Residents raise concerns over Bay Pointe development project
The developers of a proposed 94-unit mixed-use project on 142 acres at the Bay Pointe Country Club fielded questions from town officials and residents for more than three hours at Monday’s public hearing before the Planning Board.
Developers answered questions from members of the board and the general public on topics such as traffic impact, building sizes, sewer impact, golf course impact, long-term maintenance, quality of life and many more.
No vote was taken by the board, and the hearing was continued to June 22. Members will be taking a site visit to see the proposed property up close and in greater detail.
The developers at the meeting were led by Stonestreet, the Rhode Island-based real estate and development company that bought Bay Pointe in 2012 for $1.4 million.
The proposed development would include 62 lots with 94 units, 60 single-family homes and 34 condominiums.
According to the plan, the 60 single-family homes would be located on the southeast side of the Club, around Short Neck Road. The other units would be located off of Cahoon Road near the existing Bay Pointe condominiums.
“We think it’s good for the club members, Onset, the community, and something Stonestreet is going to be proud of,” said Timothy Fay, co-founder of Stonestreet. “Our goal is to create an opportunity for people who are interested to live in a golf village.”
The main concerns from the roughly two dozen residents at the meeting, who were mostly abutters or lived in the Bay Pointe condominiums, were the density of the project and the increase in traffic.
Many residents felt the additional houses in a relatively small area would cause traffic congestion and safety concerns.
The developers however, said their traffic study shows no negative impact on Onset Avenue and that the density is similar to that of surrounding neighborhoods.
The question of traffic becomes more complicated when taking into account the unknown mix of full-time residents and part-time; golf traffic, where people come and go in groups at specified times; and the fact that Paul Bannon, the representative of the consulting group Beta that conducted the traffic study, said that the traffic study was based on estimates and not an actual survey, which will be conducted in the future.
Beyond the traffic, residents and Planning Board member John Cronan took issue with the lot sizes for the 60 single-family homes. The lots ranged from 6,097 square feet to 9,392 square feet with an average of around 8,000 square feet.
“It’s just one man’s opinion but I think these lots are too small,” Cronan said. “You’re trying to jam things in.”
Other board members were hesitant to comment on the lot sizes and developers said that, at a previous meeting, board members told them to increase the average lot sizes from 6,000 to at least 7,000 square feet.
Finally, the reoccurring issue of the town Community and Economic Development Authority owning part of the land at Bay Pointe was raised. One resident complained about the lack of cleaning and beautification at the entrance to Bay Point Drive, a road partially owned by CEDA.
One of the board members said CEDA had notified Bay Pointe that CEDA would allow any beautification efforts, but have yet to bring any paperwork to the Board of Selectmen. That minor, although crucial step has seemingly held back that beautification effort for years.
While some residents were in favor of the project with minor concerns, and others seemed opposed with major concerns, Selectman Steve Holmes spoke in favor of the project, which he has been involved with for years.
“I’ve always seen this place as a jewel. The project will have a low impact on town services and generate tax revenues for the town,” he said.
“My goal in running for office has always been to make sure when you’re driving down this road you’ll never have to worry about Bay Pointe.”