New DPW facility, housing initiative among items on Truro town meeting agenda

Competing proposals for a new Department of Public Works facility, as well as a housing initiative to build 160 units on a roughly 70-acre plot are top issues Truro voters will consider at the upcoming special town meeting on Oct. 21.

The two items are among 15 articles on the agenda, several addressing changes to the town’s zoning and general bylaws pertaining to stormwater management drainage, erosion and sediment control, public safety in regard to curb cuts and building permits, as well as duplex and apartment zoning language.

The most contested articles deal with proposals for a new DPW building and facilities — articles 2 through 4 and 14 — and the Walsh Property housing development project, which falls under articles 5, 6 and 13.

What are the Department of Public Works proposals?

There are two competing proposals for a new Department of Public Works facility, Truro Select Board Vice Chair Susan Areson said.

The proposed site the Select Board voted in favor of in July would place the DPW facility at 340 Route 6, which is Article 2 on the warrant. Another site proposed in Article 14 calls for the DPW facility to be built on Town Hall Hill.

“That is likely to be hotly debated,” Areson said of the DPW facility proposals. She said the issue mainly concerns where the new facility would be located and how much each proposed plan would cost.

The 340 Route 6 proposal would cost the town $35 million.

Anthony Garrett, an architect on the four-person DPW Study Group team that drafted the alternative concept plan for the new DPW facility, said their plan would cost $15 million, would make use of existing buildings and would be a more environmentally friendly alternative.

“There's some green strategies that were included in our design. Repurposing of sites and existing buildings are very green strategies,” Garrett said. “We see some benefits in the smaller footprints for those various buildings.”

Areson said the alternative proposal has raised issues about the age of the existing buildings, costs relating to compliance with state energy codes and the size of the buildings themselves.

What is the Walsh Property project?

The other central articles relate to a housing initiative on the Walsh property. Areson said the proposals relate to an advisory committee scheduled to be led by the community.

“When (the town) voted to buy the Walsh Property, voters said (they wanted) a committee of diverse interests throughout the town to make recommendations to the Select Board and to the town on what to do with the property,” Areson said. “It's taken several years and a lot of effort to get here, but that's what this proposal is.”

Other business on the agenda

Article 1 proposes allocating roughly $1.4 million for Truro Central School HVAC and roof repairs. And articles 8 and 15 address a free beach pass pilot program for seniors, waiving the cost for purchase but removing that source of revenue for the town — the proposal was unanimously passed by the Select Board and unanimously rejected by the Finance Committee.

Another article addresses the Local Comprehensive Plan, which Areson said would address a range of economic, environmental and housing priorities for the town.

“We have finally, with a lot of hard work and a lot of community outreach, come up with an update to the Local Comprehensive Plan,” said Areson, Select Board representative for the Local Comprehensive Plan Committee. “It's an overall guiding document for every aspect of Truro.”

What is a town meeting?

A town meeting is a gathering of a town’s eligible voters and a legislative body for towns in Massachusetts.

Thirteen of the 15 Cape Cod towns, including Truro, have “open town meetings,” meaning all voters who live in that town may vote on all matters. Falmouth has a “representative town meeting,” where all voters elect town meeting members who then vote on all town meeting matters. The town of Barnstable is governed by an elected town council rather than by a town meeting.

When and where is the Truro town meeting?

Truro's special town meeting will be held Oct. 21 in the gymnasium at Truro Central School, 317 Route 6. Check-in time will begin at 9 a.m., with the meeting commencing at 10 a.m.

Where can I find the warrant?

The warrant can be found on the town of Truro’s website, under news and announcement labeled 2023 Special Town Meeting Warrant Available.

Walker Armstrong reports on all things Cape and Islands, primarily focusing on transportation and the Joint Base Cape Cod military base. Contact him at WArmstrong@capecodonline.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jd__walker.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: New DPW facility, housing initiative up for vote at Truro town meeting