Meetings March 20-27, 2025; Editorial: The Appearance of Token Women

Town Council | Planning Board | Zoning Board of Appeals | Editorial: Barnstable and the Appearance of Token Women in the year 2025

TOWN COUNCIL

The meeting included public comments, updates on various projects, and votes on several proposals. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a workshop on the Stretch Energy Code. The Council voted unanimously to protect the town landing/beach on Wianno Avenue.

Watch the meeting. AI supported summary below. Corrections welcome; see contact page.

Key Points

• Public Comments: Numerous residents voiced opinions on various issues, including the proposed due diligence on the Pleasant Street property, the adoption of the Stretch Energy Code, and the protection of Wianno Avenue beach/town landing under Article 97.
• Veteran Recognition: A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, was recognized for his service.
• Green Communities Designation: A significant portion of the meeting was a workshop focused on the potential benefits of adopting the Stretch Energy Code and becoming a Green Community, including financial incentives and environmental benefits. The council ultimately voted in favor of pursuing this designation.
• Pleasant Street Waterfront Harbor Property Due Diligence: A public hearing was held regarding a proposed $160,000 appropriation for due diligence on the Pleasant Street property, with considerable discussion about the potential acquisition of the property by the town. The council voted to approve the due diligence.
  • This property is at the Hyannis Inner Harbor.

"Purchasing a waterfront property involves a unique set of due diligence and cost considerations given the building’s age, infrastructure, location, and potential historical or regulatory challenges in a marine environment subject to potential climate change impacts. With that in mind, Town staff have reviewed and identified prudent tasks that should be completed as part of any due diligence effort. An appropriation would be needed to fund this due diligence effort."

• Wianno Avenue Beach/Town Landing: The council voted to confirm the longstanding recreational uses of a portion of Wianno Avenue, known as the town landing (sometimes referred to as "Baby Beach") and dedicate it to these uses under the protections of Article 97 of the state constitution.
• Other Business: The council addressed several other items, including the acceptance of a gift from the Boy Scouts, postponing other agenda items, and approving grants for housing and land conservation.
  • One of the items postponed was consideration of an amendment to the Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance, with statement that Councilors were interested in a workshop on the proposed ordinance changes prior to voting on this item.
  • Another item postponed was consideration of amendments to the Town Council Rules.

PLANNNG BOARD

The meeting focused on a public hearing regarding a zoning amendment for multi-family affordable housing on Falmouth Road.

Watch the meeting. AI supported summary below. Corrections welcome; see contact page.

Key Points

• ANR Plan Approval: The board unanimously approved an ANR plan to divide a 10.5-acre parcel on Flint Street into five lots. This was a straightforward approval with no public hearing required.
• Zoning Amendment Public Hearing: The main focus of the meeting was a public hearing on a Town Council proposal to amend the zoning code to add three properties to the multi-family affordable housing residential district. This amendment aimed to allow by-right affordable housing (in addition to special permits), and to add parking, solar system, and other requirements.
  • Agenda Item: Proposal to amend the Code of the Town of Barnstable, Part I General Ordinances, Chapter 240 Zoning, to add three properties to the Multifamily Affordable Housing residential district to allow for by-right affordable housing in addition to special permit affordable housing, and to add parking requirements, roof mounted solar system requirements, principal permitted uses, and other multifamily affordable housing requirements.

• The discussion included:
  • Expansion of the District: Adding three properties (577, 825, and 767 Falmouth Road) to the existing district.
  • By-Right Affordable Housing: Allowing duplexes as a by-right use, in addition to existing single-family homes.
  • Parking Requirements: Increasing parking requirements to two spaces per unit.
  • Solar Requirements: Mandating roof-mounted solar systems (with exceptions for shading).
  • Affordability Requirements: Setting 100% of units as affordable, with income restrictions at 70% AMI for 10% of units and 70-100% AMI for 90% of units. A 15-year deed restriction was proposed.
  • Several board members and public speakers raised concerns about
• spot zoning
• the 15-year deed restriction
• the high income threshold for affordability
• the density of the proposed development
• A commenter provided clarification on the Commonwealth Builder program, highlighting discrepancies between the proposed ordinance and the program's requirements.
• Potential Modifications: The board discussed potential modifications, including extending the deed restriction, adjusting the income thresholds, reducing density, and potentially removing one of the parcels from consideration.
• Continued Discussion: The board voted to continue the discussion at their next meeting on April 28th, allowing time for further review and potential adjustments.

Highlights

* Detailed discussion of the zoning amendment's implications, including its impact on affordable housing goals, neighborhood character, and traffic.
* Consideration of the Commonwealth Builder program.

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

The meeting covered appeals, public comments, and discussions regarding ordinances. There was an Executive Session about litigation strategy on Wendy's/715 West Main Street. There was discussion on increasing requests for in-ground pools within setbacks and the need for standards.

Watch the meeting. AI supported summary below. Corrections welcome; see contact page.

Key Points

• Executive Session: The board convened in executive session to discuss litigation strategy for appeal 2023-010.
  • Appeal No. 2023-010 Arista/Wendy’s LLC - Executive Session for the purpose of discussing litigation strategy with respect to the
    case in the Land Court (24 Misc. 00088) by Arista/Wendy’s LLC, for property at 715 West Main Street, Hyannis, appealing the denial
    of a special permit to construct a drive-through window at a Wendy’s fast-food restaurant, if the Chair determines that an open
    session could be detrimental to the Board’s and Town’s litigation position.
• Appeal 2024-036 (Hyannis Series Four LLC): This appeal was withdrawn without prejudice due to a withdrawn complaint based on the state housing bill.
  • Hyannis Series Four, LLC has filed an Appeal of an Administrative Official’s Decision in accordance with 240-11(A)(1) Principal
    Permitted Uses in the RB, RD-1, and RF-2 Residential Districts. The Appellant seeks to overturn the Order to Cease, Desist, and Abate
    dated August 2, 2024. In the Notice of Zoning Ordinance Violation letter, the Chief Local Inspector stated that they observed a
    violation of Chapter 240-11(A)(1), namely, an apartment created on the second floor of a building used as a lodging house. The
    property is not owner-occupied and is not eligible under Chapter 240-47.1 Family Apartments or Chapter 240-47.2 Accessory
    Dwelling Units for a second unit as of right. The subject property is located at 48 Greenwood Ave, Hyannis, MA as shown on
    Assessor’s Map 289 as Parcel 138. It is located in the Residence B (RB) Zoning District.
• Appeal 2025-005 (Cochran): This appeal concerned a special permit for demolition and rebuilding on a non-conforming lot. The board approved the special permit with conditions after public comment and deliberation. Key discussion points included the lot's non-conforming status due to a previous variance and the applicant's compliance with setback requirements.
• Appeal 2025-006 (Clark): This appeal challenged the building official's determination that a structure (4x4s cemented in the ground, connected by 2x4s, and draped in burlap) was a minor incidental improvement. The board decided to continue this appeal to April 9th, 2025, to obtain input from the building department.
• Inground Pools and Setbacks: A discussion ensued regarding the increasing number of requests for inground pools within setbacks. The board considered the need for clearer definitions and potential ordinance changes to address this issue, possibly through a subcommittee.

Highlights

• Extensive discussion and deliberation on the Cochran appeal, focusing on the interpretation of zoning ordinances and the impact of previous variances.
• The Clark appeal highlighted a disagreement over the classification of a structure and the need for clarification on zoning definitions.
• The discussion on inground pools and setbacks revealed a need for updated regulations and potentially a subcommittee to review and propose changes to the zoning ordinances.

Editorial: Barnstable and the Appearance of Token Women in the year 2025

Summarizing local meetings has meant viewing local meetings, even with AI's support.

Watching meeting after meeting, especially our regulatory boards that have real authority - the Board of Health, the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Conservation Commission, the Board of Assessors - has put a bright light on their maleness.

Flip through meeting summary images. The bench is full of men.

It looks like the Rotary Club. In 1972.

But these are citizen boards. In 2025.

Appointed boards, that is. The people do not load men onto our elected bodies.

The images promoted us to ask AI what "Token Women" means.

"A "token woman" refers to a woman who is included in a group—often in a workplace, leadership team, or decision-making body—primarily to give the appearance of diversity and inclusion, rather than as a genuine effort to promote gender equality. This term is often used critically, implying that the woman is there to fulfill a quota rather than being valued for her skills, expertise, or contributions."

Listening to local meetings does not suggest the light sprinkling of women on our regulatory boards has anything to do with symbolic inclusion. These are smart, capable people.

But it's 2025, and time to move on from even the appearance of tokenism.

It's hard to think about young women in Barnstable having to look hard to find someone who looks like them in decision-making roles on our regulatory boards. If they watched meetings over time, they'd see some of the same men on multiple regulatory boards, some who have moved from board to board, and some who have served for an extraordinarily long time. (They'd also see men in nearly all senior management positions, but that's another story.)

This is not a call for quotas or for the appointment of less qualified women over more qualified men. Those sorts of things are wrong and offend men and women in equal measure.

This is a call to step forward and volunteer to serve on a local board or committee, and to help broaden the net by reaching out to friends and neighbors and urge capable caring people of all sorts to apply.

Keep an eye on the board and committee openings list and apply. But express interest in any board or commission, even those without announced vacancies. Sometimes, it seems, people who have held seats forever - and who serve on multiple boards - roll into new term after new term without discussion of other interested and qualified citizens. More volunteers might help to take the auto out of what can look like an automatic reappointment system.

Prior expertise is not a prerequisite: all these guys learned how to be on these committees while on the job.