Frequently Asked Questions

This page contains Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the Maurice Camp Ground affordable housing project. If you have a question not answered on this page, you can submit it by filling out the form here.

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General Overview

  • The purchase of Maurice’s Campground with funding approved at the Special Town Meeting Fall 2022 was made specifically to provide property for dedicated year-round housing and, if possible, some housing for the summer workers who are so needed in this seasonal economy.

    The Town has hired a consulting team of architects, planners, engineers, and financial consultants to work with Maurice’s Planning Committee (“Planning committee”) to develop a set of comprehensive recommendations for how much and what types of housing, affordability levels, and community amenities. These recommendations are based on data from the Housing Production Plan (March 2023), the Town’s Wastewater consultant, and, to a great extent, feedback from the community.

    The desires of the community at large and near the campground will be incorporated as much as possible in the planning process and final plan.

  • The primary goal is to build a community-based vision for new housing in Wellfleet. This involves addressing the urgent need for more diverse and affordable housing options to accommodate Wellfleet’s growing year-round population. The project aims to create a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable neighborhood.

    1. Collaborative and transparent planning process

    2. Optimize the property for development within existing site constraints

    3. Respect and incorporate the character of Wellfleet

    4. Create a well-planned, desirable residential neighborhood with a strong sense of place

    5. Provide options for housing people with varied needs, incomes, circumstances, and life stages, including affordable rental & home-ownership, middle market attainable housing, and seasonal worker housing

    6. Provide innovative wastewater management solutions to also service nearby properties.

    7. Build upon the connection to the unique natural environment.

    8. Prioritize the sustainability, renewable energy, and Smart Development principles

    9. Recommend zoning changes to accomplish proposed uses

    10. Prepare a development strategy, including recommendations for phasing and developer approaches

  • There is a severe shortage of year-round rental housing on the Outer Cape and, as a result, this scarcity has caused rents to soar. Meanwhile the median price of a house is $955,000.

    This means that much of the workforce needed to serve the community and keep Outer Cape towns running can’t find housing and/or can’t afford what limited year-round housing still exists. This housing crisis causes positions to go unfilled, shortened hours at certain businesses, longer wait times for many basic services, and even explains the 60% decline in Wellfleet elementary school over the past 30 years.

    Below are some relevant statistics:

  • The plans include a variety of housing types to fill the gaps in housing supply for essential workers in Wellfleet and the Outer Cape. This means year-round rental and homeownership units priced to serve those who work for town government, retail establishments, health clinics, and the building trades.

    • Affordable Rental Housing: Traditional affordable rental homes for those making up to 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) based on the number of people who live in the unit.

    • Attainable Middle Market Housing: Both rental units and homeownership opportunities for households up to 200% of AMI. Households in this 80-200% of the area median income are often referred to as “middle-market” housing. In the Outer Cape residential real estate market, these moderate-income households cannot find housing priced for their family budgets.

    • Seasonal Worker Housing: The local economy also needs seasonal workers. The plan is for Maurice’s to also accommodate some dormitory or similar housing arrangements for those who work in seasonal businesses.

    Within the above types of housing priced to address a wide range of families and individuals who earn modest incomes, the goal is to create housing suitable for a range of living arrangements and household sizes as well as units that meet the needs of people at different stages of life and abilities.

  • It is difficult to accurately predict the timeline given the many variables. The following is a best guess for the anticipated timeline of upcoming activities:

    • The third and last community meeting during the master planning phase will occur on April 2, 2025. That is when the consulting team will present the final master plan. 

    • The recommended plan will be presented to the Select Board in May 2025.

    • If the Select Board adopts the master plan, the next step is for the Planning Board to draft a Zoning Overlay District for the site, to be presented to Town Meeting in October. At the same time,  the Planning committee will retain a consultant to draft a Request for Proposals (RFPs) for a Master Developer (or development team), to be issued by the end of 2025 or early 2026.

    • The proposals will be scored against an evaluation criteria determined in an RFP to select the proposal/s that are most advantageous. Final developer selection will be made by the Select Board, hopefully by the end of 2026.

    • The Town and the designated Developer will then negotiate a land disposition agreement, which could take 3-6 months.

    • The Developer, in turn, will hire architects to design the buildings and infrastructure and obtain all necessary permits. This could take another 6-9 months, to the end of 2027.

    • The Developer will then prepare a financing plan and submit financing applications. That process is likely to take a year or more. 

    • The Town will convey the land only after the plans are approved and all necessary permits and financing are secured. At that point, the developer can hire a contractor and begin construction work. If everything proceeds on schedule, this will occur at the end of 2028, when the Town of Wellfleet is no longer contractually obligated to continue to operate the campground.

    The timeline for past activities already done during the Planning process is as follows:

    • June-September 2024: Small group discussions, interviews, and focus groups.

    • August 1, 2024: Community Meeting #1: Introduction and Visioning.

    • November 20, 2024: Community Meeting #2: Present Draft Vision.

    • December 2024 - January 2025: Business Community Interviews.

  • Likely economic outcomes include:

    • Support local businesses by providing affordable housing for year-round and seasonal employees, helping with staff retention.

    • Increased year-round economic activity

    • Financial sustainability by attracting experienced developers with financially viable solutions.

  • The following inputs are guiding the development of the master plan by Studio G consulting team:

  • With the exception of Seasonal Worker housing, the homes built will most likely be deed-restricted year-round tenancy.

Current Campground

  • Currently, the Campground has 200+ trailer sites, 16 tent-only sites, 7 cabins, 4 cottages, an office, a store, a single-family home, and various smaller structures.

    Following a Request for Proposals (RFP), Julie Simpson was awarded an independent contract as campground operator. Currently, the campground is operational with a mix of full-season tenants (some vacationers, some summer workers, and some people who are renting their principal Wellfleet home for the summer while living in the campground) and short-term renters. During the Summer of 2022, it was estimated that 70-90 seasonal workers resided at the campground.

    The campground will remain operational until the end of the 2028 season unless the Department of Environmental Protection determines that the current wastewater systems (cesspools) are no longer acceptable.

Planning Process

  • The Planning committee has been meeting regularly since December 2022 and has been working with professional Planning Consultants (under the leadership of Studio G, Architects)since Spring 2024.

    During this time, the consultants, the committee, and others have conducted:

    • Numerous small group meetings with community members (Meeting in a box)

    • Interviews and focus groups with Town leadership

    • Individual phone interviews with business owners

    • Two community-wide public meetings. A third community-wide meeting is scheduled for April 2, 2025

    • The consultants have researched zoning, strategies for development, and financing possibilities

    • Wastewater engineers have been creative tentative solutions and exploring the feasibility given the site conditions

  • The planning process has involved extensive community engagement. This included:

    • Community Meetings: At least three community meetings were held to gather input and present plans.

    • Small group discussions, interviews, and focus groups.

    • Community Facilitated Conversations using the “Meeting-In-A-Box” tool.

    • A Business Survey was conducted between December 2024 and January 2025 to understand seasonal worker housing needs.

    All committee meetings (and community meetings) were posted on the Town website, videotaped and open to everyone to watch. The wellfleethousing.org website has been kept up to date as a source of information, to the best ability of volunteers.

  • The RFP was issued and generated a good response; however, due to turnover in Town staff, delayed American Rescue Plan funds, and the lack of a dedicated housing specialist at Town Hall, the RFP had to be pulled back. It was re-issued once it was funded.

  • The RFP for selecting the Master Planning Consultant is available at the Town website here.

  • The Town must issue a well-structured Request for Proposals (RFP) to attract experienced, mission-aligned developers with innovative and financially viable solutions. The RFP should balance flexibility for developers with strong municipal oversight, ensuring the Town’s priorities are reflected. Selection criteria for evaluating proposals will be included in the RFP.

    The proposals received will be reviewed by the Planning committee which will make recommendations to the Selectboard for final selection

  • The MCP has (by law) posted notice of and held open meetings throughout the process. Videos of these meetings are posted to Wellfleet Media Services in the Town Website. Ongoing progress on planning and community engagement has been conducted through a variety of meetings, including 2 all-community meetings. Much of the data on housing need is taken from the most recent Housing Production Plan, which is posted on the Town website. There is a great deal of information on wellfleethousing.org.

Affordable Housing

  • Yes! It is a plan for Housing that is affordable to a wide range of household incomes.


    There are many ways to look at the affordability of housing. On the one hand, Wellfleet has many community members who have very low incomes and are spending most of that on housing, if they can find it. Many of these people have been forced out of the community by housing costs, and those remaining will benefit from housing that is subsidized in some way. On the other hand, many local well-paid positions in the Town government, health care, education, and social services are going unfilled because there is almost no rental housing at ANY cost, and the prices of homes for sale are well beyond the ability of even the highest local incomes to afford. These folks will be able to pay market rates on smaller, more diverse homes that are currently not available. We plan to provide a diversity of housing at MC.

  • Fair Housing laws do not allow for such restrictions, nor would that be desirable. Affordable housing allows for a developer to request up to 70% “local preference,” which is dependent on a Market Study supporting the need. This type of housing is allocated by lottery to income-eligible applicants. Local preference includes those who live, work, or have children in Wellfleet Elementary and is for the first round of tenants. Some neighboring towns have slightly expanded the scope of Local Preference to include residents of neighboring towns.

    As tenants move out and new tenants are found, local preference no longer exists. In actuality, tenants will generally tend to be local. For example at The Village at Nauset Green in Eastham, the majority of the 65 affordable rental units are rented by tenants who are local to the Outer Cape.

    Any housing built at MC will almost certainly be deed restricted to year-round occupancy (except for special seasonal worker housing). This will prevent it from being rented or owned for seasonal or short-term use. Hopefully, people living in these homes will either be from Wellfleet or will soon become part of this welcoming community.

  • We are looking at recent experience on the Cape to address this issue. Many Towns are restricting affordable rentals and homeownership to provide for affordability in perpetuity (i.e., for the longest period legally possible), subject to funder requirements, in order to ensure that maximum benefit is derived from the public investment. .

  • This is primarily determined by the data presented in the March 2023 Housing Needs Assessment and Housing Production Plan. We will prioritize this income group.

  • The Planning committee has always incorporated seniors as a demographic that will be served by Maurice's. As such, the master plan incorporates universal design guidelines to maximize accessibility. Additionally, many seniors qualify for affordable housing and comprise the single largest demographic receiving housing assistance in Massachusetts.

Attainable Housing

Seasonal Worker Housing

  • No, with the possible exception of units built specifically for seasonal workers. With respect to the other homes, we expect there will be a site-wide restriction to year-round housing either rented or owned by the occupants.

  • The plan includes housing some of the summer workers who make our town run in this seasonal economy. Currently, the campground houses some 70-90 summer workers along with a mix of other seasonal residents and shorter-term campers. Current summer worker housing at MC has not resulted in “party houses” but a stable year-round neighborhood of families, seniors, and working people that also includes housing for seasonal workers may be a welcome change.

    Regardless, the great majority of the housing at MC will be for year-round residents who will themselves not allow inappropriate behavior to continue unchecked. Also, depending on the number of rental units available, an on-site manager may be present, and this would also discourage unruliness.

  • We have not prioritize one over another. We hope to see a healthy balance in order to meet the variety of housing types needed in Wellfleet. The actual proportions will depend in part on the financial feasibility of various housing types envisioned as part of the master plan. The middle market and seasonal worker housing are the units we expect to be hardest to finance.

Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment

  • At the Annual Town Meeting in April 2023, funding was approved to extend Eastham Town water to MC. While the wells on site are meeting current demand and are tested regularly for various possible contaminants, a town water supply will be much more reliable and allow for greater density for the future residents of MC. This is an important step.

    At the same Town Meeting, funding was approved for the initial investigation of wastewater management needs for the site. This includes engineer testing of the soil, reviewing topography, and gathering such information as will be required in the development of a comprehensive treatment system. The preliminary goal is for a system that will handle the needs of future housing at MC as well as possibly those of residents and businesses in the immediate vicinity while significantly reducing nitrogen loading over current Title 5 systems and cesspools.

    Based off the smaller but similar system that the Town is installing at Lawrence Rd, the cost of such a system will be less expensive than individual high performance septic systems and will likely be shared by a combination of grants, developer contributions, and town (taxpayer) contributions and subsidized by the Cape and Island Water Protection Fund. The Town has contracted with Weston and Sampson for preliminary wastewater planning for the property with the work currently underway.
    Wellfleet and all Cape towns are under a mandate to reduce nitrogen loading. The Lawrence Hill project (AKA 95 Lawrence Rd) and MC may well provide models for doing this in a way that won’t require the greatly more expensive prospect of sewering the entire town or replacing individual systems home by home at the homeowner’s expense.

Impact on Taxpayers

  • Affordable housing is subsidized through a variety of sources. It's common for any local contributions to represent a fraction of the total overall cost. Typically, these contributions are funded from Community Preservation Act funds and do not have an impact on the tax rate. Funding for other forms of housing proposed for the site ( home ownership, seasonal worker housing) will require creativity.

Impact on Wellfleet Infrastructure and Service

  • The following is the likely impact of the project on Wellfleet elementary school:

    • Stabilization or increased Enrollment: In April 2024, the Provincetown Independent reported that elementary school enrollment in Eastham and Wellfleet has fallen nearly 40 percent during the last 20 years, and over 60% since 1995 while national enrollment has remained steady. The enrollment decline is imperiling the continued future of Wellfleet Elementry School. This is reflected in Wellfleet joining with the other towns in the Nauset district in a grant that is exploring the regionalization of the elementary schools of the respective towns. These trends highlight a growing concern: the lack of affordable and middle-market housing is making it difficult for younger families – the backbone of Wellfleet’s workforce – to stay in town.

    • Reduced cost-per-pupil: There are many fixed costs associated with operating the school. More pupils means that these fixed costs are reduced when spread across a larger pupil population.

  • The current Campground has 200+ trailer sites, 16 tent sites, 7 cabins, 4 cottages, a single family home, an office, a store, a propane filling station, and boat storage area.

    As such, the current Campground already generates a significant amount of traffic during the peak summer season.

    A detailed traffic study will be performed before the development phase of the project. In the absence of such a study, the Planning committee has consulted the Police, Fire, and DPW, and they have not yet identified specific concerns compared to existing conditions, both for the summer season and the off-season.

    Mass DOT is currently conducting significant work at the location that will reconfigure RT 6 with a signalized crosswalk, sidewalks, and pull-out bus stops at Maurice's, and moving the northbound merge into Eastham. The signalized crosswalk currently in the plans has a Rapid Flashing Beacon that is similar to the one in Eastham. It will flash until a pedestrian pushes the button to activate it, and it will turn red to stop traffic, allowing crossing by pedestrians.

    See DOT plan image here.

    The additional traffic flow to and from Maurice’s as a result of the proposed housing development during the height of the summer season is expected to be marginal relative to the heavy north and south flow of cars and trucks along Route 6 at that time of year.

    The Planning committee is exploring options to further improve future traffic conditions in the immediate area.

  • This cannot be calculated easily. However, most of the outer cape affordable housing is occupied by people who have already been living in the area.

  • This remains to be determined. However, the proposed wastewater treatment facility will exempt the properties it serves from the requirements to upgrade existing septic systems required by Wellfleet's recently adopted Board of Health Regulations.

Project Scale and Density of Housing

  • The number of homes envisioned at the site is approximately 250 in both (Loop 1a, Petal 1a) site plans proposed by Studio G.

  • No. The seasonal worker housing is envisioned in a separate building with a capacity for up to 80-90 workers.

Site Plan

  • The consultants initially developed three “concepts” or “visions” – the loop, the petals, and the net. Based on feedback from the community, the consulting team revised and refined these initial concepts. The team is now recommending two revised versions of the loop and the petals concept for a total of four configurations. However, a widespread misunderstanding is that these are “plans.” They are approaches to how the site might be developed to optimize the town’s goals. The consultants’ recommendations include equally important building design and other guidelines. Together these guidelines, including the site design concepts, will help to shape the proposals submitted by developers responding to the town’s RFP.

    Below are the 4 site plan visions being presented to the Selectboard:

    1. Loop scheme (original)

    2. Loop scheme 1a (revised)

    3. Petal scheme (original)

    4. Petal scheme 1a (revised)

  • The exterior design guidelines emphasize respecting the character of Wellfleet and its architectural heritage.

    Architectural Style
    The redevelopment should respect the legacy of the traditional Cape Village character and Wellfleet’s architectural heritage. The architecture on Cape Cod often features smaller scaled symmetrical homes with pitched roofs, and modern elements should reference regional traditions in form or materials. Examples of appropriate architecture in Wellfleet include the varied massing and multiple roof lines of 100 West Main St.

    Building Materials
    Shingle and wood-look clapboard, brick, and stone are encouraged, using high-quality materials that reflect regional building traditions. Durable fireproof materials should also be considered for siding and roofing. Varying siding materials and dimensions (horizontal, vertical, clapboard, shingles, board, and batten) are recommended. Examples of appropriate materials are seen at The Heatherwood in Yarmouth Port.

    Massing, Scale, and Height
    Buildings should relate to a human scale and adjoining neighborhoods. Single-family and duplexes should be two-story and under 28 feet to match the neighboring scale. Small and medium multi-family buildings can be a mix of 2-story  and 3-story buildings. Large multi-family buildings are proposed to be 3-story. The Bradford Condominiums in Wellfleet were referenced as an appropriate height for larger multi-family buildings. Varying façade lines with setbacks and projections, including at least 3 feet of projection or setback for every 40 feet of façade length, is encouraged.

    Entries and Porches
    Incorporating varied entries with doors (lites or sidelights) and sittable porches and patios is recommended. Covered porches, stoops, and patios should be designed to enable gathering and socializing. Front doors facing each other can reinforce a neighborly relationship. Front porches are a feature of appropriate developments like the Hillside Center for Sustainable Living.

    Lighting
    The development should respond to dark sky requirements. Site light fixtures should be Dark Sky approved with a color temperature of 3,000K, meeting IESNA standards as a guideline. House side shields should be incorporated, and fixtures aimed away from property lines, wetlands, and abutters to minimize light pollution.

    Signage
    Signage should fit with the community's character.

    Ecology and Landscape
    Preserving existing vegetation, especially the pitch pine forests, is strongly desired to maintain the site's character and provide shade. The design should protect sensitive natural resources and preserve high-quality open space, including restoring and preserving Silver Spring Brook. Educational signs through the landscape are encouraged.

    Site Circulation and Access
    Roadways should have a unique Cape Cod character, avoiding long view corridors and favoring windy roads nestled under the pines. A hierarchy of paved and permeable roads is recommended. All vehicular use surfaces should be of permeable pavement materials, except where concrete is provided, and the developer should coordinate with town officials on the maintenance plan.

  • The height of current trees ar Maurice’s Campground is estimated to be 40 feet (Source: The Gauthier’s).

  • There are 14 3-story buildings in the latest site plans. Based on community input most of these buildings are as far away from surrounding neighborhoods as possible.

    See images with 3-story buildings circled:

  • See the following image, one for each of the proposed plans:

    The land at the North end of each drawing (top) and running East to West (Right to Left) cannot be cut or developed on as it is in a federally designated "Riverfront" zone, which is 200' from the center of Silver Spring Brook.

    Credits: Jeff Hyer added the circles to the original image.

  • The requirements of buffering Spring Brook will leave a generous swath of existing vegetation to be improved with additional native plants. The Town will be using an arborist to conduct a survey of existing trees to provide a way forward to preserve as many trees as possible.

    See question “What areas are set aside for conservation on the site?” for additional related information.

  • Many members of the community have suggested enlarging and making year-round the Maurice’s Market. This can serve both neighbors and others and potentially serve as a meeting place for socializing.

  • Around 70% of the units (177 out of 253) will be targeted to low and moderate-income households with incomes at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). These include 152 rental units developed with Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and 25 home-ownership units. The plan is to build these with state subsidies to make them affordable to the same income group.

    The remaining 30% (76 units) will be rentals available to households with incomes up to 120% AMI, and middle-market home-ownership units for families earning 150-200% of AMI.

    There are several reasons for the emphasis on low and moderate-income housing. First, Wellfleet’s Housing Production Plan calls for 495 additional housing units to meet the needs of existing households who are cost-burdened (paying more than 30% of income for housing). Of those households, 405 (82%) have low or moderate incomes--so this is the documented disproportionate need.

    Second, many current workers in the labor force (as well as retirees) will qualify for subsidized housing. For example, a full-time worker earning $30 per hour is making less than 80% AMI regardless of household size, and less than 60% AMI if the household has 3 or more people (see chart).

    Additionally, the funding for low and moderate-income housing, though highly competitive, is relatively certain. The Low Income Tax Credit program does not require federal appropriations and has bipartisan support in Congress. There are no government funds for programs like middle-market home-ownership, which will be more difficult to finance.

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  • This idea has been considered. The “Habitat for Humanity” style housing does not provide as many homes as the four plans currently envisioned nor does it provide options for many with generational and employment ties to Wellfleet.

    Assuming that up to 4 homes per acre can be built under the “Habitat for Humanity” style, the 21 acres of Maurice’s Campground would yield 84 homes at best, assuming no seasonal worker housing and no store. The current proposal envisions 253-300 year-round homes as well as housing for seasonal workers and an enlarged store.

Environmental

  • The development should meet Wellfleet’s Specialized Opt-in Stretch Code standards and adopt energy-efficient design and renewable energy sources, targeting "net zero" energy. Achieving PHIUS certification is encouraged. The plans also consider Low Impact Development (LID) strategies for stormwater management and aim to preserve trees and natural elements at the campground. Prioritizing healthy materials and avoiding PFAS and Red List chemicals is also important.

  • Targeting "Net-Zero" energy means the development aims to produce as much energy as it consumes annually, typically through a combination of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy sources like solar panels.

  • There are several sustainability features proposed for the development. These can be broadly categorized into site design, building design, infrastructure, and overall principles.

    Overall Sustainability Principles:

    • The development will prioritize sustainability, renewable energy, and Smart Development principles.

    • Smart Development principles will be utilized, including preserving open space, critical environmental areas, and natural beauty, focusing on walkable neighborhoods and the pedestrian experience, catering to various transportation choices, and a range of housing types.

    • The project aims to minimize negative environmental impact and maximize the potential for innovative renewable energy, climate resiliency, and other ecologically sensitive initiatives.

    • Environmental sensitivity, climate adaptation, and resiliency will be prioritized.

    Site Design and Ecology:

    • Preservation of existing tree cover and native vegetation to the extent possible is a priority. Specifically, there is a strong desire to retain the pitch pines.

    • The design will build upon the connection to the unique natural environment.

    • Landscape buffers and screening will be implemented.

    • Permeable paving will be used for vehicular use surfaces and pedestrian circulation. Permeable hardscape is of interest to reduce environmental impact.

    • Dark Sky Lighting will be required. Site light fixtures should be Dark Sky approved with a color temperature of 3,000K, and include house side shields aimed away from property lines, wetlands, and abutters to minimize light pollution. Light pollution from parking areas is a concern.

    • Sensitive natural resources will be protected, and high-quality open space preserved, including restoring and preserving Silver Spring Brook.

    • Development will not be located within the riverfront and wetland buffers. Setbacks and buffers will meet and exceed regulatory requirements.

    • Sustainable landscapes using native, drought-tolerant plants will be prioritized to reduce stormwater and support healthy ecosystems. Rain gardens and stormwater management are mentioned as ecologically sensitive initiatives.

    Building Design:

    • Energy-efficient design is required.

    • Net-zero energy and Phius certification are encouraged. The development has set "Net-Zero" goals for waste, wastewater, and energy use overall.

    • Buildings will follow the MA State Opt-in Specialized Code for all electric and passive building design standards (i.e., Phius/PHI) to ensure durable, comfortable, healthy design for occupants, including during power outages.

    • Optimizing energy production and use is a goal, with a strong recommendation for maintaining a 20-degree maximum rotation from E/W orientation for all buildings to conserve energy, reduce overheating, and optimize roof area for solar energy production.

    • Exploration of certifications like the Living Building Challenge and Enterprise Green Communities is encouraged.

    • Prioritization of healthy materials is key, with a focus on avoiding PFAS and reducing Red List chemicals, and using Declare Label and other healthy material labels for interior finishes to improve indoor air quality and occupant health and comfort.

    • Operable windows will be provided in each home for natural ventilation and comfort control.

    • Efficient windows will be used to improve comfort, save energy, and enhance acoustics.

    • Continuous insulation and airtight enclosure will be implemented to reduce temperature swings, improve indoor air quality and acoustics, and save energy.

    • Consideration of embodied carbon impacts of materials, prioritizing natural and lower embodied carbon products.

    • Energy Star solar panels and appliances are part of sustainable design strategies.

    Infrastructure:

    • An innovative wastewater management solution is envisioned, potentially servicing nearby properties. The system should meet recommendations from the Scott Horsley report regarding nitrogen loading of Wellfleet Harbor. A distributed system to accommodate infiltration and treatment of wastewater is planned. Wastewater heat recovery on a site-wide scale will be studied.

    • Renewable energy sources will be prioritized. Consideration will be given to Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) for whole-site heating and cooling, and designing for solar power (PV). District Energy and battery backup will also be considered. There is interest in geothermal power and grid improvements.

    • Water conservation will be practiced using low-flow fixtures, exploring greywater reuse for irrigation and flushing toilets, and rainwater capture for irrigation.

    • Utilities will be buried underground where natural features permit, and transformer units will be screened or placed below grade where flooding is not a concern.

    • The design will aim to reduce the area dedicated to parking by prioritizing parallel parking and on-street parallel parking.

    • Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are proposed amenities.

    These features demonstrate a comprehensive approach to sustainability in the proposed development.

Zoning

  • The Town of Wellfleet determined it would be best positioned to finalize zoning before issuing the RFP. This ensures that development aligns with the Town’s long-term vision and allows projects to move through approvals more smoothly. Potential zoning changes are being considered, such as allowing dormitory or employee housing and reducing lot size and parking minimums.

  • This is not decided yet, but the Planning Committee is leaning towards a Zoning Overlay District as it offers the most flexibility for the development phase.

  • It depends. If the property is rezoned with an overlay zoning district, there might be none. If the property is not rezoned, it would depend on future development proposals.

  • In Massachusetts, Chapter 40B (the Comprehensive Permit Law) allows developers to build affordable housing, overriding local zoning bylaws if a town has less than 10% affordable housing, while a zoning overlay district, like a 40R Smart Growth Overlay, encourages higher density housing and affordable units within a specific area, giving communities more control. 

Development Phase

  • For-profit developers prioritize achieving a high rate of return on their investment as a developer. Profit maximization is their reason for existence. Non-profit developers prioritize serving the targeted population (in the case of affordable housing, low and moderate income households). If a project generates any financial surplus, it can only be used to reinvest in advance their mission of creating affordable housing so the profits might be used to provide additional services to residents or to seed their next affordable housing development.

    Whether for-profit or non-profit, all affordable housing developers in Massachusetts are subject to state-regulated limits on allowable fees and profits when using government programs.

  • No. The RFP will include a set of criteria the town will use in evaluating (scoring) the quality of the submissions it receives from developers. It is possible that some of those criteria may result in nonprofits scoring more highly on one or more items. But it is also possible that a more experienced for-profit developer will score more highly on others. In general, the town would presumably like to attract as many potential developers as possible and would therefore not restrict submissions to nonprofit developers. In the end, the town wants the most capable developer most able to deliver the type of neighborhood planned t be built on the Maurice’s site.