provincetown, massachusetts design & resiliency team (dart) project

Provincetown 365 Design and Resiliency Team

Provincetown 365: Design and Resiliency Team

Wayne Feiden, FAICPDirector of Planning and Sustainability, Northampton, MA

Tilman Lukas, PrincipalHousing Finance, MBL Housing and Development, Amherst, MA

Kristina Hill, PhDAssociate Professor Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

Bill Needelman, AICPWaterfront Coordinator, Portland, ME

Amanda Loper, AIAArchitect, Principal, David Baker Architects, San Francisco

Joel MillsDirector of Communities by Design, AIA, Washington DC

Provincetown speaks

“I’ve been dumping bodies for years, and it

seems to me that the sea level is

rising.”

Resiliency

Standard and Poors: “…large and very diverse property tax base and extremely strong per capita market values; strong reserves…; and favorable debt position… The town's limited, tourism-centered local economy somewhat offsets these strengths.”

Resiliency Themes

• Year round community: people, vibrancy, jobs

• Economic development: people, vibrancy, jobs

• Climate: sea level, rain storms, surges

Shank Painter Road

Shank Painter Road

option A

option B

Zoning- Residential

• Tweak accessory dwelling units

• Tweak growth management incentives

– Provide payment in-lieu option

– More certainty, less discretion, in the process.

• Only administrative site plan for housing you want

–Not special permits (accessory dwelling units & 4+ units)

• Smaller lot size per dwelling unit for larger projects

– Not more space per unit for larger projects

Zoning-Commercial• Reduce commercial front and side setbacks

–Embrace current commercial center setbacks

–Allow pedestrian-friendly general commercial

–Consider build-to lines (maximum setbacks)

Affordable and Community Housing• Affordable Housing=rent ≤30% of income

– Allows for necessities such as food, clothing, transportation and medical care.

• Why affordable housing? – Essential for a healthy, vibrant community– Retain year round residents– Provide a labor force for local businesses– Expand the tax base, decrease commuter miles,

attract new businesses

Types of HousingHousing Ownership Types • Fee-Simple• Condos• Cooperatives and limited equity cooperatives• Co-housing• Rentals

Typical types of affordable housing• Homeownership• Rental• Elderly• People with disabilities• Family

Rental Levels--What can I afford?

$19.85/hour for 52 weeks for a 2-person family at 60% AMIPretty close to an entry level teacher

median household=1.64 personsmedian family=2.55 persons

Big Obstacles

• Land: not enough

• Small projects: too costly per unit

• Scattered: too costly and difficult to manage

• Water/Sewer: Can’t build without these

• Cost: Limited resources available

• Focus: Community disagreement as to need

• Zoning

• NIMBY (Not in my back yard)

Developing Affording Housing-- Thresholds

• Site control

• Project sponsor

– experience, financial strength, vision, mission, management capacity

– Compatible with community vision

– Limited options for sponsors

• Market study

• Zoning approval

– By Right, Special Permit, Comprehensive Permit

Developing Affording Housing-- Financing

• Local Match

– Community Preservation Funds (CPA)

– Provincetown Affordable Housing Trust Fund

– PILOT (Payment in lieu of taxes)

– Donation of town owned land

– Lease of public land

• Big Hurtle: Financing

– Affordable housing is expensive

– Local, State, and Federal Resources are essential

Development Model- VFW Site

• 41 Unit building

• Financing– Low Income Housing Tax Credits– Soft debt– Permanent debt

• Deed restrictions- for long term affordability

# of Units # bedrooms Unit Sq.ft Rent-Net Affordability

16 1 500 $930 60% AMI

16 2 750 $1,112 60%

4 2 750 $1,636 Unrestricted

4 3 950 $1,279 60%

1 3 950 $1,812 Unrestricted

Provincetown 365: Development BudgetSources of FundsConstruction Loan $8,200,000 Equity (Development Fee Loan) $0 Equity (Federal credits) $8,281,909 Equity (state tax credits $1,143,695 Provincetown CPA $250,000 Provincetown Affordable Housing Trust Fund $500,000 Other: $0 Mass.Housing Stabilization Fund $1,000,000 Mass. Affordable Housing Trust Fund $1,000,000 Other: CDBG $0 Permanent Debt $2,000,000

Subtotal $22,375,604 Construction Loan Repayment $8,200,000 Total Sources-w/o Constr. $14,175,604 Uses of FundsAcquisition $750,000 Direct Construction Dwelling Units (@$275/ft²) $8,325,000 Direct Construction:Site Costs $1,000,000

Total Construction $9,325,000 Construction Contingency (5%) $466,250

Total Hard Costs $9,791,250 Soft costs $2,152,480 Developer Fees, Capitalized Reserve, etc. $1,481,873 Total Uses of Funds $14,175,603Surplus/(Deficit) $1 Development Costs/Unit $345,746

Understanding sediment transport on Cape Cod

Understanding sediment transport on Cape Cod

Most sand moves north and west from the open-ocean side of the Cape.

Some ends up in Provincetown Harbor.

Sand from Truro also ends up in Provincetown Harbor.

Sand is GOLD for adapting to sea level rise.

Beaches and dunes can be expanded to protect coastal communities over the long-term.

Eventually, piers would have to be extended; but using sand is a “no regrets” adaptation approach because it can be removed if it isn’t needed.

Waterfront Transportation

Commerce

Recreation

Transportation

Note: Every Ferry Trip is aParking SpaceNot Used

Rumor has it:100,000 trips15% of visitors

CommerceNote – Every Commercial Vessel is a Business

+/-100 CommercialVessels in Provincetown (?)

Recreation

Active Use of the Water Passive Use: Water Views

When well designed and managed,

these core functions support each

other as mutually supporting

systems

Boaters are tourists and tourists like boats

Observationsand

Questions

Waterfront Commerce is a character defining presence within the community

Question: Does ProvincetownSee itself as a Port Community?

Much of the community is cut off from the water visually

Physical connections to the water exist, but vary in quality and visibility

Water-dependent employment also requires

Access

Berthing Loading SecurityLaunch/HaulUplands

Berthing and Loading

SecurityYes, it’s necessary

Upland Support

Yard StorageMechanical Services

Recommendations

•Promote active use of the water

•Recreational access

•Marine employment

Working Waterfronts Are both

Employment generators and tourism attractions

Protect Existing Assets

McMillan Pier is the Treasure

Cabral’s Pier …..Huge assetFind the right partnershipPublic/Private (?)

Grow Boating Capacity

Commercial dockage/moorings if needed

Commercial berthing is the fundamental resource supporting marine employment

If declines in commercial fishing create berthing vacancies – only fill with recreational boats on a season-to- season basis.

Fishing will reboundAquaculture will growMarine transit will grow

Have faith

Recreational BoatingYachting

Every residentAnd visitor to townShould get out on the Water

Expand Launch and Haul

Is one boat yard enough?Explore creating an industrial zoneEither on of off the water.

There are two great sites – Both Motels

Community Boating YouthAdultEventsEducation

Sail MaineHigh school sailing in Portland, Maine

Provincetown needs betterkayak and tender storage

The Waterfront is a Shared Resource

Kayak and Tender SharingBoat Share programs

Bikes, too

Celebrate the future of Provincetown Harbor, not just its past

EventsNot for ProfitCivic groups Collaboration

Grab Opportunities

Waterfront facilities should serve multiple usesIs this a Park and Community Boating Center?

Take a long view toward town assets

Form Partnerships

Photo Credit: US Coast Guard

Center for Coastal StudiesFishing communityCoast GuardBoating clubsOthers………….

Create a waterfront center

Governance

“Civilizations rise and fall-and sometimes if they are lucky-they renew themselves”

–John W. Gardner

What we heard - Soul of Community

• “Despite all the change, Ptown remains the same – it’s an attitude. It’s a spirit.”

• “Everyone feels safe here, free from judgment, able to express themselves authentically”

• “There is universal acceptance here. There is no requirement to fit in.”

• “Ptown is a shared experience that binds people together”

Governance

• What one word describes Town Meeting:

– “dysfunctional”

– “War of the Worlds”

– “Groan”

What institutional sclerosis and hundreds-year old governance processes

do to us…

Traditional Public Participation

Public Hearing

Public Meeting

Public Opinion Poll

Look @ What’s Happening Today

• American Planning Association (2012) – “More than 50

percent want to personally be involved in community

planning efforts, including more than half of Democrats,

Republicans, and independents as well as majorities of

urban, suburban, and rural respondents.”

The engagement ‘gap’

What Government/Organizations Want

What the Public Wants

“Artificial” polarization

Feb 2014 ICMA Survey on IAP2 Spectrum

Town Meeting Today

• Conflict-ridden – by design• Incredibly inefficient• Engages people at the end of the process, not the

beginning• Unpredictable outcomes – high risk• Can create impression that this is not a good place to

do business• Mistrust and personal nature of conflicts –

antithetical to your community identity

The difference between PR & P2

Public Relations

• Sponsors decide on a course of action and then attempt to sell it to the public.

• people can feel manipulated and suspicious

• often hinders them from thinking effectively about problems and challenges because it avoids exposing them to the full dialogue.

• PR seeks “buy-in”

Public Participation

• Sponsors engage public on the front end in dialogue to help understand the pros and cons of different actions and seek input, consultation, involvement, collaboration

• Builds common understanding of the issue and decision by hearing and understanding all viewpoints and information

• P2 seeks meaningful involvement up front

Recommendations

• FIRST: Community Visioning Process that is authentic, culturally relevant, meaningful

• Community Advisory Board/Cross Agency Town Team to guide reform of Town Meeting process to be more efficient, productive, and predictable

• Civic organization to convene, inform, lead, program, facilitate, partner, build capacity

• Let vision drive action. Build Momentum for implementation by integrating projects in a community-driven process

Resource Guide

• Model Ordinance

• Model Charter Language

• P2 Advisory Commissions

• Policy Options

• Resources

One Example

“We know that collaboration between community members and city government leads to better results than either working in a vacuum. One without the other misses out on a whole range of good ideas. More importantly, public decisions that are developed collaboratively produce better results and better stand the test of time. The What’s Next Alexandria initiative focused on understanding how to use civic engagement to improve this kind of collaborative give-and-take that will always be more effective than community members or City staff working alone.”

Adapt, not adopt – but learn from others’ experience

Reform Town Meeting Process

• Goal: efficient, collaborative, predictable, informed

• Address the information gaps on the front end

• Have facilitated dialogues first to build understanding of pros and cons of issues

• Make the actual town meeting process an administrative act only – not the place where the community makes its voice heard, just where the official vote occurs afterward

Versus

process orientationCollaborativeCitizen-drivenDialogue-basedInformativeBuilds UnderstandingReinforces valuesPrideSocial CapitalPartnershipAction

InefficientNo dialogueGrandstandingEmphasizes differencesCreates conflictTears apart communityIs not values-basedApathy Frustration

Information model : CIR in Oregon

What can a community do?

• Articulate a Collective Vision

• Set the table for partnerships

• Position place as an attractive investment

• Mobilize volunteers

• Crowdfund

• Leverage collective capacity & Resources

• Build Civic Momentum through community projects, events & activities that inspire pride and can be leveraged

• Requirements: Citizens (vs. Consumers or Taxpayers) and civic leaders, vision and collaboration

• When you put it all together in a process, it can be transformative

“We have no public resources to do anything”

National Statistics: About a trillion dollars in the community

•Volunteerism = $171 billion (only 64 mill people)

•Total Charitable Giving = $298.42 billion.

•Non-profits = $300 billion in investment into local communities

•Over half of all states have enacted legislation to enable private-sector participation in infrastructure projects, where there is an estimated $180 billion to be leveraged

•Crowdfunding - $3 billion & growing

•*billions in federal support

Most Communities Today

“If we can just get that one, big, transformational investment done, it will change everything for us.”

[years of effort…debates…studies..no visual progress during this time…loss of excitement…bottom falls out.]

The Snowball Effect

“a figurative term for a process that starts from an initial state of small significance and builds upon itself, becoming larger and faster at every stage”

Applied to a community, this is

a transformational principle…

“You gave us hope. Back in 1992, your ideas seemed like dreams. Now we are living those dreams.”

– Rick Smith, San Angelo Times-Standard, 2012

What success looks like in Port Angeles, Washington

Prioritization

• Staff picked through and identified implementation items

• Survey at Public Meeting

• Committee Review and Prioritization

• Port Angeles Forward organization as civic leader

1. Parking study in the downtown area.

2. Increase housing opportunity and multi‐use buildings in downtown.

3. Institute the use of form based codes rather than conventional zoning.

4. Remove the parking regulations in downtown and let the market drive parking.

5. Return the Farmer's Market to the downtown area.

6. Signage and wayfinding system for pedestrian and vehicles.

7. Improve existing buildings (appearance, facades, etc. in downtown and elsewhere).

8. Provide visitor information kiosks.

9. Create an entryway monument.

10. Create nodes / centers of key intersections.

Immediate Implementation

Port Angeles, WA 2009 Project: 2 months later, 43 buildings repainted with

volunteers and donated paint, (at least 3,500 volunteer hours, or roughly

$66,500 worth of donated labor) led to a façade improvement program, then

private $

Bike Facilities

Wayfinding & Signage

Public PrioritizationPaint 43 BuildingsFaçade ImprovementWayfinding

Waterfront EsplanadeMajor new anchors downtownPeninsula Campus ExpansionDowntown Health ClinicNew Transit Center

Bike/Ped FacilitiesNew small businessesFerry Terminal RenovationRenovated shopping/restaurants at adjacent block

First 3 months-1 year

1-2.5 years

4-5 years

ImplementationToday, major investments all over town

Some

Examples:

Waterfront

Redevelopment

$17 million

Marine

Campus

Facility

$12 million

Waterfront: from Team Process to Masterplan to groundbreaking , to…

Realizing Their Aspirations, in

5 years

Bringing People Back to the

Waterfront

Creating an Attractive Sense

of Place

Transforming Downtown: Before

Transforming Downtown: After

Snowball Effect: $100+ million

Leveraging Investment for

Placemaking

And, it keeps going

They are already in construction

for phase 2

MOMENTUM!

MOMENTUM

MOMENTUM

MOMENTUM

Slides & report aia.org/liv_sdat

Provincetown 365