Cape Cod Commission approves Twin Brooks housing project in Hyannis

HYANNIS ― A 312-unit proposed apartment complex planned for the former Twin Brooks golf course received approval Thursday from the full Cape Cod Commission in a virtual meeting that stretched for nearly four hours.

The 17-member commission voted to put its signature to a development agreement with developer Quarterra Multifamily Communities. Members Elizabeth Taylor (Brewster) and Jacqueline Etsten (Harwich) rejected the move, while David Weeden (Native American representative) was not present at the time of the vote.

"There's a lot of people, as you heard, putting their heart in this and it's never a perfect project," Chair Harold Mitchell of Sandwich said afterward. "Never seen one and probably never will. This one answers a lot of problems and a lot of questions."

Known as 35 Scudder Avenue Residential Community or Emblem Hyannis, the project will also go before the Barnstable Town Council.

13% of units for those below median income

Plans call for 13 three-story buildings within walking distance from Main Street Hyannis, with 13% of the apartments set aside for affordable housing. No less than 10% will be for those making up to 65% of area median income, and 3% will be for those earning up to 80%.

Area median income is set by household size and calculated over a five-year period. In Barnstable, 65% AMI ranges from $49,465 for a one-person household to $81,965 for a six-person household. In Barnstable, 80% AMI ranges from $60,900 for a one-person household to $100,900 for a six-person household.

Cape Cod faces a housing crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Dan Lee, division president for Lennar Multifamily Communities, of which Quarterra is a subsidiary, and the high-density project could make a difference by adding hundreds of sorely needed housing units into the region.

"People today work multiple jobs yet somehow (are) forced to sleep in their cars in parking lots. Families overpaying for small basement apartments because that's all they can afford," said Lee during the meeting. "But it's either that or leaving the Cape altogether, (which) is another painful decision that people have had to make."

Most of the apartments ― 45% ― will be two bedrooms, according to Lee, who said the team has tried to condense the development's footprint to maximize open space. Thirty-five percent of the units will be one-bedroom, while 10% will be studios and another 10% three bedrooms.

The complex will also have about 468 parking spaces.

One-year leases, no short-term rentals

Leases will be standard 12-month leases with no short-term rentals or sub-leases, with longer-term rentals also available.

Executive director of Barnstable Land Trust Janet Milkman asked the commission to not support the project as proposed, saying an affirmative vote would prioritize housing over protecting the natural environment. Approval of the project could also set "an alarming precedent" for developing golf courses and similar lands such as bogs or farms, she said, without "mitigation because they are not considered open space by the commission."

"Golf courses are not the only option and building massive projects and open space is not a sustainable option for our vulnerable peninsula and does not balance RPP (regional policy plan) priorities," Milkman said during the meeting.

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Resident Tim Regan noted the vote was held on the eve of the coldest day of the year and some facing housing insecurity may be outdoors. Temperatures are expected to fall to about 15 degrees in Barnstable by Friday afternoon and drop to as low as negative two degrees Friday night, according to reports.

"There's so many factors to the future of the Cape and Islands that we have to consider here and housing is probably the biggest one. Because if there's nowhere to live, who lives on Cape Cod? Who gets to live here? Is it because we say live here or we build housing to allow people to live here?" Regan asked.

In December, the subcommittee first unveiled a development agreement and revised it based on public comment. On Jan. 5, the panel voted unanimously to recommend the agreement to the full commission.

Conflicts with commission's regional policy plan

During a hearing on Dec. 20, commission staff said they had found that the project was at odds with a portion of the water resources section of the commission’s regional policy plan ― but that the mismatch is necessary to establish housing opportunities for a substantial segment of the population.

But they said water resource interests protected by the Cape Cod Commission Act, the regional policy plan and the town of Barnstable’s local comprehensive plan can be ensured by changes in the development agreement.

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Brian Dugdale, an attorney representing the developer, noted the project still has to go through the local review processes.

"If we go through the local review processes, we need to come back and make sure the developer here today comes back and fulfills all of its commitments. That development agreement is going to hold our feet to the fire," Dugdale said. "The public will continue to have the opportunity to speak. There's many public hearings ahead at the local level with respect to not only the regulatory agreement but also the order of conditions."

Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @zanerazz.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape Cod Commission approves 312-unit Twin Brooks housing project