CCB MEDIA PHOTO
The dunes of Town Neck Beach in Sandwich are carved from severe erosion.
SANDWICH – Sandwich residents quickly approved five articles at a special Town Meeting last night, and saved extensive conversation for the final, sixth article that was rife with debate.
For some, a long-awaited moment came first with the approval of an additional $600,000 for the Town Neck Beach re-nourishment project to be taken from Community Preservation Commission Funds.
The town had long sought to replenish the beach with sand taken from an upcoming Cape Cod canal dredging project the Army Corps of Engineers will conduct.
Town Manager Bud Dunham had campaigned for the funds after an unexpected price hike in the projecet. He said that sufficient CPC funding exists for the project.
“It’s important to point out that the actual cost to fully complete the project does not use the entire contingency amount, and any balance left would be transferred back to the account,” Dunham said last night at the meeting inside Sandwich High School’s auditorium.
Dunham also shared an all-inclusive figure that suggests the project will cost the town $16.25 per cubic yard. Town meeting voters approved the article unanimously.
A closer call occurred on the final article, where a split vote requiring a 2/3rds majority ended up winning support. That decision, on the new Heritage Museums and Gardens Aerial Adventure Park, saw the most discussion.
The park, featuring several tree-based challenges and a zip-line, was a subject of contention this past summer when residents felt it impeded on the character and potential safety of the neighborhood.
Most of the comments came from those living in the area, a Historic District of Sandwich. Many said they felt betrayed both by lawmakers, who they claimed acted according to business interests and not zoning law, as well as by the nonprofit Heritage.
Don Stainbrook said residents were not notified of the scale or magnitude the park would encompass,due to a lack of communication from elected officials and, specifically, the building inspector.
“Contrary to arguments otherwise, there was no proper notice given to [area residents]; the earliest inklings of change coming to their neighborhood was when tree-cutting began and lumber and people began to appear.”
Erin Sullivan said she also felt betrayed by the town, and did not believe residents were given an adequate level of involvement in the zoning process.
“Abutters were wrongly denied their indisputable legal right to participate,” she said, “When neighbors finally got wind of the zip-line project, we were told it’s too late…neighbors also learned that the historic district committee never stamped ever blue prints for construction.”
Some speakers were in favor of the project, including two area residents who felt it was beneficial for children and the tourism economy. Two representatives of Heritage were in attendance, and saidthey hoped voters would act against the petition article.
When it came to voting however, a count was needed to determine 2/3rds majority, and that went to project abutters. The non-binding article technically doesn’t require any action, but does proclaim that the project violates the Old King’s Highway Regional Historic District Act and makes a plea for “enforcement action” to be taken with respect to the violation.
The case is currently pending in Barnstable District Court. In addition to the hot button issues were four other articles which carried, including $250,000 provided for a new ambulance, a zoning change allowing a community solar farm off of Tupper Road, $70,000 in improvements to Sandwich Hollows Golf Club, and nearly $75,000 in funds for the School Department.
By ADAM FORZIATI, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
About CapeCod.com NewsCenter
Speak Your Mind