Dennisport Design Charrette Presentation Scheduled

The final report on the Dennisport Design Charrette will be presented to a joint meeting of the Dennis Board of Selectmen, Planning Board and Dennisport Revitalization Committee on Wednesday February 24, 2010 at 6 p.m.  The meeting will take place at the Dennis Senior Center.

Understanding Flood Zones

Over the past year we have been working with the Federal Emergency Management Administration on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Dennis.  These maps identify properties considered to be at risk for flooding should the town be impacted by a 1% (100 year) storm event.  As this type of storm event is quite rare many do not understand the level of flooding in contemporary terms.

Many have asked me about this flooding, and in particular have noted the lack of significant flooding with Hurricane Bob or the October No-Name Storm.  I hope to explain, in layman’s terms, the 1% storm and the confluence of events that may be needed to actually experience such a storm event.

First, the graphic below illustrates the reach of the 1% storm event along the Swan River.

As the picture illustrates, the 1% storm has quite a reach.  Much of the low lying areas in South Village, along Swan Pond Road and out almost to Trotting Park Road would be impacted.  These areas have been arrived at from a variety of information.  This includes basic storm data (such as the potential for increased tidal elevation); historic storm data (hurricanes in 1938 and 1954 provide much of the benchmark data for this area); ground elevation; and sea level.  The current sea level information, high and low tides, moon tides, etc. are combined with information from the historical storms in the region and the expected increases in tidal and wave elevations with a storm surge to determine how high water levels might be if a storm hit and everything were aligned perfectly for maximum impact.  This information is then looked at against land elevations, above sea level, to determine the inward reach of a storm.  Ultimately, that leads to the mapped area that is considered to be at risk from a 1% storm event.

The map above illustrates National Weather Service mapping of hurricanes that have impacted Dennis.  As you can see, many have passed over or near our area.  The graphic below, illustrates how a storm surge works.

Essentially, the tide rises and falls daily, when a storm is out to sea, pushing the water in with strong winds, the tides build to higher and higher levels.  The longer a storm churns off the coast, the higher potential storm surge.  Everything within the ground elevation affected by the higher than normal tides are considered at risk of flooding.  The 1% storm, generally means the storm surge would reach a flood elevation of about 11 feet above sea level for most of Dennis.

Now, let’s look at  Hurricane Bob as our reference point.  Hurricane Bob was a Category 1 Hurricane.  The map below illustrates the anticipated greatest land side impacts of a Category 1 Hurricane.  As the picture illustrates, a Category 1 Hurricane could inundate much of the area considered at risk of flooding in a 1% storm event.

To see this impact, however, everything must be aligned.  High tide, or higher than normal tides.  Being on the wind side of the storm.  A slower moving storm rather than a fast moving one.  Hurricane Bob was moving to quickly to build a tremendous surge when it hit.  Hurricane Bob also arrived off-tide, its biggest surge being during a low tide.  It also did not hit during a full or new moon cycle which traditionally have the larger tidal impacts.  Even then, Hurricane Bob caused some flooding damage.  Properties in close proximity to the water reported damage.  Some boats along the Bass River were beached. The damage was nothing, though in comparison to what could have happened.

A Category 2 Hurricane, Hurricane Bill this past summer before it veered off to sea, could have far more drastic impacts.

Here you see potential storm effects that extend beyond the presently designated 1% storm event flooding area.  However, the originally proposed updated flood maps in May 2009 looked eerily like this area.

This similarity suggests that a 1% storm event could be the equivalent of a Category 2 Hurricane.  If Hurricane Bill had approached Dennis as originally thought, with proper conditions.  We might have seen that 1% storm event, or one very near to that.

But, while many wonder why they are in a flood zone.  It is probably better to feel protected and be glad that we have not seen storms the size of those that would lead to this flooding in quite some time.  Or we might be looking at:

Cottage Colony and RV Zoning Update

I want to test a new approach to the beginning of crafting a zoning by-law.

Very much in the spirit of bringing all of those who attended or watched the November Economic Development Committee Meeting, and those who have commented through this blog or elsewhere, into the zoning process.  I am testing out a Wiki for crafting the zoning proposal for these areas.

The Wiki can be found at the following link:

Dennis Planning Department Wiki Page

It is my hope that the Wiki process will let you feel fully engaged in this process, and that it will prove to be a cooperative, collaborative and civil approach to planning for the Town of Dennis.

Up until now, our engagement of the public has been in a rather static process.  While these blogs have provided a greater level of outreach to the public than most governmental entities, it still revolves around the concept of putting up a proposal and seeking comments.  You don’t get directly involved in crafting the by-law.

The Wiki gives us all a chance to write the by-law piece by piece.  We all can add, or take away, items.  Comments can also be posted to explain why someone made a change.  Over time, we get to a position that we all will, hopefully be comfortable with.

I only ask that we all stay on topic, don’t get personal, and, agree to work together.

Planning Board to Meet With Cape Cod Commission on Land Use Vision

On Monday February 1st the Dennis Planning Board will meet with representatives of the Cape Cod Commission on a Land use Vision for the Town of Dennis.  As part of the Regional Policy Plan, the Cape Cod Commission has created designations of areas for Economic Growth and areas for Resource Protection.  The town has started to engage in discussing how the Regional Policy Plan and the town’s Local Comprehensive Plan fit together.

The Planning Board has submitted a preliminary Land Use Vision Map to the Cape Cod Commission.  This preliminary map will be the basis for this discussion.

Cottage Colony Photos Needed

The Dennisport Revitalization Committee is seeking historic photographs of the Cottage and RV parks in Dennisport for inclusion within the final report for the Design Charrette.  If you have photos from the 40’s, 50’s, or 60’s of this area the Committee and the Charrette consultants would love to be allowed to use those in the report.

If you can help us with this endeavor, please post a response to this or email me directly at Town Hall and we will put you in touch with Kara Wilbur from the Charrette Team.

Thanks!

Something to Think About

Over the past few months people have felt that I talk too much about “highest and best use” for land.  I am not sure that I have used exactly those terms, however, I have tried to point out that, when considering a piece of property we have to think about it as being built to the intensity we have zoned it for.  The following is an article about zoning changes being considered in Ithaca NY.

Re-zoning decisions near for Ithaca

Pay particular attention to the comments by the Mayor, “Mayor Carolyn Peterson said Novarr’s proposal highlighted a scenario that many city leaders didn’t realize was possible under current zoning.”

It is equally important to Dennis to realize that, not every empty lot will remain so, nor will every single story home remain single story.  As we approach the update to the local comprehensive plan, I want you all to be thinking about what Dennis means to you, and what we can change in zoning to ensure that path is followed.

Parking Construction Standards

Several months ago I wrote about Toledo, Ohio’s crackdown on parking on unpaved surfaces in residential neighborhoods, It Would Be Funny If It Weren’t So Sad.  Well, captured from the headlines is yet another story about the same issue, ‘Greener’ city bars wood chip driveway.

In this most recent case, the City of Baltimore has fined a property owner for using wood chips rather than asphalt or concrete for her driveway surface.  The city has recognized that its zoning is dated, however, until the city updates its zoning codes, the property owner will need to pave her driveway (asphalt, concrete or patio block pavers appear to be the appropriate measures).

In the coming months Dennis will be discussing parking construction standards.  Ours is as antiquated as those in Baltimore.  The Planning Board will begin these discussions, and hopefully we will find ways to ensure adequate construction and green materials can co-exist.

Wind Turbines

I was in Newport, Rhode Island this past weekend.  It was amazing to see the number of wind turbines in use.  If you want to see the majesty of these turbines you need to travel down Route 24 from Massachusetts and along Routes 114 and 214 to Newport.

The following links will provide you with some examples of Rhode Island’s leadership in land based wind power.

The first is the Abbey School Wind Turbine.  The link is a panoramic view from atop the turbine.  Be sure to use the zoom feature to see the other turbine on the horizon.

Next is the Portsmouth RI Wind Turbine.  First, is a set of photos of the turbine during construction,  second is a link to the National Geographic Television Show on the turbine, finally a link to WPRI which ran a story on this turbine, which is expected to meet 60% – 70% of the town’s energy needs.

While at my destination, there was a turbine located immediately behind me which was in Middleton RI.

Rhode Island is far ahead of us when it comes to capturing wind.  Most of the town’s along my trip had turbines located in them.  Most, were no different from Dennis, with their historic homes, residential neighborhoods, and a need to create energy cost savings.

Recreational Uses – Where We Stand

The Town of Dennis has very generic definitions for Indoor and Outdoor Recreational Uses.  The definitions are so broad that any recreational use that is not specifically restricted elsewhere in the Zoning By-law would seem to be covered by these definitions – and therefor allowed in almost every zoning district except the R-40, R-60 and Crowe’s Pasture areas.  Presently we define recreational uses in the following manner:

RECREATION, INDOOR A business operating sports or leisure time activities or facilities within a building.

RECREATION, OUTDOOR A business operating sports or leisure time activities or facilities which are open to the weather.

Since arriving here in 2001 I have been pointing out that these definitions are quite broad.  As you read them, you can imagine anything from a race track to a casino fitting into these definitions.  the following recent court case from Pennsylvania could increase the urgency of this discussion.

Aldridge v. Jackson Township, 2009 WL 380799 (Pa. Cmwlth., 11/16/2009)

The issue for Dennis could be very much like that in Jackson Township.  If a firing range came into the Resort Residential Zoning District for instance, the appurtenant accessory use of gun or ammunition sales could be seen as a customarily accessory use.  As such, even though general retail sales are prohibited in this zoning district, such a retail component would be allowed.  Similarly, an outdoor racetrack  could be located within the EB district (outdoor recreation is a Yes in that district), and the accessory sales of motor vehicles could slip through even though there is a general prohibition on automobile sales in that district.

Over the coming months we need to engage in the broader discussion of recreational uses, look at more clearly defining what they are and where particular uses make the most sense.

Dennis Affordable Housing CDBG Grant

For the past several years the Town of Dennis through the Dennis Board of Selectmen have been working with Bailey Boyd Associates and  The Resource Inc, a local non-profit on housing rehabilitation projects in various parts of Dennis.  The upcoming grant round will focus on housing rehabilitation efforts in Dennisport.  As such we are seeking qualified applicants for a regional housing rehabilitation program. This program will provide a 0% interest loan to make critical repairs to your home. Examples of eligible projects are roof replacements, new siding, correcting code violations, replacing doors and windows, etc. If you are interested in participating in this program, please fill out the survey below and return it to the address listed on the form.