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209 Old Barnstable Road Affordable Housing

Project Update (UPDATED December 27, 2023):

The Planning Department kicked-off a community engagement process with Quashnet Valley neighborhood representatives where the engagement process was contemplated and discussed in a meeting on January 18, 2023. The neighborhood presented the findings of a survey the Quashnet Valley Homeowners Association distributed in preparation for our kick-off. Unsurprisingly a majority of residents in the HOA do not yet support an affordable housing project at this site, however there does exist support in the neighborhood. I believe 11% of respondents stated support for affordable housing onsite (see summary of survey results below in the "Important Documents"). Concerns brought forth by the neighborhood representatives in the 1/18 meeting included, but were not limited to:

  1. Too much of the Town's affordable housing stock is clustered in this area (Mashpee Village and now 209 if approved);
  2. Safety and security concerns most notably regarding traffic impacts;
  3. The site's size and the potential density of the project; and
  4. Water quality issues while sewer is still being planned and constructed.

Wanting to start this process off with a commitment of good faith, I suggested to the neighborhood that I would write to the Trust and recommend the Town engage a consultant for a Traffic Impact Assessment for an affordable housing project not to exceed 48 bedrooms at the subject parcel. That request was submitted to the Affordable Housing Trust on February 28, 2023. On June 26, 2023 the Affordable Housing Trust authorized the requested traffic study and the Town procured traffic consultants Vanasse and Associates to complete the scope of work.  The goals of the traffic study are as follows:

  • understanding the existing traffic flows and volumes in the project area;
  • evaluating existing safety concerns both for motorists and pedestrians;
  • identifying opportunities for intersection improvements;
  • identifying opportunities for safety intervention (i.e., new signage); and
  • developing concepts for enhancing pedestrian amenities (i.e., sidewalks).

As part of the traffic study, the Planning Department felt it important to include neighborhood stakeholders in the data collection process of the traffic study.  As such, there will be a listening session on January 10, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. at the Mashpee Public Library.  This listening session is for the neighborhood to communicate their day to day experiences related to traffic in the area to round out the quantitative data set collected.  Your experiences shared with the consultant will be valuable to determine which strategies to improve traffic conditions would be most advantageous.  The consultant and Town Planner will be present. Traffic studies take four to six weeks from start to finish and data collection is already underway.  Subsequent to hearing from you at the listening session, the consultant will analyze the data collected and issue a report outlining recommendations to the Affordable Housing Trust.  These recommendations will be made in consideration of current and future densities in the project area and are intended to be responsive to the issues identified in the report.  It is our expectation that the report would identify specific interventions that could be required conditions of any affordable housing project authorized at the subject property.  Further, many of these recommendations will be more long term and will assist the Town in prioritizing funding accordingly and/or seeking grant funding.  Invitations were mailed to homeowners in the neighborhood and we hope that any interested resident will participate on January 10, 2024.

Important Documents