HYANNIS – More than a hundred area residents filled a conference room at the Resort and Conference Center on Saturday for a public forum on the proposed Oceanside Performing Arts Center.
The event, hosted by the Greater Hyannis Civic Association included representatives of the planned center off Scudder Avenue, conference center officials, and leaders of the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra.
The center is being targeted for the Twin Brooks Golf Course, which is being sold by the property owner, the developers signed a purchase-and-sale agreement for the space more than a year ago.
The panel discussed the early stages and scope of the project, possible challenges, and heard suggestions and concerns from the public.
Principal issues raised during the conversation included parking, lighting, trash, noise, and the possible impact on traffic.
“It borderlines two very close residential areas, number one. It’s commercial crouching on residential use.” said area resident Felicia Penn, “Number 2, there is no traffic infrastructure, it’s going to be nightmare for traffic.”
Jerry Karter, who is executive director of OSPAC and former leader of the symphony, says that he felt that the meeting was productive.
“I think it went very well,” he said, “The measure here is did we have an exchange of ideas? and we did that. Did we have a chance to answer people’s concerns? I think we did. I don’t think we answered all of them and I don’t think we can, but we’re on the way.”
In a controversial move, officials proposed to include the property as part of the Hyannis Growth Incentive Zone, allowing for the anticipated usage. The decision sparked ire from the community for a lack public input, eventually leading to the property’s removal from the zoning expansion.
The civic association says the property is currently zoned for single family homes each on one acre of land, but that the parcel could be sold for other uses if the OSPAC does not move forward with the purchase.
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