HomeMy Public PortalAboutSelect Board Meeting Packet 7.21.23 (Annual Retreat)2023 Select Board
Annual Retreat
FRIDAY JULY 21, 2023
2023 Annual
Select Board
Retreat
Schedule
8:30 – 9:00 Opening Remarks & Overview
9:00 – 9:30 Sea Camps
9:30 – 10:00 Housing
10:00 – 10:30 Water Resources
10:30 – 11:00 Climate Mitigation & Adaptation
11:00 – 11:20 Solid Waste Management
11:20 – 11:40 Coastal Management
11:40 – 12:00 Open Space
12:00 – 12:30 Lunch
12:30 – 1:15 Governance
1:15 – 1:45 Community Character
1:45 – 2:30 Community Infrastructure
2:30 – 3:00 Local Economy
3:00 – 3:30 Recap & Next Steps
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Development of FY24-25
Select Board Strategic Plan
Using last year’s (FY23-24) Strategic Plan as a starting point…
◦Continue to track progress of Town initiatives
◦Clearly identify consensus priority goals that are generally consistent with both the Vision Plan and draft Local Comprehensive Plan (LCP) and reasonably attainable within the next two years
◦Communicate priorities to all stakeholders and use plan to focus our collective efforts across the organization
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Development of FY24-25
Select Board Strategic Plan
Ask residents to provide community input regarding the Vision Plan values and principles that are
most important for the Select Board to consider in the next two years
Solicit feedback from all boards and committees (through their respective Chairs) and all Department
Heads regarding progress on FY23-24 priority goals and suggested changes/additions
Reference latest draft of Local Comprehensive Plan
Goals remain organized under the 10 Local Comprehensive Plan Building Blocks + Sea Camps
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Recap of FY23-24
Select Board Strategic Plan
39 consensus goals identified (6 more than FY22-23), including:
◦19 for FY23
◦18 in FY23-24
◦Remaining 2 for FY24 (same as FY22-23)
◦27 similar goals carried over from previous plan
◦12 new goals
◦Almost 3/4 are referenced in the Vision Plan and/or draft Local Comprehensive Plan
◦Added degree of complexity column last year
Primary responsible parties and key stakeholders continue to be assigned to each goal
Progress on each goal from last year’s plan is represented as:
◦significant/complete in green (20)
◦sufficient/partially complete in orange (13)
◦insufficient/planned for FY24 in red (6)
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Managing
Expectations &
Organizational
Capacity
Draft Local Comprehensive Plan includes 100+ Action Items to be accomplished over next 10+ years
2022 Housing Production Plan includes 22 implementation strategies over next 5 years
Many recommendations from other recent strategic plans remain outstanding:
◦Integrated Water Resource Management Plan
◦Hazard Mitigation Plan
◦Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan
◦Green Communities Energy Reduction Plan
◦Coastal Resource Management Plan
◦Open Space & Recreation Plan
◦Community Preservation Plan
◦Fire Department Strategic Plan
◦Council on Aging Action Plan
Department Head performance evaluations identified ~100 goals for FY23 (many of which were more operational - not explicitly identified in recent strategic plans)
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Managing
Expectations &
Organizational
Capacity
Faced with convergence of several major, high-profile
infrastructure projects over the next few years:
◦Long Pond Boat Ramp upgrade
◦Millstone Road improvements
◦Stony Brook Millsite fishways improvements
◦Stony Brook Elementary School upgrades (HVAC, roof, and code
compliance)
◦….Sea Camps
Cognizant of resident feedback regarding concerns about the
tax impacts of new projects (Nauset Regional High School
renovation + Sea Camps purchase) and the pace/scale of
change (importance of maintaining community character)
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Time
Results
Source: Margaret C. Andrews, The MYLO Center
Potential Changes to FY24-25 Plan
Seek to identify 1-2 goals per building block (up to 3 for most important and involved categories) – up to 25 total goals
Goals could be slightly broader in scope and mainly focused on policy outcomes – less project/task oriented
Inclusion of mission and/or vision statement(s) that are aligned with Local Comprehensive Plan, Vision Plan, and Town Charter
Clarify that decision making will continue to be guided by inclusive public processes
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Sea Camps
Status of FY23-24 Goals
Complete discovery phase, including building inventories/
assessments, and continue to implement interim property
management plan
Continue to develop/refine and implement interim public
access/use plans
Launch community planning process, engage residents and
stakeholders, determine support for constructing new
community center on bay property, and develop long-term
comprehensive plans for both properties
Continue to explore potential short- and long-term
partnerships that may mitigate acquisition costs or operating
expenses and may provide enhanced services, programs, or
amenities for residents
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Sea Camps
Suggested Changes/Additions for FY24-25 (1 of 2)
Continue to prioritize interim public access to and
activities on the properties
Continue community planning process, engaging residents
and stakeholders, determining support for community
center on bay property, and develop long-term
comprehensive plans for both properties
Further explore potential partnerships and revenue
generating opportunities that mitigate acquisition costs or
operating expenses and/or provide enhanced services,
programs, or amenities for residents
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Sea Camps
Suggested Changes/Additions for FY24-25 (2 of 2)
Update committee charges once comprehensive plans
have been adopted to focus on next steps in planning and
implementation
Incorporate climate mitigation considerations into Sea
Camps planning processes
Foster communication to residents and Town committees
about latest Sea Camps developments and opportunities
for participation
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Housing
Status of FY23-24 Goals
Develop five-year financial plan for Affordable Housing Trust
and determine whether additional funding streams should
be explored to support housing initiatives at a range of
income levels
Begin implementing updated Housing Production Plan
priority strategies
Continue to provide support services to residents, including
CDBG housing rehabilitation and childcare vouchers
Advance Millstone Road Community Housing project
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Housing
Suggested Changes/Additions for FY24-25
Explore and consider various policies and funding opportunities to support a variety of housing at a wider range of Area Median Incomes (AMI)
Continue implementing the Housing Production Plan, with a particular focus on zoning strategies
Promote and encourage support programs that help residents stay in their homes
Continue to provide support for the Millstone Community Housing initiative and identify potential locations for future housing initiatives
Monitor the impacts of short-term rentals on the availability of year-round rental units and/or evaluate a (short-term) rental registration program
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Water Resources
Status of FY23-24 Goals
Convene a new Water Resources Task Force and develop
updated plan and timeline for advancing integrated water
quality initiatives, to include addressing DEP’s proposed
changes to Title V regulations and continuing collaboration
with external stakeholders
Continue to educate public about new stormwater
bylaw/regulations and consider refinements as needed
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Water Resources
Suggested Changes/Additions for FY24-25
Continue to implement Integrated Water Resource
Management Plan, updating as needed to reflect current
alternatives analyses, prioritizing pond water quality, and
incorporating specific timelines
Develop new watershed permits and educate residents
about new DEP regulations
Support development of Water Department Master Plan
Obtain Watershed Permits for the Herring River, Bass
River, and Swan Pond River estuarine watersheds;
continue to pursue/ satisfy obligations under the Pleasant
Bay Watershed Permit
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Climate
Mitigation &
Adaptation
Status of FY23-24 Goals
Develop and implement updated staffing and committee
model that reflects the Town’s commitment to
comprehensively advancing energy, climate change, and
resiliency initiatives
Develop net zero energy roadmap
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Climate
Mitigation &
Adaptation
Suggested Changes/Additions for FY24-25
Identify and implement priority energy and climate
mitigation/ adaptation goals and strategies consistent
with the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan,
Green Communities Energy Reduction Plan, and Hazard
Mitigation Plan
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Solid Waste
Management
Status of FY23-24 Goals
Complete site assessment and determine next steps to
improve Department of Public Works and Recycling Center
property and facilities
Continue hydration station installation project
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Solid Waste
Management
Suggested Changes/Additions for FY24-25
Determine next steps to improve Department of Public
Works and Recycling Center campus based on results of
site assessment
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Coastal
Management
Status of FY23-24 Goals
Complete design and permitting of Wing Island boardwalk
Consider merits of Cape Cod Commission's model coastal
resiliency bylaws/regulations and potential implementation
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Coastal
Management
Suggested Changes/Additions for FY24-25
Identify and implement priority goals and strategies of
Coastal Resource Management Plan (Phase I)
Advance intermunicipal shoreline management plan
initiative with Dennis and Orleans
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Open Space
Status of FY23-24 Goals
Complete design and implement updated Drummer Boy Park
Master Plan Phase I improvements in coordination with Wing
Island Boardwalk project
Identify and resolve private party encroachments on Town
land
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Open Space
Suggested Changes/Additions for FY24-25
Develop and present recommended next steps regarding
Drummer Boy Park Master Planning
Develop standard criteria and process to evaluate
potential land acquisitions and consider establishing
municipal land acquisition committee
Make targeted accessibility improvements to Town-
owned conservation land
Identify priority goals of 2021 Open Space and Recreation
Plan and begin implementation
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Governance
Status of FY23-24 Goals (1 of 2)
Establish and communicate budget capacity to Nauset School
officials based on the Town’s current and long-term fiscal
sustainability
Launch new Town website and identify preferred
enhancements to current communications model
Establish process to revise Brewster Town seal & draft
related use policy
Evaluate potential amendments to noise bylaw and/or
develop entertainment license regulations
Finalize, adopt, and implement Local Comprehensive Plan
and monitor progress
Develop and launch capital budget and other transparency
features of new online platform to continue to improve
accessibility of Town finances
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Governance
Status of FY23-24 Goals (2 of 2)
Support Human Resource Department by: 1. Continuing to implement findings from HR audit, including development of employee handbook 2. Continuing to monitor and support employee wellness 3. Creating programs to recognize Town staff/volunteers for their community service
Identify priority areas to increase organizational capacity to meet enhanced service needs and expanded project demands and develop long-term financing plan to fund necessary personnel
Consider need for and structure of new Parks & Recreation Department responsible for management of Drummer Boy Park, former Sea Camps, Dog Park, and other existing recreational amenities/programs
Develop standard criteria and process to evaluate potential land acquisitions and consider establishing municipal land acquisition committee
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Governance
Suggested Changes/Additions for FY24-25 (1 of 2)
Evaluate strategies that are designed to develop new
sources of revenue, improve existing source income
where possible, and examine existing policies that
may hinder new revenue development
Educate residents about municipal finance and tax
impacts of new debt
Continue to study feasibility of target local tax relief
options, including potential childcare subsidy
program, and implement in equitable and
sustainable manner
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Governance
Suggested Changes/Additions for FY24-25 (2 of 2)
Seek to limit Nauset School budget increases to sustainable levels and investigate possible changes to regional district agreement to mitigate financial impacts of school debt and operating expenses on Brewster residents
Develop and begin to implement communications plan
Explore reporting capabilities of electronic permitting platform
Conduct assessment of community recreation needs, develop implementation plan, and provide staffing supports to deliver enhanced recreation services
Support Fire Department Five-Year Strategic Plan and results of staffing study, and develop a funding plan for potential new hires
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Community
Character
Status of FY23-24 Goals
Adopt and implement 5-year Community Preservation Plan
and seek adoption of proposed bylaw amendments to
support maximum flexibility to fund projects to meet
community needs
Identify and evaluate benefits of introducing/expanding
targeted local tax relief options
Complete sociodemographic study to inform next steps in
crafting and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion
initiatives
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Community
Character
Suggested Changes/Additions for FY24-25
Complete Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion audit of Town
policies, provide related training to Town officials, and
seek to integrate DEI considerations into community
programs, events, and activities
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Community
Infrastructure
Status of FY23-24 Goals
Determine support for advancing proposed Brewster Ladies Library renovation project
Conduct a needs assessment and develop FY24-28 COA (Age Friendly) Community Action Plan
Work with Nauset School officials to clarify process and timeline of next steps regarding results of Elementary School Consolidation Feasibility Study, especially in relation to other potential Town & School capital investments
Complete Millstone Road project final design/ permitting and create Road Capital Prioritization Plan
Develop policy to clarify provision of Town services on private roads and consider potential amendments to private road betterment bylaw
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Community
Infrastructure
Suggested Changes/Additions for FY24-25
Convene Library Building planning group, determine
priorities for renovations, and investigate funding
options/opportunities
Based on analysis of data from the 2023 COA Community
Survey/Needs Assessment, develop and implement FY24-
28 Age-and Dementia-Friendly Community Action Plan
Work with state officials to complete design and
installation of sidewalks on Route 6A from Dennis to
Orleans
Lead previously approved capital projects through to
successful completion while continuing to communicate
and engage with residents
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Local Economy
Status of FY23-24 Goals
Define and provide necessary supports to effectively
implement electronic permitting and invest in phased
digitization of Town records
Continue to host semi-annual roundtable with Town officials,
Chamber of Commerce, and local business community to
build on increased outreach and communication developed
during pandemic
Develop Guide to Doing Business in Brewster
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Local Economy
Suggested Changes/Additions for FY24-25
Evaluate potential amendments to noise bylaw and/or
develop updated entertainment license policies
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Next Steps
Town Administration will assemble a summary document for the Select Board’s consideration,
providing more detail regarding responsible parties and anticipated timelines
Select Board will review, discuss, and adopt final updated Plan at upcoming meeting
Once formally adopted, the Plan will be distributed to all Town boards/committees and staff,
and will also be posted for residents on the homepage of the Town’s website
Select Board agendas will frequently include goals for discussion, action, and/or status
updates to ensure we maintain focus – any changes in approach from previous years?
Iterative annual process that will be aligned with Local Comprehensive Plan (once adopted)
2023 BREWSTER SELECT BOARD ANNUAL RETREAT
Select Board FY23-24 Strategic Plan
FINAL APPROVED 08.22.22
Vision Building Block Goal #Goal Description Timeline Degree of
Complexity
Vision Plan / Local
Comprehensive Plan FY22-23 SB Plan Primary Responsible Party Other Key Stakeholders
Former Sea Camps Properties SC-1 Complete discovery phase, including building
inventories/ assessments, and continue to implement
interim property management plan
FY23 Medium X
Town Administration and Bay &
Pond Property Planning
Committees
Town Staff
SC-2 Continue to develop/refine and implement interim
public access/use plans FY23-24 Higher X X
Town Administration and Bay &
Pond Property Planning
Committees
Select Board; BPPC & PPPC Liaisons,
Representatives, and Town Staff
SC-3 Launch community planning process, engage residents
and stakeholders, determine support for constructing
new community center on bay property, and develop
long-term comprehensive plans for both properties
FY23-24 Higher X X
Town Administration and Bay &
Pond Property Planning
Committees
Select Board; BPPC & PPPC Liaisons,
Representatives, and Town Staff
SC-4 Continue to explore potential short- and long-term
partnerships that may mitigate acquisition costs or
operating expenses and may provide enhanced services,
programs, or amenities for residents
FY23-24 Medium X X
Town Administration and Bay &
Pond Property Planning
Committees
Select Board; BPPC & PPPC Liaisons and
Representatives, and Town Staff
Community Character CC-1 Adopt and implement 5-year Community Preservation
Plan and seek adoption of proposed bylaw amendments
to support maximum flexibility to fund projects to meet
community needs
FY23 Lower X Community Preservation
Committee
Town Administration; Select Board; Finance
Committee; Open Space Committee;
Affordable Housing Trust; Historical
Commission; Recreation Commission
CC-2 Identify and evaluate benefits of introducing/ expanding
targeted local tax relief options FY23 Medium X X Finance Team
Select Board; Finance Committee; Board of
Assessors; Brewster Association of Part-Time
Residents
CC-3 Complete sociodemographic study to inform next steps
in crafting and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion
initiatives
FY23 Lower X X Town Administration Select Board; Human Resources Dept; Town
Staff
Open Space OS-1 Complete design and implement updated Drummer Boy
Park Master Plan Phase I improvements in coordination
with Wing Island Boardwalk project FY23-24 Medium X X Town Administration
Select Board; Natural Resources Commission
& Dept; Department of Public Works;
Brewster Conservation Trust; Brewster
Historical Society
OS-2 Identify and resolve private party encroachments on
Town land FY23-24 Lower Town Administration & Natural
Resources Dept
Select Board; Conservation Commission;
Water Commission & Dept; Brewster
Conservation Trust
Housing H-1 Develop five-year financial plan for Affordable Housing
Trust and determine whether additional funding streams
should be explored to support housing initiatives at a
range of income levels
FY23 Medium X X Affordable Housing Trust &
Finance Team
Select Board; Finance Committee; Housing
Coordinator
H-2 Begin implementing updated Housing Production Plan
priority strategies FY23 Medium X X Affordable Housing Trust &
Housing Coordinator
Select Board; Planning Board; Housing
Partnership; Town Administration; Planner
H-3 Continue to provide support services to residents,
including CDBG housing rehabilitation and childcare
vouchers
FY23-24 Medium X Housing Coordinator
Select Board; Town Administration;
Affordable Housing Trust; Human Services
Committee; Council on Aging
H-4 Advance Millstone Road Community Housing project
FY23-24 Higher X X Town Administration & Housing
Coordinator
Select Board; Affordable Housing Trust;
Community Preservation Committee; Planning
Dept & Zoning Board of Appeals
1
Select Board FY23-24 Strategic Plan
FINAL APPROVED 08.22.22
Vision Building Block Goal #Goal Description Timeline Degree of
Complexity
Vision Plan / Local
Comprehensive Plan FY22-23 SB Plan Primary Responsible Party Other Key Stakeholders
Local Economy LE-1 Define and provide necessary supports to effectively
implement electronic permitting and invest in phased
digitization of Town records
FY23 Medium X X Town Administration Select Board; IT Director; Building Dept;
Health Dept; Planning Dept
LE-2 Continue to host semi-annual roundtable with Town
officials, Chamber of Commerce, and local business
community to build on increased outreach and
communication developed during pandemic
FY23-24 Lower X X Town Administration Select Board; Town Staff; Chamber of
Commerce
LE-3 Develop Guide to Doing Business in Brewster
FY24 Medium X Town Administration
Building Dept; Health Dept; Planning Dept;
Natural Resources Dept; Town Clerk; Chamber
of Commerce
Coastal Management CM-1 Complete design and permitting of Wing Island
boardwalk
FY23 Higher X X Town Administration
Select Board; Conservation Commission;
Natural Resources Commission & Dept;
Department of Public Works; Brewster
Conservation Trust; Cape Cod Museum of
Natural History
CM-2 Consider merits of Cape Cod Commission's model coastal
resiliency bylaws/regulations and potential
implementation FY23-24 Medium X Planning Dept
Planning Board; Town Administration; Board
of Health & Health Dept; Conservation
Commission & Natural Resources Dept;
Building Dept
Water Resources WR-1 Convene a new Water Resources Task Force and develop
updated plan and timeline for advancing integrated
water quality initiatives, to include addressing DEP’s
proposed changes to Title V regulations and continuing
collaboration with external stakeholders
FY23-24 Higher X X Water Resources Task Force
Town Administration; Select Board; Natural
Resources Commission & Dept; Water
Commission & Dept; Board of Health & Health
Dept; Planning Board & Dept; Finance
Committee; Brewster Ponds Coalition
WR-2 Continue to educate public about new stormwater
bylaw/regulations and consider refinements as needed FY23 Lower X X Planning Dept
Planning Board; Town Administration;
Conservation Commission & Natural
Resources Dept; Building Dept
Community Infrastructure CI-1 Determine support for advancing proposed Brewster
Ladies Library renovation project FY23 Lower Select Board Town Administration; Brewster Ladies Library
Association & Library Dept
CI-2 Conduct a needs assessment and develop FY24-28 COA
(Age Friendly) Community Action Plan FY23 Medium X Council on Aging Board & Dept Select Board; Town Administration; Bay
Property Planning Committee
CI-3 Work with Nauset School officials to clarify process and
timeline of next steps regarding results of Elementary
School Consolidation Feasibility Study, especially in
relation to other potential Town & School capital
investments
FY23 Medium X X Select Board & Town
Administration
Brewster School Committee & Nauset
Administration; Finance Committee
CI-4 Complete Millstone Road project final design/ permitting
and create Road Capital Prioritization Plan FY22-23 Higher X X DPW Director & Town
Administration Select Board; Finance Committee
CI-5 Develop policy to clarify provision of Town services on
private roads and consider potential amendments to
private road betterment bylaw
FY23-24 Medium DPW Director & Town
Administration
Select Board; Public Safety Team; Planning
Dept & Planning Board; Finance Team
2
Select Board FY23-24 Strategic Plan
FINAL APPROVED 08.22.22
Vision Building Block Goal #Goal Description Timeline Degree of
Complexity
Vision Plan / Local
Comprehensive Plan FY22-23 SB Plan Primary Responsible Party Other Key Stakeholders
Governance G-1 Establish and communicate budget capacity to Nauset
School officials based on the Town’s current and long-
term fiscal sustainability FY23 Medium X Select Board & Town
Administration
Finance Committee & Finance Team; Nauset
Regional School Committee; Brewster School
Committee; Nauset School Administration;
Nauset region Town officials
G-2 Launch new Town website and identify preferred
enhancements to current communications model FY23 Medium X X Town Administration Select Board; IT Dept; BGTV
G-3 Establish process to revise Brewster Town seal & draft
related use policy FY23-24 Medium Select Board Town Administration & Town Staff
G-4 Evaluate potential amendments to noise bylaw and/or
develop entertainment license regulations FY23 Lower Select Board & Town
Administration Town Staff
G-5 Finalize, adopt, and implement Local Comprehensive
Plan and monitor progress FY23-24 Medium X X
Vision Planning Committee,
Select Board, and Planning
Board
Planning Dept; Town Administration; Town
Staff
G-6 Develop and launch capital budget and other
transparency features of new online platform to
continue to improve accessibility of Town finances
FY23 Medium X X Finance Team Select Board; Finance Committee
G-7 Support Human Resource Department by: 1. Continuing
to implement findings from HR audit, including
development of employee handbook 2. Continuing to
monitor and support employee wellness 3. Creating
programs to recognize Town staff/volunteers for their
community service
FY23-24 Medium X X Town Administration Select Board; Human Resources
G-8 Identify priority areas to increase organizational capacity
to meet enhanced service needs and expanded project
demands and develop long-term financing plan to fund
necessary personnel
FY23-24 Medium X X Town Administration & Finance
Team Select Board; Finance Committee; Town Staff
G-9 Consider need for and structure of new Parks &
Recreation Department responsible for management of
Drummer Boy Park, former Sea Camps, Dog Park, and
other existing recreational amenities/programs
FY23-24 Higher X X Town Administration
Select Board; Finance Team; Human
Resources; Recreation Dept & Commission;
Natural Resources Dept; Department of Public
Works
G-10 Develop standard criteria and process to evaluate
potential land acquisitions and consider establishing
municipal land acquisition committee FY23 Medium X Select Board
Town Administration; Open Space
Committee; Affordable Housing Trust; Water
Commission
Climate Mitigation &
Adaptation
CA-1 Develop and implement updated staffing and committee
model that reflects the Town’s commitment to
comprehensively advancing energy, climate change, and
resiliency initiatives
FY23 Medium X Town Administration Select Board; Energy Committee & Manager
CA-2 Develop net zero energy roadmap FY24 Higher X X Town Administration Energy Committee & Manager; Select Board;
Facilities Manager
Solid Waste Management SW-1 Complete site assessment and determine next steps to
improve Department of Public Works and Recycling
Center property and facilities
FY23 Lower X DPW Director Town Administration; Select Board; Recycling
Commission
SW-2 Continue hydration station installation project
FY23-24 Lower X Water Superintendent
Town Administration; Select Board; Recycling
Committee; Water Commission; Facilities
Manager
3
Archive d: Tuesday, July 18, 2023 4:37:33 PM
From: Mary Chaffee
Se nt: Monday, July 17, 2023 12:20:00 PM
To: Ned Chatelain Peter Lombardi
Cc: Donna Kalinick
Subje ct: Memo re Strategic Planning
Importance : Normal
Se ns itivity: None
From: Mary Chaffee, Vice Chair, Brewster Select Board
To: Ned Chatelai n, Chai r, Brewster Select Board and Peter Lombardi, Brewster Town Manager
Subj: 2023 Strategi c Planni ng
1. 1. Memo purpose.
a. a. Based on recent research, and a scan of current Brewster i ssues and activi ti es, I recommend the
Select Board consi der several updates to our Strategic Plan, speci fi cally:
i. Adopt Town vi sion and mi ssion statements to gui de strategic planni ng, and
i i. Revise the Strategic Plan structure to reflect the Vi sion/Local C omprehensi ve Plans but wi th
flexibility to address all priorities.
2. 2. Adopt a Town of B rewster Vision Statement
a. a. Vision statement definition: Presents the munici pali ty’s ambi ti on for the future; sets the bar for how
the munici pality wants to be percei ved i n the future. The visi on statement’s purpose is to inspi re and
i nsti ll passi on i n the community and in employees to achi eve the common vi sion.
b. b. Examples:
i. Bennington VT: Bennington is a welcoming, engaged, i nclusive and resili ent communi ty where
everyone benefi ts from an outstandi ng quality of life.
i i. Cambridge MA: A Cambridge where everyone has equi table opportunities to learn, people li ve
their best lives and democracy thrives.
ii i. Hopkinton MA: Hopki nton is a vi brant welcomi ng community centrally located in New England and
nestled 26.2 miles west of Boston. We are endowed with open space, natural resources,
facilities and programs that promote a well educated and healthy communi ty. We are respectful
of our past, engaged in our present, and actively preparing for our future.
c. c. D raft B rewster vision statement (rooted i n Visi on Plan “Brewster’s Vi sion, p.3):
i. Brewster is a welcomi ng and inclusive communi ty that preserves i ts history and character, protects
natural resources, grows sustai nably to meet communi ty needs, and provides infrastructure for
residents to enjoy an excellent quality of life.
3. 3. Adopt a Town of B rewster Mission Statement
a. a. Mission statement definition: A brief statement of an organi zati on’s purpose, goals and values; an
explanati on of why an entity exists.
b. b. Examples:
i. Cave Creek AZ: Our mi ssion is to support the communi ty by effectively managi ng public services
and fostering our uni que southwestern ways of life.
i i. West Boylston, MA: It i s the missi on of our government in West Boylston to provi de all of the
ci ti zens with the hi ghest quality of basi c services, directed at publicly expressed communi ty
needs, at the least possible cost. This includes provi ding hi gh quality constituent services to the
ci ti zens of the community, conti nually supporting a strong economi c base for the communi ty,
maintaining small town flavor, and conti nuing to work in the best long term i nterests of the
community whi le working as a team. Our goal is to leave this communi ty better than we found i t.
ii i. Windsor C T: The Town of Wi ndsor provides outstanding publi c services and preserves our small
town character for current and future generations.
iv. Rockland, MA: The Town of Rockland is dedi cated to providing excepti onal services wi th integrity,
respect and professi onalism for all i ts citizens, busi nesses and vi sitors. In doi ng so, we strive
to broaden a sense of community through an open and responsi ve government that is
i nformati ve, adaptable, and sustainable.
c. c. Proposed Brew ster mission statement:
i. The Town of Brewster’s mission is to provide high quality, efficiently operated public services,
preserve our community’s historic character and natural resources, effectively engage the
public in muni cipal acti vities, support a sustai nable quality of life, and provi de servi ces with
i ntegrity and professionalism i n the most cost-effecti ve manner.
4. 4. “B uilding Blocks”: Consider replacing “B uilding Blocks” with “Priority”
a. a. R ationale: We’ve added “bui ldi ng blocks”, outsi de the ori ginal Visi on Plan ones, to adapt to
changes, eg Sea C amps, pandemic and soli d waste. The LC P uses “Vi sion Plan Building Blocks” +
solid waste and climate. “Priori ty” i s a somewhat broader, more i nclusive term.
b. b. Some current “Bui ldi ng Blocks” could be combi ned or deleted. Eg.: I suggest we consider these
“Priority” categories:
a. a. Keep: Sea C amps
b. b. Keep: Community C haracter
c. c. Merge: Open Space/Water Resources
d. d. Merge: Climate Actions/Solid Waste (into Sustainabi li ty?)
e. e. Keep: Community Infrastructure
f. f. Keep: Local Economy
g. g. Keep: Governance
h. h. Keep: Housi ng
i. i . Add: Town C ommuni cati ons and Publi c Engagement
j. j. Add: Economi c Effici ency
i. E.g., possi ble goal: Work wi th Nauset and Town school officials on fiscally sustainable
budgeti ng.
i i. Eg possible goal: D etermine municipal revenue opportunities at Sea Camps.
k. k. D elete: Coastal Management
R eferences
1. 1. Brewster Draft LC P Table of C ontents
2. 2. Brewster Draft LC P–Visi on Statement
3. 3. Brewster Town Charter Preamble
4. 4. Brewster Visi on Plan – Visi on
Draft July 2023 Page 1
Brewster
Local Comprehensive Plan (LCP)
VPC Revisions to Draft
version 4.0: July 2023
Draft July 2023 Page 2
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Section 1 Brewster’s Vision
Section 2 Community Engagement
Section 3 Building Blocks - Existing Conditions and Issues
• Brewster Today
• Building Block Summaries
● Community Character
● Open Space
● Housing
● Local Economy
● Coastal Management
● Water Resources
● Governance
● Community Infrastructure
● Solid Waste Management
● Climate Mitigation and Adaptation
Section 4 The Action Plan- Building Block Goals, Purposes, and Actions
• Community Character
• Open Space
• Housing
• Local Economy
• Coastal Management
• Water Resources
• Governance
• Community Infrastructure
• Solid Waste Management
• Climate Mitigation and Adaptation
Draft July 2023 Page 3
Section 5 Capital Facilities Plan
Section 6 Housing Production Plan Summary
Section 7 Implementation and Performance Monitoring
Section 8 Supporting Regulation, Plans and Policies
Draft July 2023 Page 4
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The development of Brewster’s Local Comprehensive Plan was the result of the active participation, thinking and hard work of many people who
value our community’s future. We would like to thank them for their time and efforts.
Thanks to:
● The thousands of people who took part in the community survey (Brewster’s Next Steps), contributed comments on the drafts of this Plan,
and who participated in the earlier Vision Planning process.
● The Town Department heads and staff who contributed their deep knowledge of Town services and the community’s service needs.
● Members of community organizations who contributed their ideas on the community’s needs and who are partners in implementing
Brewster’s plans.
● The Brewster Planning Department which provided guidance and support throughout the process, especially Ellen Murphy, whose diligence,
dedication, attention to detail, and ability to see the big picture kept us well-informed and on track through the many years of work.
● Tighe & Bond, who provided consulting services to the Town
The Brewster Vision Planning Committee
Sharon Tennstedt, Chair
Amanda Bebrin, Vice Chair
Andi Genser
Patricia Hess
Suzanne Kenney
Fran Schofield
Alex Wentworth
Kari Hoffmann, Select Board Liaison
Honey Pivirotto, Finance Committee Liaison
Prior Brewster Vision Planning Committee members
Hal Minis, Chair Emeritus
Sue Searles
Garran Peterson
Kari Hoffman
Paul Wallace
Ned Chatelain, Select Board Liaison
Draft July 2023 Page 5
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction: What is an LCP? Why have one?
Brewster’s Local Comprehensive Plan (LCP) describes how Brewster looks today and where it wants to go in the future. The LCP is not law or
regulation and does not itself create regulatory mandates or restrictions. It creates policy direction to help guide land use decisions and policies in
the Town for the next 10+ year planning period. It has been developed with general guidance from the Cape Cod Commission according to its
regulations, adapted to Brewster’s specific needs and circumstances.
After its local adoption, a Town can choose to submit the LCP to the Cape Cod Commission for certification of the LCP’s consistency with the
Regional Policy Plan. Potential benefits of Cape Cod Commission LCP certification include: the ability for the Town to enter into Development
Agreements as a type of land use permitting; prioritization for planning technical assistance; and the establishment of the LCP as review criteria
for Districts of Critical Planning Concern and Developments of Regional Impact. Certification would require that the Town regularly
communicate progress on the LCP to the Cape Cod Commission, that the LCP be updated to remain consistent with updates to the Regional Policy
Plan, and that the Town’s land use by-laws and regulations be consistent with the LCP. Brewster’s LCP has also been prepared and is intended to
serve as a comprehensive land use plan under state planning law (MGL Chapter 41, Section 81D): similarly, after adoption, the Town can choose
to file a copy of the LCP to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) (formerly the Department of
Housing and Community Development- DHCD).
Brewster first adopted a comprehensive land use plan in 1970. A prior draft LCP was completed in 1997 but was never brought to Town Meeting.
The development of this LCP started in earnest with the 2018 Brewster Vision Plan. The Vision Plan process commenced in 2017, serves as a
foundation for the LCP, and includes goals and actions for eight key issue areas (called ‘Building Blocks’).
The LCP is structured along the same lines as the Vision Plan. It includes a Vision Statement and the eight Building Blocks: Community
Character, Water Resources, Open Space, Housing, Coastal Management, Local Economy, Governance, and Community Infrastructure. The goals
for each of these Building Blocks remain similar to those stated in the Vision Plan, with some modifications made to recognize changing
circumstances and conditions in Brewster and beyond, and the goal statements and policies in the Cape Cod Regional Policy Plan.
In addition, two new Building Blocks have been included in the LCP since the adoption of the Vision Plan: Solid Waste Management and Climate
Mitigation and Adaptation. The Solid Waste Building Block recognizes both the Town’s efforts to decrease and manage the community’s waste
stream and regional guidance from the Cape Cod Commission. The Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Building Block recognizes the major threat
to the community posed by climate change and the efforts by the Town to mitigate or adapt to its effects.
Draft July 2023 Page 6
The heart of the LCP is the Action Plan, which includes an ambitious list of strategies, policies, and actions associated with the Building Blocks.
The Action Plan sets out these proposed strategies, policies, and actions to advance the vision, goals, and purposes of the LCP. The Action Plan
calls for Town government, in partnership with its residents, businesses, organizations, to pursue a variety of initiatives over the next 10+ years.
More broadly than Town government, the Action Plan is also intended to guide future decision-making and actions by community organizations,
businesses, and residents.
Brewster’s Vision
The LCP is informed, but not limited, by the 2018 Vision Plan. In many ways, both Plans exist along the same planning continuum, although the
LCP has been updated to reflect changed conditions (including an unprecedented world-wide pandemic and its associated social and economic
effects on society) and input received through the entire planning process.
The LCP includes a vision statement, similar to that of the 2018 Vision Plan, articulating at a high level a vision for Brewster’s future and the
values held by the community. The Action Plan strives to achieve the vision. It is important to note that these values are not intended to conflict,
especially in terms of implementing the related Action Plan, but should be viewed as complementary, mutually supportive and on equal footing
with one another. The Vision Statement has also been prepared for consistency with the Cape Cod Regional Policy Plan.
Community Engagement
Processes for developing both the Vision Plan and the Local Comprehensive Plan were highly participatory. The Vision Planning process
included three series of public workshops and a public survey. These events were accompanied by broad public outreach, including newspaper
coverage and opinion pieces, postings on the Town website and through the Town email-list, distribution of announcements through the e-mail
lists of approximately 10 local not-for-profit organizations and religious groups, local public television interviews and announcements, and
document distribution at Town Hall, the Brewster Ladies Library, and the Council on Aging. A postcard to all property owners was also sent out
for the public survey.
The LCP process and its preparation has been shepherded by the Vision Planning Committee (VPC). The LCP planning effort began during the
COVID pandemic, and thus was constrained by restrictions on public meetings. Nevertheless, the VPC took a very similar approach to outreach
for the LCP as they did for the Vision Plan, actively informing the Brewster public about the planning effort and soliciting their ideas and
feedback. Most notable was the Brewster’s Next Steps survey to gauge support for over 65 proposed actions, to which over 2,300 people,
broadly representing the community’s age and residential status profile, responded. The Committee used print and electronic media
announcements, email lists, postcards to property owners, and pop-up events at Town locations to publicize the survey. A summary of results is
available on the Town website.
Draft July 2023 Page 7
In addition, the Committee partnered with Town Management to organize workshops of Town staff, officials and key local organizations to
review and comment on a draft Action Plan. The Committee announced a public comment period on the LCP that included the draft Action
Plan in July 2022. The Committee reviewed the comments received during the comment period and revised the Action Plan to reflect many of
the public comments. A final draft LCP was recommended by the Vision Planning Committee and endorsed by the Select Board and Planning
Board following a public hearing in October 2022. In November 2022, the LCP was presented to Town Meeting. Primarily because of concerns
about a potential Wing Island Boardwalk project and related references in the LCP, Town Meeting voted to remand the draft back to the VPC
for further study and re-drafting. With an eye towards completion and adoption of the LCP, the Select Board revised the VPC’s charge and the
VPC re-commenced its work on the LCP in March 2023. The VPC anticipates completing a final, recommended draft LCP for Town Meeting
to consider in Fall 2023 (revise as process unfolds in Summer/ Fall 2023).
Building Blocks - Existing Conditions and Issues
This section contains an overview of existing conditions in Brewster organized by Building Block and based on summary papers that have been
prepared for all Building Blocks. Each overview includes background information, recent actions by the Town, and key issues moving forward.
These existing conditions summaries detail circumstances in the town and identify town assets, strengths, concerns and related challenges and
opportunities. The summary papers prepared in 2017 for the original eight Building Blocks of the Vision Plan have been updated to reflect
changing conditions, evolving issues, and implementation of actions to date. In addition, summary papers have been added for the new Building
Blocks, Solid Waste and Climate Change. The section begins with a description of ‘Brewster Today’ focusing on demographic and land use
issues and drawing on the Land Use summary paper. Interpretive maps are also contained throughout the LCP to depict certain concepts or
conditions.
The Action Plan – Building Block Goals, Purposes, and Actions
The goals and purposes for the LCP are organized by Building Blocks, a concept originated in the 2018 Vision Plan. They have been slightly
modified in the LCP to reflect changing conditions in Brewster and to align them with the goals of the Cape Cod Regional Policy Plan.
The Action Plan is proposed to advance the LCP vision, goals, and purposes over the next 10+ years. The list of actions is not intended to be a
complete list of all that the Town could do but does include the most important actions essential to advancing the identified goals. While a large
and ambitious number of actions are presented, priorities for implementation will be identified during the Select Board’s annual strategic
planning exercise, which is a process that involves soliciting public input. Each action serves as a jumping-off point that will trigger its own
process of consideration, discussion, and refinement by the appropriate Town Departments, Board/Committee, community groups, and the
general public. Any program, project, or activity decision must be representative of the will of Brewster residents and the circumstances then
present. In this way, the Action Plan is neither binding nor definitive.
The list of actions has been drawn from numerous sources including the following:
Draft July 2023 Page 8
● Actions from the Vision Plan that have not yet been implemented;
● Recommendations from stakeholders about current needs;
● Recommendations from the Vision Plan Summary Papers about trends and needs; and
● Results of the Brewster’s Next Steps survey gauging public support for individual actions.
As the final phase ofAmong other input, the Action Plan development, the draft list of actions was reviewed and refined by workshops of keyby
Town Departments staff and local organizations to assess the accuracy, relevancy, and feasibility in implementing each action, and the VPC
revised the Plan based on input received. As part of this process, the VPC held an interactive workshop with Town staff, bBoard and cCommittee
chairs and representatives of local organizations in Summer 2022 on the first draft of the Action Plan. This vital part of the process helped ensure
the ability, capacity, and commitment to implement the Action Plan and is subject to future adjustments that will make the LCP a “living” plan.
Capital Facilities Planning
In this section, the LCP aligns and cross-references capital investments contemplated in the Action Plan with the Town’s on-going capital facilities
planning. This analysis ensures that the capital requirements necessary to implement the LCP are planned for and met. The Town annually revisits
and updates our 5-year Capital Improvement Plan to align with community priorities based on available financial resources. The Town also pPer
town bylawCode/ Charter, the Town also publishes annually in the May Town Meeting Warrant Booklet a summary of the capital improvement
plan, identifying all proposed capital expenditures for the next 5 years estimated to cost $100,000 or more.
Housing Production Plan Summary
The Town has recently completed, and the State has approved, the 2022-2027 Housing Production Plan (HPP), which principally deals with
provisions for affordable housing in Brewster. This section includes a summary of the Town’s 2022 plan. The full HPP can be accessed on the
Town website.
Implementation and Performance Monitoring
The prioritization of undertaking LCP actions will be set primarily through the Select Board’s annual strategic planning. Monitoring and reporting
to the community are crucial to the successful implementation of the LCP and are described in this section. A copy of the Select Board’s current
Strategic Plan for FY243-254 is included in the LCP Appendices. Inclusion of any LCP action in the Select Board’s strategic planning begins the
community conversation with applicable stakeholders, including year-round s and seasonal residents, businesses, community organizations and
relevant Town Boards, Committees, and Departments, to discuss what, if any, program, project, or action the community wants to pursue. Similar
to the Capital Improvement Plan, the Select Board Strategic Plan is updated on an annual basis to reflect current needs and priorities.
Supporting Regulation, Plans and Policies
Draft July 2023 Page 9
The LCP references other existing Town land use plans, policies, bylaws and regulations that both inform, and will be informed by, the LCP.
Many of the LCP’s actions deal with potentially updating and amending these documents to advance the goals and vision of the LCP. Of course,
any new bylaws or amendments to existing bylaws require a public hearing and Town Meeting approval. It is important to note that, under the
current zoning bylaw, consistency with the comprehensive plan is a criterion of approval for certain permits and proposed developments.
1
SECTION 1: BREWSTER’S VISION
The LCP’s vision for Brewster’s future, as articulated below, is grounded in the Town’s Vision Planning process, which began in 2017. The
Vision Plan, completed and approved in 2018, serves as a foundation for the LCP. The LCP’s vision statement is also informed by the shared
experiences of the community since that time including, among other things, an unprecedented world-wide pandemic and its associated social,
political and economic effects, and the Town’s acquisition of the former Ccape Cod Sea Camps properties..
This vision statement is a product of significant community input. It reflects the shared values of the Brewster community related to, among other
things, future growth and development and resource protection in the town. The vision also harmonizes with the regional vision articulated in the
Cape Cod Regional Policy Plan. In particular, the Town’s visioning process involved discussion of “town centers”: identifying existing centers of
concentrated activity, development and infrastructure in the town that might accommodate expanded future housing and economic opportunities.
This vision serves as the backdrop and reference point for the ‘Building Blocks’ and their associated goals, purposes and actions set out in the
LCP. The multiple values and interests articulated in the vision statement are mutually dependent, complementary and on equal footing with one
another. In practical application, the vision requires that these values and interests be reconciled or compromised with one another. In order to
fulfill and realize the vision, it is necessary to advance all of these constituent values and interests.
Brewster is a welcoming community that celebrates our special character and strives for greater social diversity and inclusiveness.
We preserve our historical setting and seek to protect its contribution to our town’s character. We work to preserve the rural, small town feel
of Brewster while recognizing opportunities for growth, which adds to our shared quality of life.
Brewster has been, and will continue to be, a leader in open space planning and protection, which contributes to protecting water resources
and sensitive natural habitats and provides scenic areas for recreation and contemplation.
In the context of coastal change, we protect our natural bayside coastline, which defines our sense of place and provides special recreational
and economic opportunities.
We are committed to address climate change locally, one of the great global challenges of our day, locally by reducing our contributions to
carbon emissions and continuing to support practices that take up and store carbon through natural processes.
We honor our history as a working community and partner with Brewster businesses and other organizations that support residents and
visitors by providing high-quality products, services, and experiences built on our character and environment, and that offer local social,
economic, and employment opportunities that help sustain the community.
2
We support growth that is appropriately scaled and sited within the context that it is proposed.
As a commitment to the social diversity we value, we seek to support housing production tailored to the changing needs of the community,
including housing that is affordable to current and future residents of all ages and economic standing.
Within our fiscal capabilities, we strive to provide the infrastructure necessary to ensure public health and safety and to support the ability of
our entire community, from older people to families with children, to live, work, learn, recreate, and gather in the town.
The communication methods and practices that we set in place encourage and promote public discourse and collaboration. We look to
successful models in other communities and organizations as examples to manage and guide our approach to sharing information and
shaping change in our town.
We are committed as we move forward, through careful planning and coordination, to improve our community and honor what we value
about Brewster, and ensure the town’s continued social, economic, financial, and environmental sustainability for present and future
generations.
3
SECTION 2: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (NOTE: To be updated in Fall 2023 to reflect
outreach activities)
Processes for developing both the Vision Plan and the LCP were highly participatory. The Vision Planning process included three series of public
workshops and surveys. These events were accompanied by broad public outreach, including newspaper coverage and opinion pieces, postings on
the Town website and through the Town email-list, distribution of announcements through the e-mail lists of approximately 10 local not-for-profit
organizations and religious groups, local public television interviews and announcements, and document distribution at Town Hall, the Brewster
Ladies Library, and the Council on Aging. A postcard to all property owners was also sent out for the public survey.
The LCP planning effort began during the COVID pandemic, thus was constrained by restrictions on public meetings. Nevertheless, the Planning
Committee took a very similar approach to outreach for the LCP as they did for the Vision Plan, used many of the same outreach efforts to actively
inform the Brewster public about the planning effort and to solicit their ideas and feedback. Most notable was the 2022 Brewster’s Next Steps
survey to gauge support for over 65 proposed actions, to which over 2,300 people, broadly representing the community’s age and residential status
profile, responded. The Committee used broad print and electronic media announcements, email lists, postcards to property owners, and pop-up
events at town locations to publicize the survey. A summary of results is available on the Town website.
The survey results were fundamental to drafting the Action Plan. A draft of the Action Plan and an Overview of the LCP were made available to
the public during a 21-day public comment period from July 25 to August 12, 2022. Comments and feedback were reviewed carefully by the VPC
and revisions were made as appropriate. Brewster’s Select Board, Planning Board and Vision Planning Committee held a joint public hearing on
the draft LCP in October 2022 prior to advancing a recommended draft to Town Meeting in November 2022.
The LCP vision statement is a product of significant community input: it reflects the shared values of the Brewster community related to, among
other things, future growth and development and resource protection in the town. The Town’s vision statement also harmonizes with the regional
vision articulated in the Cape Cod Regional Policy Plan. In particular, the Town’s visioning process involved “town center” discussions:
identifying existing or potential centers of concentrated activity, development and infrastructure in the town, outside of large, unfragmented,
natural resource corridors, that might accommodate expanded future housing and economic opportunities.
The Brewster’s Next Steps survey queried residents about the possibility of designating or recognizing “town centers”. While 20% of survey
respondents preferred no designated “town center”, the area around Foster Square was identified most frequently (44%) as a potential “town
center” (see Figure 1 below). Other frequently mentioned areas were along Rte. 6A/Main Street from Rte. 124 near the Brewster General Store to
Ellis Landing Road (25%) and Rte. 6A/Main Street from Underpass Road to Ocean Edge Resort (23%). Respondents would prefer sidewalks,
bike lanes/paths, small parks, and small-scale commercial development in these areas. There was strong support for regulations such as
architectural design controls, height limitations and landscaping improvements, consistent with maintaining Brewster’s small town and historic
character. Support for housing, including mixed-use residential use, was moderate. Overall, there was widespread concern about increasing
traffic on Rte. 6A/Main Street, including impeding access from residential side streets. Preference for locating commercial and industrial
development on Underpass Road or Freemans Way was frequently mentioned in respondent comments.
4
Discussions around the concept of a “town center” have since revealed confusion as to the meaning or intent of this term, for example, that a
center does not necessarily connote the geographic center of town or a ‘downtown’; that there can be more than a single “town center”; or that
areas deemed “centers” are more significant or important than other areas not deemed centers. Therefore, going forward, the Plan refers to such
areas as “town centers”. For purposes of the Plan, “town centers” is defined as “a distinct geographic area - sized to be walkable but which could
range from a single parcel to a neighborhood or district - that attracts people for its concentration of economic, social, civic, recreational and/ or
cultural vitality that owes to the mix of uses, development, amenities, infrastructure, activities and services present.
Pie chart here based on the above percentages.
5
[Brewster LCP Potential Town Centers – Panel 1]
6
[Brewster LCP Potential Town Centers – Panel 2]
[insert photo of flyer prepared for 2021 survey]
In addition, the Committee partnered with Town Management to organize workshops of Town staff, officials, and key local organizations to
review and comment on the draft Action Plan.
In anticipation of the possibility of Cape Cod Commission (CCC) LCP certification, the Town communicated and worked with CCC staff
iteratively and collaboratively throughout the development of the LCP, providing draft sections of the LCP for review and comment at various
stages:
● CCC staff completed a review of the LCP’s goals for consistency with RPP goals and provided feedback to the Vision Planning
Committee on ways to align the LCP’s goals with RPP goals. A comparison table of RPP goals and LCP goals was prepared to assist in
this review.
● CCC staff provided general input and guidance during preparation of the draft LCP on compliance with the CCC’s LCP Regulations.
● CCC staff gave a presentation on the Cape Cod Climate Action Plan at a meeting of the Vision Planning Committee in August 2021.
● CCC staff completed reviews of the Building Block summaries and draft Action Plan, and provided recommendations on additional or
revised content. These recommendations were reviewed by the Vision Planning Committee and incorporated into the LCP as appropriate.
7
SECTION 3: BUILDING BLOCKS - EXISTING CONDITIONS AND ISSUES (Note: update
data/statistics in Fall 2023)
This section contains an overview of existing conditions in Brewster organized by Building Block and based on summary papers that have been
prepared for all Building Blocks. Each overview includes background information, recent actions by the Town, and key issues moving forward.
The summary papers prepared in 2017 for the original eight Building Blocks of the Vision Plan have been updated to reflect changing conditions
and actions that have been recently implemented. In addition, summary papers have been for the new Building Blocks, Solid Waste and Climate
Mitigation and Adaptation. The section begins with a description of Brewster today focusing on demographic and land use issues and drawing on
the Land Use summary paper.
“Existing conditions” include physical and socioeconomic conditions; existing assets and resources; and the identification of associated concerns,
challenges, strengths, and opportunities. Taking stock of these existing conditions assisted the Town in establishing its planning vision, goals, and
actions.
Brewster Today
The Town of Brewster is characterized by its small town, rural and historic qualities, with an abundance of natural resources, protected open space
and miles of both coastal and freshwater shoreline. About 80 freshwater ponds cover some 1,700 acres.
The majority of developed land within the Town consists of single-family, residential development and small-scale commercial development
concentrated along Rte. 6A/Main Street, a nationally designated scenic byway and the largest historic district in the U.S. Additional small-scale
commercial areas are located on Underpass Road, and at the Route 137/Millstone Road intersection. The Town also includes an approximately
245-acre industrial district in the southeastern section of Town.
The Town has been committed to the protection of its valuable natural resources for decades. The Town has largely retained its small-town
character through its efforts to protect open space and historic resources. According to the Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan, updated in
2021, the town includes within its boundaries over 2,200 acres of State and non-profit open space and recreational holdings, such as Nickerson
State Park, State-acquired Camp Monomoy land, Brewster Conservation Trust lands, Orenda Wildlife Trust lands, and the Cape Cod Rail Trail
(CCRT).
Brewster itself has made major open space investments. The Town, through the Conservation Commission, owns approximately 882 acres of
permanently conserved land, and about another 1,000 acres of open space held by other entities like the Select Board. The Town has an ongoing
program where it formally transfers tax title and other Town-owned land appropriate for open space use to the care and custody of the Brewster
Conservation Commission for permanent conservation. Since 2012 alone Brewster has acquired or transferred approximately 200 acres of open
space for permanent conservation purposes and has acquired conservation restrictions or easements on another approximately 121 acres.
8
Historic Development Patterns
Since 1633, Brewster has been home for small business entrepreneurs since the opening of the first grist mill on what is now Stony Brook. Relying
on the land and sea, business has always supported the natural setting and rural nature of the town. Perhaps the most notable of Brewster’s
entrepreneurs were the sea captains. From the 18th to 19th centuries, as many as fifty sea captains lived in Brewster, building stately homes along
Rte. 6A/Main Street, adding a sense of elegance to the community. Today, many of these sea captains’ homes are still occupied by entrepreneurs.
Business continues to support the small-town setting of Brewster by creating services for residents and visitors and at the same time maintaining
many important historic buildings and the natural surroundings.
Current Land Use Patterns
The most recent version of the Mass Audubon study, “Losing Ground”, Sixth Edition 2020, calculates that 34% of Brewster is permanently
conserved, 26% is developed, and 40% remains undeveloped as natural or open land but is not permanently conserved.
**INSERT ZONING FIGURE – ADD KEY TO THE FIGURE
As stated in the 2022 Brewster Housing Production Plan, nearly 75% of the housing stock in Brewster is in the form of detached single-family
homes. Mixed-use development is not currently allowed under the Brewster zoning bylaw, although development in commercial districts is
allowed to have an accessory residential unit by special permit.
Cluster residential development and planned residential development (PRD) are only allowed by special permit, and both have significant
minimum land area requirements.
There are also 145 properties along Rte. 6A/Main Street where business activity is taking place. Most of these businesses are in the Residential (R-
M) zoning district.
9
[Figure # - Land Use]
10
Recent Trends
A December 2021 Elementary Schools Master Plan completed for the Town of Brewster indicates that the seasonal population in Brewster, when
averaged over a full year, is nearly double the number of full-time residents. The increase in seasonal population places stress, not only on the
town’s natural resources and recreation facilities, but also on its infrastructure.
Based on 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) data of housing market trends compiled by the Cape Cod Commission, the median value for a
single-family home in Brewster in 2019 was $442,000 while the median sales price in July 2022 was $711,000 for single-family homes and
$455,500 for condominiums (Cape Cod and Islands Association of Realtors- CCIOAR). Under the 2022 HUD-defined Barnstable County Area
Median Family Income ($115,600), a family could affordably purchase a home at a maximum of $420,579, significantly less than the median
single-family home sales price. As of July 2022, there is an inventory of only 15 single-family homes and 2 condominiums for sale in town
(CCIOAR). The Census Bureau classifies nearly 44% of all housing units in Brewster as vacant most of the year and held for seasonal or
recreational use (ACS data).
Today, there are 15 lodging businesses and one resort on Rt. 6A/Main Street, with all but one in residential zones. In addition, there are 18 eating
establishments on Rte. 6A/Main Street, with 75% in residential zones. Numerous other existing businesses are located on Rte. 6A/Main Street.
Expansion or change to these businesses require a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Recent Actions by the Town
The Town has adopted strict regulations to protect public drinking water supplies, manage land use and preserve open space within the town by
managing land use within Brewster’s Zone IIs (drinking water supply areas in East and West Brewster) and Pleasant Bay and Herring River
watersheds.
In 2021, the Town purchased a total of 121 acres of Cape Cod Sea Camps property, including the 66-acre Long Pond Property and 55-acre Bay
Property that stretches from Rte. 6A/Main Street north to Cape Cod Bay. Acquisition for public use is aligned with community priorities identified
in this LCP and resident feedback from other recent strategic planning initiatives. Detailed comprehensive plans for each property will be
developed and brought to a future Town Meeting for subsequent voter adoption.
[insert photo of Sea Camps property]
Key Issues Moving Forward
The Town has implemented specific land use controls and protected open space to minimize the impacts of future development on natural
resources and protect the character of the community. The LCP also recognizes the need to evaluate policies and zoning bylaws that would support
more housing choice. The 2022 Brewster’s Next Steps survey included questions on potential locations for identification or designation of “town
centers” in Brewster. Consideration of appropriate locations for mixed-use and/or additional residential density will be needed in order to meet the
town’s future housing needs while continuing to meet other community goals of protecting water quality, natural resources, and community
character.
11
The Brewster Chamber of Commerce has cited the need for the Town to support and design vibrant and diverse business and cultural centers that
offer more walkable, mixed-use options with affordable living units. However, a change in zoning or an overlay district would be required for
mixed-use or to streamline local permitting for expansion or substantial change to businesses along Rte. 6A/Main Street.
12
Building Block Summaries
Community Character
Background and Current Status
The Community Character Building Block encompasses both Brewster’s physical and social character. Community Character is closely inter-
related to several other Vision Building Blocks including Open Space, Local Economy, Housing, and Community Infrastructure. Positive actions
on those Building Blocks will also have a positive impact on Community Character.
Physical Character - Brewster has a large collection of significant historic properties, with the great majority located along Rte. 6A/Main Street
and Stony Brook Road. The town has two large National Register Historic Districts: one includes historic buildings along Route 6A/Main Street
and Lower Road, roughly from Paine’s Creek to Sea Pines Drive; the other includes structures along Stony Brook Road in the vicinity of the Grist
Mill. Most of Brewster’s historic resources are within the Old Kings Highway Historic District, which also includes properties along the town’s
old roadways including Rte. 6A/Main Street, Lower Road, Stony Brook Road, as well as Satucket Road, Route 137/Long Pond Road, Tubman
Road, and several smaller connecting roads. The Old Kings Highway Historic District Committee has authority to review and approve all exterior
alterations and demolition proposals. In the early 1900s, as automobile ownership grew, summer tourism became a major economic force and
residential construction consisted mostly of summer cottages and summer cottage communities such as Brewster Park, Pineland Park, and Ellis
Landing Colony. These cottages are now 75-100 years old, and some are considered of historic value.
The Brewster Historical Commission continues to work with a preservation consultant to document the architecture and history of significant
houses built prior to1925. The four small Village Business zones are located along Rte. 6A/Main Street near Betty’s Curve, Underpass Road,
Villages Drive, and at the Orleans town line. The larger Commercial zone is centered along Underpass Road. Many of the town’s distinctive
antique shops, inns, galleries, and other small businesses along Rte. 6A/Main Street are outside of the commercial zones and operate as home
occupations within residentially zoned areas.
[Figure 4 – Historic Resources]
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All construction along Rte. 6A/Main Street requires review by the Old Kings Highway Historic District Committee. Much of the Commercial
(CH) district on Underpass Road is outside the historic district and is primarily governed by Planning Board Site Plan Review and, as applicable,
Special Permit review. Certain uses such as multi-family residential, outdoor commercial, and accommodations uses are allowed only in the
Commercial district by special permit, which requires specific criteria to be met. Restaurants and drive-through banks are allowed by Special
Permit in both the Village Business and the Commercial districts.
The Town has well-developed Site Plan Review standards dealing with, among other things, site design, transportation and access issues for
commercial, multi-family and industrial uses. While the Town’s current dimensional regulations practically limit building size and scale on most
small to medium size lots, they still allow larger buildings on larger lots.
The Town has walkable clusters of commercial development in each of the Village Business zones, but no focused “town center” or downtown.
The Town’s institutions are located along Rte. 6A/Main Street—the Brewster Ladies Library, Senior Center, Town Hall, and the Eddy Elementary
School.
Formula retail businesses are expanding in many communities on the Cape, submitting proposals to expand existing structures or rebuild. In
Brewster, Cumberland Farms applied to significantly increase building size and expand the range of products they offer. After considerable public
debate, the expansion was approved in 2017, but with fewer gas pumps than originally proposed.
The 2017 Brewster Vision Planning workshops identified the preservation of community character as an important issue, with responses like
‘small town feel,’ ‘historic charm,’ ‘scenic Rte. 6A,’ and the landmark ‘Grist Mill Herring Run’ appearing in 36% of comments about town
“Treasures.” Community Character also played a major role in comments relating to the vision for Brewster’s future. While community character
was primarily interpreted to mean the physical fabric of the community—its buildings, landscapes, and neighborhoods—workshop participants
also acknowledged the town’s diverse residents, social challenges, and a desire to be more connected with each other as part of the social
character.
Social Character - Brewster’s population is changing in ways that are similar to the Cape in general. The 2020 US Census showed that
Brewster’s population has increased by 5% over the past 10 years. The population of residents over 65 was projected to grow from 42% of the
population in 2020 to 53% in 2030. By 2022, the 65+ Brewster population has increased to 43% of the population (2022 Town Census).
Brewster’s high-quality schools are an important factor in attracting young families with diverse backgrounds. This younger population (i.e., age
25-49), many with school age children, currently accounts for 22% of the Town’s population (2022 Town Census), already lower than the US
Census (2020) projected decrease to 38% in 2030. The US Census also projected that the number of school age children 5-19 would fall from 11%
in 2020 to 9% of the population in 2030 but has already decreased to 8% in 2022 (2022 Town Census). Recent Census data also shows while
Brewster is predominantly white (91.4%), the Town has seen a significant increase in racial diversity over the past decade with the minority
population increasing from 3.3% in 2010 to 8.6% in 2020. (US Census 2010 & 2020)
Housing is critical to support a diverse population, and the Town has been proactive in pursuing affordable housing to address both the needs of
older residents as well as focusing on attracting young families, including amendments to the accessory dwelling by-laws to allow greater
opportunities for year-round rental options and home ownership. Brewster is also pursuing several projects to expand affordable single-family
homes, rental units, and housing for older adults.
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Seasonal workers come from a variety of countries and add to the vibrancy of the town. The Town continues to work to find housing for the
seasonal workforce, with consideration being given to structures on the Bay Property for this purpose. Brewster also provides a variety of social
services to families and individuals in distress. Most of these services are provided through not-for-profit service organizations. The Town has a
Human Services Committee whicho annually funds approximately 15 to 20 local non-profit organizations that assist Brewster residents. The Town
also has a good neighbor fund available to residents who income-qualify. The Town offers both a rental assistance program through the Brewster
Affordable Housing Trust and Housing Rehabilitation and Child Care Vouchers through a Community Development Block Grant for income
eligible residents.
Recent Actions by the Town
As noted in the Open Space and Water Resources summaries, the Town has had a long-standing commitment to purchase open space for its
inherent value as well as to protect the town’s drinking water and surface water quality. In 2021 the citizens of Brewster overwhelmingly voted to
purchase the Cape Cod Sea Camps properties of over 100 acres. The Town is now working with citizens to determine how best to use both parcels.
A 2016 Brewster Council on Aging needs assessment found that the typical older adult wants to stay in Brewster and is aging with sufficient
resources and social support. However, there are segments of this population that struggle to age in place. Transportation, caregiving services, and
health and wellness programs were seen as priorities. Most older adults think that the current COA building/senior center is inadequate for
community needs and supported the creation of a multi-generational community center. This finding mirrors many statements in the 2017
Brewster Vision Planning workshops about the value of a multi-generational community center to meet the needs of Brewster’s diverse population
and a place that would bring all age groups together.
The Select Board adopted a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) pledge in 2021. The Town has undertaken a DEI report and has received a State
Grant to perform a DEI audit and training for municipal staff and officials. The Town will look to engage stakeholders in this important
community conversation.
Key Issues Moving Forward
As noted in the summaries for Community Infrastructure and Local Economy, there are several areas in town where maintaining community
character is a key issue, including potential “town centers” along Rte. 6A/Main Street, the Bay Property and Long Pond Property, and a potential
multigenerational community center. Important to these and all planning considerations, including to changes in zoning bylaws and regulations, is
maintaining Brewster’s historic and small-town, rural character. To help accomplish this, zoning Site Plan Review and Special Permit criteria
could be evaluated and amended to provide enhanced landscape, architecture and building design standards.
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[Figure # - Priority Natural Resource Areas]
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Open Space
Background and Current Status
Open Space figured prominently in the 2017 Vision Planning workshops. As a treasure, participants valued protected open space because of its
contribution to Brewster’s rural character, low density, tranquility, protection for the town’s drinking water supply, recreation, and preservation of
natural habitat. The single highest scoring action in the 2018 Vision Plan survey was “Identify and protect priority parcels in sensitive natural
resources areas, particularly in designated drinking water supply areas”. Similarly in the 2022 Brewster’s Next Steps survey, acquiring land to
protect drinking water supply and critical habitat rated among the top scoring actions. Land protection in drinking water supply areas (Zone IIs)
has become a major criterion for land acquisition for both the Town of Brewster and Brewster Conservation Trust land acquisition projects.
In addition to the contributions to Brewster’s character and recreational opportunities, open space contributes in many ways economically and
financially to the town. Forested open space also acts as a carbon sink by capturing and sequestering carbon emissions. In contrast to other Cape
towns, Brewster’s past open space investments have, in part, allowed the Town to avoid the high cost of sewering large areas of town in sensitive
watersheds.
While Brewster residents and visitors appreciate the rural feel and low-density development, it is important to recognize what is “open space”.
Many people may perceive much of the undeveloped land in Brewster as permanent open space, but in fact much of it is not formally restricted for
such purpose. A study by Mass Audubon in 2020 characterized Brewster as 34% protected open space, 26% developed, and 40% vacant or
undeveloped. In comparison to Brewster, 40% of Barnstable County is protected open space according to the Regional Policy Plan. A recent
analysis of the conversion of “vacant land” in Brewster from 2013 to 2020 indicated that an equal amount of land has gone from vacant to
developed as from vacant to conservation – 158 acres.
The Town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan 2021 Update provides a detailed summary of currently protected lands, but a partial list includes:
2,200 acres of state and non-profit protected lands, 1,000 acres of Town owned lands, and another 822 Town-owned acres controlled by the
Conservation Commission. The not-for-profit Brewster Conservation Trust owns 636 acres of permanently protected land and an additional
246 acres through conservation restrictions on private land. Orenda Wildlife Land Trust owns another 27 acres, and the Brewster Conservation
Commission also has conservation restrictions on a limited number of privately held properties.
The Town’s commitment to open space started many years ago with the purchase of over 800 acres in the Punkhorn Parkland in the late 1980s and
early 1990s to protect the wellfields in West Brewster. During the same period, the Town also purchased several hundred acres in south-east
Brewster to protect wellfields in that part of town. Even though water supply protection has been an important criterion for land acquisition in
recent years, only approximately 40% of the “Zone II” (area of draw-down around Town wells) is currently protected.
As a heavily used public park and scenic vista, Drummer Boy Park represents a unique asset in Brewster. In spring 2023, the Town established the
Drummer Boy Park Advisory Committee to re-assess the master planning conducted and adopted to date for Drummer Boy Park .
Wing Island is another open space asset cherished by those in town and beyond. The Town has decided not to pursue an elevated boardwalk
system to Wing Island as had previously been discussed but instead will pursue more formal recognition of Wing Island as protected for
conservation and open space purposes.
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Recent Actions by the Town
Brewster’s Open Space Committee completed an update of the Town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) in 2021. The Plan identifies the
following overarching goals:
1. Protect the town’s drinking water supply to meet the needs of residents 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 eco-tourism
3. Preserve and enhance habitat diversity and protect marine and fresh surface water resources to maintain their ecological functions and
values to the community.
4. Provide a variety of recreation and open space opportunities to promote active and healthy lifestyles for Brewster residents, ensuring
equitable access for all users and abilities.
5. Support coordination and communication of regional open space and recreation needs.
Between 2018 and 2020, 13 parcels totaling 133 acres in the drinking water supply areas have been protected, often through a partnership of Town
and Brewster Conservation Trust. The Brewster Water Commissioners have also recognized this priority and have created funding within their
tariff structure for land protection.
Much has also been accomplished to improve access to open space and recreation resources. The Town expanded the satellite parking lot at
Crosby Landing, and a new access linking the Cape Cod Rail Trail at Nickerson State Park to the bayside at Linnell Landing has been designed
and permitted. This multi-use trail will provide walking and bike access to a large stretch of state-owned beach. In addition, the Town and the
Brewster Conservation Trust have opened up new public trails and published an updated guide to Brewster’s walking trails.
Key Issues Moving Forward
Acquiring and managing open space to protect water resources and provide outdoor recreation will continue to be an important goal for the Town
and other organizations, such as the Brewster Conservation Trust. Another important consideration is enhancing accessibility to public trails for
people with mobility, vision and other challenges or impairments.
The acquisition of the former Cape Cod Sea Camps properties presents enormous possibilities for the expansion of open space and passive and
active recreation. The Town has established planning committees for both the Bay and Long Pond Properties, each charged with the development
of a comprehensive plan for the respective properties. The planning committees for the properties will consider all potential uses for the properties
to develop a comprehensive plan consistent with community needs and interests.
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Housing
Background and Current Status
The cost and availability of housing in Brewster was identified as the largest single challenge at the June 2017 Vision Planning Workshops, with
an emphasis on how the lack of affordable housing impacts young families. Workshop participants saw housing as key to allowing young families
to stay in Brewster, maintaining the diverse community that residents value, and providing the workforce that the local economy needs.
“Affordable Housing” is a term defined under state and federal law and policy meaning housing affordable to low- and moderate-income
households, i.e., households earning no more than 80% of the area median income (AMI) for the county. In contrast, “attainable” or “workforce”
housing is not a formally defined term. It refers to housing affordable for households whose incomes are too high for “affordable housing” but are
priced out of the market i.e., households earning between 80-120% AMI. In either case, households should not be required to spend more than
30% of their income on housing costs.
Affordable housing was identified by workshop participants as the biggest challenge facing the Town. While those with the lowest incomes face
the greatest housing need and challenges, the cost and availability of housing, both for year-round rentals and ownership opportunities, is an issue
as well for many households who do not qualify for affordable housing, making it challenging for both younger families and older residents to
remain in town.
Brewster, like the rest of the Cape, is facing housing issues that are common to a number of resort, tourist-based areas throughout the country that
have a significant percentage of seasonally-used housing stock (44% in Brewster). These areas all have high housing costs, in part because the
average income of second homeowners is greater than that of year-round residents, which can drive up the cost of housing. Brewster’s housing
stock primarily consists of detached single-family homes (75%). Brewster has twice the percentage of residential condominium units (11%) than
in Barnstable County towns on average (ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2016-2020). Environmental and infrastructure factors also contribute to the higher
cost of housing in Brewster. According to the Cape Cod Commission, one of the affordable housing challenges is the gap between the Cape’s
comparatively low wages and high housing costs. While wages have remained relatively stagnant, housing costs have risen dramatically.
Brewster’s housing problem is also exacerbated by its aging population, with few young people and limited local workers.
As for affordable housing, the town has 327 units or 6.8% counted as affordable and needs to add 153 affordable units to meet the 10% goal. The
10% metric, however, understates the range of housing needs that exists in town. Currently, 260 of the affordable units are rental units. In 2021,
31% of all rental units in Brewster were deed restricted affordable housing units. This is reflected in the median Brewster rent of $1,097, which
was artificially depressed by the percentage of subsidized housing. The median rent in 2021 was $1,340, a 22% increase in 2 years.
A challenging housing situation has worsened dramatically since 2017. Intensified with changes associated by the COVID pandemic, the cost of
housing has increased along with a sharp decrease in the number of properties for sale. Additionally, there has been a reduction in the number of
homes used for year-round rentals. In 2022, the median sales price of a single-family home in Brewster was $775,000, an increase of 44% over
$540,000 in 2020, and an 99 % increase from the original Housing Summary statistic of $389,750 in 2015. The affordability gap has also grown
tremendously. The 2022 HUD-defined Barnstable County Area Median Family Income ($115,600) could affordably purchase a home, with
current tax and mortgage rates, at a maximum of $420,579. In terms of ownership, 85% of Brewster year-round households own their own homes,
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31% of which are housing-cost burdened (paying over 30% of their income on housing), while 64% of Brewster year-round rental households are
housing cost burdened.
Recent Actions by the Town
Over the past six years, a clear pattern has emerged in Brewster’s housing response. Town support has resulted in a number of housing initiatives
and their corresponding Community Preservation Act (CPA), Town budget, and free cash funding. Creative collaboration, supportive teamwork,
and resident involvement have exponentially increased the Town’s efforts. Many of the strategies identified in the Town’s 2017 Housing
Production Plan (HPP) have been implemented. In 2017, the Town hired a part-time housing coordinator with CPA funds to coordinate the
remaining strategies identified in that Plan. The Town then created a Municipal Affordable Housing Trust, supported with CPA funds and free
cash allocations. In 2021, the Select Board adopted a policy to allocate 50% of the forecasted new short-term rental revenue to the Housing Trust.
In 2017, Ocean Edge Resort received a special permit to create seasonal workforce housing on their property. The Housing Coordinator role has
since been expanded to support all housing initiatives in the Town, including providing day-to-day resident support with housing questions. ; in
addition, iIn recognition of the growing housing challenges and needs in the community, a part-time housing assistant position has been created
and funded beginning FY24.
In 2018, Town Meeting amended the zoning bylaw with new Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) provisions. ADUs are a way to utilize current
infrastructure, assist homeowners, and create environmentally friendly housing. Approximately 16 accessory residential units, which includes
ADUs, have been permitted since 2018.
The Town has initiatives to both preserve housing and support housing without new construction. In 2021, along with Dennis and Wellfleet,
Brewster was part of a $1.3-million-dollar regional Housing Rehabilitation and Childcare Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). As the
lead community, Brewster was awarded another $1.3-million-dollar regional CDBG grant to continue the program in 2022. In response to the high
price of rental housing and impact of COVID pandemic on workers, the Housing Trust created a rental assistance program funded with a CPA
grant and managed by Housing Assistance Corporation. The Town also continues to operate an affordable home ownership buydown program
funded through the CPA.
Partnerships with non-profit organizations and effectively using Chapter 40B Comprehensive Permits were additional strategies in the HPP. In
2018, the Town used CPA funds to purchase an access parcel and officially designated the 16 acres of Town-owned land off Millstone Road for
community housing. Upon the recommendation of the Brewster Housing Trust, the Select Board accepted a proposal to build a compact grouping
of 45 energy efficient affordable rental apartments which leaves most of the property untouched. Partnerships with non-profits and effectively
using Chapter 40B Comprehensive Permits were additional strategies in the Housing Production Plan (HPP) that have been pursued. Brewster
Woods, comprised of thirty affordable rental apartments for those in the low to moderate income bracket on Housing Authority land off Brewster
Road, opened in February 2023. Elevation Financial, working in partnership with the Town, redeveloped the former vacant Wingate Rehabilitation
Center into Serenity at Brewster with 132 apartments for people aged 55 and over. Construction was completed in July 2022. At Serenity, 20% of
the units are deed restricted affordable for households up to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).
In 2022 Brewster completed an update to its 2017 Housing Production Plan (HPP). This plan assesses the community’s housing needs, sets goals,
and guides the implementation of Brewster’s Housing Program over the next five years. The HPP aims to produce 24 units of affordable housing a
year as Brewster works towards the state mandated 10% affordable year-round housing stock. Brewster’s 2017 HPP met this production goal twice
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and was so certified by the Commonwealth. Funded with a Community Preservation Act grant, the 2022 HPP was prepared by Barrett Planning
Group with a robust outreach process led by the Housing Partnership. The Select and Planning Boards approved the HPP update in July 2022;
state approval followed in August 2022
Key Issues Moving Forward
In the current housing market, finding year-round attainable and seasonal workforce housing has become more challenging. There is no single
solution that will provide all the needed housing options for our residents and workforce. While the unanticipated pandemic has shown how
housing intertwines with physical, economic, and community health, the 2021 Cape Cod Sea Camps purchase demonstrates the Town’s ability to
mobilize around a common goal. The updated HPP will help the Town better understand the impacts of the pandemic, reassess the housing needs,
and retool strategies for the next five years. A summary of the 2022 HPP is provided in Section 7. The lack of a centralized or smaller scale
wastewater treatment infrastructure limits the development potential of available land. Rehabilitation and support programs continue to be needed
to both create and preserve housing.
Education is a key part of both understanding and addressing housing challenges. Opportunities ahead for increasing housing options include
expanded collaboration with Town and community entities, as well as an ongoing commitment to funding. Additional possibilities exist for joint
work with conservation and environmental groups as well as businesses and the Chamber of Commerce. Finally, zoning remains an area of
potential housing opportunity, including reassessing the current ADU bylaw provisions.
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Local Economy
Background and Current Status
The 2017 Vision Planning workshops defined a sustainable local economy as one that builds on Brewster’s natural and human assets, addresses
the needs of small businesses, and provides year-round employment for Brewster’s young families. Specifically, the workshop participants
wanted to see:
• A greater focus on building a “green economy” based on the town’s natural beauty and resources
• An economy that fosters the growth of small business that are compatible with the town’s character; and
• Growth of a more sustainable year-round economy that encourages small businesses and better supports Brewster’s workforce.
Regional Economy - According to the 2019 Cape Cod Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), the dominant industries in the
region are related to Cape Cod’s seasonal economy and retiree population: 17% in healthcare, 16% in accommodations and food services, and
16% in retail trade (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017 ES-202 data via the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce
Development. http://lmi2.detma.org/lmi/lmi_es_a.asp). Just under a quarter of jobs on Cape Cod are in emerging industry sectors including
creative economy sectors, financial and information sectors, and professional services and technical services sectors, with wages around or above
the average for the region (Cape Cod Housing Market Analysis. 2017. www.capecodcommission.org/housing).
Based on the 2017 Cape Cod Housing Market Analysis, average wages in all of the top seven Cape Cod sectors—accommodation and food
services, retail trade, healthcare, professional and technical services, construction, local government, and administrative/waste services are below
the amount of household income per year required to afford a median priced house in the region. Only the highest paid employees within the
county’s major employment categories were able to afford owning a house in 2015 (Cape Cod Housing Market Analysis. 2017.
www.capecodcommission.org/housing). Household income has not kept up with rising costs of homeownership or rental housing on Cape
Cod, an issue that will be greatly exacerbated given the forecasted trends in population and employment,
Local Economy - According to the 2019 CEDS, Brewster’s top three employment sectors are in education and health services (39%), leisure and
hospitality (22%), and construction (9%). Based on the Cape Cod Commission’s Data Cape Cod portal, Brewster’s 2019 median household
income was $75,321. The unemployment rate in 2019 was 2.9% with average wages at $44,979. Forty-six percent of Brewster’s workforce was
employed in management, professional, and related industries, in comparison with the County at 36.7%. Brewster had a total of 314 business
establishments with average wages of $44,998. The majority (68.5%) of these establishments employed 1–4 employees.
Local Demographics - Brewster, like much of Cape Cod, is populated by a mixture of working families, retirees, summer residents, and visitors.
Brewster’s median age is 54.3 years, compared to 53.3 for Barnstable County as a whole. In 2022, Brewster’s population is 9,716 (2022 Town
Census, Town Clerk, 8/15/2022) with a total of 8,243 housing units. As noted in the Land Use section, Brewster has one of the highest percentages
of total units that remain vacant for seasonal or recreational use at 46% in 2022, compared to 42% for Barnstable County as a whole. Forty-three
percent of the year-round residents in Brewster are over 65 years old. With many adults now working up to age 70, the working age population
(between 25-70 years old) accounts for 55% of the total population.
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Brewster has many defining elements that make it an attractive place for retirees, seasonal residents, and visitors as well as the working residents
that support them. Like the rest of Cape Cod, the business and job mix in town is heavily influenced by the non-working populations. Economic
growth and new opportunities depend in-part on bringing resources/money from outside the area into the area, which is what retirees, second-
home owners, and tourists do for the region. Defining Brewster as a place, and investing in the elements that define that place, is essential to
building a strong local economy.
Recognizing that much of Brewster’s economy is based on its natural assets, the Chamber of Commerce’s Sustainability Strategy promotes
Brewster as an eco-tourism center and builds on “green” opportunities such as recycling and biking. As noted in the Climate Mitigation and
Adaptation section, the Town has taken important steps in creating many elements of a green economy through its policies and initiatives.
Recent Actions by the Town
The FY21-22 Brewster Select Board Strategic Planning has included actions under the Local Economy Building Block to complete and launch an
electronic permitting platform and guide to doing business in Brewster to assist residents, contractors, and businesses in navigating local
permitting processes. In 2022, the Town commenced electronic permitting through the OpenGov platform. In addition, the FY21-22 Strategic Plan
included an action to consider designating Underpass Road as a District of Critical Planning Concern with the Cape Cod Commission. This action
would allow the Town time to plan for the future development and redevelopment of this area as an economic development district. In addition,
the Town acquisition of the Cape Cod Sea Camps properties gives the Town control over future land uses for these key assets and associated
economic development opportunities. for these key assets.
Key Issues Moving Forward
Brewster has an opportunity to review and revise local bylaws and investment strategies to meet its economic and community goals. With a clear
vision for a sustainable economy, the Town can align its public policies, public investments, and private efforts to build on and protect its assets.
One of the approaches the Town could take to support its economy and local businesses, while also supporting Community Character, is
considering, in appropriate areas, zoning that focuses more on the physical form rather than on specific uses.
Further evolution of “town centers,” with the necessary infrastructure, services, and mix of uses, can help to maintain Brewster’s community
character, protect natural resources, and open space, and provide opportunities for local businesses that provide for residents and visitors. Planned
or proposed public facilities, including a multigenerational community center, will also play a key role in supporting “town center” planning.
Brewster’s economic challenges include the high cost of housing, low wages, and funding for appropriate infrastructure, including green
infrastructure investments to protect natural resources. Addressing Brewster’s housing needs, including year-round and seasonal workforce
housing, will require multiple strategies including implementation of the updated 2022 HPP. The lack of existing centralized or smaller scale
wastewater treatment limits the development potential of available land and will require creative solutions by the Town to focus physical
infrastructure in locations where it can be supported without compromising natural resources or community character.
[Economy Graphic?]
[Figure # - Coastal Resources]
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Coastal Management
Background and Current Status
Brewster’s residents recognize the importance of the town’s coastal resources to both residents and visitors. They provide access to a range of
summer and year-round activities, including swimming, boating, commercial and recreational shell fishing, walking on the flats, watching sunsets,
and other recreational activities. In the 2017 Vision Planning workshops, the town’s beaches were identified as the second most important
treasure, and directly linked to the highest ranked treasure, the overall character of the town. Town residents want to preserve and expand access
to the shoreline while also preserving and protecting the natural resources that make the coast so special.
The Town’s public access points are threatened by storms, which can damage both the beaches and their access points, and by the increasing
impacts of climate change. Nor’easters have damaged parking areas and eroded the coastal dunes and beaches in some of these locations,
prompting improvements to Paine’s Creek, Ellis Landing, and Breakwater Landing facilities over the last decade. Concerns over repetitive storm
damage and planning for these improvements led to the creation of the Brewster Coastal Advisory Group and the development of the September
2016 Coastal Adaptation Strategy to address future management of Brewster’s shoreline. The Strategy presumes a sea level rise of one foot in 20
years.
Building on the Coastal Adaptation Strategy, the Brewster Coastal Committee completed the Brewster Coastal Resource Management Plan
(CRMP). Phase I has specific recommendations on improving and protecting coastal access, incorporating the guiding principles, and employing
a robust public involvement process to help refine specific plans. The Brewster Natural Resources Advisory Commission, established in 2021, is
charged with overseeing the implementation of the CRMP.
The Town owns 11 coastal beaches or landings on Cape Cod Bay, all with public parking areas, including the resident-only First Light Beach.
Figure 1 shows the 7 miles of Brewster shoreline.
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[insert graphic of beaches]
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From an access standpoint, the Town maintains approximately 349 parking spots across all coastal beaches and landings and 50 interim spaces at
First Light Beach, including dedicated handicap parking spaces and bike racks and other facilities during the summer months. Unfortunately,
during summer peak season, demand can be greater than the available access, and additional parking opportunities are limited. The beaches and
their access points are vulnerable to erosion from coastal storms and require frequent maintenance and investment by the Town. Impacts to the
landings are expected to increase over time due to rising sea levels and the potential for stronger, more frequent storms. In response, the Town is
adapting to recurring and increasing erosion and storm damage through retreat, such as at the Paine’s Creek, Ellis, and Breakwater Landings where
pavement was moved further from the ocean edge.
In February 2022, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its Sea Level Rise Technical Report. Based on
NOAA’s analysis, the Town’s planning scenario of 1 foot rise in sea level in 20 years for Brewster’s coastline is quite possible. Extensive sections
of Brewster’s seven miles of coast have historically and recently been exposed to storm surge impacts, including dune wash over, flooding, and
significant erosion. Based on the Center for Coastal Studies’ 2015 Century Scale Sediment Budget, it is not clear if the tidal flats will remain
exposed at low tide under future sea level rise scenarios. Lacking the buffering capacity of the tidal flats, Brewster’s beaches and dunes would
likely experience significant erosion and storm surge during serious weather events.
Recent Actions by the Town
As noted in the Background section, the Town developed a consensus-based coastal adaptation strategy to identify priorities and principles for
future action. Survey results from the 2016 Coastal Adaptation Strategy confirmed broad support for the Brewster’s coastal resources among all
age groups and resident status.
The Town has added 80 parking spaces (for total of 138 spaces) for access to Crosby Landing Beach. The Town replaced an unsafe footbridge
over the Freeman’s Pond creek to facilitate access to the large Town-owned beach located between Mant’s Landing and Paines Creek. In 2021, the
Town replaced the culvert under Crosby Lane, accompanied by Low Impact Design-type stormwater management improvements, with the goals
of increasing tidal flow to salt marsh, improving water quality, and making the road infrastructure more resilient to the effects of climate change,
while preserving a corridor for wildlife passage. Also iFinally, in 2021, the Town purchased the former Cape Cod Sea Camps bayside property,
with 800 feet of shoreline that extends to the Spruce Hill beach. Public access to this beach for residents was established in 2022 along with an
interim parking area.
The Town also completed a Hazard Mitigation Plan Update in 2021 that was approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
As a result, the Town is eligible for funding under FEMA guidelines for mitigation measures that reduce disaster losses.
In November 2021, Brewster Town Meeting approved a new stormwater bylaw to better manage parcel-specific stormwater changes associated
with development and to meet the Town’s “MS4” permit requirements under state and federal law. At this same Town Meeting, voters approved
changes to the town’s floodplain district incorporating state planning guidance.
The Town, jointly with Dennis and Orleans, is also the beneficiary of Coastal Resilience grant in 2022 from the Massachusetts a Coastal Zone
Management office to develop a comprehensive shoreline management plan and database for the 14.5-mile shoreline between Bass Hole and Rock
Harbor for the purpose of addressing the impacts of climate change. A potential follow-up grant could fund a public data portal and mapping for
the data collected.
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Key Issues Moving Forward
Existing and future coastal and climate processes indicate that Brewster’s coastal resources are under threat. The Town is faced with the challenge
of accommodating access to its coastal resources that has been impacted and could potentially be reduced by coastal and climate processes.
Ongoing development and redevelopment of existing properties along the shoreline is also a concern.
With the projected significant acceleration of sea level rise in the next 30 years, it is not clear if Brewster’s tidal flats will remain exposed at low
tide under future sea level rise scenarios. Lacking the buffering capacity of the tidal flats, Brewster’s beaches and dunes would likely experience
significant erosion and storm surge during serious weather events. The Town could consider updating the 2015 Century Scale Sediment Budget
(prepared by the Provincetown center for Coastal Studies) in collaboration with Dennis, Orleans, and Eastham. Brewster also participated in a
2021 effort by the Cape Cod Commission to review current land use regulations and to develop a model coastal resiliency by-law.
The Town is heavily involved in maintaining and increasing access to existing beach facilities. Impacts to the landings are expected to increase
over time due to rising sea levels and the potential for stronger, more frequent storms. A number of these landings are important for access to
private beaches and the Town’s aquaculture sites as well as for emergency vehicles.
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[Figure # - Water Resources]
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Water Resources
Background and Current Status
Brewster residents value the town’s water resources and recognize that they are an integral part of the community’s character. In the 2017
Brewster Vision Planning workshops, residents especially identified Brewster’s freshwater ponds as important assets to the town for their aesthetic
and recreational values. Residents also recognized the importance of clean drinking water and the relationships between protecting open space and
preserving water quality throughout the town.
Over the last 40 years, the Town has made a concerted effort to protect groundwater quality. The Town has purchased significant areas of open
space to protect the Town’s ponds and drinking water, particularly in the zones of contribution to its six municipal wells. The Town has also
developed land use management policies and regulations to prevent development activities from harming water resources, including new water
quality performance standards in the Town’s Water Quality Review Bylaw.
In 2015, the Town completed an Integrated Water Resource Management Plan (IWRMP). A 2022 IWRMP update indicates that Brewster’s
drinking water is consistently excellent and has won two awards from the New England Water Works Association as the best tasting water in New
England. More than forty percent of the land area that contributes water to the Town’s drinking water wells is protected open space. Nitrogen
concentrations in the Town’s water supplies are consistently below 1.0 mg/L, well below the federal standard of 10 mg/L. This is a direct result of
the limited development in the vicinity of the wells. However, developed land uses (housing, industrial uses) without proper management may
threaten the quality of drinking water.
There are about 80 freshwater ponds in Brewster. Based on the last summary of pond water data from 2009 developed by the University of
Massachusetts-Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology along with the Cape Cod Commission (SMAST and CCC, September
2009), five of these ponds have excellent water quality while approximately 15 are classified as impaired due to nutrient inputs, predominantly
phosphorus, which contribute to excess algae growth in the ponds. Phosphorus enters the ponds from septic systems, stormwater runoff, and
fertilizers applied to lawns and gardens.
Portions of Brewster lie within the watersheds to Pleasant Bay and Herring River. Nitrogen inputs from septic systems, stormwater, and fertilizers
within Brewster have contributed to water quality impairments in these estuaries. While Brewster only has limited access to these coastal
resources, the Town has an obligation to reduce nitrogen inputs to support the restoration of the estuaries.
Recent Actions by the Town
The Town continues to actively manage its water resources. Collaboration with the Brewster Conservation Trust and the Brewster Ponds
Coalition expands the Town’s ability to manage and protect its water resources. Specific actions over the last five years related to the
implementation of the IWRMP and other Town initiatives are summarized below:
The Town, in collaboration with the Brewster Conservation Trust, continues to actively pursue open space preservation in the wellhead protection
areas that contribute water to the Town’s wells. Between 2018 and 2020, an additional 113 acres of land was preserved to further protect drinking
water quality. In addition, the Town is monitoring drinking water quality for per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that that have been found
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in other drinking water systems on Cape Cod and are associated with a variety of sources, including firefighting foams, food packaging, skin care
and clothing products. To date, none of the PFAS compounds have been detected in water pumped from the Town’s water supply wells.
In 2016, the Town developed a Water Resource Atlas for 43 of the freshwater ponds in Brewster. The atlas highlights the sensitive areas around
each pond, including the surface watershed, the groundwater recharge area to each pond, and the septic buffer around each pond. The atlas allows
residents to understand the land use around each pond that affects water quality.
The Mill Ponds Management Plan developed by SMAST (November 2014) provided an overall strategy for the restoration of Walker’s Pond,
Upper Mill Pond, and Lower Mill Pond, including recommendations for weed harvesting in Walker’s Pond and an alum treatment in Upper Mill
Pond to trap phosphorus in the sediments on the pond bottom, that were implemented by the Town. These measures are helping to restore water
quality in both Upper and Lower Mill Ponds.
Brewster continues to work with Orleans, Chatham, and Harwich to implement the Pleasant Bay Wwatershed Ppermit and reduce its proportionate
share of nitrogen load to Pleasant Bay, which was the first permit of its type in the Commonwealth. . A study, begun in August 2021, is evaluating
fertilizer application leaching rates at the Captains Golf Course to inform nitrogen management decisions.
In November 2021, the Town adopted a stormwater bylaw that will improve how stormwater is managed across Brewster. The bylaw will help
ensure that stormwater is treated prior to discharge, using best management practices to treat for nutrients and other pollutants that could drain into
nearby surface waters or groundwater. It also assists the Town in maintaining compliance with MS4 permit requirements under the Federal Clean
Water Act. Regulations and guidance documents that explain how the bylaw will be implemented have been adopted and promulgated by the
Town.
In 2023, consistent with the Select Board’s strategic plan, the Town established a Water Resources Task Force, a technical working group made up
of Town staff and certain other ex officio members, which aims to coordinate the multi-pronged, water resources work in the town.
Key Issues Moving Forward
Effective July 7, 2023, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Regulations has promulgated new regulations for Watershed Permits and
amended “Title 5” wastewater regulations to address nitrogen-impaired estuaries and embayments on Cape Cod. For Brewster, these watersheds
are Pleasant Bay, Herring River, Bass River and Swan Pond River. Brewster already shares a Watershed Permit from DEP with Harwich,
Chatham and Orleans for the Pleasant Bay watershed (a first-of-its-kind permit in the Commonwealth, which is referenced in and serves as a
model for other Cape Communities under the new Watershed Permit regulations). The Town is actively considering long-term funding strategies,
including through participation in the Cape Cod Water Protection Collaborative.
In addition to the low-cost nitrogen management practices being adopted at the Captain’s Golf Course to lower the nitrogen loadsthreshold, the
Pleasant Bay Watershed Permit requires that any remaining load reductions required for existing loads couldan be met through combined solutions
such as the construction of a neighborhood-scaled wastewater treatment facilitiesplant for a portion of the watershed, the use of individual nitrogen
reducing onsite system treatment systems, or a nitrogen tradinge with another watershed towns. Planning for future load management could
involve other initiatives like regulatory changes or open space acquisition. CThis cost could be reduced based on the results of the golf course
fertilizer leaching rate study which will be completed in 2023. The Pleasant Bay Watershed Permit also requires that the Town address nitrogen
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inputs from future development in the watershed. Options to manage future nitrogen inputs include amendments to Town bylaws or regulations.
For the Herring River watershed, there is no need to reduce the current nitrogen inputs to meet the total maximum daily loads (TMDLs)
established in the watershed under state and federal law, but future inputs from increased development will need to be managed.
The Town continues to monitor drinking water quality for per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that that have been found in other drinking
water systems on Cape Cod and could begin development of a response and remediation plan for any future detections.
The Town is currently working to develop an updated summary of water quality in the major ponds in Brewster, utilizing the annual monitoring
data that has been collected since the last summary report in 2009. In 2016, the Town, through Board of Health Regulations, established a
minimum 300’ septic leaching system setback from ponds. The Town could consider further policies and regulations related to pond setbacks in
the future. The Town could also consider pilot programs for innovative alternative septic system technologies that treat for phosphorus in
contributing areas around ponds.
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Governance
Background and Current Status
In 2016, the Government Study Committee completed its 2-year review of the Town’s organizational structure, duties and responsibilities of
various Boards and Departments, and overall methods of communication. The Committee’s final report identified recommendations for the Town
to consider, ranging from the form of governance to the number of boards and committees with overlapping charges.
Primary themes that emerged from the 2017 Vision Planning workshops relative to Governance included:
• A desire for government to be more transparent and customer-service oriented, and to further embrace technology to better
communicate and engage citizens in town-wide decision-making processes.
• A highly valued school system that is treasured by existing residents and one that attracts people to Brewster; and
• An opportunity to more proactively engage both Brewster’s skilled retiree population and general citizens of every age in Town
affairs.
Recent Actions by the Town
The Town established a Charter Committee in 2019 to address the structure and powers of Brewster town government. The Charter was approved
by the Select Board, then by Town Meeting vote in Spring 2021 followed by state approval in January 2023.
The Select Board develops an annual Strategic Plan with goals linked to the Vison Plan Building Blocks/Goals to keep work aligned with the
Vision Plan. The Plan’s goals inform the Town’s ongoing and upcoming policy and operational initiatives. A monitoring matrix with general
timeline, priorities, responsible parties, and key stakeholders for each goal facilitates accountability and tracking of progress. Significant progress
has been made on many priorities identified in the Vision Plan as a result of this coordinated effort. The Strategic Plan will similarly continue to
incorporate and implement the LCP Action Plan.
Several initiatives have been undertaken to expand and improve communication with residents about Town initiatives, plans and progress.
Town Website - The Town has long maintained a website where current information is posted by Department, as well as developed bulletin
boards, informational brochures, and an email list with more than 1000 current subscribers. The Town has also created dedicated webpages such
as for the Bay and Pond Planning Committees established for the former Cape Cod Sea Camp properties where interested persons can learn about
meetings, specific projects, or planning status. In response to public input, a more user-friendly website was designed and developed, with launch
in March 2023.
Expanded Use of Media and Social Media - The Town requires all Board and Committee meetings to be presented live and/or recorded for
viewing on Government Channel 18 and online in an effort to increase transparency and better inform the public of governance processes and
decisions. The Town made the BGTV media resources available by downloading the “Cablecast” app. Town livestream and media are now
available on various platforms. Announcements are frequently posted on the Town’s home page with links to recorded board and committee
meetings and posted on social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter. Beginning with the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020, the
online meeting platform ZOOM was used initially for purposes of remote, and now hybrid, board and committee meeting participation that is open
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to the public for viewing and participation as appropriate. Viewing is either live or by recording. The option of in-person attendance at these
meetings was reinstated in March 2023. In order to reach a wider group of older residents, the Council on Aging and Brewster Ladies Library
expanded its online offerings through taped presentations on BGTV and LCTV, continuing after in-person participation was resumed.
Other Online Communication Tools - Starting with FY23, the Town began publishing the annual budget in a user-friendly online format. The
OpenGov platform provides a dynamic, visual representation of Town finances for citizens to better understand where Town funds are being
spent. Residents can view budget details by department as well as current year accomplishments and goals for the coming year. The capital
planning process transitioned to this platform in FY2023. Use of this platform is intended to enhance transparency and public engagement.
Citizens Forums - The opportunity for residents to raise issues and make announcements at many Town Committee meetings was introduced
through inclusion of a “Citizens Forum” item on many standing meeting agendas. While the Committees are unable to respond to public comment,
issues raised can be placed on future agendas for further discussion with the public. Most Town Committees now have an associated email address
so that residents can provide comments and questions directly to a Committee.
Use of Public Forums - To improve communication and community engagement around important issues and projects, Town Management
regularly hosts public forums. The purpose of these sessions is two-fold: first, to present information and/or progress reports, for example,
providing overviews of warrant articles prior to Town Meeting or project updates on public works efforts. The second purpose is to provide an
avenue for the public to give their input and insight on those same matters for consideration and incorporation moving forward. Similar
informational sessions are provided through other community groups like the Brewster Chamber of Commerce and League of Women Voters.
Other Efforts - The vast majority of Town Committees and Boards are staffed by volunteers. Volunteers also help make Town Department
programs very successful. The Select Board has implemented procedures for Standing Committee appointments to increase volunteerism. A
future “Citizens Leadership Academy” is planned to support volunteer recruitment and enhance volunteer contributions. Managing volunteer
programs requires staff resources. A “Serve Your Community” form to recruit new volunteers is available on the Town website and maintained by
individual Town Departments and Committees, but there is no central database of volunteers. A central database of volunteers would offer many
advantages.
The Town has launched several initiatives to strengthen the customer service approach to Town services, including staff training in customer
service, the 2021 adoption of a pledge and training for Town officials to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion for all. This is reinforced through
Town Manager quarterly meetings with staff and monthly meetings with Department heads. Town Management and the Brewster Chamber of
Commerce cohost biannual meetings with local business owners. Town Management and the Select Board also started holding public office hours
in 2023.
The Town launched an electronic permitting platform to replace its paper-based applications for Building, Health, and Planning Departments.
Online applications for beach, recycling, and shellfish permits have been implemented along with the FY23 use of license plate reader technology.
To facilitate resident or business owner communication with the appropriate Department, a seasonal, volunteer Town Hall “Greeter” position was
instituted in 2019. After being discontinued due to the pandemic, the volunteer position was reinstated in 2022. The Town runs a robust Senior and
Veteran’s Volunteer work-off program which both assists residents with their tax bill and provides volunteers throughout tTown departments.
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Key Issues Moving Forward
While the Town has made substantial progress since adoption of the 2018 Vision Plan, the Town is committed to further enhance d
communication, transparency, and customer service, and continue to identify ingand pursue the most effective methods for engaging residents of
all ages continues to require attention and efforts. The Town is preparing to embark on the development of a “Communication Plan,” aimed at
dealing with how Town Government can best communicate and share information with residents. The Government Study Committee
recommended creating a consolidated “Inspectional Services Department” or a “Community Development Department”, which may help to serve
small business interests and deliver more efficient customer service through consolidated permitting and inspections. The Town may want to
consider such a consolidated department model for Brewster.
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Community Infrastructure
Background and Current Status
The term “community infrastructure” is meant to encompass the variety of physical infrastructure and facilities that the Town and other
community organizations provide for public purposes. Comments received in the June 2017 Vision Planning workshops demonstrated the
considerable value of community infrastructure for recreation, public gatherings, and alternative transportation. The most frequently mentioned
infrastructure need was for a multigenerational community center combined with a new location for the Council on Aging. Bike trails and
sidewalks for recreation and as a means of alternative transportation around town were the second most frequently mentioned infrastructure need.
A survey of Eddy School students also identified the need for active recreation sites such as skateboard parks and swimming pools.
Community Infrastructure supports many of the other Building Blocks, particularly Community Character, Local Economy, and Coastal
Management. This section will focus on the issues of a potential multigenerational community center, bike and pedestrian ways, and active
recreation as high priorities.
A variety of facilities are currently used for public meetings and gatherings, including the Ladies Library, Brewster Baptist Church, Council on
Aging, and Eddy and Stony Brook Elementary Schools. Town Hall is used primarily for official board and committee meetings. There is no multi-
purpose facility which allows a variety of uses and interactions for all generations.
The Cape Cod Rail Trail (CCRT) stretches 7 miles from south central Brewster to the northeast line with Orleans, connecting to the entire 25 miles
of paved bike/pedestrian trail. Maintained by the Commonwealth’s Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the CCRT is one of the
most actively used recreational facilities in Brewster and serves as a centerpiece of Brewster’s “green economy.” In the summer, it also serves as a
way for visitors and summer workers to get around the town. A new access linking the CCRT at Nickerson State Park to the bayside at Linnell
Landing has been designed and permitted, but funding sources are yet to be determined. DCR also maintains the numerous bike and hiking trails in
Nickerson State Park. There are 7 miles of sidewalks along Rt. 6A/Main Street from Nickerson State Park to Stony Brook Road.
Among other projects, rRe-paving of Underpass and Snow Roads also extended sidewalks and created narrow bike lanes. Millstone Road design
work also includes pedestrian and bike improvements. TChapter 90 fundshe Town has designed proposed improvements from will target Rte.137
from at Rte. 6A/Main Street to the intersection of Rte. 124, including re-surfacing, drainage improvements and accommodations for ng bike and
pedestrian traffic. The main challenge to expanding bike and pedestrian ways is the narrow width of Brewster’s roads and the extent of wetlands.
Speed limits also dictate design standards on major roads and require separation of vehicles and pedestrians or bicyclists. Creating public access
on Brewster’s private roads, or pursuing local transportation projects within State road layouts, can also be a challenge. The majority of roads in
Brewster are private.
35
[Figure # - Transportation Resources]
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Town facilities for active recreation are spread out throughout the town, including baseball and athletic fields, community tennis and pickleball
courts, and playgrounds are located at Drummer Boy Park, the Eddy Elementary School, and Stony Brook Elementary School. Captain’s Golf
Course is a significant Town-owned community recreational facility and a visitor attraction with public meeting space.
Recent Actions by the Town
A 2021 School Consolidation Study proposed three options for consolidation of the Eddy and Stony Brook Elementary Schools and housed at an
expanded Stony Brook School. This would make the Eddy School available for repurposing. Further action will be determined by the School
Committee. As of 2023, in light of continued stable increased enrollment, the School Committee voted to table the discussion of consolidation
until enrollment levels necessitate a change. The recent purchase of the former Cape Cod Sea Camps properties, particularly the Bay Property on
Rte. 6A/ Main Street, offers significant potential as a location for a multigenerational community center, as well as beach access and a variety of
recreation activities. The Town established Planning Committees for both the Bay and Long Pond Properties at the end of 2021 to develop
comprehensive plans. A consultant team was hired in 2022 and the public engagement process to inform long-term planning began in the Spring
of 2023. In the interim, the Recreation Department has been using the Bay Property for a number of programs, First Light Beach opened to
residents in 2022, and the Brewster Community Pool opened in June 2023.
The Town updates and implements a Pavement Management Plan (PMP) on a regular basis to prioritize funding for improvements to Town
roadways including bicycle and pedestrian facilities. As supported by the PMP, in Spring 2023, the Town received $186,000 in Winter Recovery
Assistance Program (WRAP) funds to resurface Foster and Breakwater Roads to ensure safe usage by vehicle, cycle, and foot travelers, which was
completed in April 2023. Additionally, the Town coordinated with the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA) to add a bus stop at the
newly-constructed Brewster Woods housing complex on Brewster Road in FY23.
A 2016 report prepared by the Brewster Bikeways Committee identifies alternative biking routes for transportation and recreation, proposes safety
improvements, and recommends public education measures. In 2017, Town Meeting approved $100,000 in CPA funds for the installation of
warning lights at the four Cape Cod Rail Trail (CCRT) crossings in town to enhance safety at the crossings. The Town also completed a Beach
Access strategy, which includes expanding bike and pedestrian access to Town landings as a way to reduce the need for more beachfront parking.
A CCRT spur from Nickerson State Park to Cape Cod Bay is also planned to expand bike and pedestrian access to the beach.
In January 2020, the Select Board approved a Complete Streets Policy to accommodate all users by creating a context-sensitive roadway network
that meets the needs of individuals utilizing a variety of transportation modes. The Policy directs decision-makers to consistently plan, design,
construct, and maintain roadways to accommodate all anticipated users. Private ways may be exempted from this requirement upon approval by
the Select Board with consultation from appropriate Town Departments.
An updated Master Plan for Drummer Boy Park was approved by Town Meeting in Fall 2021. In Fall 2022, Town Meeting voted to remand the
Plan back to committee for further study rather than move forward with its implementation, due in large part to concerns over a potential elevated
boardwalk to Wing Island referred to in that plan’s appendix. The Select Board approved the charge for the new Drummer Boy Park Advisory
Committee in March 2023. Member selection for that Committee is expected to conclude in June 2023. It’s anticipated that this newly
reconstituted committee will report to Town Meeting in Spring 2024. Town Meeting also approved funds to improve accessibility at the Freemans
Way fields. As noted elsewhere in the LCP, the Bay and Pond Properties represent a significant opportunity for active recreation facilities, and the
Recreation Department is making use of existing fields and facilities for interim programming.
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Key Issues Moving Forward
Priority community facilities and infrastructure needs for the coming years include reevaluation of the Master Plan for Drummer Boy Park; future
consideration of consolidation of the Eddy and Stony Brook Elementary Schools; and identification of a location for a multi-generational
community center. The Bay and Pond Properties offers a unique opportunity for the Town to consider a variety of potential uses for the property to
meet multiple Town needs.
Continued expansion of bike and pedestrian trails and paths to provide alternatives to automobile travel as well as recreational opportunities for
residents and visitors is a key component of Brewster’s vision and goals. The Town will continue to consider the Complete Streets design as
appropriate in future repaving projects.
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Solid Waste Management
Background and Current Status
Solid waste management is a critical activity designed to protect human health and the environment while providing a service at a reasonable cost
and supporting the economy. Many municipalities, including Brewster, have assumed this important management role by providing either a
transfer station or curbside collection. New regulations adopted at the state level resulted in the Town initiating the lengthy process of closing its
landfill. The current transfer station building was built in 1988 and designed for trash hauling.
The SEMASS Partnership Agreement signed in 1985 by the Town of Brewster with other Cape Towns reduced the amount of greenhouse gas
emissions attributable to trash disposal while generating electricity. The initial 30-year contracts required that all waste be delivered to SEMASS
either via the “trash train” or by direct haul. The SEMASS Partnership Agreement was originally due to expire in 2015. The SEMASS facility
was constructed, owned, and operated by Energy Answers Corporation until it was acquired by Covanta in 2008.
In 1990, the MassDEP introduced waste bans on many recyclable items as well as those containing toxic materials. Once introduced, the Town
began its recycling program in earnest, while continuing to send its residual, non-recyclable waste, to SEMASS for energy production. In parallel
with negotiations with SEMASS for a new agreement in 2010, the Recycling Commission began discussing ways to reduce how much of
Brewster’s waste was sent to SEMASS. The new contract negotiated by the Town and effective January 01, 2011, allowed for any legitimate
waste reduction, reuse, or recycling program to be implemented with no penalty. The Town chose to renegotiate 5 years early to keep future tip
fees in check by providing stable, below market rates until 2030. In addition, commercial waste haulers were prohibited from using the transfer
station effective January 1, 2011.
Recent Actions by the Town
The Town implemented Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) in 2013 as a means of increasing recycling and decreasing the volume of trash for disposal
and re-branded the transfer station to the Brewster Recycling Center. During the first full year, the PAYT program resulted in a 47% reduction in
waste for transport to SEMASS for energy recovery and an increase of 26% recycling. Since the introduction of PAYT, the Town has continued to
derive benefit from the program, despite COVID and the increase in the Town’s population.
The Town has added organics recycling, to help decrease the amount of material that is sent off-site for combustion,. and separation of newsprint,
cardboard and glass to save money and better manage these materials. Collections for e-waste, hazardous waste, mattresses, and yard waste
continue to be successful and desired by permit users. The Swap Shop rules were re-drafted, resulting in more materials being diverted from
Brewster’s waste stream. Waste practices at all Town offices and facilities were evaluated, and a recycling program was established at all beaches
and recreational areas.
Barnstable County Extension offers a household hazardous waste collection program, funded in part by the Town. Collection events occur
regularly throughout the year, are hosted at the Harwich Transfer Station, and are advertised on the Town website and at the Brewster Transfer
Station.
Several Town bylaws have been passed including a ban on single-use plastic bags and the sale of single-use plastic bottled water by Brewster
businesses, and a ban on single-use bottled water by Town Departments. The 2023 Spring Town Meeting approved a ban on the sale of miniature
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single use containers, i.e., “nips”, effective on January 1, 2024. Prior to the pandemic, the Brewster Recycling Commission was continually active
in community outreach to promote better management of household waste.
Key Issues Moving Forward
There are two major challenges facing good solid waste management in Brewster:
1. Changes in the recycling industry as to what and how to recycle; and
2. Re-education of patrons regarding the importance of these changes.
The recycling industry must continually adapt to new materials and new ways to manage those materials. To process materials effectively at
MRFs (Material Recovery Facilities), a combination of mechanical and human separation is necessary. For the system to work effectively,
residents must follow the Recycling Guide to maximize what can and should be recycled.
As an alternative to providing solid waste management through the Recycling Center, the Town could choose to use total curbside collection for
trash and recyclables, and compliance could be better. However, there is a significant cost to town-wide collection and a feeling of loss of control
by homeowners.
To maximize recycling, reuse activities, and reduction of the amount of waste generated by Brewster’s homeowners, the following can be
considered:
1. Recycling Center user-wide survey (based on permits) to determine the most effective method of communication so that changes in
procedures can take quickly place when most economically advantageous to the Town; and
2. A local on-going multi-media campaign covering what, why and how to recycle typical household materials.
In November 2022, Massachusetts extended its waste ban to include textiles. This provides the Town and private markets opportunities to address
textiles in reuse or recycling.
It has been recognized that better education is needed for landlords and seasonal renters regarding waste and recycling, including available
facilities and services.
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Climate Mitigation and Adaptation
Background and Current Status
According to the July 2021 Cape Cod Climate Action Plan, climate change is an unprecedented challenge that is transforming Cape Cod. Rising
seas and changes to the coastline are the most dramatic evidence of climate change, but a changing climate is also impacting every facet of Cape
Cod’s natural, built, and community systems. Our land use patterns and way of living dictate our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the leading
cause of the climate crisis. Dedicated and immediate actions at the state, regional and local level are necessary to slow the effects of climate
change and improve the region’s resiliency to its impacts. By the end of the century, damage to Cape Cod’s buildings and land lost to inundation
from sea level rise alone could total over $30 billion.
In response, the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan and climate policy call for dramatic reductions in GHG emissions including a 50%
reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and a net zero carbon emission target for 2050. The Cape Cod Climate Action Plan and 2018 Cape Cod
Regional Policy Plan identify goals and policies as well as strategies and actions to reduce GHG emissions for Cape communities and enhance
local and regional resiliency to present and future climate threats.
The Town of Brewster has taken important steps in adopting local policies designed to support attainment of statewide GHG targets and regional
goals for climate mitigation, specifically addressing the municipal stationary and transportation energy sources. The Town adopted a Climate
Change and Net Zero Emissions Resolution in October 2020, to reduce net greenhouse gas and the Town’s vulnerability to climate change.
Brewster’s 2019 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Summary of Findings report documents climate and weather-related challenges in recent
years. Intense rainstorms in 2017 and 2018 caused street flooding, coastal flooding, coastal erosion, storm surge, power outages and major travel
disruptions. Low lying roadways and access points to Town beaches often flood during king tides (e.g., especially high spring tide). Brewster can
expect to experience more severe events in the years to come in addition to rising sea levels due to climate change.
Recent Actions by the Town
The following are specific actions the Town has taken to support the newly adopted Brewster Climate Change and Net Zero Emissions Resolution
and Town policy objectives on reduction of GHG emissions and to address the town’s vulnerability to climate change.
Energy Reduction Measures
• Board of Building Regulations and Standards Stretch Energy Code (2019) minimizes the life-cycle cost of new construction by
utilizing energy efficiency, water conservation and other renewable/alternative energy technologies. The Stretch Energy Code applies
to all new residential and commercial construction in the town.
• The Town-Wide Energy Reduction Plan includes a summary of municipal energy uses and short- and long-term plans for municipal
energy reduction. The majority of energy consumed is by municipal buildings (60%). The remaining usage includes vehicles (30%)
and utility pumping (10%). The goal is to reduce baseline energy consumption by twenty (20) percent by FY2023.
• The Town established the Energy and Climate Action Committee in 2023 to evaluate the economic and practical feasibility of all
energy-related projects and climate change-related activities on Town municipal property, including energy efficiency, energy
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conservation, and greenhouse gas reduction. Committee work includes review of Town bylaws, regulations and policies as well as
educational outreach to residents and businesses on climate change mitigation and adaptive strategies. The Committee is also charged
to lead Town efforts to address climate mitigation and adaptation goals, as identified in the Town’s Municipal Vulnerability
Preparedness Hazard Mitigation Plan, Climate Emergency and Net Zero Declaration, Local Comprehensive Plan and Select Board
Strategic Plan.
• OneThree of the buildings at the Bay Property (former CCSC) have roof-mounted solar panels which provides ‘clean’ on-site power
to the property and lowers operational costs.
Green Communities Designation
• Brewster was designated as a Massachusetts Green Community in 2020 under the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources
(DOER) Green Communities Act of 2008. Grant funds through the Green Communities program were awarded for energy
conservation measures such as programmable thermostats, an energy management system, heat pump water heater, and demand
control ventilation in Municipal Buildings.
• The Town has completed several solar projects with funding from the Cape and Vineyard Electric Cooperative, including 3.18628
total MW of solar generating facilities located on four municipal properties: the transfer station, the Stony Brook and Eddy Schools;
and the Captains Golf Course and driving range. The Town has also entered into a new ‘off-taking’ agreement with Truro which will
significantly reduce the Town’s net utility expenses in the coming years. The total revenues and savings to the Town through leases
and off-taking arrangements with other municipal facilities is approximately $273,772.06 (FY22). The total energy savings to the
town from the rooftop solar installations on Stony Brook and Eddy Elementary Schools is 256,345.61 kWh (FY22). Carport solar
canopies over the golf course parking lots produce an estimated 740,291 kWh annually, saving approximately 523 metric tons of
carbon dioxide equivalent and providing the Town with more than $40,000 annually in revenue.
• The Town’s long-standing commitment to open space protection has helped sequester carbon by protecting forested lands as a natural
carbon sink.
Complete Streets
• Brewster adopted a Complete Streets Policy in 2020 to encourage safe and accessible options for all modes of travel including less
personal vehicle travel, a significant source of GHG emissions, and more opportunity for walking, biking, and transit.
Low Lying Roads
• In partnership with the Cape Cod Commission, the Town has participated in a regional initiative supported with state Municipal
Vulnerability Preparedness grant funds to consider traditional, green, and hybrid solutions and associated cost estimates for
three low-lying road segments (Betty’s Curve at Route 6A/Lower Road, Lower Road at Freemans Pond, and Route 6A at the Dennis
town line).
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Key Issues Moving Forward
The Town is in the process of converting municipal vehicle fleets to electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles or vehicles using cleaner fuels. For
municipal vehicles that will not be converted to electric in the near-term, the Town could also consider the use of hybrid vehicles or cleaner fuels,
as available. The Town is also reviewing methods to convert the conventional heating system in the Stony Brook School to cold weather heat
pumps.
There are three private electric vehicle charging stations in Brewster. The Town is interested incould pursuinge resources and programs to support
additional electric vehicle charging stations in appropriate locations to help reduce the local GHG emissions in support of State goals.
One of the ways the Town can consider mitigating climate change while simultaneously addressing other Building Blocks is by focusing future
development in previously developed areas of the town with infrastructure capacity, served by transportation routes conducive to walking, biking,
transit or the like.
The Town employs a part-time energy manager through Cape Light Compact to analyze the energy uses of the Town, andTown, and finding ways
to save money and reduce dependency on fossil fuels as appropriate. The Town could consider performing updating energy assessments on its all
municipal buildings and work with the Cape Light Compactas part of its Green Communities designation, including working with available
programs offered by the Cape Light Compact. to access available programs.
The Town could also consider pursuing adoption of small-scale community solar at appropriate locations. The CCC created an online screening
tool to identify areas in Barnstable County that may be appropriate for large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects and those areas that may be less
appropriate due to potential impacts to natural resources. This tool could be used as a starting point to help inform the siting of potential solar PV
projects. More information on the solar screening tool can be found here: https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-work/solar-screening-tool/.
The Commission has also prepared a model bylaw for large-scale, ground mounted solar arrays: https://www.capecodcommission.org/our-
work/model-solar-bylaw/.
Brewster is also working with the Cape Cod Commission on 1) updating and strengthening local bylaws to better address coastal development and
redevelopment with the goal of building coastal resiliency, and 2) including participating in the regional Low Lying Roads project to examine
vulnerabilities in the roadway network and identify adaptation alternatives, with funding support provided by the U.S. Economic Development
Administration (EDA) and the Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program.
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SECTION 4: THE ACTION PLAN - BUILDING BLOCK GOALS, PURPOSES, AND ACTIONS
The following Action Plan is intended to advance proposed to achieve Building Block goals over the next 10+ years. The constituent actions,
strategies and policies identified representare a menu of possible options that have been identified as important or essential to contributing to these
goals but are not intended to be a complete or exclusive list of all that the Town could do. but does include the most important actions essential to
advance the corresponding goals. While a large and ambitious number of actions are presented, priorities for implementation will be identified
during the Select Board’s annual strategic planning exercise. The identification of these planning actions represents the very early, beginning of
the process, not the end. Decisions about whether and how to pursue any one of these actions will be made through a participative, public
process.
The list of actions has been drawn from numerous sources including the following:
● Actions from the Vision Plan that have not yet been implemented.
● Recommendations from implementing stakeholders and public comments about current needs.
● Recommendations from the summary papers about trends and needs; and
● Results of the Brewster’s Next Steps survey gauging public support for individual actions.
Actions were also established and included in consideration of:
● Presenting a level of specificity appropriate for a high-level land use plan, i.e., enough specificity to provide policy direction for future
implementation, but with sufficient flexibility not to impede or foreclose successful future implementation.
● The feasibility of implementation.
● A fair representation of the full spectrum of comments and opinions received throughout the entire comprehensive planning process; and
● The opportunity to provide benefits across multiple Building Blocks.
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As the final phase of Action Plan development, the draft list of actions was reviewed and refined by workshops of key Town Departments and
local organizations to assess the accuracy, relevancy, and ability to implement each action. This vital part of the process helped ensure that the
capacity and commitment to implement the Action Plan will make the LCP a living plan.
The Action Plan is presented by Building Block, a concept established by the 2018 Vision Plan, with corresponding Community goals, purposes,
and a broad array of proposed actions to achieve those the Community’s vision, goals and purposes. While the Building Blocks are presented
separately, the Town recognizes that they are, in fact, highly interrelated and should not be treated in a stove-pipe manner. Action in one Building
Block should help advance the goals of the others.
At the same time, given the breadth of Brewster’s goals and the large number of actions to achieve them, there will be inevitable tensions or
conflicts between actions. It will be the responsibility of the Select Board and other commissions and committees to strike the necessary balance to
resolve those tensions and achieve the community’s vision for the future. Further, the actions presented in this plan will require discussion among
Town decision-makers, residents, and other stakeholders as to how and when specific actions are implemented. These discussions will take into
account changing circumstances, available Town resources, the regulatory framework, and other conditions and challenges. The implementation
of many or most actions will require Town Meeting approval.
COMMUNITY CHARACTER (CC)
GOAL: Sustain and foster Brewster's historic and archeological values, rural nature, small town feel, and socially inclusive
spirit and vitality
PURPOSE 1: Provide social opportunities and services for all
Actions:
CC1.Expand, enhance, and support social opportunities, recreational activities and services for all at the Bay and Long Pond Properties,
Brewster Ladies Library and a potential multi-generational community center.
CC2. Identify, develop, and support new services as needed to strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion.
CC3. Ensure that school facilities and activities meet the needs of young families.
CC4. Increase accessibility to all Town activities and facilities.
CC5. Evaluate provision of financial support for Pre-K programs to attract and retain young families.
PURPOSE 2: Maintain Brewster’s historic heritage and style
Actions:
CC6. Support existing regulations and educate the public on building and site design along Rte. 6A/Main Street and in the historic district to
preserve historic character.
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CC7. Incorporate sensitivity for historic resources into the design of Town projects.
CC8. Investigate the need for a Demolition Delay Bylaw and implement if supported and feasible.
PURPOSE 3: Maintain Brewster’s small-town feel and scale through appropriate planning and design
Actions:
CC9. Explore and support the designation of “town centers”, including identifying what uses might best support such areas.
CC10. Explore and establish, as desired and appropriate, building design standards and enhanced site design standards in the zoning
bylaw for commercial areas.
WATER RESOURCES (WR)
GOAL: Protect Brewster's groundwater, ponds, wetlands and their buffers, and marine watersheds
PURPOSE 1: Preserve an adequate quantity and the high quality of our drinking water
Actions:
WR1. Continue land purchases to protect drinking water.
WR2. Consider further strengthening drinking water supply protection in industrial zones.
WR3. Evaluate actions to limit further development in drinking water supply areas.
WR4. Evaluate the feasibility of testing for PFAS and other contaminants of emerging concern.
WR5. Continue to educate and communicate with the public about water conservation practices and programs.
WR6. Continue to update and implement the Integrated Water Resources Management Plan.
WR7. Coordinate aquifer protection with neighboring towns.
PURPOSE 2: Maintain and improve pond water quality
Actions:
WR8. Promote, research, and pilot innovative alternative septic systems and other non-traditional wastewater solutions.
WR9. Explore the feasibility of cluster sewage treatment systems for multifamily housing areas and neighborhoods that will impact pond water
quality, where supported by sufficient density.
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WR10. Fully implement the stormwater bylaw and share further information with the public.
WR11. Continue to update pond water quality data and report to the public.
WR12. Educate the public on pond water quality issues and what people can do to make a difference in their own homes.
WR13. Pursue land acquisition to protect pond water quality.
WR14. Research and consider the feasibility of the Town offering public incentives and financing for their use, including upgrades of existing
systems in order to encourage innovative alternative septic systems and other non-traditional wastewater solutions,
WR15. Research and consider the feasibility of centralized operations and management models for innovative alternative septic systems.
WR16. Continue to update and implement the Integrated Water Resources Management Plan.
PURPOSE 3: Protect and restore water quality in the marine watersheds to which we contribute
Actions:
WR16. Evaluate the maximum build-out in the Pleasant Bay and Herring River watersheds and its impacts on water quality; consider regulations
to mitigate build-out impacts.
WR17. Promote, research, and pilot innovative septic systems and other non-traditional wastewater management models
WR18. Explore the feasibility of cluster sewage treatment systems for multifamily and other neighborhoods that will impact marine watershed
water quality, where supported by sufficient density.
WR19. Continue exploring nitrogen reduction practices on golf courses.
WR20. Pursue land acquisition to protect marine watersheds water quality.
WR21. To encourage innovative alternative septic systems and other non-traditional wastewater solutions, research and consider the feasibility of
the Town offering public incentives and financing for their use, including upgrades of existing systems.
WR22. Research and consider the feasibility of centralized operations and management models for innovative alternative septic systems.
WR23. Continue to update and implement the Integrated Water Resources Management Plan.
WR24. Continue to meet the ongoing obligations of the Pleasant Bay Watershed Permit, including the identification and implementation of
nitrogen mitigation strategies.
WR25. Develop new Watershed Permits for the Herring River, Swan Pond River and Bass River Watersheds and begin applying the permitted
nitrogen mitigation strategies.
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OPEN SPACE (OS)
GOAL: Maintain and expand open space assets to provide passive recreation, protect fragile plant and wildlife habitat, protect
water resources, and contribute to carbon sequestration
PURPOSE 1: Improve public access to, and expand recreational area use of, open space as appropriate
Actions:
OS1. Consider an integrated trail system for the Long Pond Woodlands and the abutting former Sea Camps Pond Property.
OS2. Continue to improve public education and information, including guides and signage, about access to, accessibility improvements, and
locations of town open space assets.
PURPOSE 2: Prioritize environmentally sensitive areas for conservation
Actions:
OS3. Continue to prioritize land acquisition in public drinking water supply areas.
OS4. Emphasize and educate about the importance of open space for pond and fragile habitat protection.
OS5. Revise regulations and bylaws to direct growth toward developed areas of the town with infrastructure, public services, economic
activities, and transit, and away from environmentally sensitive areas.
OS6. Develop design standards to prevent fragmentation of environmentally sensitive areas.
PURPOSE 3: Document the process for the acquisition and maintenance of open space to better engage and educate the public
Actions:
OS7. Develop and maintain an inventory of all protected open space in town.
OS8. Develop and implement stewardship plans for Town-owned open spaces.
OS9. Formalize the criteria to evaluate open space acquisitions and use, recognizing and balancing varied purposes such as the importance of
recreation, the potential for establishing or extending trail networks, habitat benefits and the positive effect of woodlands in climate mitigation as
criteria for land acquisition.
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HOUSING (HO)
GOAL: Provide more affordable, attainable, accessible, safe, and fair housing, and support residents to maintain and preserve
their current housing in order to remain in the community
PURPOSE 1: Achieve the Commonwealth’s goal of 10% affordable housing by 2029
Actions:
HO1. Implement the 2022 Housing Production Plan (HPP) Update.
HO2. Collaborate with existing local and regional groups to conduct public forums educating the general public on what affordable housing
is and why it is important in Brewster.
HO3. Work collaboratively with other towns to increase opportunities for affordable housing.
PURPOSE 2: Establish attainable housing by promoting housing choices to allow families, single individuals, older adults, and
seasonal and year-round workers to live, work, and prosper in the community
Actions:
HO4. Review and consider revising, as appropriate, the zoning bylaw to clarify/allow mixed use developments.
HO4. Continue to eEvaluate the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) bylaw provisions to improve efficacy, explore incentives for a greater number
of ADUs, and connect owners to community resources to provide support and assistance in developing ADUs.
HO5. Support creative funding and collaborative partnerships (public/private) in the development of community housing, including incentives
for year-round rentals.
HO6. Work collaboratively with other towns to increase opportunities for attainable housing.
HO7. Review, and evaluate and consider revising the zoning bylaw with the aim of promoting more opportunities as appropriate for various
types and forms of housing, including two-family residential/duplex; multi-unit/multi-family residential; and mixed-use residential development.
HO8. Prioritize and incentivize the adaptive reuse of existing buildings for housing.
HO9. Evaluate the use of Town-owned properties for creative housing solutions, including reuse of Town-owned buildings for housing.
HO10. Evaluate the acquisition of land by the Town for housing, including for joint purposes such as open space uses.
HO11. Encourage housing in areas near transportation, public services, and economic activities.
HO12. Explore potential housing programs, opportunities, and funding for those earning 80% to 120% of Area Median Income (AMI).
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HO13. Consider programs and regulatory amendments to allow for and support seasonal workforce housing.
PURPOSE 3: Preserve existing year-round housing
Actions:
HO14. Promote ability for residents to transition to different forms of housing and remain in Brewster over a lifetime by providing a wide range
of housing choices.
HO156. Explore solutions to allow residents to age in place, including funding or subsidizing building adaptations, support programs, co-
housing, and co-pairing situations.
HO167. Continue to eEvaluate the ADU bylaw provisions to improve efficacy, explore incentives for a greater number of ADUs, and connect
owners to community resources to provide support and assistance in developing ADUs.
HO17. Support creative funding and collaborative partnerships (public/private) in the preservation of community housing, including incentives
for year-round rentals.
HO18. Analyze the impacts of short-term rental operations in town and consider adopting policies, regulations, or programs to govern or
document short-term rental operations.
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COASTAL MANAGEMENT (CM)
GOAL: In the context of coastal change, preserve and protect Brewster’s coastal resources, expand public access, and
minimize the vulnerabilities from coastal hazards
PURPOSE 1: Protect coastal resources in ways that preserve coastal ecosystems and the character of the town and coastal
neighborhoods
Actions:
CM1. Evaluate and implement local coastal resiliency by-laws and regulations to protect or preserve the scale of development, visual
character and resources in the town’s coastal areas.
CM2. Establish a uniform definition of the 100-year coastal floodplain for local regulations.
CM3. Increase public awareness of the importance of healthy coastal wetlands and natural processes, and of the need to protect these resource
areas.
PURPOSE 2: Maintain and expand public access to the coast
Actions:
CM4. Explore and evaluate the need for, and feasibility of, alternative transport and off-site parking options for the town’s coastal beaches and
landings.
CM5. Evaluate, explore, and advance opportunities to preserve or enhance public access to the shoreline and coastal beaches.
CM6. Complete long-term plan for beach access at First Light Beach.
CM7. Support those with mobility challenges by preserving public viewsheds and vistas to coastal resource areas and by evaluating opportunities
for enhancing mobility access at beach landings.
PURPOSE 3: Adapt to climate change projections and advance adaptation and resiliency techniques that are financially and
environmentally sustainable
Actions:
CM8. Periodically assess coastal resource conditions for comparison to baseline conditions and on a regional scale, including sediment budget
update, storm tide pathways, and a regional framework for resilience.
CM9. Explore regulatory options for managed retreat of existing development from high-risk coastal resource areas.
CM10. Explore and evaluate the need for, and feasibility of, potential retreat parking, including for Paine’s Creek and Mant’s Landings.
CM11. Implement recommendations from theParticipate in the development of a comprehensive shoreline management plan being developed
jointly under a CZM grant with Dennis and Orleans and consider recommended implementation strategies.
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PURPOSE 4: Provide access for coastal water dependent activities
Actions:
CM12. Provide access and opportunities for commercial aquaculture by updating regulations, evaluating the designation of an Aquaculture
Development Area, and analyzing the costs and benefits of expanding shellfishing and aquaculture.
CM13. Expand propagation and other activities to support recreational shellfishing.
CM14. Manage competing uses at town landings and mooring areas.
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LOCAL ECONOMY (LE)
GOAL: Promote a sustainable economy that builds on Brewster’s natural and human assets, addresses the needs of local
businesses, and provides year-round employment opportunities
PURPOSE 1: Preserve and enhance Brewster’s economy based on the Town’s natural and cultural resources
Actions:
LE1. Develop an economic development strategy that builds on Brewster’s natural, cultural, and human resources and aims to maintain existing
and attract local businesses
LE2. Maintain a regular line of communication and working relationship between the Town and Work proactively with the local business
community, including the Brewster Chamber of Commerce and other stakeholders to refine a common marketing strategy.
LE3. Provide more information, including signage and online material, to help visitors find their way to public resources, businesses, and other
amenities in town.
LE4. Support identified or designated “town centers” through Town or other public capital investments.
PURPOSE 2: Maintain and attract local businesses and promote year-round employment
Actions:
LE5. Review and potentially revise bylaws and regulations to allow a greater variety of small businesses throughout town, including in-home
businesses.
LE6. Review and potentially revise use regulations in the commercial and industrial zoning districts.
LE7. Develop a guide to doing business for local businesses in Brewster, including permitting guidance.
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GOVERNANCE (GO)
GOAL: Provide an inclusive Town government that encourages participation by all residents by engaging in communication,
expanding volunteer opportunities, and providing customer friendly service
PURPOSE 1: Continue to communicate Town plans and activities to, and engage with, residents
Actions:
GO1. Develop a written Communications Plan to better inform residents and local businesses about Town affairs and opportunities for the public
to participate.
GO2. Continue to provide relevant news, information, updates, and announcements on the Town website and through social and other media, .
GO3. Continue to provide updated and relevant information on the Town website, including regarding Town finances, projects, permitting
processes, and other Town initiatives.
PURPOSE 2: Expand the volunteer base to increase the use of citizen expertise and build diversity in decision-making
Actions:
GO3. Develop and launch a Citizens Leadership Academy to help introduce residents to government
services and volunteer opportunities.
GO4. Continue the use of town-wide activities and ad hoc committees to engage residents in Town affairs.
GO5. Develop a central database of volunteers to assist with recruitment of qualified volunteers across all Town Departments and appointed
Committees.
GO6. Acknowledge contributions of Brewster residents to Town or public affairs and recognize volunteers when they complete their
commitment or at other important junctures of volunteer life.
GO7. Continue to partner with community organizations on matters of public importance.
PURPOSE 3: Continue to strengthen the customer service approach to Town services
Actions:
GO8. Develop a resource section on the Town website that includes educational materials, including videos (e.g., by link to Vimeo, BGTV or
LCTV files) and fact sheets on topics such as responsibilities of Town Departments, zoning, permitting, ADUs, and other matters of high interest.
GO9. Develop a ‘How-to Guide’ for homeowners to explain permitting processes.
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COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE (CI)
GOAL: Maintain and enhance town infrastructure in an environmentally and economically sustainable way that supports
government services, opportunities for community interaction, the local economy and culture, public health, safe
multi-modal transportation options, and expanded recreational opportunities
PURPOSE 1: Plan and design Town building and construction projects to benefit the broad cross-section of all users and interests
in the community
Actions:
CI1. Include enhanced universal accessibility where feasible on Town properties and projects.
CI2. Conduct a needs assessment for a multi-generational community center, including considering reuse or redevelopment of other Town
facilities/properties.
CI3. Re-evaluate Drummer Boy Park master planning to date.
CI4. Complete the comprehensive planning processes for and begin implementation of the plans for the Bay and Pond Properties.
PURPOSE 2: Provide enhanced and safe multi-modal opportunities, access, and facilities for all, including for recreational purposes
Actions:
CI5. Develop a town-wide plan for improving and/ or expanding bike and pedestrian paths and sidewalks.
CI6. Pursue the development ofConsider pursuit of the proposed Cape Cod Rail Trail (CCRT) extension from Nickerson State Park to Cape
Cod Bay including the consideration of alternatives for crossing Rte. 6A/Main Street.
CI7. Continue to coordinate with the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA) on additional bus routes and stops and other
alternative transportation options.
PURPOSE 3: Plan and design traditional infrastructure projects like road improvements and maintenance to best serve the needs of
the overall community, limit environmental impacts, and balance fiscal impacts
Actions:
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CI8. Factor, budget, and set aside long-term improvement and maintenance costs in the funding for capital projects.
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT (SW)
GOAL: To manage a municipal solid waste system that protects public health, safety, and the environment, optimizes financial
methods, communicates effectively with users, and employs innovative strategies to reduce solid waste and related
costs
PURPOSE 1: Reduce the waste stream
Actions:
SW1. Implement an ongoing multi-media public education campaign to reduce the waste stream, including re-purposing and re-using items and
optimizing recycling.
SW2. Enhance and publicize regional waste collection initiatives such as hazardous waste collection.
SW3. Further investigate opportunities between Brewster and regional initiatives for solid waste management.
PURPOSE 2: Improve the efficiency of the solid waste facility
Actions:
SW4. Enhance communications with the public concerning Recycling Center operations, practices, and policies using a variety of print and
electronic media channels.
SW5. Conduct a Recycling Center study and site analysis including traffic circulation, optimal use of space, safety, and potential re-use
options.
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CLIMATE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION (CA)
GOAL: Support and advance the Commonwealth’s greenhouse gas reduction goals, including promoting sustainable energy
use and renewable energy that protects the Town’s natural resources
PURPOSE 1: Reduce the Town’s contribution to and vulnerability to climate change
Actions:
CA1. Develop a Net Zero Energy Roadmap for the Town’s assets and operations.
CA2. Implement the MEMA/FEMA approved 2021 Local Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan.
CA3. Consider specific actions for reducing energy use, including completing energy audits in all Town buildings; specifying actions regarding
increased energy efficiency in existing and newly constructed Town buildings; locating solar panels/arrays on Town buildings and facilities; and
purchasing alternative energy Town vehicles when due for replacement.
CA4. Encourage roof mounted solar panels on buildings and on parking lot canopies/carports.
CA5. Consider provision of incentives and/or assistance, including financial, for installation of solar panels on private homes.
CA6. Work with private entities to install public charging stations at appropriate municipal or publicly accessible locations.CA7. Modify or re-
locate Town infrastructure and buildings to reduce the potential damage due to climate change such as flooding.
PURPOSE 2: Review and update Town bylaws and regulations to mitigate projected climate change impacts
Actions:
CA8. Review zoning bylaws and develop amendments for consistency with this goal, including small-scale solar installations, and the
promotion of compact, walkable and bikeable development patterns.
CA9. Clarify design guidelines for the Historic District regarding installation of renewable energy options.
CA10. Review and consider revising existing Town bylaws and regulations dealing with the use of chemical fertilizers.
CA11. Foster natural carbon sequestration by amending Town bylaw to limit the clearing of forested land, including for solar farms, and
exploring opportunities to restore degraded native plant communities.
PURPOSE 3: Build awareness about the nature of climate change and Town efforts to mitigate climate change
Actions:
CA12. Develop an Education and Preparedness Campaign for the general public and the business sector that includes guidance and checklists for
reducing fossil fuel use, as well as recommendations to increase community resilience to the impacts.
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SECTION 5: CAPITAL FACILITIES PLAN
In this section the LCP will align, and cross-reference capital investments contemplated in the Action Plan with the Town’s on-going capital
planning. This analysis ensures that the capital requirements necessary to implement the LCP are planned for and met.
The LCPs Capital Facilities Plan (CFP) outlines the key capital facilities and infrastructure considerations raised in the Action Plan, intended to
support, and advance Brewster’s LCP vision and goals. The CFP includes a spreadsheet that identifies these capital projects, and other capital
needs, with associated funding information. The CFP also contains a spreadsheet that describes the Town’s existing capital facilities, assets and
infrastructure. Infrastructure needs, challenges and constraints informed the preparation of the Action Plan and are discussed in the ‘Existing
Conditions’ section of the LCP.
The Town of Brewster, through its Town Manager and Select Board, engage in both an annual Strategic Planning Process and annual Capital
Planning Process. The Strategic Plan is arranged by the Building Blocks in the Town’s Vision Plan, which was a precursor to the LCP. Going
forward, the Strategic Plan will be arranged by the LCP Building Blocks. The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) provides a blueprint for planning
all the community's capital expenditures by aligning the Town’s priority capital needs with available funding sources. It includes programming
and budgeting functions, allowing for project scheduling and financial adjustments over a 5-year planning horizon. The CIP culminates in the
upcoming year's spending plan for Unless an alternative funding source is available, aAll capital items/ appropriations are presented to Town
Meeting for approval. The current CIP is for FY230-274. The Town also per Code/ Charter publishes annually in the May Town Meeting
Warrant Booklet a summary of the capital improvement plan, identifying all proposed capital expenditures for the next 5 years estimated to cost
$100,000 or more.
The LCP, specifically through its Action Plan and Capital Facilities Plan, is the intersection between the Town’s Strategic Plan and CIP. The
Strategic Plan is the primary way through which the LCP Action Plan will be implemented, and its constituent actions prioritized. Although not
every item on the CIP is represented in the Strategic Plan or in the LCP, many Town initiatives and projects appear in all three planning
documents. The CFP does not supersede the Town’s normal capital budgeting process represented in the CIP. All Town capital projects, whether
in the LCP or not, must be included on the CIP. The CIP and Strategic Plan contain more detail about estimated capital costs, funding sources and
timing. The CIP includes many operational or customary items outside the scope of the LCP that are necessary to run the Town effectively. The
CFP represents ongoing or proposed capital projects related to the LCP Action Plan that are currently on or might advance to the CIP, and from
there to the Strategic Plan for implementation.
The Town, through its Finance Team and directed by financial policies established by the Select Board, dedicates a portion of its certified free
cash to fund annual capital requests. In addition to the free cash allocation, capital is funded through a variety of grants funds, community
preservation funds, debt exclusion, overlay, and capital stabilization. The Golf and Water Departments, which have enterprise funds, pay for their
own respective capital items. The Town of Brewster has worked diligently to ensure that the CIP, the Select Board Strategic Plan and the Local
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Comprehensive Plan are aligned, inform each other, and address and account for consensus community needs and future growth, and collectively
provide an implementation framework to support achieving the community’s LCP vision.
[to be appended- allow 4 more pages for spreadsheets]
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SECTION 6: HOUSING PRODUCTION PLAN SUMMARY
This section summarizes the 2022 Town of Brewster Housing Production Plan (HPP) Update, which was approved by the Commonwealth in
August 2022. The Housing Production Plan’s (HPP) goal is to help the Town make steady progress towards the 10% statutory minimum of
affordable housing under Chapter 40B. Every community in Massachusetts is mandated to have 10% of total year-round housing units as deed-
restricted to be affordable for low- or moderate-income households.
The HPP includes a housing needs assessment, housing goals, and implementation strategies. Brewster’s 2022 HPP is an update to the 2017 HPP
which has guided the Town’s Housing program over the past 5 years and is currently certified, meaning the Town has met its housing production
goal for the present year.
Housing Needs Assessment
Key findings of the housing needs assessment include the following:
● Brewster’s population increased by 5% between 2010 & 2020 Census, despite projections forecasting a potential decline.
● Over the past decade, the population under 54 years old has decreased, and the population over 55 years has increased.
● Older adults living alone are the most likely household type to be low–to-moderate income, under 80% of the Area Median Income
(AMI).
● Housing sales prices have jumped significantly since 2020 and continue to rise. Rental opportunities are limited, particularly for market
rate units. The share of housing units for seasonal recreational, or occasional use has increased, while the share of year-round renters has
decreased.
Housing Production Goals
The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) HPP guidelines require that the goals include both qualitative and quantitative
outcomes based on community and regional needs. Brewster’s mandated quantitative goal is to produce 24 new units of Subsidized Housing
Inventory (SHI) eligible affordable housing units a year. The Town identified four major qualitative goals:
1. Increase and diversify year-round housing options in Brewster for a range of income levels and household types.
2. Prevent displacement of current residents and facilitate housing mobility for households looking to move within or into Brewster.
3. Align development with the principles of the Town’s Local Comprehensive Plan/Vision Plan
4. Continue to build capacity to produce housing through staffing, funding, regional partnerships, advocacy and education, and relationships
with nonprofit and for-profit developers.
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Housing Production Plan Implementation Strategies
Brewster has made significant progress implementing its 2017 Housing Plan. This includes hiring a Housing Coordinator, creating a Housing
Trust, adopting Accessory Dwelling Unit Bylaws, obtaining housing funding, receiving a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for
housing rehab and childcare, accepting a proposal to build rental housing on Town land, redeveloping a vacant building for housing, permitting 59
units of affordable housing, and twice certifying the Housing Plan.
The 2022 HPP includes the following Implementation Strategies to meet the 10% DHCD affordable unit goal:
Regulatory Reform - Involve tools that make permitting more efficient, allow more housing development, and allow more types of housing in
Brewster.
Strategy 1: Re-evaluate the existing ADU and ACDU bylaws and other references to accessory apartments; explore amendments to
streamline these provisions and improve their efficacy.
Strategy 2: Amend zoning to clearly allow mixed uses that include housing in business-zoned areas.
Strategy 3: Re-evaluate the existing multifamily dwelling bylaw (Section 179-34) and consider changes and other regulatory measures to
facilitate multi-unit residential development.
Strategy 4: Explore measures to require or encourage the inclusion of affordable units in residential developments over a certain number
of units.
Strategy 5: Allow and incentivize the adaptive reuse of existing buildings for the creation of affordable and mixed income housing.
Strategy 6: Utilizing the findings of the ongoing Integrated Water Resources Management Plan, continue to identify appropriate
wastewater treatment systems to enable the creation of denser housing developments that can support the inclusion of affordable units.
Funding and Assets - Protect existing affordable housing and pursue specific ways to expand local funds.
Strategy 7: Continue to work with nearby communities on the Cape by pooling CPA funds and other resources to construct affordable
housing in suitable locations throughout the region and meet regional housing needs.
Strategy 8: Develop a five-year financial plan for the Brewster Affordable Housing Trust and determine whether additional funding
streams should be explored.
Strategy 9: Based upon the BAHT five-year financial plan, explore other funding opportunities to support housing initiatives at a range of
income levels.
Strategy 10: Explore local property tax incentives for the creation of affordable housing, such as offering a reduction of property taxes to
an owner renting an affordable unit.
Strategy 11: Develop criteria for assessing a property’s suitability for the creation of affordable and attainable housing.
Strategy 12: Inventory existing Town-owned land using the criteria developed to determine suitability for housing; develop and issue an
RFP for the development of affordable and attainable housing on properties identified as suitable for housing development.
62
Strategy 13: If deemed necessary based upon the findings of the Town-owned land inventory, develop and issue an RFP for the acquisition
of privately held land for the creation of affordable and attainable housing.
Education and Advocacy - Capture key stakeholders most at risk from the effects of limited housing choices.
Strategy 14: Develop a collaborative housing education plan that connects to the Town’s Local Comprehensive Plan.
Strategy 15: Continue to ensure regular participation by staff and members of Town bodies in available training on housing-related issues
including fair housing, local and regional housing needs, comprehensive permit administration, and other relevant topics.
Local Planning and Policy - Pursue partnerships and create a more welcoming environment for housing development.
Strategy 16: Continue to make good use of Chapter 40B, including the Local Initiative Program (LIP), as a vehicle for creating affordable
housing.
Strategy 17: Encourage public/private partnerships to facilitate the collaborative production of affordable housing to meet a range of
community needs.
Strategy 18: Continue to monitor the impacts of short-term rentals on the availability of year-round rental units; review and consider
changes to local policies accordingly.
Strategy 19: Increase housing staff capacity to ensure continued and consistent collaboration with the Building, Conservation, Health, and
Planning Departments.
Community Resources & Local Support – Ensure needs of the program benefactors are met.
Strategy 20: Continue the CDBG-funded housing rehabilitation program to enable income-eligible homeowners to make critical home
repairs.
Strategy 21: Evaluate current CPC-funded housing initiatives and consider adjusting to meet current needs.
Strategy 22: Explore other opportunities for direct support for eligible households, including partnerships with local non-profits and
housing assistance providers.
63
SECTION 7: IMPLEMENTATION AND PERFORMANCE MONITORING
An overarching consideration of implementation is to align the LCP, the Town’s Capital Plan, and the Select Board’s Strategic Plan.
Implementing the LCP will be the responsibility of numerous Town Boards and Departments and organizations in the community. The Select
Board will oversee implementation, including delegating responsibilities and identifying priorities. The primary vehicle for LCP implementation
will be the Select Board’s annual rolling strategic planning exercise which, since its start in 2019, has been structured around the goals of the
Vision Plan.
The Select Board’s Strategic Plan is updated on an annual basis with input from Town Boards, Committees, Department Heads and residents. A
copy of the most recent Strategic Plan is included in this section. The Select Board will balance the various Building Block goals seeking to
identify consensus priorities in carrying out its strategic planning. The Select Board will also coordinate LCP actions with the implementation of
other actions contained within the Strategic Plan or of public importance, e.g., proposed regulatory changes to forward particular LCP goals would
not only be coordinated with one another but with any broader efforts to review and revise Town regulations or bylaws. Implementation of any
particular goal or initiative identified in the Strategic Plan will follow and incorporate resident feedback.
The LCP will be the framework to ensure the alignment of the Select Board’s Strategic Plan and the community’s vision. In addition to the Select
Board, the Planning Board will play a key role in implementing the LCP, particularly those elements related to land use policy and reforming the
Town’s bylaws so that they become better adapted tools for achieving the vision and policy directions of the LCP. Monitoring progress and
reporting to the community will be another important aspect of the implementation process.
To assist in understanding the process by which the Town will implement action items, there is a diagram depicting the relationship between the
LCP, the Strategic Plan and the Capital Improvement Plan included herein.
After LCP adoption, the Strategic Plan will, among other things, incorporate LCP Building Block goals and actions as a means of implementing
the LCP. In terms of implementation, the Strategic Plan assigns timeframes and responsible parties to undertaking actions, which is a particularly
effective process in ensuring that the LCP is implemented successfully and with the best available information.
Monitoring progress and reporting to the community will be another important aspect of the implementation process. In 2021, the Vision Planning
Committee produced a report on the implementation of the Vision Plan that was well received by the public and Town government. With the LCP
becoming the framework for the Select Board’s Strategic Plan, monitoring LCP implementation becomes an integral part of that annual process.
This will include publishing reports on implementation progress for the Select Board’s internal use and reporting to the public on progress in
achieving the community’s goals. If the Town elects to pursue LCP certification, the Town will also provide the Cape Cod Commission this
annual report to communicate progress on the LCP.
64
[Insert Select Board Strategic Plan FY24-25 here]
65
Insert revised Implementation Diagram
66
SECTION 8: SUPPORTING LOCAL PLANS, REGULATION AND POLICIES
Community Character
● Historical Commission Survey of Brewster Houses, 2016
Open Space
● Town of Brewster Open Space and Recreation Plan Update, 2021
Coastal Management/ Climate Adaptation
● FEMA CRS Program, established 2018
● Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan 2021
● Coastal Resource Management Plan (Phase I), 2019
● Coastal Adaptation Strategy, 2016
● Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Plan, 2019
Water Resources
● Horsley Witten Group, Inc. January 2022. Integrated Water Resource Management Plan 2022 Update
● Horsley Witten Group, Inc. January 2013. Integrated Water Resource Management Plan Phase II Report
● CDM February 2011. Integrated Water Resource Management Plan Phase I Report – Needs Assessment
● Horsley Witten Group, Inc. 20216. Water Resource Atlas Fresh Water Ponds, Brewster, Massachusetts.
● University of Massachusetts School for Marine Science and Technology and Cape Cod Commission. Brewster Freshwater Ponds: Water
Quality Status and Recommendations for Future Activities.
● University of Massachusetts School for Marine Science and Technology. November 2014. Mill Ponds Management Plan - Walkers Pond,
Upper Mill Pond, and Lower Mill Pond.
● Solitude Lake Management. January 30, 2020. Alum Treatment Final Completion Report, Upper Mill Pond January 2020.
Governance
● Town of Brewster Annual Strategic Plan, adopted by Select Board
● Select Board Policy #58 (Public Engagement)
Community Infrastructure/ Capital Facilities
● Town of Brewster Community Preservation Plan, FY23 – FY27. 3/23/22 Adopted by the Select Board 08/08/2022
● Pavement Management Plan, 2022
● FY22-26 Capital Improvement Plan
● Drummer Boy Park Master Plan update, approved Fall 2021 Town Meeting
● Select Board Policy #61 (Complete Streets Policy)
● Biking Brewster: A Strategy to Enhance Biking in Brewster, prepared by Brewster Bikeways Committee. March 2016
67
Solid Waste
● Pay As You Throw (PAYT) Report, August 2014
Climate Mitigation
● Town Climate Change and Net Zero Resolution, 2020
● Energy Reduction Plan (Green Community Designation), 2020
Housing Production Plan
● Town of Brewster Housing Production Plan 2022 – 2027
Other Housing/ Local Economy
● American Community Survey 2019 Data, 5-year estimates
● Brewster Community Preservation Plan FY23-FY27
● Cape Cod & the Islands Association of Realtors 2021 Annual Report & December 2021 Brewster Local Market Update
● US Census 2020
Brewster Code (selection, Bylaws)
● Chapter 17, Community Preservation Committee
● Chapter 18, Affordable Housing Trust Fund
● Chapter 83, Staff Review
● Chapter 100, Flooding
● Chapter 112, Water
● Chapter 115, Illicit Connections and Discharges (note: MS4)
● Chapter 119 Fertilizer Nutrient Control
● Chapter 135, Pollution and Environmental Hazards (note: single use plastic bags, etc.)
● Chapter 152, Single Use Plastic Water Bottles
● Chapter 157, Streets and Sidewalks
● Chapter 159, Stretch Energy Code
● Chapter 171, Water Betterments
● Chapter 172, Wetlands Protection
● Chapter 179, Zoning
● Chapter 272, Stormwater Management
● Chapter 290, Subdivision Rules and Regulations
Brewster Wetlands Protection Regulations
68
Brewster Stormwater Management Regulations
Board of Health Regulations & Policies (Selections)
● I/A Monitoring Regulation
● Nitrogen Loading Regulation
● Percolation Rate Regulation
● Private Well Regulation
● Inspection Maintenance Program Regulation
● Small Wastewater Treatment
● Substandard Septic System Upgrade Regulation
● Leaching Facility Setback Regulation
● Water Quality Report Regulations
● Disposal Construction Limit Regulation
● Recycling Center Regulations
● Zone II Deed Restriction Regulation
● Sand & Gravel Mining Regulation
● Septic System Betterment Regulation
● Designation of Wetlands Conservancy District Policy
● Board of Health Policy on Single Cesspools
● Soil & Percolation Observation Policy
● Bedroom Definition
● Septic System Inspection Requirement for Variance Applications Policy
● In-House Septic Local Upgrade Approval Policy
DRAFT
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1
Open Space Commiftee July 14, 2023, Select Board Strategic Plan Comments
July 14, 2023
To: The Brewster Select Board
From: The Brewster Open Space Commiftee, Elizabeth Taylor, Chair
In responding to the Select Board request for comments on the FY23-FY24 Strategic Plan we would like to
reinforce the results of the Town’s Vision Plan which indicated that protecfion of Open Space and Water
Resources are top priorifies for Brewster residents.
Brewster needs to confinue acquisifion and permanent protecfion of open space to protect wildlife and
their habitats, forested areas, our ponds, and the lands within our ZONE IIs, which protect our drinking
water wellfields and recharge areas. Open space acquisifion is integral to drinking water resource
protecfion and should be fied to the Water Resources secfion of the Strategic Plan. The Select Board
specifically should support acquisifions/inifiafives to permanently protect drinking water resources, both
currently and for the future. There is no menfion of this under the Water Resources secfion.
Sea Camps: Water Resources
The Town’s purchase of the Sea Camps parcels was one of our most important purchases in many years.
The Bay parcel has provided Brewster with increased/much needed residenfial beach access and an
incredible array of recreafional acfivifies. There are also numerous possibilifies to provide addifional
housing on site at the Bay Parcel, both for summer help and for much needed year-round affordable
housing.
The Pond parcel should be kept as permanently protected conservafion acreage for passive recreafion,
protecfion for our ZONE II drinking water resources, the Long Pond watershed, and state listed habitat
protecfion areas. Yet, it is surprising to see how much push there is to build housing in the ZONE II area of
this property. Tom Camberieri, past Water Resources Program Manager at the Cape Cod Commission
recently reviewed the hydrogeologic properfies of this parcel and the proposed uses. He specifically
indicated that it should be kept permanently protected for future use for a new wellfield. As I recall,
Potenfial Public Water Supply Areas (PPWSAs) for Cape Cod were first idenfified in the Priority Land
Acquisifion Assessment Project (PLAAP) done by the Cape Cod Commission with the assistance of the
United State Geological Services in 1994. This project noted which areas might be suitable for future
development of drinking water supplies. These land areas met various requirements including minimum
parcel size, surrounding land uses that are protecfive of groundwater quality, and the absence of
incompafible upgradient or nearby land uses (e.g., landfills, hazardous waste sites or contaminant plumes,
dense development). The Long Pond parcel was listed as suitable for future development of drinking water
supplies. The Sea Camps parcels need to be looked at in totality with the whole town.
The State does not support clearing large tracts of land for housing development. It would rather see infill,
ADUs, etc. and re-use of exisfing structures/development in the creafion of addifional/affordable housing.
Future well site lands should not be sacrificed for housing. Once land is cleared and developed it is forever
lost for water resources/ future wellfield protecfion. All of this was clearly stated in the recent joint Smart
Growth project of the Housing Assistance Corporafion (HAC) and the Associafion to Preserve Cape Cod
(APCC) which looked at each town on Cape Cod and evaluated them for which areas were befter suited
for resource protecfion and which areas that were befter suited for use for housing development. The
Select Board did not accept/incorporate the results of this project into its planning, which is very
2
Open Space Commiftee July 14, 2023, Select Board Strategic Plan Comments
disappoinfing. Open space and housing advocates should be working together to support increased
housing density in priority housing areas, while protecfing the most crifical lands for habitat and other
natural resources. We should not be locking horns over these issues.
The Planning Board is currently reviewing the ADU and other zoning bylaws and will be proposing changes,
likely for Spring Town Meefing.
Water Resources – Stormwater
The Town recently passed a Stormwater bylaw to correspond with the updated State Stormwater
regulations. Trees help alleviate problems related to stormwater runoff, including flooding and
water quality issues. The Forest Service has found that one hundred mature trees can catch about
139,000 gallons of rainwater each year.
Community Character: Recreafion: Accessibility
The Open Space & Recreafion Plan speaks to providing access to open spaces for persons of varying
abilifies. The State is looking more closely at our open spaces areas and requiring increased accessibility.
Other Towns seems to be able to provide such amenifies. It is high fime that Brewster provides this too.
Climate Change/Resilience:
The look and feel of Brewster which is so often menfioned in Community Character discussions is
inexorably fied into its historic character and to the amount of green space in Town. People see a lot of
green areas/trees and assume it is all protected land. It is not. Much of what we see is privately owned
and could disappear/be developed at any fime. Protecfing green spaces/forests protects water resources
and fies directly to climate change/resilience and mifigafion, which is given very liftle aftenfion in the
strategic plan. The hot weather we are experiencing and increasing rainstorms is not an anomaly, but a
peek at our future.
The amount of trees/forested areas we have are crifical to maintaining resilience and providing mifigafion
to the effects of climate change – sequestrafion of carbon and protecfion from increasing heat. Urban
forests, the ecosystems that make up our built communifies, including trees planted on residenfial
properfies, in parks, along streets are vital to our health and the health of the environment. As FDR stated,
“Forests are the lungs of our land – purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people”. Trees provide
shade and the evaporative cooling effect they create, allows them to function as heat sinks.
Brewster’s large contiguous forests allow the Town to be much cooler than neighboring
communities.
Carbon emissions are the cause of climate change. There is no better organism to fix carbon out
of the atmosphere than a tree. Trees utilize an enormous amount of carbon dioxide in
photosynthesis to make sugar. One hundred trees remove 53 tons of carbon dioxide and 430
pounds of other pollutants each year, according to the USDA Forest Service. Tree canopies also
offer some protection from ultraviolet rays.
3
Open Space Commiftee July 14, 2023, Select Board Strategic Plan Comments
Governance:
Where in the strategic plan does community happiness/satisfaction get mentioned? Such
community satisfaction reflects how much our governing bodies care for/about and work closely
with Brewster’s residents. We are more than poll numbers.
Green spaces improve the health and happiness of individuals and communities. They have been
found to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Neighborhoods with more trees/green spaces
foster more social connections. Note the increased popularity of “forest bathing” – communing
with nature.
Thank you for listening to our treafise. We hope our suggesfions provide the basis for thoughfful
changes to the new Strategic Plan.
We wish you success as you navigate your way through this FY24-FY25 planning inifiafive.
From: Brewster Finance Committee (Submitted by Pete Dahl, Chair)
Date: July 14,2023
Subject: Select Board Strategic Plan FY23-24
The following comments were submitted by individual members of the Finance Committee.
Frank Bridges
The August 22 plan is a very comprehensive outline indeed. I have the following
questions/comments.
1.Since we have ended the Fiscal 2023 year do we have anything to share on the progress
we have made on the 2023 year agenda items?
2.Suggested new Building Block - I may be a bit of a cynic but it looks like almost every one
of the building blocks that the Board has identified involve projects which will entail
raising more tax revenues. The one outlier is LOCAL ECONOMY. Given the size of our
direct and imputed debt level and increasing debt service burden, shouldn’t we have
another building block to address the rising tax burden on residents. I think we should
be developing strategies that are designed to develop new sources of revenue, improve
existing source income where possible, and examine existing policies that may hinder
new revenue development.
3.Water Resources – WR-1. I would add the word “with a specific implementation date”
after the word “timeline”. May need to make it two sentences for clarity.
4.Governance – G-1 – shouldn’t we have a more robust agenda with the NRSC than simply
“communicating “ our budget requirements? It seems our present actions would
warrant a more strenuous approach?
Andrew Evans
Here are my comments re individual line items in the SB FY23-24 Strategic Plan document
which overall is quite good:
1. SC-3 Former Sea Camps properties. While I think it is assumed, key stakeholders do not
include the Finance Committee. It would seem helpful to the Town if the Finance Committee
could at some point weigh in on financial plans that would accompany the final Goals set for
the property.
2. OS-1 Open Space and CM-1 Coastal Management. As we all know the Town residents
reacted adversely to the last proposed Boardwalk. Some of that negativity was cost of the
proposed project. Again, It would seem helpful to the Town if the Finance Committee could at
some point weigh in on financial plans that would accompany the Goals for the property.
3. G-6 Governance. The chart reflects that the Finance Committee is a Key Stakeholder in
the Goal of “Develop and launch capital budget and other transparency features of a new
online platform to continue to improve accessibility of total finances”. This goal is an excellent
one and the Finance Committee might be useful in reviewing early drafts of the plan. I think I
am questioning what our role would be as a stakeholder.
Bill Meehan
I would like to see the Select Board openly considering the very poignant issue of the steeply
rising tax burden on our citizens. I realize that this is a tough time to bring this up, but it needs
to be said, now more than ever.
Pete Dahl
1.I agree with Bill Meehan that the SB should take an active role in helping the citizens of
Brewster understand the tax burden and how it will rise in the future.
2.WR-1 – I would like to see a comprehensive plan that identifies and considers all
alternatives that could improve water quality in our freshwater ponds. Too often different
solutions are disregarded because of immediate costs. Solutions need to look at both
indirect costs (projects that are paid through taxation, i.e. sewers) and direct costs (those
borne directly by the property owners, i.e septic) to citizens over 20-30 years.
To: Select Board, Peter Lombardi, Donna Kalinick
From: Pond Property Planning Commiftee (PPPC)
Subject: Select Board Retreat
Thank you for solicifing input from the PPPC and thank you for your ongoing support of the
commiftee and the work we have undertaken.
We do wholeheartedly endorse the four items under the Former Sea Camps Property Building
Block. We do encourage that among the four goals that SC-2, Continue to develop/refine and
implement interim public access/use plans, be given top priority for the pond property. We
would like to suggest that this goal’s priority be raised so that for the pond property it becomes a
goal to be achieved, or well on its way to being achieved, within the next 1-2 years. As you are
aware, almost no programming can be accomplished at the pond property until at least temporary
access can be provided.
Consistent with the access issue, we would ask that high priority be given to G-9, a new Parks &
Recreation Department. We would suggest that G-9 immediately follow on to SC-2, and that it
be given a time frame of 2-5 years. Once access is provided, it will be essential that monitoring
access and activity be a regular part of the town’s management of the pond property.
We would also ask that you please consider the other building blocks including climate mitigation in the
planning process for the former Cape Cod Sea Camps properties.
Thank you for consideration of these items.
Doug Wilcock, Chair
For the PPPC
To: Peter Lombardi, Brewster Town Manager
From: Kyle Hinkle, Execufive Director, Brewster Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Re: Review of Select Board’s Strategic Plan and the draft LCP
Strategic Plan:
SC-4: The Chamber would like to be considered as one of the partners in this process. In addifion to
using the Bay Property for Brewster in Bloom’s Fine Arts & Crafts Show, we are searching for a more
visible locafion for the visitor center. There is also the possibility of using the property for other
community events managed by the Chamber.
LE-2: I recently learned that in Yarmouth, a similar group is called the “Town Partnership”. I feel that this
kind of interacfion between Town department heads and businesses can be valuable and should
confinue.
LE-3: I hope this remains as a priority! As I have menfioned, this has been kicking around since 2009
when I was hired, and Sue Leven was the Planner.
G-4: This is the noise policy and entertainment licensing acfion. We’d like to see these updated!
Draft Comprehensive Plan:
Sharon Tendstadt came to see me a week ago and asked about the best way to share the LCP with the
business community. She will be gefting me the final draft of the draft when it’s done so that I can share
it through our distribufion system. I have also invited her to our September meefing where she will have
a few minutes to discuss this. She did say, they are not in a posifion to make further changes but do want
to encourage people to support the plan and approve it.
After reviewing the draft, I have some thoughts that impact the Chamber.
Local Economy Key Issues: the first fime I read a copy of this draft, there was a more detailed explanafion
of the type of zoning the commiftee was proposing: form vs specific use. When I read this, I was very
excited about the possibility that Brewster would adopt this and I am glad to see that this
recommendafion remains. Also that the term “Town Center ” has been changed to “town centers” which
allows for more uses across the business community. And mixed uses are in line with form zoning.
In the Acfion Plan secfion, the Chamber would like to be included in the following areas:
CC-9 and CC-10: These plans cover the establishment of town centers and the uses that might be
included.
HO-13 and HO-14: Workforce housing.
Local Economy – all 7 acfion plans
GO-8: partner in mafters of public importance – the majority of our members are also Brewster
residents, and we can send out “issue alerts” quickly.
GO-10: we can help with the “How to Guide” for homeowners explaining the permifting processes.
CA-12: we can help with the “educate public and businesses” process.
In all Acfion Plans where public forums are suggested, the Chamber can help in promofing these!
Archive d: Monday, July 24, 2023 11:07:02 AM
From: Peter Lombardi
Se nt: Friday, July 21, 2023 4:08:06 PM
To: Erika Mawn
Subje ct: FW: Input from School Committee Perspective
Importance : Normal
Se ns itivity: None
Pl e ase add thi s to today’s packe t whe n you get a chance i n the se cti on that contai ns de tai l ed commi tte e fe e dback.
Pete r Lombardi
Town Manage r
Town of Brewste r
508-896-3701 x. 1128
Brewster Town Of fices are open to the public Monday through Thursday from 8:30am to 4:00pm, and by appointment on
Fridays.
From: Kati e Mil ler Jacobus <katie.m.jacobus@gmai l .com>
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2023 9:53 AM
To: Pe ter Lombardi <plombardi @brewste r-ma.gov>
Subject: Input from School Committe e Pe rspecti ve
Good morni ng Pete r.
Re f l ecti ons on the two goal s of Sel e ct Board Strate gic Pl an that i nvol ve the School Commi tte e . Apol ogi e s f or thi s late
submi ssi on.
1. Budge t (Governance )
The Town and Se l e ct Board we re crystal cl ear about the capaci ty of a 4% i ncrease . Unf ortunatel y, we we re unabl e to
me e t that numbe r, due to the i ncrease i n spe ci al ne e ds costs i n parti cul ar. Howe ve r, voters approved the ove rride by a l arge
majori ty.
Goi ng f orward, we he ard l oud and cl e ar the request for mul ti -year fore casti ng. My unde rstandi ng from Central Office
i s that this hasn’t be e n done i n the past, because we can’t pre di ct the student popul ati on. Agai n, it’s the speci al needs costs
that can vary wi l dl y and une xpecte dly that make thi s hard.
I am certai nl y ope n to se e ing how we as the School Commi ttee, worki ng wi th Ce ntral Of fi ce , can provide more i nfo to
the Se lect Board, as may be requeste d. One re que st I heard was that we show more spe ci fi cs on what was not incl ude d in the
budge t, to demonstrate fi scal re sponsi bil ity.
Bre wster’s cre ati on of the Stabil izati on Fund has be e n ve ry he lpful, and i s now be ing repl icate d in the other towns i n
the Nause t distri ct.
2. Infrastructure
The School Committe e consi de re d the pote nti al of school consol idation, base d on the quanti tati ve Feasibi li ty Study,
as wel l as input from stake hol de rs, i ncl udi ng admi ni strati on, staff and pare nts and care givers. The curre nt K-5 stude nt
popul ati on of 438 coul d not be accommodate d i n one school. The Committe e vote d to hold off on consol idation unti l the
numbe r of cl assrooms per grade are re duced from f our to thre e . (The fi fth grade class that just graduate d was an outl ier, wi th
three cl assrooms, ve rsus the four classrooms in al l the othe r grade s.)
The Commi tte e vote d to mai ntai n four ki nde rgarten cl assrooms, e ve n though kindergarte n re gistration in the spri ng
showed 48 i ncomi ng stude nts. That numbe r i s now up to 54 students. Re asons for ke e ping the four classrooms i ncl ude d the
i mportance of smal l cl asses at that de ve lopme ntal l e ve l , made al l the more i mportant i n l ight of social de f i cits and di f fi cul ty
i n se l f-re gulation as li nge ri ng re sul ts from COVID.
I am ope n to sugge stions or requests as to how/when i t woul d be he l pful for the School Committe e to ke e p the
Se lect Board (and the communi ty) appri sed of changi ng e nrol l ment numbe rs. We want this to be a transparent proce ss.
3. Ne w goal or acti on requi red?? We need to ge t i n the que ue wi th MSBA
Funding of $100,000 was approved at Town Me e ti ng for the Asset Study of Stony Brook Code Compl i ance. We know
signi fi cant i nve stme nt wi l l be re quire d from the HV AC re port prese nte d at our January me e ti ng.
My unde rstandi ng i s that the MA School Bui l di ng Assoc acce pts appl i cations for f undi ng January-Fe bruary. (MSBA has
not ye t announce d spe ci f i c date s.)
Supe ri nte nde nt Cl enchy i ndi cated that submi tti ng the appli cati on i s not de pe nde nt on our Asse t Study al ready be i ng
compl e ted.
Of course, the re ’s no guarantee we’l l ge t MSBA fundi ng. And we may ne e d to re appl y ye ar afte r ye ar, but i t woul d be
gre at to appl y start of 2024.
Thanks,
Kati e
Kati e Mil ler Jacobus
Chair,
Bre wster School Committe e
1
Donna Kalinick
From:Carol Marcy < >
Sent:Tuesday, July 4, 2023 9:03 AM
To:townmanager
Subject:Input for the select board retreat
Good morning Peter,
I think that sewer and septic issues need to be at the top of the list. Perhaps this should also include some way to
regulate the use of insecticides and other poisons used by some in lawn management. Runoff from these treatments
affect our wetlands and ponds and eventually our drinking water. Perhaps working closely with the Brewster Pond
Coalition would be very helpful.
The town has done a stellar job in inviting community participation in regard to the use of the Sea Camps property. It is
important to continue that process to include Drummer Boy Park so that their coordinated services to the community
can be maximized.
I would also request that a vigilant eye be kept on spending. Taxes are already high without having added the cost of
the purchase of Sea Camps and the increase in cost of Nauset High School renovations.
Thank you for encouraging community input into the select board retreat agenda.
Carol Marcy
Archive d: Friday, July 14, 2023 8:29:56 AM
From: BEN MCK ELWAY
Se nt: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 19:38:39 +0000ARC
To: townmanager
Subje ct: COMMENTS FO R SELECT BO ARD RETREAT
Se ns itivity: Normal
It is my impression that this Select Board's top priority has been to maximize the profits of local businesses.
In our town we have many enterprising, creative business owners. T hey are doing just fine. Let them go.
T hink about the rest of us for a change. Let the boardwalk fiasco be a lesson. We know when we are being
ignored.
I think the Select Board should completely overhaul the draft Local Comprehensive P lan before it comes to
a T own Meeting vote again. It is pro-development. Contrary to conventional wisdom, growth is not a
given. Real foresight would be to explore ways Brewster can stay virtually the same. We don’t have to be
like other towns! I favor much greater conservation efforts — much more acquisition of undeveloped land
and much more effort to stop or slow new construction of all kinds. We should put our environment, and
our town’s quaint character, before profits.
I do not want to see a town center or any other zoning changes that would concentrate people, businesses,
and traffic. I do not want to see any more apartment complexes. I realize Brewster used to be far more
peaceful and charming, but I am not trying to turn back time. I just want to sort of freeze things the way
they are now. All things considered, in general, I think I am in tune with the majority of Brewster voters.
Respectfully,
Ben McKelway
1
Donna Kalinick
From:Cc < >
Sent:Friday, July 7, 2023 4:40 PM
To:townmanager
Subject:Select Board retreat comments
First and foremost- spend less, including on the ini a ves, including the popular ones, that are outlined in the Vision
Plan. There’s no need to take ac on on op onal (non-regulatory requirements) items “right now”. Our taxes have gone
up enough.
Please do not spend any more me or money on changing the town seal - that’s just a waste of resources.
Instead of paying consultants to perform studies and make recommenda ons, consider having the department heads
perform them. Consultants should only be used to obtain informa on that our in-house employees don’t have, or have
access to.
There should be no housing (temporary or permanent, short or long term) on the Sea Camps Bay property, except for a
live-in caretaker/manager. Both Sea Camps proper es should be kept ‘residents only’, with a possible excep on of a
limited number of access permits available, by lo ery, to non-residents, to help cover any shor alls in cost vs. revenue
(for the pool, for example).
If you have any ques ons about my comments, please let me know.
Thank you,
Irene Penney
Archive d: Friday, July 14, 2023 9:05:04 AM
From: pat hughes
Se nt: Sun, 9 Jul 2023 17:16:17
To: Peter Lombardi
Cc: Ned Chatelain
Subje ct: Proposed action: Coastal Management CM-1: Wing Island
Importance : Normal
Se ns itivity: None
Hi Ned and Peter,
I encourage the Select Board to re-word the Strategic Planning Goal – CM-1: Wing Island - to
reflec t what I hope will be a robust public engagement process on this goal. Something like:
Engage the Brewster community to design an access plan to Wing Island.
I think the engagement and design effort will take at least one year; I don’t think the permitting
could be completed within the same year, given the number of agenc ies – federal, state, regional
and local- and the public review process afforded by most of these agencies.
Thanks for c onsidering this suggestion.
Pat
P at H ughes
Brewster, Mass 02631
Archive d: Friday, July 14, 2023 9:05:28 AM
From: Dorothy Healy
M ail re ce ive d time : Wed, 28 Jun 2023 18:07:49
Se nt: Wed, 28 Jun 2023 14:07:44
To: townmanager
Subje ct: real estate taxes
Importance : Normal
Se ns itivity: None
I believe that havi ng taxes (real estate) paid quarterly would benefi t the town by havi ng more cash flow 4 times a
year rather than semi annually or 2 times a year. It mi ght be easier for seni ors to budget more easily. Many
towns and ci ti es in the commonwealth have been doing this for years so maybe it is time to take a look at this as
a possibility. I have submi tted this several ti mes before but never see any reference i f it i s vi able to do or not.
Archive d: Friday, July 14, 2023 9:05:53 AM
From: Peter Herrmann
M ail re ce ive d time : Tue, 27 Jun 2023 17:29:36
Se nt: Tue, 27 Jun 2023 13:29:29
To: townmanager
Subje ct: Resident Input In Advance of Annual Retreat
Importance : Normal
Se ns itivity: None
Take minutes so I can read about it later.
Develop land use plans for all conservation and other town owned properties.
1
Donna Kalinick
From:Lauren Richmond < >
Sent:Monday, July 3, 2023 10:44 AM
To:townmanager
Subject:Resident input in advance of Annual Select Board Retreat
To the Town Manager:
Under the categories Community Character and Open Space……We would like to see Brewster retain its rural character
with open space and the natural environment prioritized. As recent year round residents of Brewster (we moved here
four years ago after living in Provincetown for 50+ years) we are concerned about the escalating cost of real estate taxes
and would like to see this expense reined in before Brewster becomes unaffordable. We watched poorly planned and
unplanned development in Provincetown go awry resulting in a community of mostly wealthy second home owners who
have little concern for its history or simple values.
While my husband and I support education and want Brewster students to have everything they need to succeed, we
would like to know that money is being spent wisely. If there is a possibility of combining the two elementary schools
as a cost cutting measure, we are in favor of that.
Re: Local Economy and Governance……….In the short time that we’ve lived here the town has voted in favor of
rebuilding Nauset Regional High School at enormous expense which may even be disproportionate for Brewster’s
share. We’d like the Town to look into having other towns chip in their fare share when students out of the district
choose to go to Nauset along with any other cost saving measures that might be available.
We voted for and are very happy that the Town acquired the Sea Camp properties, however we feel that a concerted
effort ought to be made to have the properties produce income to support not only maintenance costs but the purchase
price and loss of tax revenue. Perhaps partnering with a first class hotel corporation to build and run an upscale hotel
with amenities that would serve as a conference center, wedding venue and town meeting hall?
Thank you for your attention to these matters.
Sincerely,
Lauren Richmond
Bruce Deely
Brewster, MA 02631
1
Donna Kalinick
From:
Sent:Sunday, July 9, 2023 11:30 AM
To:townmanager
Subject:Annual Retreat Comments
I am writing to make a few comments on what I think is important to consider and discuss at your Annual Retreat.
1.I believe it is exceptionally obvious that the entire affair surrounding Wing Island indicates a fundamental gap
between the leaders and the led in the Town of Brewster. Please note I am not assessing blame, just stating
that the sequence of events indicates some major misunderstandings as to what the citizens want to happen in
Brewster. Now is a time for reflection rather than push back.
2.The character of Brewster is a fundamental reason many people love Brewster and live here. Changing that
character is not what most residents want, nor will it lead to the long-term success of the Town.
3.Concepts from the “good idea fairy” are always nice and someone is sure to support them……but, in the end we
have to pay for them and then operate them for decades. It is imperative that Brewster’s leadership takes a
realistic view of what is affordable both immediately and for the long-term. Please don’t play games with
financial forecasts, or hide the true long-term costs of programs, facilities, etc. Please be honest. Almost
everything will cost more than expected. Growth of expectations, inflation, schedule issues all contribute to
increased costs. Expect and plan for these, again be honest.
4.I am a part-time resident and have been a full time resident as well. While the data may not be easily available
or shared with the Town’s residents, it would seem to be a relatively known fact that a large portion, perhaps
more than 50% of the Town’s tax base stems from part time residents. There is a natural tension inherent in this
sort of relationship in every vacation town across America. Still, it is the responsibility of Brewster’s leadership
to understand these tensions and to not allow one part of the town to take advantage of the resource flows
from that part of the Town that effectively has a limited voice.
Respectfully,
Mark S. Wilson
Archive d: Friday, July 14, 2023 9:07:35 AM
From: Carol Rawlins
M ail re ce ive d time : Wed, 28 Jun 2023 16:22:48
Se nt: Wed, 28 Jun 2023 12:22:31
To: townmanager
Subje ct: Seasonal worker housing
Importance : Normal
Se ns itivity: None
I encourage m ore seasonal worker housing both at Cape Cod Sea Cam p (CCSC) and other locations that can
help Brewster businesses with worker shortages and provide income to the town of Brewster. I heard
m ention of the CCSC cabins used to attract lifeguards, but I think those cabins could help bring incom e to
the CCSC budget. Have the Brewster business pay for the lodging - rather than collect rent from individuals.
O f course the businesses would have to make it clear that violations in these lodgings would lose the
opportunity to have lodging
--
Carol Rawlins
Archive d: Friday, July 14, 2023 9:08:25 AM
From: Jane Greene
M ail re ce ive d time : Tue, 27 Jun 2023 18:05:08
Se nt: Tue, 27 Jun 2023 14:04:54
To: townmanager
Subje ct: Select board input
Importance : Normal
Se ns itivity: None
I don’t know if this fits what you are looking for but we need to expand recreational opportunities for adults including seniors.
The pickleball lessons that are offered fill up quickly and even the morning rec use of the pickleball courts fill up too fast. I
missed out on both along with many others. Also the COA building is not conducive to seniors. Other towns have senior
centers / community centers with meeting rooms, gyms, etc. our population is getting older and we need to ‘keep us young’.
Thanks,
Jane Greene
Archive d: Friday, July 14, 2023 9:08:59 AM
From: Margaret Shea
M ail re ce ive d time : Fri, 30 Jun 2023 14:14:36
Se nt: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 10:14:19
To: townmanager
Subje ct: Select Board retreat
Importance : Normal
Se ns itivity: None
Hi Peter.
After meeting with you, doing some reading and meeting with some other interested people, I think the idea of a task force rather
than a committee would best suit where we are now. The goal would be to explore how to address the lack of diversity in
Brewster and how to assure that all citizens, regardless of political power and wealth will have their voices heard and responded
to by local government where that fits into the overall mission of the government. I know this is pretty much what you were
recommending so it isn't news to you. But out of appreciation for the time we spent, I wanted to give you this personal input.
Happy July 4! By the way, Barbara's museum is hosting a reading of Frederick Douglas' speech about July 5 in case you are
interested. I will be attending.
Best regards,
Margaret Shea
Archive d: Friday, July 14, 2023 9:09:27 AM
From: Michael Pavlov
M ail re ce ive d time : Tue, 27 Jun 2023 18:25:08
Se nt: Tue, 27 Jun 2023 14:24:51
To: townmanager
Subje ct: Select Board Seeks Resident Input In Advance of Annual Retreat
Importance : Normal
Se ns itivity: None
Hello,
In lieu of potential state legislation in the revamping of Title 5 law, and its potential serious impact on every resident, I believe
Solid Waste Management is the most important topic. The other topics I would roughly give the same priority but less than Solid
Waste Management.
I would also add, given the Brewster Ponds Coalition meeting on June 16th, most town residents don't know of this potential
new Title 5 legislation. And consequently, this request for prioritizing topics may not accurately reflect everyone's potential and
true concerns until they do know of it.
Thank you for allowing me to provide this input.
Mike Pavlov
Brewster
From: Tom & Sally Gunning
Mail received time: Tue, 27 Jun 2023 18:39:59
Sent: Tue, 27 Jun 2023 14:39:43
To: townmanager
Subject: Sidewalks
Importance: Normal
Sensitivity: None
Archived: Friday, July 14, 2023 9:10:12 AM
___________________________________
Hi Peter,
With the various locations on Lower Road attracting more foot traffic, the road grows more and more dangerous.
Sidewalks would help. Not sure if possible or welcome by LR neighbors …
Sally Gunning
Sent from my iPhone
From: Brian Davis
Mail received time: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 14:40:02
Sent: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 10:39:47
To: townmanager
Subject: Strategic Plan
Importance: Normal
Sensitivity: None
Archived: Friday, July 14, 2023 9:10:50 AM
___________________________________
1. Stop tax increases
2. Do your job and manage the budget. Stop overrides for budget increase requests.
3. Develop revenue streams, you had to be pushed into cannabis retail and now by delays you have lost a ton of
revenue
4. Use the sea camp property to generate revenue. A glam camping type of hype. The place has 92 buildings it’s a
white elephant if you turn it into anything that consumes more funds than it generates.
5. We don’t need a community center. First, seniors do not want to gather in large groups in doors since covid.
Second, we have a building that is sufficient.
5. Manage the debt. Eight years ago the state and town auditor told us to tighten our fiscal belts. Subsequently the
town has accrued an additional 500 million in debt. STOP SPENDING OUR MONEY!
STOP OVERRIDES!
STOP HIRING!
6. While you are on retreat reflect on the fact that the town is divided. Last elect win by 4 votes, one override passed
by a single vote. The BOS is responsible for this division.
7. Stop dreaming up ideas that YOU like and think about the people who live here year round. Not just their
seasonal cronies. The boardwalk is the most recent bad idea.
8. Here’s some ideas
A. Make the dog park fee based. And enforce it
B. Run the sea camp property as a profit making venture. Maintenance of 92 buildings will require a lot money. Do
not hire any more people subcontract services. No retirement no health insurance etc. Hiring more people only
increase our long term debt.
C. Find out how Truro cut year round residents property taxes by 30%. Stop subsidies to summer people and Florida
residents.
D. Stop nonessential expenditures such as 5 million to “improve millstone rd.” We all know that there are more
bikers and runners on 137 than millstone. Save that money to maintain what we have!
E. Stop affordable warehouses! If you want to build affordable housing to reflect the character of the community use
Paul hush way as the model. The current millstone model does nothing to provide local people with much needed
housing it only brings people from Lawrence Fall River Springfield etc who have No community investment here.
F. How about some cell phone towers so I don’t have to stand in my driveway to make a call.
G. BOS how about talking to the real people who live here. When you were trying to get elected you were at the
dump, at the beaches and all over town talking to citizens. Once elected you apparently no longer care or you know
it all.
H. Parking meters at the grist mill
I. Increase non resident beach sticker prices by a lot. Such as $400 a week for non residents. Ocean Edge visitors are
using our beaches for cheap. They can afford more!
These are only a few possibilities. On your retreat think about how to reduce debt, generate revenues and keep the
town affordable. Also consider your role in splitting this town in half. Also take a hard look at the fact that it appears
that there is a conscious or concerted effort to make the town affordable only for the wealthy so as to keep out
“undesirables,” or segregate them into “affordable housing,” far away from those in power.
1
Donna Kalinick
From:Peter Sturr < >
Sent:Thursday, July 6, 2023 12:18 PM
To:townmanager
Subject:Brewster Select Board Retreat Topics
Dear Town Manager,
I am wri ng you in regards to your request for topics for the Select Board Retreat.
I would urge the Select Board to discuss a topic that has been discussed in the town for over a decade but never
resolved; the surplus of school classrooms in Brewster.
A proposal to consolidate the schools to the Stony Brook school was passed by the town in 2019 and a study was
completed that clearly indicated that Stony Brook has more than enough capacity to handle all PK - 5 students in town.
Since the study, the student popula on has dropped even further. Next year the student popula on will most likely be
around 410 students; the Stony Brook school alone once housed 775 students. Even with generously small class sizes,
the school can easily accommodate all students of Brewster.
The lack of movement on this issue has been frustra ng. Two schools is a waste of financial and natural resources. It is
long past me to take ac on on this ma er. The new use of the Eddy school can be discussed by the town; a senior
center or open space seems reasonable… But first all students must be moved to the Stony Brook school.
Thank you for your considera on.
Kind regards
Peter Sturr
Brewster, MA
From: Liz
Mail received time: Tue, 27 Jun 2023 18:10:17
Sent: Tue, 27 Jun 2023 14:10:02
To: townmanager
Subject: Town ideas
Importance: Normal
Sensitivity: None
Archived: Friday, July 14, 2023 9:11:19 AM
___________________________________
A cute downtown with shops where people could see each other like Chatham, Harwich and Orleans, so we don’t
always have to go elsewhere for gifts and shopping. More delis and breakfast places
/cafes. Cuter overall general appearance.
P.S. The pool looks great!!
Sent from my iPhone
This is to express my personal opposition to Select Board initiative (G-3 of the Strategic Plan) to
consider a change to the current town seal featuring the chair of Elder William Brewster.
The August 2022 Select Board presentation has a factual error about the seal’s adoption date.
The Brewster Chair town seal was in use long before 1976. In fact, the 1942 town report documents an
earlier version of the seal, pictured above. I believe that the 1976 town meeting vote was to adopt a
slightly modified version of the existing seal as designed by Joan Paine.1 The Brewster Chair has been on
the seal for at least 81 years, and probably longer.
The current seal is not inaccurate, nor is it offensive. It is relevant in that it references an
important historical figure who shaped our town and its priorities. The chair symbolizes respect and
admiration of the person for whom this town is named. Its unusual design makes it stand out, and it
sends a message about how this town values its history and those who contributed to it. Under the
Vision Plan Community Character Purpose 2, the Brewster Chair Town Seal provides an opportunity to
teach residents and visitors about Brewster history.
1 Joan was a talented artist whose professional career was in Marketing. She passed away in 2003. Her passion
was Brewster history and she made many contributions to the town including researching the sea captains for the
golf course, designing the bicentennial flag, design contributions to the bicentennial quilt featured at the Library,
and leading the effort to re-open the Stony Brook Grist Mill Museum for the bicentennial. The fountain outside
Town Hall is dedicated to her. I had the good fortune to work on the grist mill museum project with her. The
current town seal, therefore, is also a part of Joan’s legacy.
Our town seal is unique, factual, and documents residents’ link to the Mayflower passengers
(and their complicated legacy) and the broader history of 17th Century Plymouth Colony. Elder William
Brewster was a highly regarded individual in Plymouth, an advisor to Governor William Bradford, and a
signer of the Mayflower Compact. The Mayflower Compact is one of the foundational documents of our
democracy. His chair is the symbol of his stature within the community and the esteem in which he was
held. His reputation was such that 149 years after his death, civic leaders of 1803 decided to name our
town after him. We honor him and his legacy with our town seal.
While Elder Brewster may not have visited this geography2, his children and grandchildren
certainly did. His descendants settled here and shaped this town. Many long time Brewster residents
have Mayflower roots. Many of us trace our genealogy to Elder William Brewster. Generations of our
ancestors made the civic and cultural decisions that resulted in Brewster being so attractive to the folks
who have moved here in the last half century. For me, it is a point of pride to be a direct descendent of
my town’s namesake. And I would recommend to everyone to make the short trip to Pilgrim Hall
Museum in Plymouth to see the actual chair as well as other Mayflower, William Brewster, and Plymouth
Colony artifacts. We are so fortunate to live in a place that includes the ability to experience these items
from our past.
A redesign of the town seal will trigger the (taxpayer funded) expense of changing it on signs,
vehicles, letterhead, embossers. It is an unnecessary and potentially divisive project. Rather than
changing the town seal, we should be celebrating its meaning, history, and relevance3. Let’s focus our
collective energy (and tax dollars) on addressing 21st Century priorities such as affordable housing, water
quality issues, coastal resiliency, and historic preservation.
I urge the Select Board to remove this project from its 2024 strategy list.
Keep the Brewster Chair!
Faythe Ellis
2 I doubt that George Washington and Abraham Lincoln visited all the towns, cities, or states that are named after
them.
3 A good place to start is Nathaniel Philbrook’s Mayflower.
Archive d: Friday, July 14, 2023 9:12:19 AM
From:
M ail re ce ive d time : Thu, 29 Jun 2023 03:33:46
Se nt: Thu, 29 Jun 2023 03:31:43
To: townmanager
Cc: Vivian Cafarella
Subje ct: WiFi Connectivity for West Brewster - Please Consider at your Retreat
Importance : Normal
Se ns itivity: None
Hello-
As a long-ti me resident of West Brewster (Turning Mill Rd off Run Hjll Rd), I have to say that trying to use our cell
phones, especially in the summer competing wi th the many cell phones of our summer people, has always been
a huge problem. We only get one bar all summer and often no bars at all with dropped calls. We need to get ri d
of our landline because Comcast simply costs too much for our fixed i ncome. But we can't because the wifi
transmission is so weak or non-exi stant. We were hoping that the mini wifi AT&T uni ts on some telephone poles
would help but they have not.
C ould you please look into getting Verizon to put up another wi fi tower so that we can have dependable cell
service? Maybe the large church besi de the Ladies Li brary would allow a tower unit to be placed insi de their
steeple for the common good.
Respectfully,
Nancy Leach
Brewster, MA 02631
Archive d: Friday, July 14, 2023 9:03:23 AM
From: Tim Hackert
M ail re ce ive d time : Fri, 14 Jul 2023 12:49:32
Se nt: Fri, 14 Jul 2023 08:49:24
To: Peter Lombardi
Cc: Ned Chatelain Kari Hoffmann Donna K alinick
Subje ct: Brewster Select Board Immediate and Ongoing Priorities/Resident Comments
Importance : Normal
Se ns itivity: None
In no parti cul ar orde r based on random conve rsations with othe r Bre wster re sidents at Town Meeti ngs, the Transfe r Station,
Bre wster Whi tecaps Games and wal ki ng on the Be ach Fal l to Spri ng—
1. 1. Take the ne ce ssary acti ons to i mpose fi nanci al discipl ine on Nause t Hi gh School . Nause t Hi gh School ’s pe r pupi l
costs are material l y hi ghe r than other hi gh school s i n MA wi th si mi l ar rankings. Remove the f i nancial burde n f rom
Bre wster tax paye rs of payi ng the capi tal costs of NHS for Provi nce town and Truro stude nts and School Choi ce stude nts.
Re move the fi nanci al burden from Bre wster Tax paye rs of the NHS ope rati ng costs for Provi nce town and Truro stude nts
(who onl y pay a portion of those costs) and School Choi ce stude nts (who onl y pay about 20% of those operati ng costs).
The touchstone s for thi s pri ority are de mographic tre nds, fi scal responsibi li ty and quali ty e ducati on.
2. 2. Take the ne ce ssary acti ons to consol i date the two Bre wste r e leme ntary school s i nto one school . The second school
was base d on faul ty de mographi c numbe rs. The consul tants and publ i c noi se about a ne e d for a se cond e l e me ntary
school are about wanti ng to dri ve a Porsche when a Che vy or Ford wi ll do the same j ob as wel l or be tte r.
Notwi thstandi ng any i mage, Bre wste r residents are f rugal practical Ne w Engl ande rs who know how to ge t the most out
of a penny and hate waste. And want the best f or thei r chi l dren that makes practi cal se nse . The touchstone s for thi s
pri ority are de mographic tre nds, fi scal responsibi li ty and quali ty e ducati on.
3. 3. Be gi n de al ing wi th the waste water i ssues by requi ri ng a program for se pti c upgrades and local package systems.
Whi ch coul d be funde d by the Town through a re al estate tax on e ach resi de nce based on a 30 year re payme nt pe ri od
(si mi lar to what i s done with pri vate road i mprove ments by the Town). Doi ng so on a pri ori ty basi s base d on the most
i mpacted ponds and othe r areas. The Town wi ll probabl y have to pay (shoul d pay) these costs for the affordable
housing, Habi tat home s and SHI homes i n Bre wste r. The touchstone s for this pri ori ty are e nvi ronme ntal prote cti on and
re sponsi bl e ste wardshi p.
4. Take ste ps to ban the use of re si de nti al ferti l i ze r (and comme rcial and gol f course fe rti l i zer). From my
pe rspective, the most attracti ve house s are those with natural l awns. The re are Scotl and qual i ty Li nks course s i n
the US whe re no fe rti l i zer and i rri gati on syste ms e x i st and pe opl e f l y i n the ir private j e ts to pl ay the m and pay
i ncre dibl e fe e s. The touchstone s f or thi s pri ori ty are prope r water re source manage ment, e nvi ronmental
protecti on and responsibl e ste wardshi p.
5. Take ste ps to ban lawn i rrigati on syste ms (resi de nti al f i rst and then commercial and gol f course ). Both CA and AZ
have done thi s. Wi th a sole source aqui fer that i s depl e ted from the incre ased summe r popul ati on and al l the
pe rfect golf course lawns thi s acti on makes a lot of se nse . Wai ti ng for a hurri cane or a gl aci e r or some awe some
Nor’easte rs to re pl e ni sh the aqui fer i s not a practical sol ution. The touchstone s for this pri ori ty are proper wate r
re source manageme nt and re sponsi bl e ste wardshi p.
Pri orities #4 and #5 wi ll re quire re sident groups to study and make re comme ndati ons on the se i ssue s. Sorry, just what
you want are more re si de nt commi ttees.
You have a di ffi cul t and i nte resti ng job. Thank you for all your e f forts. Good Luck!
Tim Hacke rt
From: Pe te r Lombardi
Sent: Monday, Jul y 10, 2023 3:57 PM
To: Amanda Be bri n; Andrea Ne vi ns- COA; Gol f Commission; Bre wste r School Commi tte e ; Bri an Harri son-ZBA; Chri s Easley-
NRSC; Cl are O-Connor Ri ce ; Cynthia Baran WQRC; Davi d Be nne tt- BOH; Di ana Lamb; Di ane Pansi re - Housi ng Part; Doug
Eri kson; Doug Wi l cock- PPPC; E Tayl or; Faythe El l i s; Frank Bri dge s; Jeff Carte r- Co Chair ZBA; Jim Trabul sie-HDC; Joan
Pe rni ce -BLL; Joseph Sul l i van; Kati e Mi l l e r Jacobus- School Commi ttee; Ki m Conn -BHA; Ki m Crocker Pearson; Kyl e Hi nkl e;
Me g Morri s (brewster.re cycl ing@gmai l .com); Michae l Gradone; Michae l Tobi n- Conse rvation; Pete Dahl ; Rol and Basse tt;
Se an Parke r - Human Service s; Sharon Tennste dt _COA; Sophi a- Ce me tery; Ti m Hackert; Tom Rogers
Cc: townmanage r; Conor Kenny; Eri ka Mawn; Se l ect Board
Subject: RE: Sel e ct Board Annual Retre at & Strate gi c Pl an
Hel l o agai n,
I just wante d to send a reminder re gardi ng this we e k’s deadl i ne for comme nts on the Strate gi c Pl an so the Se lect Board
can account for the m at the i r retreat next we e k. Thanks to those of who you have al ready provided feedback.
Pe te r
Pete r Lombardi
Town Manage r
Town of Brewste r
508-896-3701 x. 1128
Brewster Town Of fices are open to the public Monday through Thursday from 8:30am to 4:00pm, and by appointment on
Fridays.
From: Pe te r Lombardi
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2023 12:24 PM
To:
R >
Cc: townmanage r <townmanage r@bre wster-ma.gov>; Conor Ke nny <cke nny@bre wste r-ma.gov>; Erika Mawn
<e mawn@bre wste r-ma.gov>; Sel e ct Board <Se l e ctBoard@bre wster-ma.gov>
Subject: Se l e ct Board Annual Re tre at & Strate gic Pl an
Good afte rnoon al l ,
I hope this e mail finds you wel l as we head i nto pe ak summe r se ason. The Se l ect Board is me e ti ng for the i r annual
re tre at at the e nd of ne x t month. The key take away from thi s al l -day sessi on wil l be an update to the ir Strate gic Pl an.
This pl an i s broadl y i ntended to reflect and conve y our current organi zati onal and communi ty goals for the upcomi ng 2
f i scal years – once again, i t wi l l se rve as our gui de to pri ori ti zi ng work i n the months ahe ad. Thanks to the continued
outstanding work of your commi ttees & Town staf f, we have made substanti al progre ss i n many are as thi s past year.
At this ti me , we are l ooking for fe e dback from your board/committe e re garding the goal s i de nti fi e d i n the attache d FY23-
24 pl an. Shoul d any be modi f i ed? Shoul d any be e l i mi nate d? Shoul d ne w goal s be considere d?
As we have done e ach of the past four ye ars, your col lective i nput wi ll se rve to inform the Board’s di scussi on at the i r
re tre at. Note that we have aske d for si mi l ar fe e dback f rom Departme nt He ads as wel l. Thi s ye ar, we wi ll al so be aski ng
f or resi de nts to we i gh i n on Town val ue s and pri ori ties to hel p i nform the Board’s de cisi on maki ng.
A few ke y poi nts to conve y:
1. Fol l owi ng the re sul ts of the March 6 Spe cial Town Meeting, the Se lect Board vote d on March 13 to cease al l Town
acti vi ties associ ate d wi th de si gn, pe rmitti ng, and/or constructi on of a ne w boardwal k to Wi ng Isl and
2. Fol l owi ng the re sul ts of the Nove mber 14 and March 6 Spe cial Town Meetings, the Town has cease d al l
pl anni ng/de si gn work associ ated wi th Drummer Boy Park i mprove ments and the Sel e ct Board i s se t to appoi nt a
ne wl y re constitute d Drumme r Boy Park Advisory Committe e ne x t month who wi l l re port back thei r fi ndings to
Town Meeting i n Spring 2024
3. Fol l owi ng the re sul ts of the Nove mber 14 and March 6 Spe cial Town Meetings and rel ated Town acti ons, the
Vi si on Pl anni ng Commi ttee (VPC) has spe nt the l ast fe w months maki ng a se ri e s of pote nti al change s to the Local
Comprehensive Pl an (LCP). An update d draft of this docume nt and a summary of the suggeste d e dits i s curre ntl y
unde r re vi e w by Town staf f and is attached for your re fere nce . Pl e ase note that once staff fe e dback has be e n
i ncorporate d i nto the late st draft LCP, the V PC anti ci pate s aski ng f or furthe r communi ty i nput l ater this summer i n
advance of bri nging i t to Town Meeting thi s fal l.
I look forward to heari ng from you at your e arl i e st conveni e nce – i de al l y by Friday July 14 - so that your comme nts can be
i ncorporate d i nto our supporting mate ri al s for the re tre at.
Thank you for your conti nue d se rvi ce to the communi ty.
Pe te r
Pete r Lombardi
Town Manage r
Town of Brewste r
508-896-3701 x. 1128
Brewster Town Of fices are open to the public Monday through Thursday from 8:30am to 4:00pm, and by appointment on
Fridays.
1
Donna Kalinick
From:Donna Kalinick
Sent:Saturday, July 1, 2023 7:35 AM
To:William Carroll; townmanager
Subject:RE: Tax collection
Dear Mr. Carroll, thank you for taking the time to provide your thoughts. They will be included in our Strategic Planning
session. Have a nice weekend. Donna
Donna J. Kalinick
Assistant Town Manager
Town of Brewster
508-896-3701 X1100
Town Offices are currently open Mon-Thursday, 8:30am to 4pm and Fridays by appointment. For further details, please
visit our website at www.brewster-ma.gov.
From: William Carroll < >
Sent: Saturday, July 1, 2023 7:01 AM
To: townmanager <townmanager@brewster-ma.gov>
Subject: Tax collection
The policy on collecting delinquent tax payments on property owned by investors that are unoccupied, not being
improved or maintained and deteriorating to the extent that they are a blight should be revisited. These properties
should not be allowed to sit for years not paying taxes without some action to collect those taxes. The town could get
paid what is due and the property could be sold to someone who would likely improve the property removing a
blight Right now it appears that the town's policy is to take no action and allow the taxes to build up. Thank you for
considering this issue.
William J. Carroll, III
Archive d: Friday, July 14, 2023 9:02:57 AM
From: BEN MCK ELWAY
Se nt: Fri, 30 Jun 2023 15:38:27
To: townmanager
Subje ct: COMMENTS FO R SELECT BO ARD RETREAT
Importance : Normal
Se ns itivity: None
It is my impression that this Select Board's top priority has been to maximize the profits of local businesses.
In our town we have many enterprising, creative business owners. T hey are doing just fine. Let them go.
T hink about the rest of us for a change. Let the boardwalk fiasco be a lesson. We know when we are being
ignored.
I think the Select Board should completely overhaul the draft Local Comprehensive P lan before it comes to
a T own Meeting vote again. It is pro-development. Contrary to conventional wisdom, growth is not a
given. Real foresight would be to explore ways Brewster can stay virtually the same. We don’t have to be
like other towns! I favor much greater conservation efforts — much more acquisition of undeveloped land
and much more effort to stop or slow new construction of all kinds. We should put our environment, and
our town’s quaint character, before profits.
I do not want to see a town center or any other zoning changes that would concentrate people, businesses,
and traffic. I do not want to see any more apartment complexes. I realize Brewster used to be far more
peaceful and charming, but I am not trying to turn back time. I just want to sort of freeze things the way
they are now. All things considered, in general, I think I am in tune with the majority of Brewster voters.
Respectfully,
Ben McKelway
From: eg
Mail received time: Tue, 27 Jun 2023 20:42:09
Sent: Tue, 27 Jun 2023 16:42:00
To: townmanager
Cc: eg
Subject: Feedback in advance of Select Board retreat
Importance: Normal
Sensitivity: None
Archived: Friday, July 14, 2023 9:03:33 AM
___________________________________
Re Climate Mitigation and Waste Management:
BAN fertilizers and “lawns”. Septic systems may be part of the problem (long-term) but this ban couldn’t hurt
either (short-term). Maybe not having a "lawn" will in inhibit some people from buying here. At least it will inhibit
peeps from needlessly cutting down trees (ref corner 6A and Point of Rocks Rd).
Make any new wheelchair accessible surfaces Permeable! Forget the Rain gardens…Asphalt is the pits….
We need to take Climate Change seriously and most of our resources (from taxpayers) should be spent in that
direction.
Thank you,
ellen gleason
Billington Lane
p.s. Where is the retreat? How much does it cost? Who pays for it?
1
Donna Kalinick
From:Ross Gorman < >
Sent:Sunday, July 2, 2023 10:50 AM
To:townmanager
Subject:Suggestions for retreat
hello,
Just two items I feel are cri cal.
1. Highest priority should be given to the Sea Camp proper es. Focus should be on revenue genera on and property
preserva on.
2. Town should focus more a en on and expense dollars to the maintenance of the already town owned proper es.
Before any new ini a ves are undertaken, buildings built, parks expanded etc focus should be on properly repairing and
maintaining what we already own. Deferred maintenance has been the norm for years and years and it is so much more
expensive in the long run.
Thank you for your considera on,
Ross Gorman