Yarmouth committee backs $50,000 for consultant to speed Route 28 mixed‑use development

The Yarmouth Community and Economic Development Committee voted June 15 to allocate $50,000 to support a planning‑board consultant tasked with streamlining zoning, design standards and permitting along the town’s Route 28 corridor to encourage mixed‑use development.

The planning‑board presenter told the committee the $50,000 request would be matched by $25,000 from the portable housing trust and roughly $19,000 remaining from prior comprehensive‑plan work, producing about $94,000 for consultant services to produce redlined bylaw changes and actionable recommendations.

"We're really trying to do things that we can do to streamline our permitting process and our zoning bylaw and our design standards to really promote mixed use, especially along Route 28," the planning presenter said. The speaker described past studies and consultant work (BSC Group and Union Studios) that produced recommendations and hypothetical site analyses; the funded consultant would refine those recommendations, prepare redlines, produce graphics for architectural/site standards, and help the planning board identify short‑ and longer‑term changes.

Committee members asked about the procurement timeline and sequencing with sewer‑related infrastructure work expected in roughly 24 months. The presenter said the RFP would be finalized at the planning‑board meeting, with procurement and interviews over three to four months and roughly a year of consultant work, giving an 18‑month runway for final recommendations.

Members emphasized engaging the chamber and business community, and noted some changes could be implemented by the planning board through public hearings while other zoning amendments would require a town‑meeting warrant. The motion to approve the $50,000 request passed by the committee.

The planning board will proceed to finalize an RFP and work with procurement once funds are secured.