Twin Brooks golf course plan for housing moves forward. Short-term rental policy tweaked

HYANNIS — A 312-unit housing development planned for the former Twin Brooks golf course has moved one step closer to approval after a virtual public hearing last week with a Cape Cod Commission subcommittee.

The subcommittee voted unanimously on Jan. 5 to recommend the project, known as 35 Scudder Avenue Residential Community, to the full commission.

Dan Lee, division president for Lennar Multifamily Communities, said his team is "at the point where we are simply ready to move forward," saying he believes the project is better as a result of public comment.

"We have provided mountains of evidence into the record that the Cape faces a serious housing crisis. And this project will provide a variety of housing opportunities and affordable apartments that will allow hundreds and eventually thousands of people to find reliably, reasonably priced year-round housing," said Lee, ahead of the vote.

As proposed, the development, called Emblem Hyannis, will feature 13 three-story buildings, with 13% of the apartments 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 making up to 80%.

More:Public hearing on proposed Twin Brooks Golf Course apartment project continued to Jan. 5

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.

What were the changes made to the proposal?

Before recommending the project to the full Cape Cod Commission, the subcommittee and developer agreed to revise six items in the development agreement in response to public comment.

The first two are technical changes, said Jordan Velozo, chief regulatory officer for the commission. They include clarifying the project's status as a development of regional impact and adding standard language to the contract regarding representation and warranties from the developer.

The next revision requires that the developer not clear the site or begin site work without completing conditions associated with a preliminary certificate of compliance. The agreement has also been amended so the developer cannot pursue a tax reduction or any tax credits from the conservation restriction.

More:Apartment project: Twin Brooks owner says other proposals are "non-starters"

Last, the agreement clarified to ensure that the restriction against short-term rentals also extends to tenants of the units.

Velozo also said the pact will note that the developer Lennar Multifamily Communities has changed its name to Quarterra Multifamily Communities.

Were there any previous changes to the proposal?

Jan. 5 marked the second time the subcommittee considered changes to the development agreement.

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 tweaks in the development agreement.

Based on staff members' observations, the subcommittee then approved revisions to the development agreement.

The subcommittee also voted to extend the hearing until Jan. 5 to allow for more time to review details of the draft agreement.

Public comment

During the Jan. 5 hearing, some spoke in favor of Emblem Hyannis, saying the region desperately needs housing.

"As someone who was one of the thousands of families looking for rentals on the Cape...we were in a very dire situation to find housing," said Esin Sozer. "I urge commission members to support this project because it is well thought out."

Those who oppose the project argued that the former Twin Brooks property is one of the last swaths of green space on Cape Cod.

Kim McGuire, president of Save Twin Brooks, said her organization, would not "have existed at all if it wasn't for the location of this property."

More:Balancing both housing needs and conservation a tough feat for Emblem Hyannis

"We're talking about housing, housing, housing, but that unfortunately leaves out the environment. And that's what we're talking about — the environment, what we love about Cape Cod, and the opportunity to really have this piece of property, a significant part of the environment that will attract tourists and will benefit residents in the area," said McGuire.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Housing project at Twin Brooks golf course headed to full commission