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Yarmouth committee reviews Mattacheese site options, Habitat ZBA plans and housing funding
Summary
Committee members reviewed three final options for the Mattacheese Utilization Project at 400 Higgins Crowell Road, heard that Habitat for Humanity may seek ZBA review for 1121 Route 28, and learned the Affordable Housing Trust authorized $25,000 to study mixed-use potential on Route 28; HOME and other housing funding updates were provided.
At its May 11 meeting the Town of Yarmouth Community Housing Committee received staff briefings on several local housing initiatives, including three final site options for the Mattacheese Utilization Project at 400 Higgins Crowell Road, an upcoming Habitat for Humanity Zoning Board of Appeals application for 1121 Route 28, and funding actions to support mixed-use analysis on Route 28.
Mary Waygan, Affordable Housing/CDBG Program Administrator, told the Committee that the Mattacheese Utilization Committee forwarded three final options to the Select Board for consideration: Option A would place clusters of multi-family housing (six units each) and two subdivisions of single-family homes on the site, include rentals earmarked for municipal employees and preserve space for athletic fields; Option B reserves a parcel for a future school, places housing along Chickadee Lane and locates multi-family housing in a corner of the site while leaving space for a sports center and fields; a third, lower-density variant places the smallest amount of housing on site, increases green space and would site multi-family housing at the former "ME Small" location with buffers and fewer houses on Chickadee Lane. Waygan said the Select Board was expected to consider but not necessarily vote on those options at its meeting the following evening.
Waygan said the next phase would be pursuing a Community Planning Grant from MassWorks to pay for engineering, design and feasibility work; a separate school study is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Committee members discussed the feasibility of a sports complex on Cape and were encouraged to attend or watch the Select Board meeting where the MUC report would be presented.
On a related neighborhood project, Waygan reported Habitat for Humanity is preparing an application to the Zoning Board of Appeals for 1121 Route 28 (Wood Road/South Yarmouth) and may be placed on the ZBA’s June 25 agenda; committee members were asked to consider attending that meeting.
The Affordable Housing Trust authorized $25,000 to allow the Planning Department to analyze potential mixed-use redevelopment of underutilized parcels on Route 28 and to support an RFP process. Greg Wheeler reported the HOME Consortium had recently received a $444,354 grant and that a HOME OP grant of $575,000 will require allocation before year-end; Wheeler highlighted a regional need for more one-bedroom rental units. Drew Krauss said the Yarmouth Housing Authority will meet May 26 to consider a draft RFP for a Forest Road project. Deirdre Gaquin noted zoning amendments to aid Route 28 road-work setbacks passed at Town Meeting, and Lee Hamilton reported that four Community Preservation warrant articles presented at Town Meeting were approved.
Waygan reported that all funding requests for affordable housing Community Preservation money had passed and said she planned outreach to Senator Warren's office about the federal Housing Act. Committee members discussed blighted properties, potential unsafe situations, and the Town’s limited capacity for actions until 2028.
Next steps include potential MassWorks grant pursuit, Planning Department mixed-use analysis on Route 28 funded by the Affordable Housing Trust, ZBA consideration of Habitat for Humanity’s application and ongoing allocation decisions for HOME funds.
