1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,520 Okay, everyone. Um, 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:06,799 we got it and it was 3 00:00:06,799 --> 00:00:09,840 something as stupidly simple as a cable 4 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,280 that is somehow loose. 5 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:17,279 So, when our IT department adjusted this 6 00:00:17,279 --> 00:00:20,880 cable, it worked. Had nothing to do with 7 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:25,199 the technology at all. 8 00:00:25,199 --> 00:00:29,679 Um, okay. But anyway, here we are. Uh, 9 00:00:29,679 --> 00:00:31,279 I'll introduce everybody. My name is 10 00:00:31,279 --> 00:00:33,840 Jason Shaw. I'm the chairman of the 11 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,399 Rockport Planning Board. And to your 12 00:00:36,399 --> 00:00:39,520 right, my left, is the vice chairman, 13 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:42,800 Tom Mikas. To my right, is Bob Simmons, 14 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:45,680 planning board member. To his right is 15 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:49,360 Peter Cutner. And to his right is our 16 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:53,600 town planner, um, Betsy Wear. 17 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:55,440 So 18 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:58,559 we're here uh for an information session 19 00:00:58,559 --> 00:01:01,600 on seasonal communities 20 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,080 and 21 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:10,560 the reason that u we're doing this is not a required meeting. We've 22 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:12,960 already had our public hearing, 23 00:01:12,960 --> 00:01:16,400 but as is often 24 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:18,720 the public hearings and then they come 25 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,720 to town meeting and say, "Well, what is this all about or why do I not 26 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,000 know about that?" So, try to we've done 27 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,040 this before with other projects and it 28 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:32,240 seems to work to just have an informal 29 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:36,560 information session so you all can um 30 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:38,720 ask questions. I'm going to just go 31 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:40,799 through this. It's not a very long 32 00:01:40,799 --> 00:01:42,400 PowerPoint at all. I'm going to go 33 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,119 through it and then we have a podium up 34 00:01:45,119 --> 00:01:46,799 there if you want to get up there to ask 35 00:01:46,799 --> 00:01:49,280 a question. We have fans going on here 36 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,399 because this room is supposedly 84 37 00:01:52,399 --> 00:01:57,200 degrees. Uh we opened a window, but 38 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,320 trying to talk from your seated position 39 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:01,920 is going to be a challenge for everyone 40 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:03,759 to hear you with the fans going. So, it 41 00:02:03,759 --> 00:02:05,680 would be good if you could get up there 42 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:08,399 and use the microphone. Um, so what are 43 00:02:08,399 --> 00:02:11,200 we doing today? Uh, 44 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:15,360 all right, next slide. Okay, 45 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,440 what is a, uh, seasonal community? 46 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:21,360 We're going to answer your questions, 47 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:23,920 tell you what a seasonal community 48 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:25,920 designation is, who's received the 49 00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:28,319 designation, we have, how did we 50 00:02:28,319 --> 00:02:30,400 qualify, and what next? If the 51 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,200 designation is approved at town meeting, 52 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:36,239 that's kind of the next step here. We're 53 00:02:36,239 --> 00:02:39,360 at that point now where the Executive 54 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:41,120 Office of Housing and Livable 55 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,440 Communities has given the town of 56 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,840 Rockport a seasonal community 57 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:47,920 designation, 58 00:02:47,920 --> 00:02:51,760 but that is not effective until that is 59 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:54,480 approved at town meeting by a simple 60 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,920 majority vote. So, that's where we are. 61 00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:00,800 We're up to that point. 62 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:02,560 And then we'll go over what the time 63 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:04,720 frame is after the designation to do 64 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:06,480 some things. What are some of the 65 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:08,239 benefits that come with a seasonal 66 00:03:08,239 --> 00:03:10,560 community designation? 67 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:14,159 And how does this tie into Rockport's 68 00:03:14,159 --> 00:03:18,480 accessory dwelling unit bylaw? And then 69 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,440 the last uh question is, are we stuck 70 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:24,959 forever with the designation? And um no, 71 00:03:24,959 --> 00:03:27,200 the answer to that is no. So no one no 72 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:30,159 one has to worry about that. Okay. So 73 00:03:30,159 --> 00:03:31,680 what is a seasonal community 74 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:34,000 designation? It was established by a 75 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,519 2024 Massachusetts general law 76 00:03:37,519 --> 00:03:41,120 and Massachusetts as you know has been 77 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:43,599 really I don't want to use the word 78 00:03:43,599 --> 00:03:46,400 desperately but I think I will trying to 79 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:48,799 bring down the cost of housing in the 80 00:03:48,799 --> 00:03:51,599 Commonwealth because it's very high 81 00:03:51,599 --> 00:03:54,480 especially in the eastern part of the 82 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:56,480 state. So, how they're doing that is 83 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,360 they've come up with a bunch of zoning 84 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,200 tools that they want local 85 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:03,920 municipalities to adopt that will help 86 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:07,599 them be more flexible in the zoning that 87 00:04:07,599 --> 00:04:11,200 allows housing that is maybe less than 88 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:13,040 your traditional, 89 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:16,560 you know, cookie cutter housing. And um 90 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:18,320 so 91 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:20,639 here because of Rock, as we know, 92 00:04:20,639 --> 00:04:23,600 Rockport is a is a community that has a 93 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:27,840 big influx of people in the summer. Um 94 00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:30,000 and when the summer's over, the 95 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,560 population goes down. Housing is 96 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,800 extremely expensive here. For anybody 97 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:37,919 who looks at any kind of housing 98 00:04:37,919 --> 00:04:39,680 transactions, you'll realize that the h 99 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:42,240 the cost of housing in Rockport is is 100 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,040 very is one of the highest costs outside 101 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,800 of the Boston metro area. So, here are 102 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:50,639 some of the factors that the Executive 103 00:04:50,639 --> 00:04:52,240 Office of Housing and Livable 104 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,560 Communities looked at when they decided 105 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:58,479 to grant Rockport a seasonal communities 106 00:04:58,479 --> 00:05:00,080 designation. 107 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,240 We have a 108 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:04,080 substantial variation in seasonal 109 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:07,840 employment. We have a high a high rate 110 00:05:07,840 --> 00:05:09,440 of short-term rentals in relation to 111 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:12,639 overall housing. We have a significant 112 00:05:12,639 --> 00:05:14,800 population increase in seasonal 113 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:18,320 visitors. And we have significant 114 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:20,639 disparities between the area median 115 00:05:20,639 --> 00:05:23,600 income and income needed to buy a home 116 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:25,680 in Rockport. 117 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:29,120 And lastly, the percentage of housing 118 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,199 used for seasonal, occasional, or 119 00:05:31,199 --> 00:05:34,400 recreational use or otherwise not a 120 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:38,960 primary residence by the owner is high 121 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:41,440 in Rockport. That's why we say like 122 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,600 Rockport because these really all apply. 123 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:47,440 In fact, if you look at a a map of the 124 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:51,039 areas that fit the this description, 125 00:05:51,039 --> 00:05:54,320 most of them are on Cape Cod in that 126 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:57,680 area. And those are all seasonal 127 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,880 communities. The whole Cape Cod uh 128 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:02,880 peninsula is a seasonal community 129 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:05,680 essentially. The other area of seasonal 130 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:07,840 communities is in the western part of 131 00:06:07,840 --> 00:06:10,400 the state in the Birkars. There are some 132 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,600 towns there that have that designation. 133 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:15,840 And then you see way up in the northeast 134 00:06:15,840 --> 00:06:18,560 corner, one community that meets all 135 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:22,000 these criteria. It's Rockport. The one, 136 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:25,360 not even Gloucester, but Rockport. So 137 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,319 we'll go to the next uh slide kind of go 138 00:06:28,319 --> 00:06:31,199 through this. 43 towns has received the 139 00:06:31,199 --> 00:06:33,520 seasonal community designation and 140 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:35,360 including three entire county, Dukes 141 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:37,440 County, Nantucket County, Berkshire 142 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:41,919 County. Um and others have received it 143 00:06:41,919 --> 00:06:44,160 because they've asked for it and we're 144 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:45,520 one of the ones that have asked for it. 145 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:47,440 They didn't automatically grant it to 146 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:49,680 us, but that's okay. It wouldn't it was 147 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:53,039 very easy to get for Rockport. 148 00:06:53,039 --> 00:06:56,080 Um, we we received the designation from 149 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:57,840 the Executive Office of Housing and 150 00:06:57,840 --> 00:07:01,840 Livable Communities on February 18. And 151 00:07:01,840 --> 00:07:04,080 there it shows the percentages, the next 152 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:10,000 two uh items of why the EOHLC granted it 153 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,639 to Rockport because of those percentage 154 00:07:12,639 --> 00:07:15,599 numbers that are shown on your screen. 155 00:07:15,599 --> 00:07:17,599 And as I mentioned earlier at the 156 00:07:17,599 --> 00:07:19,520 beginning that to retain this 157 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:21,199 designation, 158 00:07:21,199 --> 00:07:25,120 we must approve at a town meeting. 159 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:26,560 All right. 160 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:28,160 >> Jason. 161 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:29,039 >> Yes. 162 00:07:29,039 --> 00:07:32,479 >> On that previous slide, those two 163 00:07:32,479 --> 00:07:34,479 percentages, 164 00:07:34,479 --> 00:07:36,639 are they actuals for Rockport or is that 165 00:07:36,639 --> 00:07:37,520 just the threshold? 166 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:39,440 >> No, that's for Rockport. Those are 167 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:41,520 Rockport's percentages. And those are 168 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:45,759 the two percentages that the executive 169 00:07:45,759 --> 00:07:47,440 office of housing and livable 170 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,639 communities in their letter to us 171 00:07:50,639 --> 00:07:53,759 approving it for Rockport. Um those are 172 00:07:53,759 --> 00:07:55,840 the two percentages they cited in their 173 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:57,520 letter. 174 00:07:57,520 --> 00:07:59,199 So, 175 00:07:59,199 --> 00:08:02,000 this is this next part is kind of 176 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:03,440 important and people need to listen to 177 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:06,639 what I'm saying carefully because it we 178 00:08:06,639 --> 00:08:08,560 found at our town at the uh public 179 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:10,560 hearing that there was some confusion 180 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,039 and I'm not blaming anybody. It was just 181 00:08:13,039 --> 00:08:15,680 it was confusing and we realized there 182 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,560 was some confusion. 183 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:22,000 The first thing is um 184 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,560 if we want to retain the seasonal 185 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:28,879 communities designation, what must we do 186 00:08:28,879 --> 00:08:31,120 as a town? 187 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,159 And then there's another part to that 188 00:08:34,159 --> 00:08:37,599 which is what 189 00:08:37,599 --> 00:08:40,959 can we do as a town but is not required. 190 00:08:40,959 --> 00:08:43,039 very important to understand that 191 00:08:43,039 --> 00:08:45,680 distinction between the two because what 192 00:08:45,680 --> 00:08:48,399 must what we must do is actually 193 00:08:48,399 --> 00:08:52,240 relatively small compared to what we can 194 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,640 do. So there are a lot of topics here 195 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:56,399 that I know people are going to want to 196 00:08:56,399 --> 00:08:58,560 talk about like affordable housing and 197 00:08:58,560 --> 00:09:01,680 how do we do that and everything that's 198 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:04,080 for another day because that's one of 199 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:08,160 the things that we can do but we don't 200 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:11,440 have to do. So they they'll require 201 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:15,440 their own zoning laws or bylaws or 202 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:17,760 general bylaws depending on what it is. 203 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:20,080 So here are the two things we must do. 204 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:23,600 We must create zoning that allows for 205 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:28,080 what um for tiny housing as of right in 206 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,320 a single family residential district. 207 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:32,640 And I'll show you some pictures of tiny 208 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:35,519 housing in a in a moment. 209 00:09:35,519 --> 00:09:38,080 A tiny house is a detached house that is 210 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,560 the principal dwelling on a lot and is 211 00:09:40,560 --> 00:09:43,120 not more than 400 square feet of floor 212 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:47,519 area. So that's pretty small, but people 213 00:09:47,519 --> 00:09:50,240 can live in them and live well. 214 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:55,040 uh under this tiny housing 215 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:56,880 provision which we have not which has 216 00:09:56,880 --> 00:09:59,040 not yet been drafted and will not be 217 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:03,120 drafted until this seasonal communities 218 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:06,320 designation is approved and then we have 219 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:09,680 24 months to get it passed. So it's not 220 00:10:09,680 --> 00:10:12,000 anything that's going to happen as of 221 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:15,440 April 12th after town meeting. uh tying 222 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:18,800 tiny housing must be year round and it 223 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:20,480 must comply obviously with state and 224 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:22,240 local building codes. You have to have a 225 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:25,600 bathroom. Okay, so that's one of the 226 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:27,440 things. The second thing that we must 227 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,720 do, again this is within 24 months, is 228 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:34,880 we must create zoning that allows for 229 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:38,000 mandatory year round residences, 230 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,240 i.e. Under the law, it says no fewer 231 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:43,839 than 10 months occupancy on undersized 232 00:10:43,839 --> 00:10:47,200 lots. Now, what the state defines as an 233 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:51,760 undersized lot is at a lot that's at 234 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:55,839 least 10,000 square feet or 25% of the 235 00:10:55,839 --> 00:10:58,959 minimum lot size of the residential lot 236 00:10:58,959 --> 00:11:01,279 area where the where the resident is 237 00:11:01,279 --> 00:11:03,360 located, whichever is greater. We 238 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,720 already have quite a few lots that meet 239 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:09,120 this description. in town. We already 240 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:11,519 have them. But just to let you know, we 241 00:11:11,519 --> 00:11:15,760 must we must create zoning that allows 242 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:17,279 for 243 00:11:17,279 --> 00:11:20,480 these they call undersized lots that 244 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:25,350 allows for these lots in the town. 245 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:27,360 All right, here's some here's some tiny 246 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:29,600 houses 247 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:34,000 thanks to our architect members. 248 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,160 Pretty nice, actually. I kind of like 249 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:38,959 them. Um, think of how much less 250 00:11:38,959 --> 00:11:43,120 cleaning you'll have to do. Um, 251 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,600 anyway, they're all examples of tiny 252 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:48,720 houses all over the 253 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:50,959 >> the country. All over the country. Yeah. 254 00:11:50,959 --> 00:11:53,519 And you can see the variation 255 00:11:53,519 --> 00:11:57,920 that uh they have. 256 00:11:57,920 --> 00:11:59,760 So, 257 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:01,519 as I mentioned earlier, Rockport must 258 00:12:01,519 --> 00:12:03,200 adopt these two zoning provisions at the 259 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:05,519 town meeting within 24 months from the 260 00:12:05,519 --> 00:12:09,360 designation if it's approved on April 261 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:13,269 11th. 262 00:12:13,279 --> 00:12:14,800 Now, 263 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:19,279 here are um here are the things that we 264 00:12:19,279 --> 00:12:23,040 could do that could be done, but they 265 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:25,440 don't have to be done. And there's no 266 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:27,839 time limit on when they can be done 267 00:12:27,839 --> 00:12:31,200 either. There's no 20 the 24 months only 268 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:34,720 applies to those first two 269 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:36,639 things we talked about, tiny houses and 270 00:12:36,639 --> 00:12:38,800 undersized lots. 271 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,440 Okay, these are these are what are in 272 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:44,480 the law. It's what's in the 273 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:46,079 regulations. And I can tell you right 274 00:12:46,079 --> 00:12:51,120 now that even for the state, these this 275 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:53,760 is a work in progress for them. I mean, 276 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:56,079 they don't really have these things all 277 00:12:56,079 --> 00:12:58,800 fleshed out, but they have enough to 278 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:01,279 tell you that these are some options you 279 00:13:01,279 --> 00:13:03,760 might want to take. Okay. First of all, 280 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:05,360 creation of a housing trust fund for 281 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:07,600 affordable housing, 282 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:10,560 ability to create a preference for 283 00:13:10,560 --> 00:13:13,760 seasonal community essential employees. 284 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,160 And what that means are people who work 285 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:18,959 in, you know, emergency services and 286 00:13:18,959 --> 00:13:21,360 other services in the town who are 287 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:23,279 really essential to the operation of the 288 00:13:23,279 --> 00:13:26,720 town, essential to, you know, health and 289 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:31,040 safety of the town. You can you could we 290 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:36,079 could create um housing that is where 291 00:13:36,079 --> 00:13:38,079 they're preferential. 292 00:13:38,079 --> 00:13:43,279 If you want to know the details here are the regulations. You're welcome 293 00:13:43,279 --> 00:13:45,120 to come read them, but I'm not going to 294 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:47,360 get into it now because that'll be a 295 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:49,040 long meeting. Okay, this is an 296 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,839 interesting one. Allow for the creation 297 00:13:51,839 --> 00:13:54,880 and preservation of artist housing. 298 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:56,560 for a household with at least 299 00:13:56,560 --> 00:13:58,959 one person who produces or supports 300 00:13:58,959 --> 00:14:01,920 artistic and literary activities. That's 301 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:05,040 kind of interesting. So certainly for 302 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,000 Rockport, which has a history of being 303 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:12,000 an artist colony many years ago, uh this 304 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:15,920 is I think it's kind of interesting that 305 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:19,120 it could be promoted again 306 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:21,120 and maybe people who have sons or 307 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:22,720 daughters who are artists who might want 308 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:25,040 to live here, they might be able to have 309 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:28,240 housing for not much money. Who knows? 310 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:29,839 So, 311 00:14:29,839 --> 00:14:32,639 and then two, the last two are allow for 312 00:14:32,639 --> 00:14:34,079 the development of a comprehensive 313 00:14:34,079 --> 00:14:36,480 housing needs assessment. You could do 314 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:39,040 it up to twice annually. 315 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:40,320 Uh, and there, by the way, there's 316 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:42,240 supposedly some money for this stuff, 317 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:45,519 too, but again, it's not 318 00:14:45,519 --> 00:14:48,079 I I don't know the details. And then the 319 00:14:48,079 --> 00:14:49,600 other the last thing which I think 320 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:51,760 everybody 321 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:53,519 perhaps everybody in this room would be 322 00:14:53,519 --> 00:14:56,000 interested in is that raise the property 323 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,680 tax exemption for yearround residents. 324 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:02,399 Well, that's that would be interesting. 325 00:15:02,399 --> 00:15:04,560 In other words, like some communities I 326 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:06,560 know in other states do that. If you're 327 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:08,959 a year- round resident, you pay one 328 00:15:08,959 --> 00:15:12,720 level of property tax and if you're not, 329 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,680 you pay a different level, which is 330 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:19,040 interesting. So 331 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:23,120 the other thing that this will do 332 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,399 this um 333 00:15:26,399 --> 00:15:28,720 uh commun uh seasonal communities law is 334 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:33,600 that it'll help us fix a hole in our 335 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:36,880 accessory dwelling unit bylaw which has 336 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:39,680 actually been on the books since 2022 337 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:42,880 when it was adopted. 338 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:44,959 We had a minimum rental period in that 339 00:15:44,959 --> 00:15:48,160 bylaw of six months. And the idea there 340 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:53,040 was to prevent people building ADUs or 341 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:55,360 converting garages into accessory 342 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:57,519 dwelling units and simply renting them 343 00:15:57,519 --> 00:15:59,600 out as short-term rentals over the 344 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,160 summer. So, we put a six-month minimum 345 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:05,279 in it. It was debated at that time what 346 00:16:05,279 --> 00:16:10,240 the minimum should be. 6 months won out. 347 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:12,800 the a year was proposed, but that didn't 348 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:15,360 it didn't resonate with the voters. So, 349 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:17,920 we had we had six months. 350 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:20,639 In 2024, the Commonwealth implemented 351 00:16:20,639 --> 00:16:26,320 its own statewide protected ADU law and 352 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:29,519 it allowed for it said that you Rockport 353 00:16:29,519 --> 00:16:32,639 and all the other towns in in the U 354 00:16:32,639 --> 00:16:35,680 state needed to allow ADUs in all 355 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:38,399 residential districts, which we hadn't 356 00:16:38,399 --> 00:16:40,560 before that. Before that, I was in 357 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:43,040 certain already somewhat dense 358 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:45,199 residential districts, we allowed ADUs, 359 00:16:45,199 --> 00:16:48,160 and that was in the 2022 law. But now, 360 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:49,360 they've said you got to allow them 361 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:51,120 everywhere. So, right now, they're 362 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:53,040 allowed everywhere in the town, whether 363 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:55,600 you have a if you have the setbacks and 364 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,279 everything and have the size ADU, 365 00:16:59,279 --> 00:17:01,440 uh, you can put it in any zoning 366 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,920 district in the town. 367 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:06,079 So 368 00:17:06,079 --> 00:17:08,880 we in 2025 based on what the 369 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:10,959 Commonwealth did and its protected ADU 370 00:17:10,959 --> 00:17:15,679 law, we readopted our ADU law 371 00:17:15,679 --> 00:17:20,720 uh to permit ADUs in all districts and 372 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:24,799 we readted our sixmonth 373 00:17:24,799 --> 00:17:28,480 uh minimum rental period. Sounds like 374 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:31,919 great. I mean, you're promoting um 375 00:17:31,919 --> 00:17:33,679 longer rentals. You're trying to get 376 00:17:33,679 --> 00:17:35,280 away from short-term rentals. You think 377 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:38,559 that that would be good, but no. The 378 00:17:38,559 --> 00:17:40,160 attorney general came back and said, 379 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,240 "Uh, 380 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:43,919 we think that's an unreasonable 381 00:17:43,919 --> 00:17:46,960 restriction on the 382 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:49,360 ADU. 383 00:17:49,360 --> 00:17:51,600 We're going to make it so you have a 384 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:55,120 minimum rental period of what our law 385 00:17:55,120 --> 00:17:58,880 says, which is 31 days. 386 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:01,919 So, don't try to figure this out because 387 00:18:01,919 --> 00:18:05,760 we were trying to encourage longer 388 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:09,440 occupancy of ADUs and the and the 389 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:11,840 attorney general said, "No, you're 390 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:19,600 unreasonably restricting ADUs and you can only have a 31day 391 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:23,520 uh minimum." But they said, and we've 392 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:27,120 confirmed this with them, if you get the 393 00:18:27,120 --> 00:18:30,559 seasonal communities designation, we 394 00:18:30,559 --> 00:18:33,360 accept that you can reinstate 395 00:18:33,360 --> 00:18:35,200 the sixmonth 396 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:36,960 minimum rental period that you had 397 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:40,960 before. So that's one of the incentives 398 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:42,559 for 399 00:18:42,559 --> 00:18:45,760 the town to adopt this. A secondary 400 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:48,799 incentive is that we are then allowed to 401 00:18:48,799 --> 00:18:52,880 bring back at least six month uh in 402 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:57,200 terms of a rental period and 403 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:00,630 Oh yeah. 404 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:02,400 So 405 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:04,400 it's this is a very flexible 406 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:07,360 designation. If we accept it, 407 00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:10,240 we can at town meeting revoke it. it's 408 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,600 not working out, we can revoke it and no 409 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:16,320 penalty, maybe lo maybe losing some 410 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,280 money, who knows, grants, if we reject 411 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:20,799 it 412 00:19:20,799 --> 00:19:24,080 at the town meeting coming up, it can be 413 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:26,880 um submitted later for a vote and we 414 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:29,919 don't need to go back to the 415 00:19:29,919 --> 00:19:32,080 uh executive office of housing and 416 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:33,760 livable communities and get a new 417 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:36,080 designation. The designation that 418 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:38,960 they've issued stands. we would just 419 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:40,799 have to put it up for another vote at 420 00:19:40,799 --> 00:19:42,559 town meeting. 421 00:19:42,559 --> 00:19:47,120 And lastly, they the state can revoke 422 00:19:47,120 --> 00:19:51,120 the designation if we don't comply with 423 00:19:51,120 --> 00:19:53,520 this 24month 424 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:55,520 uh period where we need to adopt these 425 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:58,000 two provisions or if we're just not 426 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:00,000 really doing anything to permit new 427 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:03,120 residential units. uh they can come in, 428 00:20:03,120 --> 00:20:05,120 you know, look at what we're what we 429 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:06,960 haven't done and say, uh, you know, 430 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:08,799 we're going to revoke our designation. 431 00:20:08,799 --> 00:20:11,360 But those 432 00:20:11,360 --> 00:20:15,600 that's pretty much it. Okay. Thank you. 433 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:19,520 Um, so we'll open it up for questions. 434 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:22,559 I'm not I'm going to let other me board 435 00:20:22,559 --> 00:20:25,600 members answer questions and also Betsy. 436 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:29,200 Um, if you want to ask a question. Oh, 437 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:33,280 we see have someone already. Great. And 438 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:34,960 um 439 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:37,840 please just state your name and address 440 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:40,640 and try to talk in the mic because 441 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:41,600 >> Can you hear me? 442 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:43,440 >> Maybe we Hey, Tom, could we turn that 443 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:44,480 fan off 444 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:46,720 >> because I I'm looking at the thermometer 445 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:48,400 there and I can see that the temperature 446 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:50,799 has dropped in this room from from the 447 00:20:50,799 --> 00:20:53,440 84 degrees that it was before. So, 448 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:57,280 >> it's about 52 in that corner over there. 449 00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:58,960 >> Can you hear me? You'll keep you'll stay 450 00:20:58,960 --> 00:20:59,440 awake. 451 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:00,080 >> No. 452 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:01,120 >> Get closer. 453 00:21:01,120 --> 00:21:02,080 >> Yeah. Bring it real close. 454 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:03,520 >> Yes. Bring it real close. 455 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,159 >> All right. Can you hear me? Is that 456 00:21:06,159 --> 00:21:06,640 better? 457 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:06,960 >> Yes. 458 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:08,240 >> Yeah. A little bit better. 459 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:09,360 >> Um just a couple of 460 00:21:09,360 --> 00:21:10,640 >> Yeah. I mean, we opened it because it 461 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:14,240 was boiling hot in here. Um I It's kind 462 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:16,720 of hard to close. It's a heavy window. 463 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:20,720 >> Maybe some guy can or strong gal can get 464 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:22,640 up there. 465 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:24,799 >> You have to lift it up to get You have 466 00:21:24,799 --> 00:21:27,600 to lift it up. 467 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:28,640 Okay. P1 at team. 468 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:33,669 >> There you go. 469 00:21:33,679 --> 00:21:37,750 » All right. If it gets too hot, 470 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:41,440 » there's there just a couple things. One is I used to live in Charletown. I 471 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:43,679 had a house that was um 472 00:21:43,679 --> 00:21:45,440 >> I'm going to close this. Okay. No one 473 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:46,880 needs to see this, 474 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:47,280 >> right? 475 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:51,120 >> Okay. Go ahead. Um, my house had a a 476 00:21:51,120 --> 00:21:54,559 small footprint and it was one of those 477 00:21:54,559 --> 00:21:56,799 typical brick row houses in Charles Town 478 00:21:56,799 --> 00:21:59,520 that's small. So, I used to joke that it 479 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,880 was um two rooms and a ladder going up 480 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:06,000 three floors. Um, but the footprint was 481 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:09,919 um just it was 500 square feet. So, um 482 00:22:09,919 --> 00:22:12,400 what I'd s I don't know if the it just 483 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:14,240 got into the language this way, but the 484 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:16,080 minimum it really has to be constrained 485 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:19,280 to 400 ft. If that could be two stories, 486 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:21,039 I think you've got you're you're in 487 00:22:21,039 --> 00:22:22,720 business with something that actually is 488 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:25,760 more flexible. And there u most of the 489 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:27,039 images that you had there were two of 490 00:22:27,039 --> 00:22:28,480 them that were single floor and the rest 491 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:30,640 of them were either two or three floors. 492 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:33,039 >> Um I would feed that back to the state 493 00:22:33,039 --> 00:22:34,799 and see if you can get that folded in 494 00:22:34,799 --> 00:22:36,799 because it will make it um 495 00:22:36,799 --> 00:22:39,280 >> it'll make it more space for people and 496 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:42,080 it's definitely livable. Um the other 497 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:45,280 the next point was um for artist spaces 498 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:46,799 you need a living space and you also 499 00:22:46,799 --> 00:22:49,840 need a um a working space. So when I was 500 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:51,280 thinking about this I thought I could 501 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:52,880 have a tiny house and then I could get 502 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:55,360 one of those you know boat houses which 503 00:22:55,360 --> 00:22:57,840 are you know boat house kits and then 504 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:01,200 make that into a studio and attach it or 505 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:04,559 you know have it close by. Um that's it. 506 00:23:04,559 --> 00:23:06,159 I really am very glad to see the 507 00:23:06,159 --> 00:23:08,240 possibility of artist space. at the 508 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:09,679 cultural council we've been talking 509 00:23:09,679 --> 00:23:11,760 about. Where can we find it? It's the 510 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:14,159 top on the list. We did a survey of 511 00:23:14,159 --> 00:23:16,720 artisan who you were interested had 512 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:18,960 gotten grants and from the cultural 513 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:21,679 council and that was the top one. So, 514 00:23:21,679 --> 00:23:22,080 thank you. 515 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:24,080 >> Great. Now, these are these are good 516 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:29,440 points. Um, and once this CEO 517 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:31,440 community's designation is approved, 518 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:35,440 assuming it's going to be, working on 519 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:37,440 the points that you brought up would be 520 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:39,120 the next step. 521 00:23:39,120 --> 00:23:41,200 >> I'd be happy to help. 522 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:42,640 >> Great. Thank you so much. 523 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:44,480 >> Can I add something to that? 524 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:46,320 >> Yeah, go ahead, Betsy. Go ahead. 525 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:50,720 >> Um, the tiny house, the first floor 526 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:54,480 footprint is 400 square ft. the it 527 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:57,039 doesn't it's exclusive of loft space. 528 00:23:57,039 --> 00:23:59,760 So, I'm not sure how they define loft 529 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:01,679 space. Yeah. But I think there's 530 00:24:01,679 --> 00:24:03,919 probably a fair amount of wiggle room. 531 00:24:03,919 --> 00:24:08,159 Plus, um they the state executive office 532 00:24:08,159 --> 00:24:10,159 of housing and livable communities is 533 00:24:10,159 --> 00:24:15,360 working on a draft bylaw for tiny houses 534 00:24:15,360 --> 00:24:17,360 and they've stated that they are going 535 00:24:17,360 --> 00:24:21,440 to be a little flexible. So, um I think 536 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:24,799 that um the images that were shown, some 537 00:24:24,799 --> 00:24:27,600 of them were probably 538 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,159 400 square ft exclusive of the loft 539 00:24:30,159 --> 00:24:32,799 space. Um some of them were obviously a 540 00:24:32,799 --> 00:24:34,240 little bit bigger. I'm ready to move 541 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:38,480 into one. Um but in any case um the 542 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:44,480 state as as Jason said is working on um 543 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:47,279 some drafting and they're still trying 544 00:24:47,279 --> 00:24:49,679 to kind of ek out some of the details. 545 00:24:49,679 --> 00:24:52,799 So I I think as long as we kind of watch 546 00:24:52,799 --> 00:24:55,039 what's going on, there should be some 547 00:24:55,039 --> 00:24:59,510 flexibility. 548 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:00,799 » Do I hold the button? 549 00:25:00,799 --> 00:25:03,279 >> Go ahead. Is it Are you on? It's green. 550 00:25:03,279 --> 00:25:05,039 If it's green, you're on. Okay. 551 00:25:05,039 --> 00:25:08,000 >> U Ben Hughes, 147 Main Street. I was 552 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:09,520 just a little confused about the two 553 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:12,400 mandatory requirements, the ADU and then 554 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:14,640 the um 555 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:18,240 the second one. So the ADU said 556 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:20,000 I mean, excuse me, the Chinese house 557 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:22,320 designation was if it was a primary 558 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:24,480 residence on a lot. So it's a lot with 559 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:26,480 no housing. 560 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:28,080 >> It's that's it's completely separate 561 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:29,840 from an ADU. 562 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:32,159 >> Yeah. That 563 00:25:32,159 --> 00:25:33,919 >> they're two different animals, right? 564 00:25:33,919 --> 00:25:36,159 with no living space on it at the time. 565 00:25:36,159 --> 00:25:37,919 And is it for a 566 00:25:37,919 --> 00:25:40,559 >> No, 567 00:25:40,559 --> 00:25:43,840 >> we we still we still need to develop the 568 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:46,559 zoning rules and regulations for the 569 00:25:46,559 --> 00:25:49,840 tiny houses. So, we may decide that on a 570 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:52,159 quarter acre lot, you can have three 571 00:25:52,159 --> 00:25:54,720 tiny houses, for example, 572 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:55,760 >> maybe they're condos. 573 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:56,559 >> Yeah. 574 00:25:56,559 --> 00:25:59,440 um we we have to establish all those 575 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:01,760 regulations, but the tiny house right 576 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:03,919 now is kind of limited to this 400 plus 577 00:26:03,919 --> 00:26:07,600 loft space area. An ADU on the other 578 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:09,919 hand requires that there's a primary 579 00:26:09,919 --> 00:26:11,360 dwelling already on the lot. 580 00:26:11,360 --> 00:26:12,000 >> Okay? 581 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:16,720 >> And then that ADU can be um up to 900 582 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:18,559 square ft, but 583 00:26:18,559 --> 00:26:21,279 >> a maximum of half of the uh principal 584 00:26:21,279 --> 00:26:24,880 dwelling unit space. So if you have a 585 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:28,000 >> a 1500 foot house, it can only be 750 586 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:32,080 ft². But but that is a se a separate set 587 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:33,200 of rules. Yeah. 588 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:35,360 >> Sure. And just one other quick point of 589 00:26:35,360 --> 00:26:39,039 information is we qualified for the um 590 00:26:39,039 --> 00:26:41,440 seasonal designation by the fact that 591 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:44,559 our short-term rental 592 00:26:44,559 --> 00:26:47,440 percentage was 3.25%. Or was that the 593 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:49,360 actual for Rockport or was that the sort 594 00:26:49,360 --> 00:26:50,240 of minimum? 595 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:51,440 >> Oh, that's Rockport. 596 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:54,480 >> Okay. And and do I mean is that like 597 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:56,559 Airbnb types or does that include like 598 00:26:56,559 --> 00:26:58,720 hotels and things too or 599 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:01,120 >> uh I they say short-term rentals that 600 00:27:01,120 --> 00:27:03,840 generally means like an Airbnb type 601 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:04,400 thing. 602 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:04,880 >> Okay. Yeah. 603 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:07,279 >> So if somebody already has like a garage 604 00:27:07,279 --> 00:27:09,200 of apartment that's rented out 605 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:11,600 seasonally or by the week that's already 606 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:14,480 in that percentage 607 00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:15,039 >> probably. 608 00:27:15,039 --> 00:27:17,039 >> Yeah. I mean that's how they calculated. 609 00:27:17,039 --> 00:27:19,279 Basically, how they figured it out is 610 00:27:19,279 --> 00:27:22,240 they the state collects 611 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:25,279 excise tax on all short-term rentals. If 612 00:27:25,279 --> 00:27:26,799 you have a short-term rental, you have 613 00:27:26,799 --> 00:27:28,159 to register it. 614 00:27:28,159 --> 00:27:31,360 >> So, they know how many legal ones at 615 00:27:31,360 --> 00:27:33,120 least that are in the town of Rockport 616 00:27:33,120 --> 00:27:34,880 because they collect the tax and they 617 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:35,679 know 618 00:27:35,679 --> 00:27:37,039 >> the number of units. 619 00:27:37,039 --> 00:27:38,240 >> But, as far as you know, that doesn't 620 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:40,320 include the ins or um 621 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:42,240 >> No, no, that does not it does not 622 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:44,080 >> that does not does not include ins. 623 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:45,600 >> Yeah. Okay. And these are these are 624 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:48,640 conservative estimates too. Betsy could 625 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:50,880 talk a little bit more about that maybe, 626 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:54,240 but um this is information gathered from 627 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:55,919 four or five different sources including 628 00:27:55,919 --> 00:27:59,679 the US census, local tax data, all kinds 629 00:27:59,679 --> 00:28:06,320 of things. Uh especially for the houses that are um occasionally 630 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:09,200 used. In other words, they're claiming 631 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:11,760 their houses in Florida and they have a 632 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:14,399 second house here. So it's not it's not 633 00:28:14,399 --> 00:28:17,200 counted. Um so there's a fair amount of 634 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,559 those in town as we all know. Um so the 635 00:28:20,559 --> 00:28:23,520 numbers are the percentages are likely a 636 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:26,399 fair bit higher actually than these uh 637 00:28:26,399 --> 00:28:29,360 the 16% that you saw on the screen. 638 00:28:29,360 --> 00:28:30,880 >> Okay. Hi. 639 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:33,760 >> Hi. Uh Paul Bryant, five Avenue. Uh just 640 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,240 a quick question for clarification. Uh 641 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:39,039 the second requirement is for undersized 642 00:28:39,039 --> 00:28:42,640 lots. Uh that would be for existing lots 643 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:45,679 in Rockport. Would that also be for 644 00:28:45,679 --> 00:28:48,320 future development? If there's uh a 645 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:50,880 subdivision being created, will they be 646 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:54,240 able to uh h uh at that point create a 647 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:56,720 large number of undersized lots? 648 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,360 >> Um yeah, I don't think that there's uh 649 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:00,960 it doesn't just talk about existing 650 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:03,840 lots. It talks about lots that would 651 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:05,520 meet that criteria that could be 652 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:08,720 created. So basically from this point on 653 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:12,720 the de facto uh zoning would uh across 654 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:17,279 town would be 10,000 square foot for uh 655 00:29:17,279 --> 00:29:18,480 as for residential. 656 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:20,799 >> Well okay we we haven't done the zoning 657 00:29:20,799 --> 00:29:23,360 for that yet. And so there could be 658 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:26,799 areas of the town where undersized lots 659 00:29:26,799 --> 00:29:29,039 are allowed and other areas where 660 00:29:29,039 --> 00:29:30,559 they're not allowed. 661 00:29:30,559 --> 00:29:35,200 >> But that that comes later. We have to do that. 662 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:36,640 According according to this, it's 663 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:38,799 required, but it's not required across 664 00:29:38,799 --> 00:29:40,640 the whole town. Required 665 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:43,120 >> just said required, but not across the 666 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:44,399 whole town. Doesn't mean we have to do 667 00:29:44,399 --> 00:29:46,720 it across every zoning district in the 668 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:49,440 town if that's what you're asking. 669 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,200 >> Okay. Just uh just trying to get a 670 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:51,840 better idea. 671 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:52,799 >> No, understood. Yeah. 672 00:29:52,799 --> 00:29:55,919 >> Yeah. Yeah. The idea of it's it's 673 00:29:55,919 --> 00:29:58,880 future. Everything's future future ADUs, 674 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:00,320 future tiny houses. 675 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:03,120 >> And then Yeah. We can normally we would 676 00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:05,840 not be able to create a lot that's uh 677 00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:08,320 >> smaller than what's our current zoning 678 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:11,840 for one unit I think 5,000 square ft but 679 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:13,600 now we might be able to create lots that 680 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:15,200 are smaller potential 681 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:16,960 >> I'm all for teeny houses I just want a 682 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:19,039 little clarification thank you 683 00:30:19,039 --> 00:30:20,559 >> so we should add that there's also 684 00:30:20,559 --> 00:30:21,919 minimum frontage 685 00:30:21,919 --> 00:30:24,880 >> right there there there are other things 686 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:27,039 in that to your point sir there are 687 00:30:27,039 --> 00:30:29,520 other things in that 688 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:33,039 in their framework for such a law that 689 00:30:33,039 --> 00:30:36,799 make it easier to create an what they 690 00:30:36,799 --> 00:30:39,919 call an undersized lot because the the 691 00:30:39,919 --> 00:30:43,440 setbacks are less than would necessarily 692 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:45,760 be applied and the frontage I think it's 693 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:47,279 like 20 feet or something is the 694 00:30:47,279 --> 00:30:49,760 frontage I just looked at it recently 695 00:30:49,760 --> 00:30:52,399 but you know again 696 00:30:52,399 --> 00:30:55,840 once we sit down and start talking about 697 00:30:55,840 --> 00:30:58,080 developing zoning that allows these 698 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:01,520 things that's where I we get into the 699 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:05,200 details about where and how much and all 700 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:06,960 that stuff. 701 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:13,120 >> I I would add I think originally they had hopes of the 10,000 square ft 702 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:15,120 lot being much smaller, but they 703 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:17,679 realized a lot of towns have septic 704 00:31:17,679 --> 00:31:20,559 systems only and would require a certain 705 00:31:20,559 --> 00:31:23,600 area for the septic systems. So, they 706 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:25,520 upped they upped the number and they're 707 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:27,120 working on those details. That may 708 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:31,269 change in the future. 709 00:31:31,279 --> 00:31:32,000 Hi. 710 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:34,799 >> Hi. My name is Suzanne. I live on Twin 711 00:31:34,799 --> 00:31:35,520 Light Circle. 712 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:36,559 >> Suzanne 713 00:31:36,559 --> 00:31:37,519 >> Deore. 714 00:31:37,519 --> 00:31:38,880 >> Okay. And where? I'm sorry I couldn't 715 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:39,279 hear you. 716 00:31:39,279 --> 00:31:40,159 >> Twin Light Circle. 717 00:31:40,159 --> 00:31:41,519 Yes. 718 00:31:41,519 --> 00:31:42,960 >> Listen to the mic. 719 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:43,600 >> Oh, sorry. 720 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:45,200 >> You can hold it up if you want. I mean, 721 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:49,200 >> okay. Um, so my question is a little bit 722 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:52,320 um just regarding the economic impact to 723 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:56,240 the town and small like local businesses 724 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:58,880 with this. Um, I think it's super great 725 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:01,120 to provide more affordable housing for 726 00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:03,120 sure around the area, especially 727 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:05,600 Rockport, but 728 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:10,159 um, a lot of the I guess economic like 729 00:32:10,159 --> 00:32:11,840 prosperity for the town is coming from 730 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:15,840 tourism and with I guess putting 731 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:18,240 restrictions on ADU for short-term 732 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:20,880 rentals and taking away possibly some 733 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:22,880 opportunities for different other 734 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:25,039 short-term rentals. Um it will lessen 735 00:32:25,039 --> 00:32:26,799 the amount of tourists that come to the 736 00:32:26,799 --> 00:32:31,440 area and since our like economic system 737 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:34,159 in Rockport is so dependent on the 738 00:32:34,159 --> 00:32:36,720 tourism and travelers here, do you think 739 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:39,519 there would be any impact on the like 740 00:32:39,519 --> 00:32:41,600 what the town can provide for the 741 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:46,159 community members if that shifts? 742 00:32:46,159 --> 00:32:47,760 >> All right, let me see if I understand 743 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:50,000 what your question is. Are are you 744 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:52,240 asking whether 745 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:54,480 >> I'm asking if there's less tourists to 746 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:58,000 Rockport, but we have more year-round um 747 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:00,399 community members, what kind of economic 748 00:33:00,399 --> 00:33:01,840 impact that's going to have long term on 749 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:04,320 Rockport? Because a lot of the goods and 750 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:06,399 services that people from Rockport are 751 00:33:06,399 --> 00:33:08,880 receiving now are not in in the town. 752 00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:10,720 So, they are going into Gloucester or 753 00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:13,919 surrounding areas to purchase things. 754 00:33:13,919 --> 00:33:17,039 And if you think that would change by 755 00:33:17,039 --> 00:33:20,240 putting um more year-round 756 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:21,840 people living in Rockport, I 757 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:24,880 >> mean, if we if we if in the future more 758 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:25,840 restrictions 759 00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:27,760 >> restricting would having less tourists 760 00:33:27,760 --> 00:33:31,120 to the area cause more harm than more 761 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:32,880 year-round residents. 762 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:35,679 >> Um does anybody want I mean I have some 763 00:33:35,679 --> 00:33:37,120 thoughts on that. Anybody else want to 764 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:38,559 answer that? Try to answer that. 765 00:33:38,559 --> 00:33:40,399 >> Well, just just a couple couple 766 00:33:40,399 --> 00:33:43,760 thoughts. um you're going to you're 767 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:47,519 going to essentially with with this ADU 768 00:33:47,519 --> 00:33:53,760 uh six-month lease cap, you're going to cap the uh ADU growth 769 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:56,480 theoretically from where it is now. So, 770 00:33:56,480 --> 00:33:58,000 it's not going to get any less 771 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:00,799 necessarily. Um it's going to stay the 772 00:34:00,799 --> 00:34:01,360 same, 773 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:02,080 >> but 774 00:34:02,080 --> 00:34:04,240 >> and then you would have 775 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:07,679 future future accessory dwelling units 776 00:34:07,679 --> 00:34:09,520 would be year round. So you're going to 777 00:34:09,520 --> 00:34:11,839 have more yearround residents here nine 778 00:34:11,839 --> 00:34:13,520 more months a year 779 00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:15,440 >> coming to eat at the restaurants, shop 780 00:34:15,440 --> 00:34:18,560 at the shops, go to the schools, support 781 00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:20,560 all of that system. So you're going to 782 00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:23,760 have in general a lot more locals coming 783 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:25,599 in for future growth. 784 00:34:25,599 --> 00:34:28,079 >> So existing ADUs would not be subject to 785 00:34:28,079 --> 00:34:29,040 the six months. 786 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:31,440 >> No. No. If you're already an ADU and you 787 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:34,159 didn't if you have an existing ADU, 788 00:34:34,159 --> 00:34:37,599 you're you're already there before the 789 00:34:37,599 --> 00:34:41,839 zoning changed. this the ADU law that 790 00:34:41,839 --> 00:34:45,359 was adopted in 2022 791 00:34:45,359 --> 00:34:49,119 only affects new ADU conversions. Mhm. 792 00:34:49,119 --> 00:34:50,399 >> And by the way, there have been there 793 00:34:50,399 --> 00:34:53,440 have been a few there actually have been 794 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:55,919 quite a few conversions because we're 795 00:34:55,919 --> 00:34:58,640 right next door to the uh building 796 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:00,560 department and you know it right now 797 00:35:00,560 --> 00:35:02,079 they can just go to the directly to the 798 00:35:02,079 --> 00:35:04,720 building department and get a building 799 00:35:04,720 --> 00:35:07,520 permit or if they have a setback issue 800 00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:09,920 then they they come to the planning 801 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:12,560 board. I I just want to make sure your 802 00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:14,240 question was answered, which I think is 803 00:35:14,240 --> 00:35:18,000 are you saying it with more full-time 804 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:20,640 housing, will it negatively impact the 805 00:35:20,640 --> 00:35:22,400 number of tourists? Is that what you 806 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:24,640 were asking? Um, I just think because 807 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:28,560 the town's economic is so the town's 808 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:30,960 economy is so dependent on tourism, if 809 00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:33,760 you take away the different areas that 810 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:35,760 they the short-term rentals that they 811 00:35:35,760 --> 00:35:38,640 would stay at and you replace it with 812 00:35:38,640 --> 00:35:41,760 year-round people. It's It's great for 813 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:43,760 community building, but it's going to 814 00:35:43,760 --> 00:35:46,320 probably take away some of the some of 815 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:48,240 the tourism dollars that are coming into 816 00:35:48,240 --> 00:35:49,920 Rockport, which would be used for 817 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:51,200 >> Well, that that's a that's an 818 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:55,040 interesting question. Um, I don't get 819 00:35:55,040 --> 00:35:58,240 the sense that the number of ADUs that 820 00:35:58,240 --> 00:35:59,520 will be affected, 821 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:03,920 >> not ADUs in in exclusivity, but like you 822 00:36:03,920 --> 00:36:05,839 also mentioned normal restrictions on 823 00:36:05,839 --> 00:36:07,440 short-term rentals. I don't think any of 824 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:11,920 this housing will uh stop the tourists 825 00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:14,720 from will lessen the tourists from 826 00:36:14,720 --> 00:36:16,640 coming to Rockport. It just it's not 827 00:36:16,640 --> 00:36:17,920 going to be it's not going to have that 828 00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:20,240 much of an impact. We don't we're just 829 00:36:20,240 --> 00:36:21,839 not going to have that much housing. You 830 00:36:21,839 --> 00:36:24,560 know, even this affordable housing, 831 00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:26,000 we're not going to have that much to 832 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:29,359 really impact that. I I see your point. 833 00:36:29,359 --> 00:36:30,720 Uh though, thank you. 834 00:36:30,720 --> 00:36:31,920 >> Thank you. 835 00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:34,800 So, I'd like to add that the the town 836 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:37,680 has a lot and I don't know the numbers, 837 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:42,480 but I will find out the numbers of um of 838 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:48,160 ins and guest houses and um motel. So, 839 00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:50,640 all of those I'm assuming are pretty 840 00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:53,920 booked for the for the summer. Um so, 841 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:56,560 you're still going to get that influx. 842 00:36:56,560 --> 00:36:59,440 Um, this is kind of jumping the gun a 843 00:36:59,440 --> 00:37:01,280 little bit, but I did do a little 844 00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:06,079 research on on artists and um, there are 845 00:37:06,079 --> 00:37:08,160 roughly, according to the census, there 846 00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:11,119 are about 80 people in town that 847 00:37:11,119 --> 00:37:12,640 actually 848 00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:16,160 make a living doing their art. And um, 849 00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:19,920 the art association has has said there's 850 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:22,720 roughly 300 artists in their 851 00:37:22,720 --> 00:37:24,640 organization. 852 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:27,440 um not all of them can afford to live in 853 00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:28,800 town. So some of them are from 854 00:37:28,800 --> 00:37:31,520 Gloucester or a little bit further away. 855 00:37:31,520 --> 00:37:35,520 But um you know if if the town decided 856 00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:37,440 to 857 00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:40,400 do the optional thing down the pike, say 858 00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:43,760 five years from now of um doing 859 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:46,480 something to promote artist housing and 860 00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:50,000 artist live workspace. um that would 861 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:51,839 probably 862 00:37:51,839 --> 00:37:55,440 um bring Rockport back a little bit to 863 00:37:55,440 --> 00:38:00,000 where it was um in the 1920s, 1930s, 864 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:04,560 1950s in terms of art colony. Um which I 865 00:38:04,560 --> 00:38:06,640 think is a pretty interesting um 866 00:38:06,640 --> 00:38:11,680 concept. So um 867 00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:13,920 that's all I have for now. Thanks. 868 00:38:13,920 --> 00:38:15,520 >> Jason should we should probably be 869 00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:18,000 clear. This isn't about taking away any 870 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:20,160 current short-term housing. It's about 871 00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:22,720 future conversions of ADUs. Yeah. 872 00:38:22,720 --> 00:38:26,240 >> And the sixmonth uh minimum is a 873 00:38:26,240 --> 00:38:28,400 separate item on the warrant. It doesn't 874 00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:31,200 necessarily have to pass. 875 00:38:31,200 --> 00:38:32,160 >> The six month 876 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:32,800 >> six month. 877 00:38:32,800 --> 00:38:36,960 >> Yeah. I mean, it could it passed once 878 00:38:36,960 --> 00:38:38,480 and 879 00:38:38,480 --> 00:38:42,400 I would think twice, right? So, it'll 880 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:44,480 probably pass again, but I guess 881 00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:46,880 anything can happen. 882 00:38:46,880 --> 00:38:51,119 Hi. Uh, Rich Lurigan, 78 Granite Street. 883 00:38:51,119 --> 00:38:54,960 Um, so it's it's good and and to have a 884 00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:56,960 provision. I like the provision for 885 00:38:56,960 --> 00:39:01,440 housing for artists, but is there a 886 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:07,359 reason why we don't have a provision for housing for town employees? 887 00:39:07,359 --> 00:39:09,599 Well, actually, that was one of the uh 888 00:39:09,599 --> 00:39:12,960 again, this is optional. It's not 889 00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:17,200 required, but one of the pro one of the 890 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:19,440 provisions that the state wanted to 891 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:22,640 encourage was housing for what they 892 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:26,800 called essential employees. 893 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:29,119 >> I didn't see that up there on the 894 00:39:29,119 --> 00:39:31,359 >> I think it was there. Yeah, I think we 895 00:39:31,359 --> 00:39:32,240 talked about it. 896 00:39:32,240 --> 00:39:34,880 >> So, there will be if there's going to be 897 00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:37,359 one for artist, there will be one 898 00:39:37,359 --> 00:39:40,800 considered seriously for town employees. 899 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:44,240 uh if that's what the voters want in a 900 00:39:44,240 --> 00:39:47,599 year or two when we start crafting some 901 00:39:47,599 --> 00:39:50,240 of these zoning provisions, there could 902 00:39:50,240 --> 00:39:53,839 easily be one, but that's it's it's not 903 00:39:53,839 --> 00:39:56,079 required just like the one for artists 904 00:39:56,079 --> 00:40:00,240 isn't required, but it's one that the 905 00:40:00,240 --> 00:40:03,040 planning board could draft and then you 906 00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:05,440 know on an information session like this 907 00:40:05,440 --> 00:40:08,400 present it and you make your comments. 908 00:40:08,400 --> 00:40:10,079 But it's but none of neither of these 909 00:40:10,079 --> 00:40:12,079 are required 910 00:40:12,079 --> 00:40:13,680 zoning provisions. 911 00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:15,680 >> So some of these provisions will have to 912 00:40:15,680 --> 00:40:19,440 be brought up next year for all of them. 913 00:40:19,440 --> 00:40:20,000 >> All of them 914 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:21,760 >> like the employee. 915 00:40:21,760 --> 00:40:25,359 >> Well, that may may never be brought up 916 00:40:25,359 --> 00:40:28,960 unless there's an initiative 917 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:31,760 to to do that. In other words, that is 918 00:40:31,760 --> 00:40:34,320 completely optional. Unlike the towny 919 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:37,920 houses, unlike the undersized lots, 920 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:40,800 those two we have to do. Does that make 921 00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:41,119 sense? 922 00:40:41,119 --> 00:40:41,680 >> Yes. Okay. 923 00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:42,079 >> Thank you. 924 00:40:42,079 --> 00:40:44,480 >> You're welcome. 925 00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:49,119 >> Hi guys, Tom Barrett from OneC. Um, you 926 00:40:49,119 --> 00:40:50,880 put up a slide about the things we have 927 00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:54,400 to do, the things we can do. on the can 928 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:58,640 do list. Uh clearly uh the state was 929 00:40:58,640 --> 00:41:00,400 willing to 930 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:02,400 uh 931 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:04,480 provide us to give us the ability to add 932 00:41:04,480 --> 00:41:07,200 back that 6 months that they removed in 933 00:41:07,200 --> 00:41:08,240 2025. Right. 934 00:41:08,240 --> 00:41:08,720 >> Correct. 935 00:41:08,720 --> 00:41:11,200 >> But on the other things on the list, is 936 00:41:11,200 --> 00:41:12,640 there anything anything on that list 937 00:41:12,640 --> 00:41:16,560 that we cannot do today without this 938 00:41:16,560 --> 00:41:18,319 designation? 939 00:41:18,319 --> 00:41:19,920 Are aren't all those possible today 940 00:41:19,920 --> 00:41:24,079 anyway without the designation? Um, 941 00:41:24,079 --> 00:41:26,800 >> no. 942 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:27,920 >> All right, why don't you answer? 943 00:41:27,920 --> 00:41:29,119 >> I don't think they're all possible. You 944 00:41:29,119 --> 00:41:30,720 can put the list up, but this this 945 00:41:30,720 --> 00:41:31,839 enables them. 946 00:41:31,839 --> 00:41:36,079 >> You really want me to try this again? 947 00:41:36,079 --> 00:41:37,599 >> Uh, no. Well, they're not. I mean, could 948 00:41:37,599 --> 00:41:40,000 we do tiny houses? No. We'd have to 949 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:40,640 amend the law. 950 00:41:40,640 --> 00:41:42,640 >> Desate something for artists today. Is 951 00:41:42,640 --> 00:41:44,000 anything preventing us from doing that 952 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:44,400 today? 953 00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:46,319 >> Yeah, there's no law that allows it. 954 00:41:46,319 --> 00:41:48,560 There's no law that says you can give a 955 00:41:48,560 --> 00:41:50,960 preference to artists. We can't we can't 956 00:41:50,960 --> 00:41:53,119 pass a town law for that. 957 00:41:53,119 --> 00:41:54,880 >> Um I don't know the answer to that 958 00:41:54,880 --> 00:41:55,280 question. 959 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:57,200 >> We can't do employees either. 960 00:41:57,200 --> 00:41:59,599 >> I I would I would refer that to town 961 00:41:59,599 --> 00:42:03,119 council. The the state the state seems 962 00:42:03,119 --> 00:42:06,560 to think that their 963 00:42:06,560 --> 00:42:09,839 law is something that would be, you 964 00:42:09,839 --> 00:42:14,079 know, to encourage that to be done. And 965 00:42:14,079 --> 00:42:16,240 >> uh I don't know exactly, that's a very 966 00:42:16,240 --> 00:42:17,599 good question, but I don't know how it 967 00:42:17,599 --> 00:42:20,480 would work out if you just tried to do 968 00:42:20,480 --> 00:42:25,040 that now um without their blessing, so 969 00:42:25,040 --> 00:42:27,359 to speak. Yeah, I think this the state 970 00:42:27,359 --> 00:42:29,040 was just trying to make it clear because 971 00:42:29,040 --> 00:42:30,960 I think there's some other federal and 972 00:42:30,960 --> 00:42:33,280 state regulations with the fair housing 973 00:42:33,280 --> 00:42:36,400 laws and so forth that that suggests 974 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:38,400 that you can't do that, but they're 975 00:42:38,400 --> 00:42:40,240 basically saying, but you can do it for 976 00:42:40,240 --> 00:42:42,960 artists in these seasonal communities 977 00:42:42,960 --> 00:42:46,240 which have tons of artists and uh 978 00:42:46,240 --> 00:42:50,000 writers and so forth and and these towns 979 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:53,520 that literally are islands sort of like 980 00:42:53,520 --> 00:42:56,800 us that can't get their essential 981 00:42:56,800 --> 00:42:59,680 employees to be on the island like 982 00:42:59,680 --> 00:43:02,480 Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard and the 983 00:43:02,480 --> 00:43:05,040 parts of the Cape and so forth. So, I 984 00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:07,760 think this is saying let's let's go for 985 00:43:07,760 --> 00:43:10,000 it. Let's try to get these things done 986 00:43:10,000 --> 00:43:14,240 and and make them happen. And uh like I 987 00:43:14,240 --> 00:43:16,720 was involved in in the Fort Point 988 00:43:16,720 --> 00:43:19,040 Channel thing down in Boston where we 989 00:43:19,040 --> 00:43:22,880 were dislocating a bunch of u artists 990 00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:24,640 who had lived down in those old mill 991 00:43:24,640 --> 00:43:27,440 buildings for decades. And uh we worked 992 00:43:27,440 --> 00:43:29,599 on a building that the artists 993 00:43:29,599 --> 00:43:32,079 eventually bought and uh took care of 994 00:43:32,079 --> 00:43:34,640 and they have things written into their 995 00:43:34,640 --> 00:43:36,960 deeds for those units for certified 996 00:43:36,960 --> 00:43:39,599 artists in Boston. So similar things 997 00:43:39,599 --> 00:43:43,119 could be done here like that. and um if 998 00:43:43,119 --> 00:43:45,599 it would allow either discounts on rent 999 00:43:45,599 --> 00:43:48,000 or discounts on purchase price, those 1000 00:43:48,000 --> 00:43:49,359 kinds of things. 1001 00:43:49,359 --> 00:43:50,160 >> All right. Thanks. 1002 00:43:50,160 --> 00:43:50,480 >> Yeah. 1003 00:43:50,480 --> 00:43:54,630 >> You're welcome. 1004 00:43:54,640 --> 00:43:58,480 » Hi, Jane. Me, uh Pigeon Hill Street 63. 1005 00:43:58,480 --> 00:44:00,079 Um 1006 00:44:00,079 --> 00:44:01,760 I was wondering you had mentioned 1007 00:44:01,760 --> 00:44:04,079 earlier that some you know if this 1008 00:44:04,079 --> 00:44:06,560 passes that some might may be able to be 1009 00:44:06,560 --> 00:44:08,880 deemed affordable 1010 00:44:08,880 --> 00:44:13,040 and if so would any of these uh qualify 1011 00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:18,150 towards the MBTA 1012 00:44:18,160 --> 00:44:19,200 » uh program? 1013 00:44:19,200 --> 00:44:21,599 >> Well, 1014 00:44:21,599 --> 00:44:25,599 we have two things going on here. That's a good question. We've got the 1015 00:44:25,599 --> 00:44:27,040 MBTA zoning. 1016 00:44:27,040 --> 00:44:30,880 >> Yeah. which is you know in a certain 1017 00:44:30,880 --> 00:44:32,160 area only 1018 00:44:32,160 --> 00:44:34,319 >> some can be there's a certain percentage 1019 00:44:34,319 --> 00:44:36,880 my understanding that could be elsewhere 1020 00:44:36,880 --> 00:44:37,200 in 1021 00:44:37,200 --> 00:44:38,960 >> well yeah but we've already done that 1022 00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:41,920 that's set already we've already decided 1023 00:44:41,920 --> 00:44:43,280 >> we discounted that 1024 00:44:43,280 --> 00:44:45,200 >> the town did that at town meeting we 1025 00:44:45,200 --> 00:44:49,440 already decided where the uh multifamily 1026 00:44:49,440 --> 00:44:52,720 housing for the MBTA zoning was going to 1027 00:44:52,720 --> 00:44:53,920 be allowed 1028 00:44:53,920 --> 00:44:56,240 >> that's already been decided and it was 1029 00:44:56,240 --> 00:44:59,119 pretty close to where the train station 1030 00:44:59,119 --> 00:44:59,680 is. 1031 00:44:59,680 --> 00:45:00,160 >> Yeah. 1032 00:45:00,160 --> 00:45:02,480 >> Either right next to it or else not that 1033 00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:04,079 far away. We didn't get up to where 1034 00:45:04,079 --> 00:45:05,839 you're living up there. 1035 00:45:05,839 --> 00:45:08,000 >> So, that would be outside of the MBTA 1036 00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:08,640 zoning. 1037 00:45:08,640 --> 00:45:09,200 >> Okay. 1038 00:45:09,200 --> 00:45:14,079 >> Area, but under this 1039 00:45:14,079 --> 00:45:16,319 uh zoning that's adopted after the 1040 00:45:16,319 --> 00:45:19,680 seasonal communities law is adopted, 1041 00:45:19,680 --> 00:45:22,079 it could be anywhere in town. 1042 00:45:22,079 --> 00:45:25,440 >> Yeah. And would tiny houses, if they're 1043 00:45:25,440 --> 00:45:30,160 deemed affordable, go towards the 40B? 1044 00:45:30,160 --> 00:45:31,599 >> Completely different. 1045 00:45:31,599 --> 00:45:32,400 >> Okay. 1046 00:45:32,400 --> 00:45:33,040 >> Very different. 1047 00:45:33,040 --> 00:45:34,160 >> Striking out twice. 1048 00:45:34,160 --> 00:45:35,599 >> No, no, you didn't strike out. That was 1049 00:45:35,599 --> 00:45:37,599 a good question with the MBTA. 1050 00:45:37,599 --> 00:45:37,920 >> Yeah. 1051 00:45:37,920 --> 00:45:39,040 >> No. Yeah. 1052 00:45:39,040 --> 00:45:40,079 >> Okay. Thank you. 1053 00:45:40,079 --> 00:45:45,510 >> You're welcome. 1054 00:45:45,520 --> 00:45:47,920 » Um, I didn't say my name before. It's 1055 00:45:47,920 --> 00:45:49,839 Christine Downing and I live at 19 1056 00:45:49,839 --> 00:45:51,760 Parker. I just wanted to stretch the 1057 00:45:51,760 --> 00:45:55,680 language a little bit. Uh artists are u 1058 00:45:55,680 --> 00:45:59,440 I think should include um I I used to 1059 00:45:59,440 --> 00:46:01,040 have a studio in the stove factory in 1060 00:46:01,040 --> 00:46:04,240 Charle Town and there was a one group 1061 00:46:04,240 --> 00:46:08,319 that had about four letter presses. Um 1062 00:46:08,319 --> 00:46:11,520 another that is a a paper mill for 1063 00:46:11,520 --> 00:46:13,839 artists. Can you hear me? It's a paper 1064 00:46:13,839 --> 00:46:18,000 mill for artists. Um and uh people who 1065 00:46:18,000 --> 00:46:20,319 are fine woodwork woodworkers should be 1066 00:46:20,319 --> 00:46:23,040 included in this as well as people who 1067 00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:25,599 are traditionally defined as you know 1068 00:46:25,599 --> 00:46:28,240 painters and so forth. Just about trying 1069 00:46:28,240 --> 00:46:29,920 to stretch the language so it includes 1070 00:46:29,920 --> 00:46:31,839 more people. Thanks. You're 1071 00:46:31,839 --> 00:46:34,720 >> welcome. Yeah, when we if we ever get to 1072 00:46:34,720 --> 00:46:38,079 that um we'll defin that'll be certainly 1073 00:46:38,079 --> 00:46:39,760 a topic of discussion. 1074 00:46:39,760 --> 00:46:49,430 >> Okay. Thank you. 1075 00:46:49,440 --> 00:46:51,200 Hi, it's Stephanie Cornell, 8 Summer 1076 00:46:51,200 --> 00:46:54,640 Street Court. Uh I just have a question 1077 00:46:54,640 --> 00:46:56,960 about the other communities that have 1078 00:46:56,960 --> 00:46:59,359 this designation and if you have looked 1079 00:46:59,359 --> 00:47:03,200 at examples of how they have integrated 1080 00:47:03,200 --> 00:47:07,440 additional can do bylaws into their 1081 00:47:07,440 --> 00:47:09,200 designation 1082 00:47:09,200 --> 00:47:11,520 as a town and if that's something that 1083 00:47:11,520 --> 00:47:14,640 you have that information on and that 1084 00:47:14,640 --> 00:47:17,040 >> we could get we we could all learn more 1085 00:47:17,040 --> 00:47:19,520 about what other communities have done. 1086 00:47:19,520 --> 00:47:22,560 >> You wanted to answer. So on the Cape um 1087 00:47:22,560 --> 00:47:24,960 the Cape Cod Commission has been working 1088 00:47:24,960 --> 00:47:28,480 with communities on drafting bylaws, but 1089 00:47:28,480 --> 00:47:32,400 most of the Cape communities were um 1090 00:47:32,400 --> 00:47:36,400 designated in 2024. So that was recent 1091 00:47:36,400 --> 00:47:38,400 less than two years ago or around two 1092 00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:41,280 years ago. So this is very new for 1093 00:47:41,280 --> 00:47:46,960 everybody. Um, so what I'm hoping the 1094 00:47:46,960 --> 00:47:48,560 um, 1095 00:47:48,560 --> 00:47:50,560 Executive Office of Housing and Livable 1096 00:47:50,560 --> 00:47:53,520 Communities is actually working on kind 1097 00:47:53,520 --> 00:47:57,520 of templates or um, you know, kind of 1098 00:47:57,520 --> 00:48:01,839 model bylaws, but model bylaws will 1099 00:48:01,839 --> 00:48:04,400 undoubtedly have to get tweaked per 1100 00:48:04,400 --> 00:48:07,760 community a little bit in order to, you 1101 00:48:07,760 --> 00:48:13,119 know, have everything work out. Um so um 1102 00:48:13,119 --> 00:48:17,200 I am depending on the vote on April 1103 00:48:17,200 --> 00:48:20,720 11th. That's when I will start digging 1104 00:48:20,720 --> 00:48:27,680 in on on you know looking at bylaws and taking a hard look at what makes 1105 00:48:27,680 --> 00:48:31,680 sense in terms of Rockport and the 1106 00:48:31,680 --> 00:48:33,040 templates. 1107 00:48:33,040 --> 00:48:33,520 >> Thank you. 1108 00:48:33,520 --> 00:48:35,280 >> You want to say something? 1109 00:48:35,280 --> 00:48:37,440 >> Uh now is basically the same thing. It's 1110 00:48:37,440 --> 00:48:40,319 so early. Um some of these towns are 1111 00:48:40,319 --> 00:48:41,760 getting towards the end of their drafts 1112 00:48:41,760 --> 00:48:43,839 and their votes, but 1113 00:48:43,839 --> 00:48:45,440 >> it hasn't been out there in the 1114 00:48:45,440 --> 00:48:47,280 community for even a year. 1115 00:48:47,280 --> 00:48:49,760 >> So the entire designation is a new thing 1116 00:48:49,760 --> 00:48:51,599 from the state over across the whole 1117 00:48:51,599 --> 00:48:53,440 >> state. Yeah. And even as you're getting 1118 00:48:53,440 --> 00:48:55,839 the idea that I think that even the 1119 00:48:55,839 --> 00:48:59,440 state is kind of feeling its way here. 1120 00:48:59,440 --> 00:49:01,839 >> I mean they this is all new. It's all 1121 00:49:01,839 --> 00:49:03,760 new to them too. So 1122 00:49:03,760 --> 00:49:07,040 >> a lot of this is going to evolve as it 1123 00:49:07,040 --> 00:49:09,440 goes on. Okay, thank you very much. 1124 00:49:09,440 --> 00:49:11,839 >> Some of some of the some of the towns on 1125 00:49:11,839 --> 00:49:15,359 the Martha's Vineyard and the 1126 00:49:15,359 --> 00:49:20,400 and Nucket are we think our numbers are bad, but they're they're at 60 to 1127 00:49:20,400 --> 00:49:24,240 80% of uh uh short-term rentals out of 1128 00:49:24,240 --> 00:49:26,559 all of the dwelling units available. So, 1129 00:49:26,559 --> 00:49:29,200 it's become a crisis situation for them. 1130 00:49:29,200 --> 00:49:30,720 And that's what sort of started this 1131 00:49:30,720 --> 00:49:35,270 whole thing. 1132 00:49:35,280 --> 00:49:39,520 » Uh okay. Um, we certainly welcome any 1133 00:49:39,520 --> 00:49:42,160 more questions. No, there's no such 1134 00:49:42,160 --> 00:49:44,079 thing as a stupid question, so don't be 1135 00:49:44,079 --> 00:49:45,920 afraid to ask it. 1136 00:49:45,920 --> 00:49:50,079 >> If you don't Oh, guy gets up. Okay. 1137 00:49:50,079 --> 00:49:53,119 >> Well, and and people should they can 1138 00:49:53,119 --> 00:49:54,400 contact me at town. 1139 00:49:54,400 --> 00:49:55,119 >> Yeah. Yeah. 1140 00:49:55,119 --> 00:49:56,319 >> They can send me an email. 1141 00:49:56,319 --> 00:49:57,839 >> Sure. Absolutely. You know, Betsy was 1142 00:49:57,839 --> 00:49:59,680 just saying 1143 00:49:59,680 --> 00:50:01,280 she may regret this, but she's saying 1144 00:50:01,280 --> 00:50:02,400 send her an email. 1145 00:50:02,400 --> 00:50:05,680 >> Yeah. Um, my email is ewear 1146 00:50:05,680 --> 00:50:07,839 rockportmma.gov. 1147 00:50:07,839 --> 00:50:10,960 And if you come up with a question or 1148 00:50:10,960 --> 00:50:12,880 you read an article and you say, "Well, 1149 00:50:12,880 --> 00:50:14,800 that doesn't make sense." Give me an 1150 00:50:14,800 --> 00:50:17,200 email and I'll try to get back to you 1151 00:50:17,200 --> 00:50:20,400 with a good answer, an accurate answer. 1152 00:50:20,400 --> 00:50:24,319 E E W A R E like hardware. 1153 00:50:24,319 --> 00:50:27,359 >> It's beware without the B. 1154 00:50:27,359 --> 00:50:32,470 >> Um, 1155 00:50:32,480 --> 00:50:35,200 said you know 1156 00:50:35,200 --> 00:50:37,280 >> Hi uh Mike Whitten one Cleave Street 1157 00:50:37,280 --> 00:50:39,119 Rock Bullet. Um I was just wondering 1158 00:50:39,119 --> 00:50:43,040 about veterans if anybody uh considered 1159 00:50:43,040 --> 00:50:46,160 uh have a veteran preference also. 1160 00:50:46,160 --> 00:50:50,240 >> Uh that's a good idea. Um 1161 00:50:50,240 --> 00:50:52,400 I haven't gotten into the weeds on these 1162 00:50:52,400 --> 00:50:55,359 preferences yet to see whether 1163 00:50:55,359 --> 00:50:57,280 veterans are included, but it's a good 1164 00:50:57,280 --> 00:50:58,079 idea. 1165 00:50:58,079 --> 00:51:00,640 >> Okay. Thought I'd throw that open. 1166 00:51:00,640 --> 00:51:08,870 >> Thank you. 1167 00:51:08,880 --> 00:51:15,030 Any other questions or comments? 1168 00:51:15,040 --> 00:51:18,160 Going once, going twice, 1169 00:51:18,160 --> 00:51:20,240 >> three times. 1170 00:51:20,240 --> 00:51:22,559 So, 1171 00:51:22,559 --> 00:51:25,280 unless there's anything else, 1172 00:51:25,280 --> 00:51:27,520 we're I think we're ajourned. Thank you 1173 00:51:27,520 --> 00:51:29,520 all so much for showing up and bearing 1174 00:51:29,520 --> 00:51:33,520 with us. Much appreciated. 1175 00:51:33,520 --> 00:51:35,599 >> Can we post these slides on the town 1176 00:51:35,599 --> 00:51:37,200 website? 1177 00:51:37,200 --> 00:51:39,680 >> We could sure. Yeah. Could put them on 1178 00:51:39,680 --> 00:51:42,240 the town website. And I did arrange for 1179 00:51:42,240 --> 00:51:46,000 this to be um recorded 1180 00:51:46,000 --> 00:51:49,760 uh this meeting videotaped. So let we'll 1181 00:51:49,760 --> 00:51:53,200 see what how that shakes out. Uh so it 1182 00:51:53,200 --> 00:51:54,960 could be that it can you could actually 1183 00:51:54,960 --> 00:51:59,200 watch it if you want to see it again. 1184 00:51:59,200 --> 00:52:01,440 Yeah, 1185 00:52:01,440 --> 00:52:02,720 >> thank you very much. That was very 1186 00:52:02,720 --> 00:52:03,359 informative. 1187 00:52:03,359 --> 00:52:06,160 >> Thank you.