservation Commission • Historical Commission • Housing Authority • Planning Board • Recreation Commission The role of the CPC is to: 1) Study the Town’s community preservation needs, possibilities, and resources and hold a public informational hearing regarding the study4 3 Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Cape Cod Land Bank and Community Preservation Act, Bulletin 2004-16B, October 2004. 4 The public hearing shall be posted publicly and published for each of two weeks preceding a hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the city or town. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 12 2) To make recommendations to the Town Meeting for funding projects with CPA funds The CPC meets regularly, typically on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at 4:00 pm virtually. These meetings are open public meetings and members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend. Notices of CPC meetings and agenda (with links for virtual meetings, when needed) are posted on the Town calendar, which can be found on Town’s website: https://www.brewster-ma.gov/. HOW MUCH FUNDING IS AVAILABLE? Brewster generates CPA funds through a local real property tax surcharge of 3 percent. There is also a variable distribution from the State Community Preservation Trust Fund (Trust Fund). Since the beginning of the program, Brewster has collected over $19 million (as of January 2022)5 – this figure includes about $12.9M raised through the local surcharge and $6.1M through the Trust Fund distributions. In FY2021, the local property tax surcharge generated roughly $1.07M, and the Trust Fund distribution was about $368,430 (a 35.18 percent match). In FY22 the state match is 48.65 percent ($519,353). 5 This number differs from the Coalition Website Total due to the removal of $571,315 from FY2005 and the addition of $59,440, approved in early 2022 from the budget surplus. $0 $1,067,428 $1,047,220 $997,502 $929,796 $894,558 $861,948 $823,010 $799,453 $759,918 $734,513 $701,099 $685,306 $664,044 $633,392 $623,561 $597,364 $571,315 $519,353 $368,430 $292,896 $220,244 $184,636 $212,708 $291,928 $301,307 $476,816 $235,599 $224,425 $223,720 $278,863 $487,457 $623,561 $597,364 $571,315 $0 $- $200,000.00 $400,000.00 $600,000.00 $800,000.00 $1,000,000.00 $1,200,000.00 $1,400,000.00 $1,600,000.00 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 DollarsFiscal YearBrewster CPA Revenue History Source: Community Preservation Coalition Information on Individual CPA Communities database, accessed 1/4/22. Local Surcharge Trust Fund Distribution Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 13 CPA PROJECTS A PROFILE FOR THE BREWSTER COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PLAN HISTORIC PRESERVATION • Blacksmith Shop, Brewster Historical Society • Brewster Baptist Church renovation of the Church steeple • Brewster Historical Society purchase of the Elijah Cobb House • Brewster Meetinghouse Preservation project • Cape Repertory Theatre Company • Cape Repertory Theatre Company: Historic Crosby Barn Rehabilitation • Catalogue/preserve Town Hall records • Council on Aging window replacement • Crosby Mansion porch repair project • Elijah Cobb House preservation and rehabilitation • Glass plate negatives preservation • Gravestone preservation at Breakwater Cemetery • Gravestone preservation project • Higgins Farm Windmill preservation • Lower Road Cemetery Tombstone & Monument repair and restoration • Spruce Hill Barn Restoration • Stony Brook Grist Mill Works Replacement • Stony Brook/Lower Mill Pond Dam & Fish Passage Restoration project OVERVIEW OF CPA-FUNDED PROJECTS The Community Preservation Act has funded about 70 community preservation initiatives in Brewster in its since adoption, with over $17M in allocations for open space conservation, active recreation, historic preservation, and community housing initiatives. These initiatives included capital improvements, assistance programs, land acquisition, as well as plans and studies. About 49 percent of allocations as of November 2021 have been for open space projects, 26 percent for housing, 16 percent for historic, and 9 percent for outdoor recreation. This profile provides a list of projects funded in each CPA category. Community Housing 26% Historic 16% Open Space 49% Outdoor Recreation 9% Brewster CPA Project Allocations FY07-FY22 (as of Nov. 2021) Note: includes total appropriated for open projects and actual spent for closed projects. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 14 ACTIVE RECREATION • ADA improvements to athletic fields • Brewster Dog Park • Brewster Recreation Commission – Tennis Court Project • Department of Natural Resources – Breakwater Beach Restoration Project • Eddy Elementary School Accessible Playground • Pleasant Bay Community Boating (Harwich) • Recreation Department Field Repairs/Renovations • Stony Brook Early Childhood Playground • Stony Brook Herring Run Bypass and Dam • Tennis Court repairs and resurfacing • Warning lights at Cape Cod Rail Trail • Open Space and Recreation Plan COMMUNITY HOUSING OPEN SPACE • 106 McGuerty Road/Field-Kelley Acquisition • Bates Land acquisition • BBJ Cranberry Trust Land acquisition • Boehm Conservation Area – Purchase of Conservation Restriction • Crystaloski Property Land acquisition • Eldredge Property Land acquisition • Freeman’s Way/Naumekeg Acquisition • Jackson Land acquisition • Jorgenson Property acquisition • Lalor Property acquisition • Long Pond Woodlands Land Acquisition Project • Matthews Property Land acquisition • Meetinghouse Road Conservation Area • Mill Pond Conservation Area – Purchase of Conservation Restriction • Open Space and Recreation Plan update • Quivett Marsh Vista Conservation Area • Santorello Property acquisition • Seidel Land acquisition • Stranahan Property Land acquisition • Viprino Property Land acquisition • Windrift Acres and Acquisition • Affordable Housing Buydown program • Brewster Affordable Housing Trust – CPA-eligible community housing activities • Brewster Affordable Housing Trust: SHI inventory preservation • Brewster Housing Authority Huckleberry Lane Project • Brewster Housing Partnership Affordable Housing Buydown program • Brewster Woods Development • Cape Cod Village, Inc. Orleans Project • Community Development Partnership – Cape Housing Institute • Community Engagement Consultant • FORWARD: Friends or Relatives with Autism and Related Disabilities (Located in Dennis) • Habitat for Humanity Land Acquisition • Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod – Paul Hush Way affordable homeownership development • Harwich Ecumenical Council for the Homeless: Homeowners’ Emergency Loan Program • Millstone Land Acquisition • Nickerson Park Condo Purchase • Nickerson Park Condominium – Lower Cape Community Development Corporation • Part-Time Housing Coordinator • Preservation of Affordable Housing • SHI Home Appraisal • Slough Road Homes – Habitat for Humanity Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 15 Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 16 REVIEW OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL PLANS The Town of Brewster contracted with JM Goldson LLC to assist with the preparation of an updated Community Preservation Plan in August 2021. JM Goldson worked with the CPC members and studied existing plans, including the 2017 Housing Production Plan; the 2020 Brewster Vision Plan; 2014 Open Space and Recreation Plan; 2020 Draft Open Space and Recreation Plan; 2007 Brewster Reconnaissance Report; and the 2009 Water Quality Status Report, to identify Brewster’s community preservation needs and resources. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Soliciting community input was an important component of this planning process. The CPC sponsored focus groups and interviews with a variety of community members, as well as an interactive online forum as part of its effort to understand community priorities and help shape this plan. Stakeholder Focus Groups and Interviews The consultants interviewed a variety of community and regional stakeholders through focus groups between September and October 2021. They also conducted individual interviews through Zoom and telephone. These interviews helped the CPC further refine its understanding of community preservation needs and resources. They also helped to identify priorities and possibilities for use of CPA funds. Community Forum On November 20, 2021, the CPC sponsored a virtual forum held through Zoom webinar. The forum was interactive and integrated live polling and open-ended questions using PollEverywhere software, allowing participants to share their thoughts and opinions alongside the presentation. Approximately 40 people participated in this online forum. Detailed summaries of the focus groups and interviews as well as the community forum are included in the appendices. APPLICATION AND FUNDING PROCESS The Brewster CPC accepts applications for CPA funding on a biannual basis; proposals are due July 1st to be considered at fall town meeting, or December 1st to be considered at spring town meeting. The CPC requires proposals be submitted using the CPC’s application form, available online on the CPC’s webpage at www.brewster-ma.gov or by request through the Town Clerk’s office. The CPC considers each funding application based on the merits of the project as well as the available CPA balance in an open public meeting. Through majority vote, the CPC determines which projects to recommend to Town Meeting for funding. Projects not recommended by the CPC are not eligible for consideration by the Town Meeting per statute (MGL c.44B). Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 17 REVIEW OF COMMUNITY GOALS A PROFILE FOR THE BREWSTER COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PLAN 2021 CAPE COD REGIONAL POLICY PLAN Natural systems goals: Water resources: To maintain a sustainable supply of high-quality untreated drinking water and protect, preserve, or restore the ecological integrity of Cape Cod’s fresh and marine surface water resources. Ocean Resources: To protect, preserve, or restore the quality and natural values and functions of ocean resources. Wetland Resources: To protect, preserve, or restore the quality and natural values and functions of inland and coastal wetlands and their buffers. Wildlife and Plant Habitat: To protect, preserve, or restore wildlife and plant habitat to maintain the region’s natural diversity. Open Space: To conserve, preserve, or enhance a network of open space that contributes to the region’s natural and community resources and systems. Community Systems goals: Cultural Heritage: To protect and preserve the significant cultural, historic, and archaeological values and resources of Cape Cod. Housing: To promote the production of an adequate supply of ownership and rental housing that is safe, healthy, and attainable for people with different income levels and diverse needs. PROFILE DESCRIPTION It is important for the Community Preservation Plan to consider the established goals of the Town and region. This review of the goals in existing planning documents is intended to provide a foundation to the identification of Brewster’s community preservation goals and priorities. The Town of Brewster and the larger region have several planning documents that establish community goals related to the Community Preservation Act funding categories. These include the 2021 Cape Cod Regional Policy Plan, the 2014 Open Space and Recreation Plan, the 2017-2021 Brewster Housing Production Plan, the 2018 Brewster Vision Plan, and the 2007 Brewster Reconnaissance Report. This profile provides a summary of the goals in these other plans that are related to one or more of the community preservation act funding categories: community housing historic preservation, open space, and outdoor recreation. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 18 1. Protect the Town’s drinking water supply to meet the needs of Brewster’s residents and visitors today and in the future. 2. Provide open space and recreation opportunities that maintain Brewster’s rural character and small coastal community identity and support a sustainable local economy as a center for ecotourism. 3. Preserve and enhance habitat diversity and protect marine and fresh surface water resources to maintain their important ecological functions and values to the community. 4. Provide a variety of recreation and open space opportunities to promote healthy and active lifestyles for Brewster residents, ensuring equitable access for all users and abilities. 5. Support coordination and communication of regional open space and recreation needs. 2017-2021 HOUSING PRODUCTION PLAN Priority Affordable Housing Needs: • Low Income Rental Housing for Families • Rental housing for single people • Subsidized rental housing for the elderly • Acquisition and rehabilitation of substandard housing Housing Goals 1. Increase the supply of year-round market-rate and affordable rental housing for all types of households, such as young singles and couples, families, and seniors. 2. Build support for addressing housing needs through partnerships with conservation groups and non-profit and for-profit developers, and increased commitment of local funds such as Community Preservation Act revenue. 3. Create housing that is affordable and appropriate for very low-income seniors and people with disabilities. 4. Increase local capacity to plan, advocate for, and create affordable housing, preserve the affordability and condition of existing affordable units, and monitor affordable housing restrictions. 5. Increase the variety of mixed-income housing choices in Brewster, particularly in or near commercial areas in order to support Brewster’s economy and to accommodate household growth. 6. Create and provide programs to support struggling homeowners, such as a housing rehabilitation program to help lower-income homeowners and seniors with extraordinary maintenance and repairs. 7. Provide at least 10 percent of Brewster’s year-round housing units as affordable housing in order to meet local and regional needs. 2020 DRAFT OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 19 2018 BREWSTER VISION PLAN Community Character Goal Sustain and foster Brewster’s historic setting, rural nature, small-town feel, and socially inclusive spirit. • Provide social opportunities and services for all. • Maintain the Town’s historic heritage and style. • Maintain the Town’s small-town feel and scale through appropriate development. 2007 BREWSTER RECONNAISSANCE REPORT Preservation Planning Recommendations 1. Inventory heritage landscapes through the Massachusetts Historical Commission inventory, as well as National Register Listings when appropriate. 2. Create a Preservation Plan to ensure the continued protection of historical resources. 3. Preserve burial grounds and cemeteries by undertaking restoration and wayfinding projects, as well as establishing community support for such projects. 4. Preserve village and rural neighborhood character through demolition delay bylaws, recognizing local historic districts, and downzoning, among other techniques. 5. Preserve agricultural landscapes by adopting a right-to-farm bylaw and continue preserving farmland through conservation and agricultural reservation restrictions, where applicable. 6. Preserve scenic roads through establishing a Scenic Roads bylaw, as well as a scenic overlay district. 7. Raise awareness about Town’s history and ensure funding for preservation projects. Water Resources Goal Protect Brewster’s freshwater system to preserve high quality drinking water and maintain or improve the health of our ponds and marine watersheds. • Protect town wellfields by expanding open space acquisition and other measures. • Improve pond water quality through public education, regulation, and mitigation activities. • Protect the water quality of the town’s marine watersheds. Open Space Goal Maintain and expand open space assets to provide public recreation, protect fragile natural habitat, and protect water resources. • Improve public access to and expand the use of recreational areas. • Prioritize environmentally sensitive areas for preservation. • Maintain open space through density and development standards. Housing Goal Provide more affordable, safe, and accessible rental and ownership housing options at different price points, particularly for single people, young families, and our older population. Achieve the state’s 10% affordable goal by 2025. • Promote housing choices to allow families to live, work, and prosper. • Provide opportunities to address the varied housing needs of Brewster’s aging population. • Address the housing needs to the Town’s year-round and seasonal workforce. Coastal Management Goal In the context of coastal change, preserve and protect Brewster’s coastal resources and expand public access. • Protect coastal resources in ways that preserve coastal ecosystems and habitats and the character of the town and coastal neighborhoods. • Maintain and expand public access for all through public consensus and explore alternate modes of transport and access points. • Adapt to climate change projections and advance adaptation and resiliency techniques that are financially and environmentally sustainable. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 20 CHAPTER 2: OVERALL POLICIES AND GOALS The CPC developed the following target allocation policy and overall CPA goals through careful consideration of community feedback and broad community goals as established from guiding local policy documents including the Vision Plan. The policy and goals are designed to guide the CPC’s deliberation of project requests for CPA funds in all four CPA funding categories and will be used to establish funding preferences. The policy and goals are not binding; The CPC will ultimately base its recommendations on individual project merits, using the target allocation policy and overall goals as a guide. FIVE-YEAR TARGET ALLOCATION POLICY When Brewster adopted the CPA in 2005, it did so with a customized bylaw increasing the minimum allocation amounts for each funding area to reflect community intentions and priorities when Brewster converted from the Cape Cod Open Space Land Acquisition Program6 (Cape Cod Land Bank) to CPA as enabled through MGL c.149 of the Acts of 2004. Per MGL c.149, Cape Cod towns may not amend the amount of or revoke the CPA surcharge on real property until after fiscal year 2020.7 PREVIOUS MINIMUM ALLOCATIONS Previously, CPA funds were allocated on the basis of the following amounts: a 50 percent allocation for open space and passive recreation projects; a 10 percent allocation for community housing; a 10 percent allocation for historic preservation; and a 30 percent allocation towards community housing, historic preservation, or recreation projects, but not open space. Of the 30 percent allocation, the CPC has been using up to 5 percent annually for administative costs, as allowed through the statute. RECOMMENDED MODIFIED ALLOCATIONS As part of this planning effort the CPC has reconsidered the minimum local bylaw allocation requirements and plans to recommend to the Select Board that Town Meeting amends the bylaw to be effective as of July 2023 (FY2024) There is an increasing community awareness of a variety of significant priorities for the Brewster community, especially for affordable and community housing as well as other CPA-eligible initiatives as at the Cape Cod Sea Camps properties (i.e., the Pond Parcel and the Bay Parcel) and capital needs for historic public buildings such as the Brewster Ladies’ Library. In addition, the CPC recognizes that there is a significant continued need for open space and natural resource conservation, especially considering the growing impacts from climate change on this coastal community and the continued efforts to protect the drinking water supply and water quality of Brewster’s ponds. For these reasons, the CPC recommends bylaw amendments to remove the customized allocation requirement and to defer to the statutory minimums of 10 percent for each of three categories: community housing, open space and recreation, and historic preservation. In addition, through this plan, the CPC establishes a five-year Target Allocation Policy which will guide funding allocations to address the top community priorities of community housing and open space. This approach will increase the Town’s flexibility and enhance its ability to utilize CPA funds to address a wider spectrum of community priorities, while continuing to allocate significant levels of funding for open space and natural resource conservation. 6 MGL c. 293 of the Acts of 1998 7 Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Cape Cod Land Bank and Community Preservation Act, Bulletin 2004-16B, October 2004. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 21 CPC Target Allocation Policy for FY24-FY27 Through this plan, the CPC establishes target allocation policies to guide its recommendations for appropriations of CPA funds over the four-year period, FY24 through FY27. The policies are intended to support community priorities for use of CPA funds. Minimum Spending/Reserves The CPC intends to continue to recommend three reserves of 10 percent total annual revenue, which comply with the statutory minimums for community housing, historic preservation, and open space and recreation. To the extent possible, the CPC also intends to recommend allocations of the CPA funds for eligible projects and initiatives and administrative funds in roughly the proportions shown below as an average target over five-years: • 30 percent for Community Housing • 30 percent for Open Space • 10 percent for Historic Preservation • 10 percent for Outdoor Recreation The remaining 20 percent of funds will remain as undesignated and can be used to fund projects in any of the CPA categories. Any undesignated funds (meaning funds that are not included in the minimum 10 percent reserves) that are not appropriated each year will roll over and remain undesignated. Note: The annual Open Space bond payments for FY24-27 as committed at the time of this writing will be deducted from the Open Space Fund balance carried over at the end of FY23. The FY24-27 targets will be calculated based on estimated revenues. This means that the FY24-27 targets for all categories including Open Space will be for new project allocations. Administrative Funds The CPC requires professional staff support to ensure proper record keeping, grant management, and clerical support in addition to other administrative needs such as funding the Community Preservation Coalition membership dues and legal and advertising costs. Therefore, the CPC intends to budget 5 percent of total annual CPA revenue for administrative funds, as the CPA statute allows. The annual 5 percent administration expense will be deducted from the annual revenue total prior to the calculation of the targets. If the full 5 percent is not needed in any given year, the balance may be allocated to fund projects in any of the CPA categories. OVERALL CPA GOALS These overall goals are intended to help the CPC make hard decisions with the expectation that the CPA will not provide enough funding to fully fund all CPA funding requests. The CPC will refer to these overall goals during deliberations when considering the merits of funding requests and comparing eligible projects given limited funding. 1. Prioritize allocation of CPA funding to create and support community housing and preserve open space/natural resources, including multi-purpose projects that address both housing and open space needs. 2. Secondarily, support eligible outdoor recreation and historic preservation projects. 3. Support eligible projects that demonstrate compatibility with the Community Vision and other relevant community initiatives and goals such as at the Pond Parcel and/or Bay Parcel at the former Cape Cod Sea Camps property. 4. Encourage leveraging of CPA funds with other public and private funding as well as donation, bargain sales, and the like. 5. Allocate funding for regional projects that demonstrate clear community benefit and contributions from other communities in the region. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 22 CHAPTER 3: COMMUNITY HOUSING Habitat for Humanity House on Paul Hush Way NEEDS Housing supply in Brewster is significantly impacted bythe large number of part-time residents and vacation rentals. Although Brewster is bolstered by the seasonal economy, this factor and the investment in second home ownership have also made affordable housing and market-rate year-round rental housing difficult to find. The 2017 Housing Production Plan identified rental housing for low-income families, single people, and subsidized rental housing for the elderly as the priority housing needs of the community. The COVID-19 pandemic has also affected the town, with some residents converting seasonal homes to year- round residences, a rapid rise in housing prices, and overall uncertainty about future population trends and variations in the tourism industry. GOALS 1. Create community housing, including affordable housing, that will address documented local and regional housing needs including, but not limited to, affordable year-round senior housing options, year- round rental housing and housing assistance for low-income families and seniors, and housing for residents with special needs, such as Veterans. As is well documented through the 2017 Brewster Housing Production Plan and the 2017 Cape Cod Housing Market Analysis, Brewster’s greatest needs are for rental housing that is affordable for low- income families, senior housing options, and increased supply of housing in general. The CPA funds can fund the creation of affordable and community housing for households earning up to 100 percent AMI. Funds should be targeted to create affordable year-round rental housing options and senior housing options. In addition, creation of housing for individuals with special needs continues to be important within the region. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 23 In addition, the CPA funds are an important local resource to bring Brewster closer to reaching the state’s affordable housing goals of 10 percent year-round housing stock as tracked through the Subsided Housing Inventory (SHI). To be eligible for inclusion on the SHI, the units must be affordable to households at or below 80 percent AMI. As of August 2021, Brewster’s SHI lists 5.6 percent of year- round housing stock as affordable. This is still based on the 2010 U.S. Decennial Census count of year- round housing units and is likely to change when the 2020 Census figures are released. Per 2016 amendments to the CPA statute, CPA funds that are transferred to a housing trust must be used for statutory requirements for housing trusts. 2. Support eligible housing initiatives and ongoing work of the Brewster Affordable Housing Trust to address local housing needs. The purpose of Brewster Affordable Housing Trust (Trust), which was created through a Town Meeting vote in May 2018, is to provide for the preservation and creation of affordable housing in Brewster for the benefit of low/moderate-income households and for the funding of community housing. The Trust is overseen by a seven-member Board of Trustees, appointed by the Select Board. The Trust regularly requests CPA funds to support its initiatives. The CPC anticipates that the Trust will continue to request funding as needed, based on specific CPA-eligible projects and initiatives CPA funds, when transferred to a housing trust, must be used for CPA-eligible purposes only and must be tracked separately from other trust funds so that the use of funds can be reported annually to the MA Department of Revenue (per the CP-3 report). 3. Continue to support local capacity to implement housing initiatives, including through the Town’s housing coordinator position. The CPA funds are a critical funding source to continue supporting Brewster’s capacity to implement local housing initiative. The CPA should continue to support the Town’s local capacity in this way, including support for the Brewster Housing Office and the Town’s housing coordinator. The Housing Office addresses community housing needs in Brewster and is critical to coordinating the various local initiatives to support low/moderate income households, create affordable and community housing in the town, and as a central point of contact for information and education about housing needs, initiatives, resources, and assistance. 4. Support the preservation of the existing stock of affordable rental and ownership housing. Most of Brewster’s affordable housing units are restricted as affordable in perpetuity, however some units are not restricted in perpetuity. CPA funds can be especially critical to protecting affordable ownership units when needed upon sale through purchase and resale (it is not uncommon for the affordability of ownership units to be compromised upon resale or foreclosure, depending on the terms of the affordability restrictions). In addition, preservation of the Town’s existing affordable housing stock, especially the Housing Authority units, is also an important priority for CPA funds. 5. Continue to support the Brewster Buy Down Program to assist eligible first-time homebuyers. The Town of Brewster, through Community Preservation Funds, provides up to $30,000 of grant assistance for eligible buyers purchasing a home in Brewster. The program, contingent on existing funds, is available to households qualifying at 80% AMI (Area Median Income) who agree to place a permanent affordable housing deed restriction on the home. The grant assistance is provided as an interest free loan which is forgivable after 30 years. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 24 ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES Chapter 44B of the Massachusetts General Laws (CPA Statute) defines “community housing” as “low- and moderate-income housing for individuals and families, including low- or moderate-income senior housing.” Low- income housing is affordable to households with annual incomes of less than 80% of the areawide median income (AMI) and moderate-income housing is affordable to households earning less than 100% AMI. Furthermore, the CPA Statute defines “senior housing” as housing for persons 60 years old or over, who also meet the qualifications for low or moderate income. The CPA Statute allows expenditures for the acquisition, creation, preservation, and support of community housing and for the rehabilitation of community housing that is acquired or created through CPA. Preservation, which is a permitted activity for community housing, is defined as the “protection of personal or real property from injury, harm or destruction, but not including maintenance.” Rehabilitation, which is only permitted for housing created using CPA funds, is defined as “the remodeling, reconstruction and making of extraordinary repairs, to...community housing for the purpose of making such...community housing functional for their intended use, including, but not limited to, improvements to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other federal, state or local building or access codes.” The CPA Statute defines the term “support” as programs that provide grants, loans, rental assistance, security deposits, interest-rate write downs or other forms of assistance directly to individuals and families who are eligible for community housing . . .” The CPA Statute also allows CPA funds to be appropriated to a Municipal Affordable Housing Trust (MGL c.44 s.55C). Any CPA funds allocated to a Housing Trust must be used for CPA- eligible purposes, as clarified through the 2016 amendments. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 25 COMMUNITY HOUSING NEEDS & RESOURCES A PROFILE FOR THE BREWSTER COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PLAN POPULATION & HOUSEHOLDS • Brewster’s 2020 year-round population was 10,318, reversing a recent downward trend and returning to the level seen around the year 2000. • The town’s year-round population is forecast to decline at a gradual rate, with an estimated 7,888 people by 2035. • The town’s seasonal population increases dramatically, with approximately 30,000 visitors per year, increasing competition for housing between year-round residents, part-time residents, seasonal workers, and vacationers. • The population of Brewster is aging. In 2000, 26 percent of residents were over 65, increasing 32 percent by 2019. The median age increased from 47 years old in 2000 to an estimated 54 years old in 2019. • Of the 4,198 households, about 21 percent have children under 18 years old and 49 percent have one or more household members over 65 years old. • Racial make-up is predominantly White, with 94.7 percent of the population. 2.2 percent of residents are Hispanic, with the remaining 3.1 percent made up of Black or African-American, Asian, and mixed race residents. • Brewster’s median household income per 2019 estimates was $75,321 - an increase from the 2010 median household income of $68,439 (in 2019 dollars). • An estimated 38 percent of Brewster households have low incomes – incomes at or below 80 percent AMI. • The median sale price of a single-family house in 2020 was $519,500, increasing to an average of $612,850 in Jan-Jul 2021. • 85 percent of Brewster year-round households own their homes, 28 percent of which are housing–burdened (spending over 30 percent of their income on housing), while 50 percent of Brewster’s 635 year-round rental households are housing- burdened. • The median rent in Brewster is $1,097 per month, but this relatively low number is artificially depressed due to the high percentage of year-round rentals which are subsidized as well as disparities in rent throughout the year due to tourism. A SUMMARY OF KEY NEEDS Although Brewster is bolstered by the seasonal economy, this factor, along with the investment in second-home ownership, has also made affordable and market-rate year-round housing difficult to find. The 2017 Housing Production Plan identified rental housing for low- income families, single people, and subsidized rental housing for the elderly as the priority housing needs of the community. The COVID-19 pandemic has also affected the town, with some residents converting seasonal homes to year-round residences, a rapid rise in housing prices, and overall uncertainty on future population trends and variations in the tourism industry. HOUSHOLD INCOME & HOUSING COST Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 26 • Brewster has an estimated 4,198 year-round occupied housing units – 85 percent are owner occupied and 15 percent renter occupied. Census estimates suggest that Brewster lost 122 rental units since 2010, a decline of 16 percent. • There are an estimated 3,763 seasonal housing units in Brewster, comprising 47 percent of the town’s total housing units. • The Town’s housing stock remains primarily single-family at about 90 percent of total housing units, the balance being condominiums, duplexes, and multi-family units. • Brewster’s housing stock is significantly newer than in other communities, with 58 percent built after 1980, reflecting the rapid population and housing growth between 1970 and 2000. HOUSING AFFORDABILITY • 5.6 percent (268 units) of Brewster’s total housing stock is counted as affordable on the State’s Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI), which is below the State’s minimum affordability goal of 10 percent. • of the affordable ownership units were built through Comprehensive Permits under MGL C. 40B. • The largest rental development is King’s Landing on Underpass Road with 108 subsidized units at 80 percent AMI. It was purchased and renovated in 2013 by POAH, a national affordable housing development nonprofit, to ensure the affordable housing set to expire in 2017 would continue, with a current expiry date of 2033. • The Fredrick Court and Wells Court developments are state and federally funded, respectively, and together provide 46 subsidized units for seniors. • Habitat for Humanity developed 14 permanently affordable ownership units at Tubman Road, Hush Way, and Red Top Road. • The Brewster Housing Authority owns twelve duplexes with a total of 24 units of subsidized family rental housing on Huckleberry Lane. • 2006-2017 Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) • 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2010 Census, 2000 Census (U.S. Census Bureau) • 2017 Housing Production Plan (Town of Brewster) • Aug. 2021 Subsidized Housing Inventory (Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development) • Brewster, MA Town Stats (The Warren Group) • King’s Landing Apartments - Preservation of Affordable Housing (www.poah.org/property/massachusetts/kings-landing- apartments) • Senior Housing - Town of Brewster (brewster- ma.gov/senior-housing) • Huckleberry Land Project – Community Preservation Coalition (www.communitypreservation.org/community-housing- 16-brewster-housing-authority-huckleberry-land- project) HOUSING SUPPLY SOURCES ABBREVIATIONS • ACS – American Community Survey • AMI – Area Median Income • CHAS – Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy • HPP – Housing Production Plan • TWG – The Warren Group Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 27 Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 28 CHAPTER 4: OPEN SPACE Windrift Acres NEEDS Brewster has protected nearly 30% of its total land area, much of which contains environmentally important landscapes and wildlife. Brewster’s water resources must continue to be protected, especially as climate change continues to have an impact on coastal communities like Brewster. It is key for the Town to maintain protections for coastal regions and those areas prone to flooding, as well as invest further into open space and passive recreation spaces with a limited environmental impact. GOALS 1 Continue to protect drinking water quality through strategic land conservation of private properties in Zone II Drinking Water Protection Areas including through fee simple acquisition and conservation restrictions in partnership with local/regional land trusts, other private organizations, and other public entities. Maintaining Brewster’s high quality of drinking water continues to be critically important locally as well as regionally. The 2021 Cape Cod Regional Policy Plan’s goal for water resources is, in part, to maintain a sustainable supply of high-quality untreated drinking water. Per the Brewster 2020 Draft Open Space and Recreation Plan, the top goal is still to protect the Town’s drinking water supply with three objectives: 1) Acquire open space for the purpose of protecting existing and future wellhead sites; 2) Protect existing public supply wells from land-based sources of contamination; and 3) Coordinate wastewater management planning efforts with protecting drinking water resources. The CPA funds will continue to be instrumental for water resource protection, particularly to acquire open space land and conservation restrictions in Zone II Drinking Water Protection Areas. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 29 2 Support the strategic land conservation to protect the water quality of freshwater ponds including through fee simple acquisition and conservation restrictions in partnership with local/regional land trusts, other private organizations, and other public entities. Brewster contains 80 freshwater ponds, encompassing over 10% of the town’s total surface area. A vast majority of Brewster's ponds suffer some level of impairment including lack of clarity (high chlorophyll,) nutrient loading (high phosphorus) and low dissolved oxygen, which limits survival in the aquatic habitat. These ponds are important natural features and habitats and provide recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. To support a goal of the 2020 Draft Open Space and Recreation Plan, land conservation to protect Brewster’s ponds is important to maintain their important ecological functions and values to the community. CPA funds will be a critical source of funding for these initiatives. 3 Support open space conservation efforts to facilitate coastal management and community resilience including to support managed retreat to address coastal erosion. As a coastal community, Brewster is facing substantial impacts from climate change including sea level rise, flooding, and erosion. The Town is experiencing erosion rates of up to 2 feet/year (and 15 feet with storm surge) and there is little or no buffer between infrastructure, including parking areas and stormwater infrastructure, and the beach. As the region expects more severe storms with increasing frequency, these impacts will become more extreme. The environmental damage and property damage will continue to present high and increasing costs. The Town has diligently assessed vulnerability and risk and created a Coastal Adaptation Plan. CPA funds can support open space conservation efforts that enhance Brewster’s resilience including managed retreat as well as other eligible initiatives, as identified by the Brewster Department of Natural Resources.8 4 Fund the preservation of natural resources, especially to ensure the health and expansion of salt marshes such as the removal of invasive species, protecting floodplains and uplands adjacent to salt marshes, and restoring natural tidal flow. Brewster contains diverse natural habitats which support plants and wildlife including invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals, several species being listed as rare and/or endangered. Brewster has two areas designated as Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC): Pleasant Bay and Inner Cape Cod Bay. Additionally, BioMap2 identifies over 5,500 acres of Core Habitat and close to 9,000 acres of Critical Natural Landscape. These important habitats include salt marshes, which are coastal wetlands that form transition zones between land and sea. Salt marshes act as natural purifiers by filtering pollutants and sediment and by absorbing excess nutrients from streams, rivers, and surface runoff. Salt marshes are valuable for climate change mitigation because they sequester atmospheric carbon and convert it to salt marsh vegetation (referred to as “blue carbon”).9 Invasive species are introduced organisms (plant, animal, invertebrate) that are not native to a specific area and cause harm to that environment. Typically, a species that arrived after European settlement is thought to be non-native. Invasive species have substantial negative impacts to their introduced environment. This is 8 Source: Using Managed Retreat to Address Coastal Erosion in Brewster, a presentation by Chris Miller, Director of the Brewster Department of Natural Resources: http://www.waquoitbayreserve.org/wp-content/uploads/D2_07_Miller-Coastal-Retreat-in-Brewster.pdf 9 Source: Association to Preserve Cape Cod/Salt Marsh Restoration: https://apcc.org/our-work/science/salt-marsh-restoration/ Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 30 because the species did not evolve with the local ecosystem and may not have any natural predators or contribute to native wildlife in any way.10 When tidal flow to salt marshes is restricted, these once-saline environments change to a brackish or freshwater condition in which native salt marsh vegetation suffers. Typically, these brackish marshes become colonized by the invasive common reed (Phragmites australis) which forms dense stands 12 feet or higher. As invasive species take over, a major shift in wildlife occurs, and formerly diverse communities of salt marsh inhabitants are replaced by fewer species.11 CPA funds will be an important source for protecting salt marshes including the removal of invasive species and protecting floodplains and uplands adjacent to salt marshes and restoring natural tidal flow. ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES The CPA defines the term “open space” as including, but not limited to, land deemed necessary to protect existing and future well fields, aquifers and recharge areas, watershed land, agricultural land, lake and pond frontage, beaches, and scenic vistas. The CPA statute allows the use of CPA funds for the acquisition, creation, and preservation of open space. Additionally, the CPA statute allows for the rehabilitation/restoration of open space that was acquired or created with CPA funds. Per MGL c.44B s.5(f), CPA funds may not be used to acquire real property, or property interest, for a price exceeding the value of the property (as determined by methods customarily accepted by the appraisal profession). In accordance with the CPA statute (MGL c.44B s.12(a) and (b)), an acquisition of real property is required to be owned by the municipality and to be bound by a permanent restriction. Any open space acquisitions by the Town using CPA funds will require execution of a permanent restriction that runs to the benefit of a nonprofit organization, charitable corporation, or foundation and that is in accordance with the requirements of MGL c.184. In addition, CPA funds may be appropriated to pay a nonprofit organization to hold, monitor, and enforce the deed restriction on the property (sometimes called a “stewardship fee”). 10 Source: Brewster Conservation Trust/Invasive Species, Native Pollinators, and the BCT: https://brewsterconservationtrust.org/invasive-species-native- pollinators-and-the-bct/ 11 Source: Association to Preserve Cape Cod/Salt Marsh Restoration Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 31 PERMANENTLY PROTECTED OPEN SPACE • MGL c. 61, 61A, and 61B allow an agricultural, forest, or recreational property to be temporarily protected in exchange for a tax reduction. The town additionally is granted the right to purchase the property if the classification is removed. • There are thirteen private parcels listed in the Chapter 61, 61A, or 61B programs, totaling about 165 acres. • Scenic Resources in Brewster tend to take the form of heritage landscapes, which include cemeteries, parks, estates, and scenic roads. • Examples include Dillingham cemetery, Stony Brook Grist Mill, and Crosby Mansion (today a part of Nickerson State Park). the Punkhorn Parklands, Sheep Pond Woodlands, Mother’s Bog, and Baker’s Pond, to name a few. OPEN SPACE NEEDS & RESOURCES A PROFILE FOR THE BREWSTER COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PLAN • Brewster contains over 2,200 acres of protected land, or 28.9% of its total land area. • The Brewster Conversation Commission manages 822 acres of conservation land, while the Town of Brewster additionally manages about 1,000 acres of other municipally owned conservation lands. • Nonprofit land trusts and organizations such as the Orenda Wildlife Land Trust, the Brewster Conservation Trust, and the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History manage smaller acreages. • The Commonwealth’s first state park, Roland C. Nickerson State Park, spans 1,960 acres and is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The state also owns three parcels: Thad Ellis Road, off Gull’s Way on Sheep’s Pond, and off Satucket Road. • The Brewster Water Department owns an additional approximate eight acres of land. SUMMARY OF KEY NEEDS Brewster has protected nearly 30% of its total land area, much of which contains environmentally important landscapes and wildlife. Brewster’s water resources – including vernal pools, freshwater ponds, and coastal areas – must continue to be protected, especially as climate change continues to have an impact on coastal communities like Brewster. It is key for the Town to maintain protections for coastal regions and those areas prone to flooding, as well as invest further into open space and passive recreation spaces with a limited environmental impact. SCENIC RESOURCES CHAPTER 61 - TEMPORARY PROTECTION Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 32 WATER RESOURCES • Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan, 2014 (OSRP 2014) • Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan Draft, 2020 (OSRP 2020) • Brewster’s 2018 Vision Plan • Brewster BioMap2, 2012 (BioMap2) • Brewster Ponds Coalition: https://www.brewsterponds.org/b eneath-the-surface.html SOURCES • Brewster is located within the Cape Cod Watershed, the Pleasant Bay Watershed, and contains six additional embayment watersheds located within the town, including Cape Cod Bay, Herring River, Namskaket Creek, Pleasant Bay, Quivett Creek, Stony Brook, and a portion of the Bass River Watershed. • Importantly, Brewster contains 80 freshwater ponds, encompassing over 10% of the town’s total surface area. • A vast majority of Brewster's ponds suffer some level of impairment including lack of clarity (high chlorophyll,) nutrient loading (high phosphorus) and low dissolved oxygen, which limits survival in the aquatic habitat. (Brewster Ponds Coalition) • Furthermore, 20% of Brewster’s total land area is comprised of wetlands, which include saltwater wetlands (salt marshes and tidal flats) as well as freshwater wetlands (swamps, bogs, and vernal pools). • Brewster’s drinking water comes from the Cape Cod Aquifer through public wells and originates in the Monomoy Lens. The aquifer itself is at risk of contamination due to the absence of hydrogeologic barriers which can prevent contaminants from entering the water. • Brewster has enacted wellhead protections, as well as a Groundwater Protection District designation. However, note that Zone I and II only protect the aquifer within the areas that recharge wells. AREAS OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN (ACECS) • Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) are spaces that receive recognition for the quality and significance of their natural and cultural resources. ACEC designation can allow for the creation of a framework of management and preservation of critical resources and ecosystems by local and regional entities. • ACECs in Brewster include Pleasant Bay ACEC and the Inner Cape Cod Bay ACEC. • The Pleasant Bay ACEC, about 1% of which is located within Brewster, contains salt marshes, tidal flats, ponds, bays, and barrier beaches, all of which provide flood control and storm damage prevention and mitigation. • The Inner Cape Cod Bay ACEC stretches across Eastham, Orleans, and Brewster, with only 15% of the area being within Brewster (East Brewster). It contains wildlife habitats, shellfish beds, and tidal rivers. FISHERIES & WILDLIFE • Brewster contains diverse natural habitats which support plants and wildlife including invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals, several species being listed as rare and/or endangered. • The Brewster BioMap2 outlines two primary habitat types in Brewster: the wetlands core and the aquatic core. Both areas contain numerous Species of Conservation Concern, meaning that both the natural life and area itself are monitored. Other habitat types include vernal pool core. • Additionally, parts of Brewster’s coastal areas are designated as Priority and Exemplary Natural Communities, indicating areas which have limited distribution of natural plant and animal communities. (BioMap2) • The town also contains approximately 38 vernal pools, which are seasonal bodies of water integral to the life cycle of a variety of species, including amphibians, crustaceans, and turtles. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 33 Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 34 Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 35 Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 36 CHAPTER 5: HISTORIC PRESERVATION NEEDS Brewster has a diverse set of historical resources, from mansions and town buildings to cemeteries and churches. These resources are well inventoried, and some are protected in as part of the Old King’s Highway Local Historic District. Others have limited protection and incentives for rehabilitation through listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Key public resources need preservation as well as opportunities to protect historic resources at the Cape Cod Sea Camp’s Bay Parcel and other publicly accessible properties. Furthermore, the town contains some Native American archaeological sites which require further investigation and research. GOALS 1. Preserve, rehabilitate, and restore historic resources that provide a high level of community access and benefit, such as the historic structures owned by the Brewster Historical Society and historic buildings on town owned parcels like Cape Cod Sea Camps and Spruce Hill. CPA funds are an important source of funding for historic preservation initiatives, for both public and private resources, however given limited funding, the CPC prioritizes the allocation of CPA funds to projects that will provide a high level of public access and benefit. Examples include historic public Crosby Barn Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 37 building as well as other historic properties that are open to the public or provide other tangible and direct public benefits. CPA funds can provide support for the preservation (protecting resources from harm), rehabilitation (making resources functional for their intended use, including improvements to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other building or access codes), and restoration (depicting the form, features, and character of a property as it appeared at a particular period). 2. Support the preservation of Native American sites and artifacts through archaeological investigation. The area was initially settled by the Sauguatuckett, Nauset, and Nobscussett tribes, who lived around the north shore of the town and developed fields at Stony Brook. Native American archaeological sites have been identified along water bodies in Brewster, as well as evidence of a pre-colonial well. However, further investigation and archaeological work is necessary to determine if more resources exist. 3. Continue preservation efforts to protect historic town records. Brewster’s historic town records and other historic documents are under the care of multiple entities. The Town Clerk is responsible for historic town records that are stored at Town Hall; the Brewster Historical Society stores records at the Cobb House Museum, and the Brewster Ladies Library has a collection of oral histories. The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History also has a collection of local archaeological artifacts. Preservation of historic town records is a common preservation project in many CPA communities. Town records are not included on the State Register of Historic Places and, therefore, need to be determined by the Brewster historic preservation commission to be significant in the history, archeology, architecture, or culture of a city or town. ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES The CPA Act, as amended July 2012, defines a historic resource as “a building, structure, vessel, real property, document, or artifact that is listed on the State Register of Historic Places or has been determined by the local historic preservation commission to be significant in the history, archeology, architecture, or culture of a city or town.” CPA funds can be used for the “acquisition, preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of historic resources.” In addition, CPA funds may be appropriated to pay a nonprofit organization to hold, monitor, and/or enforce a deed restriction as described in Section 12 of the CPA Act (amended Summer 2012). Furthermore, within the definition of “rehabilitation,” CPA is allowed to fund improvements to make historic resources functional for their intended use, including improvements to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other building or access codes. All rehabilitation work, with respect to historic resources, is required to comply with the Standards for Rehabilitation stated in the US Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (codified in 36 C.F.R. Part 68). Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 38 NATIVE AMERICAN RESOURCES PRIORITY LANDSCAPES LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS NATIONAL REGISTER RESOURCES • National Register districts are established by the Secretary of the Interior, and provide recognition of the importance of a place, while allowing limited protection from federal or state funded projects. • There are two National Register districts in Brewster: The Old King’s Highway and the Stony Brook/Factory Village districts (MACRIS) • Within these two districts, there are 266 properties listed as National Resources (MACRIS) • Additionally, five resources are individually listed on the National Register: three are related to the Nickerson Mansion; others include Dillingham House and the Old Higgins Farm Windmill (MACRIS) • Local historic districts (LHD) are created through local bylaws and are regulatory. An LHD regulates changes made to exterior architectural features of structures located along the district (Landscape Inv) • Brewster contains one Local Historic District, the Old King’s Highway Historic District, which was adopted in 1973 (Landscape Inv) • The Old King’s Highway Historic District contains eighteen resources, ranging from agricultural sites and burial grounds to civic centers and open space areas (Landscape Inv) A SUMMARY OF KEY NEEDS Brewster has a diverse set of historical resources, from mansions and town buildings to cemeteries and churches. These resources are well inventoried, and some are protected in as part of the Old King’s Highway Local Historic District. Others have limited protection and incentives for rehabilitation through listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Key public resources are in need of preservation as well as opportunities to protect historic resources at the Cape Cod Sea Camp’s Bay Parcel and other publicly-accessible properties. Furthermore, the town contains some Native American archaeological sites which require further investigation and research. • The Massachusetts Heritage Landscape Inventory identified nine priority heritage landscapes, including, but not limited to: Cape Cod Sea Camps, Old King’s Highway, and Stonybrook Valley. • A priority heritage landscape is a place that is defined by human interaction and is integral to the community both past and present. Each of these landscapes tell a story of Brewster’s past: the Cape Cod Sea Camps, established in the early 20th century, is both a natural and historical resource for the generations of children who attended summer camp here. HISTORIC PRESERVATION NEEDS & RESOURCES A PROFILE FOR THE BREWSTER COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PLAN • The area was initially settled by the Sauguatuckett, Nauset, and Nobscussett tribes, who lived around the north shore of the town and developed fields at Stony Brook. • During the Contact Period (1500-1620), Native Americans sold agricultural products to settlers. • Native American archaeological sites have been identified along water bodies in Brewster, as well as evidence of a pre-colonial well. However, further investigation and archaeological work is necessary to determine if more resources exist. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 39 17TH CENTURY 19TH CENTURY 18TH CENTURY • By the 18th century, Brewster’s economy began to expand from primarily agriculture to include mills and whaling. Later in the century, the salt manufacturing trade began to develop. • Many town institutions such as the first churches and meetinghouse were developed during this period. • 18th century resources on MACRIS include the Old Higgins Farm Windmill (1750) and Captain Elijah Cobb House (1799). The latter property remains standing and is currently home to the Brewster Historical Society Museum. ARTIFACTS AND DOCUMENTS • Some of Brewster’s historical documents and records are preserved by the Brewster Historical Society, which stores these resources at the Cobb House Museum. These include the Donald Doane collection of over400 turn-of-the-century photographic glass plate negatives. • The Town Clerk is responsible for historic town records stored at Town Hall, including handwritten material from the town clerk and tax assessors dating back to 1803. • Additionally, the Historical Commission maintains an inventory of important historical resources, which are listed on the town website. • The Brewster Ladies Library houses a collection of oral histories from long time Brewster residents as part of its historic resources. • The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History has a collection of local artifacts, including Native American. • Native American Sauguatucketts occupied the land around the north shore with planting fields concentrated at Stony Brook. • The first European settlement was established in1650 in Sauguatuckett territory. Early settlers called themselves the “Setucket Proprietors” and met to lay out roads and settle property disputes. • By the end of the 17th century, the area’s major roadways had been established, connecting the settlement to nearby towns. • The first Gristmill was built at Stony Brook in 1662. • MACRIS lists three resources from this time, which include the Dillingham House (c. 1659) and Eldridge House (c. 1690). • In 1694, a township named Harwich was established. The North Parish of Harwich included the Stony Brook Valley and shoreline along Cape Cod Bay. • One such resource, the Linger Longer By The Sea Cottage, is still standing and operates as a vacation rental. • The North Parish of Harwich was officially incorporated as the Town of Brewster in 1803. Many of the town’s residents made their living from the sea as shipmasters or crew members. The town’s saltworks provided significant economic value until the decline of the local salt industry in the mid- 1800s. • MACRIS lists 203 resources from this time, including two grist mills, four churches, and over 150 houses. • Structures from the first half of the century had diverse uses, such as Harwich First Parish Church Archway and Water Pump, while the latter half of the century saw the construction of homes as well as the Old Town Hall and the Ladies’ Library. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 40 SOURCES 20TH CENTURY • Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System, mhc-macris.net (MACRIS) • MHC Reconnaissance Survey Town Report: Brewster, 1984 (Reconnaissance Survey) • Heritage Landscape Inventory Report : Brewster, MA, 2007 (Landscape Inv) • Brewster Historical Society (BHS) • Brewster Historical Commission (BHC) • Massachusetts Historical Commission There’s A Difference Report, https://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcpdf/difference.pdf (TAD Report) • Cape Cod Museum of Natural History - contact Kate Roderick kroderick@ccmnh.org • Brewster Archaeological Resources Map • The early 20th century saw a sharp decline in Brewster’s population. By World War I, the town saw an increase in the construction of summer homes and private estates. This trend continued through the rest of the century, with an increase in seasonal homes coinciding with a decrease in year-round population. • MACRIS lists 231 resources from this century, notably Nickerson Mansion and Park (1908). The earliest structures include churches and cottages dating to 1900, which are still standing. • Much of Brewster’s historical resources from this century were constructed between 1930 and 1970, some of which – like the Crosby House and Nickerson Mansion – have already been preserved and turned into a museum and state park, respectively. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 41 Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 42 CHAPTER 6: OUTDOOR RECREATION Stony Brook Field NEEDS Many of Brewster’s 30,000 seasonal visitors are drawn to the recreation activities in the area, including fishing, boating, swimming, biking and golfing. The town serves residents with a wide variety of sports fields and venues as well as classes, activities, and local recreational clubs and camps. Since most of the land in Brewster is privately owned, preservation of private recreational parcels is important, such as privately owned campgrounds, riding paths, golf courses, and youth camps. The Brewster Vision Plan highlights the need for more walking trails and bike paths and residents consider the development of new seasonal and year-round active recreation activities for all ages to be very important, with an emphasis on accessible recreation options. GOALS 1. Rehabilitate existing playgrounds, parks, and other outdoor public recreation facilities to improve quality and accessibility. As amended in 2012, the CPA statute allows CPA funds to be used for rehabilitation of existing outdoor recreational resources including playgrounds, parks, golf courses, and other facilities. For recreation projects, rehabilitation also includes replacement of playground equipment and other capital improvements to make the land more functional for the intended recreation use. This includes improvements to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other codes. One of the key goals stated in the Town’s 2020 Draft Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) is to provide a variety of recreation and open space opportunities to promote healthy and active lifestyle for Brewster residents, ensuring equitable access for all users and abilities. CPA funding can help promote this important goal for existing outdoor recreation facilities. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 43 2. Create all-ages outdoor recreation facilities including those geared toward older adults, such as pickleball courts, and accessible facilities for individuals with special needs. As stated above, a key goal of the Town’s 2020 Draft OSRP is to promote healthy and active lifestyles and equitable access for all users and abilities. As the local and regional population ages, it is important to provide outdoor recreation facilities for all ages. CPA funds can create new outdoor recreation facilities as well as rehabilitate existing facilities to promote accessibility and options geared toward older adults. 3. Expand and improve bike trails and bike trail connections, including the key recreation destinations. The 22-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail (CCRT) passes through Brewster for approximately six miles on its way from Dennis to Wellfleet. It is the only designated bike path in the town and is heavily used. Biking is popular and could provide additional recreational benefits with connections to key destinations. The CPC would consider recommending CPA funds to creating additional bike paths to promote outdoor recreation. 4. Rehabilitate hiking trails and create improved trail connections, such as the boardwalk to Wing Island.12 Many of the Town’s Conservation Areas as well as other open space properties have hiking/nature trails, which provide passive recreation opportunities for residents and visitors. CPA funds can be an important source of funding, paired with other state funds such as the MassTrails Grant Program, to create and improve trail connections. Some specific project possibilities could include the boardwalk to Wing Island from Drummer Boy Park, which has been raised at the last two public hearings. 5. Fund preservation of key private recreation sites to ensure public access and enjoyment. There are several private non-profit camps and sporting clubs in Brewster that provide important recreational facilities for kids and adults. Funding for outdoor recreation facilities that are privately-owned could be eligible for funding with the provision of a clear a direct public benefit, such as public access. 12 Note that the MassTrails Grant Program awarded the Town of Brewster $50,000 in 2021 to fund design, public outreach, and permitting for the Wing Island boardwalk project. The boardwalk would provide accessibility to the 27-acre Wing’s Island, interconnect existing public trail segments, and provide a fully ADA compliant pathway to complement recent work at neighboring Drummer Boy Park. The project will receive $46,013.64 in matching funds from the Town of Brewster. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 44 ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES The CPA defines recreational use as including, but not limited to, the use of land for community gardens, and noncommercial youth and adult sports, and the use of land as a park, playground, or athletic field. The definition goes on to prohibit “. . . horse or dog racing or the use of land for a stadium, gymnasium, or similar structure.” Per the July 2012 amendments, the CPA statute allows use of CPA funds for the acquisition, creation, preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of land for recreational use. Note that the 2012 amendments allow “rehabilitation” where previously it only allowed for recreational land created through the CPA. This amendment would allow existing parks and playgrounds to be rehabilitated with upgraded and new facilities and amenities. Maintenance costs are not eligible for CPA funds. In addition, acquisition of artificial turf for athletic fields is expressly prohibited in Section 5(b)(2). Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 45 RECREATION NEEDS & RESOURCES A PROFILE FOR THE BREWSTER COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PLAN PONDS & BEACHES • Brewster contains about 80 ponds, making up over 10 percent of the town’s surface area. The ponds are used for recreational fishing (14 ponds are regularly stocked with fish), boating, sunbathing, swimming, ice fishing and ice skating. MA fishing licenses are required on all ponds. Most ponds lack official public landings, but five ponds have formal public beaches and landings: o Long Pond – Boat ramp and beach (with lifeguard from July 4 – Labor Day) o Slough Pond – Car-top boat launch and beach o Upper Mill Pond – Accessible viewing platform and boat ramp o Sheep Pond – Accessible viewing platform, boat ramp and beach o Schoolhouse Pond – Accessible fishing dock and car-top boat launch, winter ice skating o Walkers Pond – Town public boat ramp • Brewster has ten saltwater beaches along Cape Cod Bay, each of which is accessible from a street connecting to Route 6A. The beaches are popular for swimming, sunbathing, beach strolling, fishing, and boating access. The beaches from west to east are: o Wings Island Beach o Paine’s Creek Beach o Mant’s Landing Beach o Saint’s Landing Beach o Breakwater Landing o Breakwater Beach o Point of Rocks Landing Beach o Ellis Landing Beach o Spruce Hill Beach o Linnell Landing Beach o Crosby Landing Beach SUMMARY OF KEY NEEDS • Many of Brewster’s 30,000 seasonal visitors are drawn to the recreation activities in the area, including fishing, boating, and swimming. The town also serves residents with a wide variety of sports fields and venues as well as classes, activities, and local sporting and recreational clubs and camps. • Since most of the land in Brewster is privately owned, preservation of private parcels with recreational space is very important, such as Brewster’s privately owned campgrounds, riding paths, golf courses, and youth camps. • The Brewster Vision Plan highlights the need for more walking trails, bike paths, sidewalks, and a dog park. In a recent survey, only half of respondents said they lived within ¼ mile of a recreation or open space resource. • In the same survey, 40 percent of respondents considered the development of new seasonal and year- round active recreation activities for all ages to be very important, with an emphasis on accessible recreation options. • Note that this profile provides a sample of recreation activities and spaces in Brewster. Conservation areas provide space for residents to enjoy the outdoors, meaning that there is considerable overlap between open space and recreation resources. NATURE TRAILS, PONDS, AND OPEN SPACE • The 22-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail (CCRT) passes through Brewster for approximately six miles on its way from Dennis to Wellfleet. It is the only designated bike path in the town, and is heavily used by cyclists, roller skaters, roller bladers, skate boarders, cross country skiiers, walkers, and occasionally equestrians. • The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History additionally contains a trail access point to Wing’s Island, where visitors can enter near the museum, cross a salt marsh, access Wing’s Island, and end at a barrier beach. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 46 RECREATION DEPARTMENT • Nickerson State Park, owned and managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, is in the eastern sector of Brewster and covers over 1,960 acres. Popular recreational activities in the park include camping, hiking, cycling, freshwater and saltwater swimming, fishing, and boating. Camping is particularly popular in the park, with over 400 camp sites available. The Park also contains the Stephen L. French Youth Forestry Camp, which hosts the Homeward Bound Wilderness Program for court-acquainted adolescents. • Drummer Boy Park is a 17-acre park with lawns used for active recreation as well as a recently updated children’s playground. The Park also contains historical properties. The town is undertaking a master planning process for the park, including access to Wing Island. • Public baseball, soccer, and softball fields are available at Eddy and Stony Brook Elementary Schools, behind the Senior Center, in front of the Town Hall, and off Freeman’s way. • The 22-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail (CCRT) passes through Brewster for approximately six miles on its way from Dennis to Wellfleet. It is the only designated bike path in the town, and is heavily used by cyclists, roller skaters, roller bladers, skate boarders, cross country skiiers, walkers, and occasionally equestrians. • The Brewster Recreation Department employs 2 full-time staff members and 30-40 seasonal employees and offers a variety of recreation programs and activities for all ages. • Activities offered include senior fitness, tennis, basketball, softball, lacrosse, track & field, ultimate frisbee, family fishing, tee ball, pickleball, basketball, summer rec programs, yoga classes on the beach, archery, kayak rentals, sailing, mad science classes, dance instruction, flag football, and field hockey. • The Department also facilitates community events including the ice rink, Brewster in Bloom 5k run, summer kick-off party, movie night by the Bay, parents’ night out, hotshot basketball shootout, and senior games. • The Department owns two facilities in the town, the Community Tennis Courts at Underpass Road and 26 acres of athletic fields at Recreation Drive and operates the Finch Skate Park Orleans in partnership with the towns of Orleans and Eastham. • In addition to its own facilities, Recreation Department events and activities are held at numerous other beach and pond properties, public fields, and at several schools including Stony Brook Elementary School, Nauset Regional High School and Middle School, and Eddy Elementary School. RECREATION ON CONSERVATION LAND The Senior Center serves as a recreational resource for seniors, with social events and activities including computer classes, gardening sessions, and a recently installed Bocce court. SENIOR CENTER • Town of Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan (August 2021 Draft Version) • Brewster Recreation Department (https://www.brewsterrecreation.com) • Massachusetts Paddler (https://www.massachusettspaddler.com) SOURCES There are several private non-profit camps and sporting clubs in Brewster that provide important recreational facilities for kids and adults including: • Camp Mitton - Crossroads • Camp Favorite - Girl Scouts • Cape Cod Museum of Natural History • Brewster Sportsman's Club • Dream Day Cape Cod • Brewster Community Garden – operated by the Brewster Conservation Trust • Sweetwater Forest Campground • Shady Knoll Campground • Emerald Hollow Farm • Cape Cod Sea Camps – Closed in November 2020. Town completed purchase of both Bay and Pond parcels in 2021. PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 47 Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 48 APPENDICES 1. Focus Group Summaries 2. Community Forum Summary Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 49 FOCUS GROUP SUMMARIES Prepared by JM Goldson LLC 10/21/2021 SUMMARY From September 29 through October 20, 2021, JM Goldson conducted five focus groups with Brewster stakeholders on the following topics, corresponding to the four categories of the Community Preservation Act, as well as a fifth general focus group on the CPA overall: 1. Open Space 2. Recreation 3. Historic Preservation 4. Community Housing 5. General Each focus group invited seven people, each one with a particular involvement or investment in the issue at hand. One member of our team facilitated each meeting, with a second member adding notes to a board viewable by all participants. Each focus group had at least one map to reference as well. Participants began the discussions by going over some of their ideas in response to these questions. The notes from each focus group are displayed in the subsequent pages with a transcription of each “sticky note” below. KEY FINDINGS • There is an urgent need for protecting oceanfront land and property as Brewster faces climate change related sea level rise. • Almost all groups recognized that the percentage of funds allocated historically for recreation were too low compared to the need for funding for recreation projects. • There is a widespread recognition that Brewster is in dire need of expanding affordable housing types, especially for seniors and people with disabled people. • Participants additionally recognized the past successes the CPA has afforded historic preservation in the town. • The need for a community center was emphasized by all as a necessary and valuable asset to the town. • All groups agreed that the Sea Camps property posed an exciting opportunity spanning all CPA categories, and could fulfill housing, recreation, historic preservation, and community development needs. RECREATION The Recreation focus group took place at 11:00 am on Thursday, October 7. Participants in the focus group provided a thorough overview of past recreation projects which have utilized CPA funds and offered some potential future projects. Participants emphasized the quality of current resources such as the Captains Golf Course, the Cape Cod Rail Trail (which passes through Brewster), and the town's parks and playgrounds. Concerns were raised about funding more youth programming in the town, as well as necessary improvements to the Stony Brook trail. Participants also expressed a strong desire and need for an all-ages community center that is accessible by car and bicycle. Finally, the topic of multimodal Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 50 transportation was raised, and questions about whether the CPA could assist in improving the interconnectedness of Brewster's facilities were debated. Opportunities or Strengths to Leverage Challenges or Issues to Recognize/Overcome Rec Dept: Freeman's way complex: baseball field, little league fields, lax field, tennis courts at stony brook the Eddy School - Stony Brook path is not safe, would like to see improvements. Sea Camps will take time but it is an exciting time to be in Brewster right now is a good time to increase recreation's allocation: sea camps will take a while and rec dept will be needing help for its projects want/need to upgrade this facility - opportunity to continue junior/kids programs landscaping outfield areas - already talking to DPW share maintenance w/ DPW but they do not have those fields. Do not control Drummer Boy Park - select board Stairs going up to the restrooms need improvement. Playground needs help but that might be a later project Sea Camps can be a huge opportunity for recreation in the town People who come to the games and park at the school have to walk through that path and it is not safe Bring in college interns who are unpaid to work with White Caps: good resource for rec dept too 7% is youth clinics with 350+ kids attend - big attraction and important for the area ensuring that bikers and walkers can get around town safely is important Stony Brook Park saw improvements: ADA compliant updates: CPC funds used for these narrowness of roads is a challenge for bikers in Brewster golf course is a big asset to the town indoor pool in the past, rec dept has used CPC for creating fields and facilities and then maintaining them make going to the course a whole experience: golfing, restaurant, making an atmosphere from the space reconstruction of infields; buying sailboats and swim docks (more down the pipeline); ADA project on Freeman's Way: paved pathways in between little league fields; handicapped parking. Hoping to do this at all of the town hall fields, Babe Ruth Fields. Happening in multiple phases. trying to share gyms in the wintertime is difficult - fighting over gym space. Could be really advantageous to everybody. White Caps: collegiate baseball league team, part of CCBL equipment to enhance junior programs, maintain kids attention: contests, challenges. Keep kids practicing and entertained Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 51 Sea Camps is a good opportunity for recreation Pickleball Courts - need more in Brewster. Need to facilitate this: courts at Sea Camps? Other opportunities? Sea camps acquisition will be a huge opportunity for the town Getting to the Eddy School means taking a dangerous, unlit path that needs improvement New souvenir shed, replacing scoreboard Improving interconnectedness of green spaces for multimodal transport - some routes are accessible, some are not Sailing and swim program may be expanding, moving to Long Pond parcel: needing more equipment, boats, etc. Rec Dept would like to prioritize a community center: one missing piece in recreation. More gym/indoor space. Currently using Eddy school for classroom/storage working with DCR on water fountains along rail currently beautification: expanding of the course, more flower beds/plantings, make it overall a more beautiful place to golf Deferred a lot of capital projects based off of financial viability - a lot of projects coming down the pipeline Getting kids involved in golf is hard, maybe b/c of perception; baseball or lax is more popular multiple venues for recreation: golf course, drummer boy park, tennis courts - a lot of recreation in town hopefully Sea Camps will provide more such opportunity paving this path, lighting Stony Brook is off of the CC Rail Trail Getting to Drummer Boy Park from center of town: how does one get there safely without a car? Eddy School to Stony Brook: improved path between the two. Currently, a gravelly steep path that is not accessible or lit going downtown from rail trail can be difficult - wayfinding signs can help with this Second building was gifted to the town. Building is now in disrepair - needs a lot of work, landscaping A lot of these projects are maintaining the properties that they have; funding needs are not consistent. indoor building to teach lessons - also provides space for video lessons being able to use the rail trail is a great way to reduce car dependency in town wayfinding signs along Rail Trail. Trail is owned and managed by DCR but towns can contribute to them. covered bike storage/racks: allow for long-term bike storage relating to buildings, maintenance equipment, etc. As for CPC funding: trying to grow golf in the town, driving range w/ 45 spaces Drummer Boy Park master plan: likely reaching out to CPC - new playground going on wetlands, aging equipment how can money be spent to improve interconnectedness of town facilities over all? mapping out how different recreation centers connect to each other: how does one bike from one location to another? Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 52 HOUSING The Community Housing focus group took place at 3:00 pm on Wednesday, September 29. The participants of this focus group focused on the urgent need to expand housing in Brewster while discussing the issues that affordable housing faces in the town. Participants expressed some of the struggles they have faced in advocating for affordable housing, sharing that there is a perception that housing takes up a lot of resources from other CPA categories, and that NIMBY-ism is a persistent issue in housing development. At the same time, however, participants noted that the different housing agencies and authorities working in Brewster have very strong lines of communication with each other, fueling a sense of ownership over housing issues. They also noted that the Community Preservation Committee has been supportive of the work being done to expand housing and sees itself as part of the solution. The focus group ended on a hopeful note, committing to a conversation on regional housing opportunities spanning neighboring towns, and seemed excited about the prospect of greater collaboration with Brewster's neighbors. Opportunities or Strengths to Leverage Challenges or Issues to Recognize/Overcome COVID has helped frame housing as a public health issue from perspective of CDP - regional benefit, questions of community regional housing supply strategy instead of town-by- town towns should be talking to each other about the projects they're doing one day: a regional CPA and each town allocates some portion of their funds to this more unrestricted funding to support households at different income levels having clear strategies for the region and then using resources accordingly focus on what needs to happens vs what can reliably pass maybe having a regional model or context could make the process of housing production easier/ more straightforward having some kind of regional communication would be beneficial Sea Camps is a huge opportunity need to have some criteria (for regional collaboration/communication) Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 53 if 50% open space isn't working for Brewster, that should change anecdotes of people leaving Brewster for neighboring town's b/c they could no longer afford Brewster CPC definitely feels like they are part of the housing solution in Brewster - very aware of how the money is being used don't want to send residents to a bunch of other places for help when there could be an easier place for all social services housing trust formed in 2018, requests funds by project being too prescriptive in our formula will restrict ability to fund projects as they come up more opportunity for land for housing if there's one community center for a few towns potential for people to perceive that housing is taking up a lot of town resources community center - Eastham, Orleans are looking into this. Brewster has a huge property that would be perfect for a community center cost feels prohibitive Brewster is really good at working with its stakeholders, having open communication - easy to trust town's decisions historically, not a lot of CPC funds spent for housing. only in the last few years has spending increased more people recognize the need, esp given tight housing market open space proponents have political clout within the town huge opportunity for regional conversation/funding People finding it difficult to find homes; some are finding it difficult to downsize homes Brewster AHT and coordinator have an open line of communication with CPC NIMBY-ism go towards state formula for allocation - flexibility, most likely to pass future holds historic and recreational needs as well want to stay away from open space vs housing dichotomy communication within town is key Brewster Stonybrook (?) had a lot of residents from Lower Cape/Yarmouth area Going to state's 10% requirement allows for more flexibility need for housing is a Cape-wide issue Brewster already doing a good job allocating rental tax revenue important to recognize placement of housing - water treatment? transportation? opportunities with Sea Camps property having two funding rounds is financially/administratively difficult Brewster highly values open space - no one is going to decide that open space won't be an important issue for the town concern about housing overload - how much change is the town going to undergo? - questions that there is enough/too much affordable housing Brewster's CPC has been very supportive of housing program requests for funding from private/non-town entities - town may not be anticipating these kinds of requests great understanding of need for housing - desire to implement on the part of the town Trust needs money for its upcoming projects and staff, specifically CPC funds town wanting to take action creates momentum - coalition building difficulty in working regionally is communicating clearly with other towns AARPA funding opportunity - chatham stony as example of criteria growing town support for more housing how much a community buys into a project is how much they get out of it supportive of one funding round per year, with an emergency component ensure that CPC fund split is done right the first time correct placement of where housing goes so it matches the character of the town Brewster's success in housing so far has been because it was a localized process housing partnership reviews permits, assists CPC CPC used to have their own housing committee; now housing partnership reviews applications Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 54 all of the different housing/cpc related organizations keep each other informed - mutual ownership Town and CPC share costs for certain things such as housing coordinator position Cape Cod Commission for planning across the Cape build strong, local programs and find regional support would be a good path forward appreciates CDP for helping Lower Cape communities look at regional context HISTORIC PRESERVATION The Historic Preservation focus group took place at 10:00 am on Thursday, September 30. Participants discussed the large number of historic resources which have received CPA funding in the past for preservation needs. Participants additionally discussed the opportunity for preservation provided by the Sea Camps purchase, and highlights that the town is very supportive of having something positive developed on that site. The main concerns expressed by the participants centered around funding, and the overall financial challenges presented by historic preservation. Overall, though, the group agreed that the town and CPC have been supportive of historic preservation projects, and note that Brewster as a community sees historic preservation as vital to the character of the town. Opportunities or Strengths to Leverage Challenges or Issues to Recognize/Overcome culture of preservation and acquisition - a lot of positive attitudes toward historic preservation Sea Camps is a site of long history of sea camps on Cape Cod Recent purchase of Sea Camps property - opportunity for CPC funds to be called on anticipating challenges in terms of funding/ process at all Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 55 Biggest strength is Brewster's community- from individuals, businesses, other granting agencies space constraints, parking: Cobb House has 25 parking spots, about 20 people limit inside building Sea Camps is predominantly going to be recreational but there is an historical building on the property as well nonprofits have fewer resources to go after brick and mortar preservation Brewster's history defines the character of the town - it's vital to the town Would like to see CPC leverage support for brick and mortar preservation through a history day/ fundraising events maybe a community center, preserving beach access - important that all town members can access this property keeping community's attention/momentum for preservation Lot of town support to see something positive developed there - really hope funding is a challenge thinking about when private ownership will step forward to ask for help from CPC as buildings develop historic significance and age, need to recognize need for preservation Existing historic sites and buildings are another strength only two state-level resources - bigger challenge since 1990s has been funding for preservation of structures Elijah Cobb House purchased and restored large part b/c of CPC funds However, timeline for receiving that grant is very slow and project costs continue to increase original mansion on Sea Camps property - hopes that it would be preserved Sea Camps had 5 maintenance people full time - $200k for just this may not be sufficient town has been very supportive in funding Rep theatre was acquired by eminent domain Sea Camps perhaps as competitor or priority for funding Brewster Historical Society's acquisition of a private property, widespread support Structures on Sea Camps property need to be examined and potentially preserved Ladies' Library rich in history, building has been well preserved Had a building committee, not any more Brewster Historic Weekend to highlight resources and history Need a committee to oversee all Brewster historical buildings, assess where funding is needed Cape Cod Rep Theatre might be eligible for National Register designation need more coordination between groups through support of Brewster's community, have been able to expand and renovate property bring together all the diverse organizations and commissions in town CPC has indicated that this project would be eligible for funding have received a $4.6 mil grant from Mass Library Comm. could be a fundraising opportunity Sea Camps is a huge, exciting opportunity Library has worked with Historical Society for programming - that is a strength Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 56 OPEN SPACE The Open Space focus group took place at 3:00 pm on Thursday, September 30. Participants in this group largely focused on open space preservation and acquisition as a highly time-sensitive, urgent undertaking. Participants underlined the urgency of preservation as climate change's effects are becoming more and more pronounced in coastal communities like Brewster. The group was supportive of the CPA and acknowledged that the different conservation and preservation organizations in town have made use of CPC funds. The priority of this group was open space preservation and conservation over the other categories due to the pressing issues presented by climate change and sea level rise in Brewster. Opportunities or Strengths to Leverage Challenges or Issues to Recognize/Overcome We continue to install septic systems and we need to continue to maintain compensatory open space to mitigate these affects Funding rounds down to one? For land acquisition projects is a quick turn around on the sale - it's. usually some tax purpose implications for the seller; If stipulation that have one time except for emergency cases - if flexibility for that scenario then may Brewster lucky we have avoided sewer; Harwich facing $1B to install sewer; We've aggressively purchased open space to maintain water quality and we are lucky not to face the same expenses that have really been born out by our steady conservation. BCT has helped the town and this is wonderful; Last 4 projects that town received $ for BCT contributed a large amount; Last time BCT applied for CPA funds was 2016 b/c we don't want to compete with the town. The town has been fortunate in the past to have protected land in crucial areas to protect crucial resources that's why we have superior drinking water; that's why we haven't needed sewer. If have option for land acquisition to come to either town meeting then fine. Always had efforts to protect land (land bank, land acquisition committee); when CPA came we thought it was appropriate to have membership on the CPC; The compromise with to get the 50% of funds at minimum; changing that minimum was not what the deal was when we joined CPC. By having follow town meeting along with other appropriations is normal. It does cost the town $5,000 or more just to hold an election. Voices should be advocating for affordable housing but don't think accurate to say open space should step aside We've been fortunate in receiving assistance outside of CPA funds - state grants; another major source is the Brewster Conservation Trust toward purchase of open space; Level of funding is not something that can continue at the same level that it has in recent years. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 57 climate is coming first Funding rounds: Can buy argument for planning purposes but can't buy the argument that difficult for accounting. National Golf course or Sire Property We are the most ponded town on the cape and getting more and more bacteria blooms which is hazardous for dogs, wildlife at a minimum Sea Camps - important factor - CPC funds/open space commitment - all the people that work with us will have a stake in this. Need to protect water resources including ponds from effects of development Our work is not done. We've protected virgin land and zone 2. We are not like other towns where land acquisition is slower - we are in a race. Want to keep the CPA allocation the same at the very least. Still need the minimum of 50%; We gave up funding when originally occurred. We should evaluate sites together when looking for housing sites - there are so many pre-existing sites that could be redeveloped for affordable housing; Shouldn't use forested land to create affordable housing - water quality, global warming, wildlife protection; this pits us against each What we've been able to accomplish has been amazing and every single land that gets developed impacts our environment. What % does housing get in terms of community support on vision plans? Housing should find or leverage at least equal funds as open space but haven't seen that happening. Leveraging the funds coming out of CPC could have great benefit. Coastal management issues - Retreat plans - buy house (Califorinia) rent out a couple years and get money back before knock it down; Anything in Coastal Development Zone has to be on stilts The Town's vision plan - open space is important to the residents and one of key things people look at when they decide to move to Brewster - it's the appeal factor that Brewster has. Ponds - more ponds in our town than any other town on Cape; Not been as fortunate with water quality in ponds. Effects of overuse and development; excessive nutrients from wastewater, etc.; Seeing increase amount of bacteria blooms; monitoring ponds - this is toxic to humans and animals - seeing increasing number of blooms - some related to climate with increasing temperatures; but more so related to fertilizers and wastewater; not going to solve through sewering; Not through regulations; Main tools is to continue to purchase lands around ponds and pond watersheds. this was one of our visioning priorities. Important to know support affordable housing; would like to evaluate the sites that affordable housing is going into - too often it's woodlands and seems incongruous with priority to develop on pre- existing developed properties and brownfields From aesthetic and economic point of view houses in communities that have maintained open space, dirt roads - those property values have retained higher economic value Need additional funding assistance for open space acquisitions or suffer consequences The fact only spent 48% is because we go with parcels in Zone 2 and water oriented also look at passive recreation opportunities; we think of all the possibilities that could happen in a different circumstance. The second thing - Brewster had about 1/3rd of land for development - 1/3 already developed - we were in a race for that. Somewhere around 2006-7 we crossed a line - law suits from Clean Water Foundation were going to impact the town mightily. We were saving the state from sewerage costs. The open space committee uses CPC funds to double and triple our amounts. We are opportunistic - we have to wait until land on market and then have to compete and only tools had is that perhaps they may get a tax abatement or do good for the environment; The amount of $ we get dwarfs any other input. Otherwise we have biggest bang for the dollars. It's not about finding an alternate funding source. CPC is really the small funding source that we enlarge mightily then look at what we are saving the town. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 58 The money we are saving the town could go for housing but the town needs to take it upon theirselves. We will have to do more investments around our coastal areas both to protect our existing coastal access and to address climate change and climate adaptation; protecting and restoring salt marshes as sea level rises - this will require a lot of planning and financial investments; Coming from pandemic and people took to open space and trails to find their refuge and this will continue . So to provide this is important. If poll Brewster citizens about open space - they would not agree that open space needs are passed - open space is still a priority and still important top priority Perception in town is that a lot of our areas are saved as open space or protected but are privately owned without protections; this rural character is at risk - nothing there to protect this; To protect the rural seaside historic town it's important to make those investments as well to make sure we continue to enjoy that type of character; that will require protecting the open space we have around town that provides those character. Working to map priorities for housing and natural resource protection so not stepping on each others toes Land bank was coming to conclusion and CPA coming into affect - we were looking for continuation of open space funding - what we had with Land Bank; as compromise - we cut our funding in half - we were aware that the funding from state would fall after a few years - we felt the 50% match was something we could work with and perhaps reinstate the land bank down the road - that was reason for compromise. Idea that underlies this - in vision statements for the town, and do a survey, the number 1 issue is open space. Want to continue to have strong % of CPA funds allocated for Open Space; The initial 50% was a compromise to what we were seeing in the Land Bank. Perception that it is us vs. them but this is not the case; When BCT evaluate parcels for conservation value we look at if there is a housing potential on this property. Strategic in their thinking. Reduce funding round to 1 town meeting: Never know when willing buyer and willing seller will align so important that we have the flexibility to go to either town meeting; 10% open space - if we allocate $ somewhere else because we don't have a project in a particular round. Something to consider would be 30% open space and 30% housing Past 6 months lost out to potential properties b/c couldn't find the funding; we are in competition with other people Vision survey and recreation plan; well demonstrated that open space is still an important priority; people appreciate open space and hopes town maintains rural character Global warming is an issue today; Orleans is hotter than Brewster because we have more trees and this is important to consider when doing massive forest removals for affordable and conventional financed housing Rural character of the town - we've been able to protect a lot of it; and wildlife habitat - more developed and fragmented the more it gets degraded Need open space for septic system offsets for will be forced by state to create sewer Brewster Conservation trust mission says it all; these are important and why CPA funds continue to be important to be available for open space Our work is not done. Our battle is not done. Still a lot to do. Looking at why open space is important. Big key words: Climate Change and need to think about this and role that open space can play in climate change protection Our battle not done yet - plenty of challenges still to continue to protect. Our drinking water is high quality now but with exposure to PFAS chemicals Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 59 and all public water supply needs to be tested; once identified then adjust ingredients to come up with new version of it. Will keep seeing this challenge. Need to be ever vigilant from this and other contaminants Need to find additional financial resources to protect land on our water supply that's not yet protected. Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 60 GENERAL A Focus Group on the Community Preservation Act overall was conducted on Wednesday October 20 at 2:30 pm. This group shared their thoughts on the current CPA bylaws, potential projects, and their perspectives on funding priorities. A common theme shared by participants in this group was the urgent need for affordable, accessible, senior housing. Participants emphasized that there should be an equal distribution of priorities, and that projects should be viewed through the lenses of climate change, diversity and equity, and accessibility. This group also made the crucial point that projects should be vetted, especially for permitting issues, before going in front of the town in order to reduce lag time between fund distribution and project approval, and its completion. overall, this group placed a higher priority on housing and equity in projects. Opportunities or Strengths to Leverage Challenges or Issues to Recognize/Overcome participatory funding/budgeting: community gets a voice in how funds can be spent Shouldn't let town hall dictate priorities Latham Center would like to see CPC funds used for piloting staff support, not supporting a staff member operationally full time if this Eddy School proposal happens, then ripple effect to other town properties situations where staffing a position like housing coordinator should be the towns role not CPC CPC represents community, not town hall or select board. Should be careful that select board and planning does not influence projects brought to CPC a lot of small parcels - why did people buy such a small piece of land? Larger parcels are more relevant for recreation and preservation should be looking at every project through climate change, accessibility, equity Seniors who cannot hold onto their housing get on a waitlist, 5 yrs in Brewster. Difficult b/c demand is so high walking mats down to the beach have been great Breakwater Beach view being changed was upsetting Eddy School could be a better place for a community center or COA than Sea Camps little parcels that are preserved are great, but focus should be on larger parcels always could use more housing, senior or otherwise. vision plan doesn't effectively address climate change, diversity and equity, accessibility. would like to see this change Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 61 would like to see open space allocation go down a bit, allow more for other parts would like to see projects commit to public access if they're using CPC funds - funds going to a nonprofit entity should be publicly visible not in favor of using debt to make a purchase, but you need the debt to leverage funds town has been pushing aside idea of community center for too long, hopefully sea camps will change this want to see an equitable distribution of priorities projects that come in front of CPC should be fully vetted before they come to the CPC or town meeting. Specificlly: permitting would like to see a climate change lens applied to all projects seen by the CPC - no matter what kind of process resolve issues like permitting before the town sees it recreation: outdoor fitness stations, community center with a gym and walking path example: breakwater beach project that was divisive. Part of the parcel was for the beach park not parking. When CPC grants funding, having permitting issues is limiting because of pandemic, people have been using outdoor resources a lot more (Drummer Boy Park). Having an outdoor walking path with a community center would be great Breakwater Beach limited view for seniors, no more accessible way to reach the beach define climate friendly project, ensure that these metrics are applied Not much accessible senior housing. CPA percentages are good but flexibility is key in the future, maybe the town should not focus too much on preserving a small parcel vs a larger one that would be a better use of time/effort open space and community housing are both important lot of potential with Sea Camps. Would like to see proportion of recreation increase. hoping that in next five years Sea Camps will be built out, with a community center for all ages. Excited about this prospect. disposition of the Eddy School: may be deemed surplus, and then could fulfill another community need if this happens, then community can have a variety of options as to the use of this property Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 62 PUBLIC FORUM SUMMARY Prepared by JM Goldson LLC 11/29/2021 SUMMARY The Brewster Community Preservation Committee, in collaboration with JM Goldson hosted the first public forum on the Community Preservation Plan on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, through Zoom Webinar. The forum intended to provide an overview of the Community Preservation Act in Brewster and seek community input to help the project team understand community preservation resources, needs, and possibilities. Within the presentation, Jenn Goldson, the lead planning consultant, described CPA-funded projects in Brewster, an overview of the local funding allocation formula, and described how to apply for CPA funds. Following this introduction, Jenn discussed the work that the consultant team has done to understand Brewster’s CPA program challenges and opportunities, including a review of local and regional plans and stakeholder focus groups and interviews. Finally, Jenn transitioned to an overview of projects and issues in each of the four funding areas of the Community Preservation Act and offered polling questions for each issue area. Throughout the presentation, the consultant team offered live polling questions using the online PollEverywhere platform. The polling questions offered an opportunity for attendees to express their opinions on what projects should be priorities for receiving CPA funding and share a bit about themselves (including affiliation with Brewster and age range). Metrics: In total, 37 people participated in the public forum. About 45% of forum attendees indicated that they were a full- time resident of Brewster. Fifteen participants additionally indicated that they were part of a municipal board, committee, or a town employee, while an additional three participants indicated that they were representatives of a regional organization. Outreach Efforts: The project team conducted outreach for the in-person forum through various social media channels, physical advertising including flyer distribution and newspaper coverage, as well as announcements on the Town of Brewster’s website. KEY FINDINGS: • A divide is evident between those who would like Brewster to continue to prioritize open space preservation over other funding areas, and those who would like to see increased funding allocated to support community housing initiatives. • Participants were additionally split on the issue of changing the funding formula of Brewster’s local CPA bylaw. • Participants expressed optimism about the opportunities presented by the Cape Cod Sea Camps acquisition and recognized that this property offers the potential for use in all aspects of the Community Preservation Act’s issue areas, including creating outdoor active recreation facilities, Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 63 preserving historic structures, preserving open space, and creating passive recreation opportunities. COMMUNITY HOUSING During this portion of the forum, Jenn provided a high-level overview of CPA eligibility for community housing initiatives, Brewster’s local housing need, as well as regional housing needs. The most common concern in relation to housing gained from the interviews and focus groups was the need for affordable senior housing options. Suggested possible projects shared by participants for the CPA to fund in the next five years include: • Development of affordable housing at the Millstone Road site • Rental assistance programs for low-income families and seniors • Veteran’s housing • Continued support for Housing Coordinator position • Housing options for seniors to age in Brewster HISTORIC PRESERVATION This portion of the presentation provided an overview of CPA eligibility for historic preservation projects. Brewster’s preservation needs include protecting historic structures from demolition and identifying Native American archaeological resources. Past historic preservation projects include the restoration of the Spruce Hill Barn and the Lower Road Cemetery Tombstone and Monument repair and restoration project. Participants suggested a variety of ideas for future CPA projects including: • Brewster Ladies’ Library Renovation • Continued preservation of historic town records • Rehabilitation of Sea Camps buildings • Preservation and research of Native American sites OPEN SPACE AND NATURAL RESOURCES This portion of the preservation included a review of CPA eligibility for open space projects. One of the primary issues that the town is facing is the impending threat posed by sea level rise due to climate change, which will lead to exacerbated flooding and coastal erosion. Coastal land conservation is a critical strategy for resilience. In addition, improving the health of Brewster’s ponds is a high priority. Past CPA- funded open space projects include the Mill Pond Conservation Area, the Quivett Marsh Vista Conservation Area, and the Lalor Property Acquisition, among many others. Participants shared a variety of projects ideas including: • Removing phragmites from salt marshes • Land purchases in Zone II and pond frontage • Continued protecting of wellfields and water sources • Purchase and management of coastal resources, such as dunes and wetlands OUTDOOR RECREATION This portion of the forum included information about CPA-eligible recreation projects. Outdoor recreation facilities are a key component of Brewster’s vibrant seasonal economy. Outdoor recreation land in the town includes both private and publicly owned properties. The main issues or suggestions raised in focus groups and interviews was the need for expanded walking and biking trails, as well as seasonal and year- round recreation opportunities for all ages. Past recreation projects include the ongoing accessibility improvements to the town’s athletic fields, the Stony Brook Early Childhood Playground, and the installation of warning lights on the Cape Cod Rail Trail. Suggested projects shared by participants for the CPA to consider include: Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27 64 • Improving access to recreation areas, namely accessibility improvements • Expansion of bike trails in town center, along Route 137, and along Freeman’s Way • Improved playgrounds • Improving boardwalk to Wing’s Island • Funding for Drummer Boy Park Master Plan Phase I • Establishment of pickleball courts MULTI-USE AND REGIONAL PROJECTS The last section of the presentation asked participants to consider multi-use and regional projects which could be funded by the CPA. When asked for examples or potential projects Brewster’s CPC could consider, participants provided the following answers: • Cape Cod Sea Camps as a place for recreation, open space, historic preservation, and community housing projects to co-exist • Collaboration between open space and community housing projects The discussion finally turned to the topic of regional projects, where funds from multiple towns can be used towards a project that benefits multiple communities. When asked to provide sample criteria that Brewster’s CPC should consider when reviewing regional project applications, participants provided the following answers: • Towns which share water and coastal resources might find it beneficial to work collaboratively in preservation or maintenance of these resources • Projects which provide a direct benefit to Brewster residents • Supportive of regional housing projects for specialized populations such as homeless veterans or those with disabilities • Clear community benefit, especially in housing and coastal management • Equal or fair amounts of CPC contributions from other communities in the region