Click here to download a PDF
Bid to circumvent Cape Cape Commission withdrawn
By Geoff Spillane
Posted Oct 24, 2019
Off-Cape senator had filed budget amendment to reduce referrals to planning agency.
BOSTON — A Worcester County lawmaker has withdrawn legislation to weaken the Cape Cod Commission, but not before state Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, delivered an impassioned speech to the Senate on Thursday afternoon.
Cyr railed against the adverse effects that off-Cape money and power are having on the region while speaking in opposition to the amendment to Gov. Charlie Baker’s supplemental budget filed by state Sen. Dean Tran, R-Fitchburg.
The same amendment was filed in the House by state Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik, D-Gardner, but was withdrawn in that chamber last week after objections by Cape legislators.
The amendment proposed eliminating the ability of towns in Barnstable County to make discretionary referrals for projects under 10,000 square feet to the Cape Cod Commission for review. The commission is the region’s land-use planning, economic development and regulatory agency.
Cyr said Tran told him earlier this week that the amendment was filed on behalf of constituent Gregg Lisciotti, president of a Leominster-based real estate and development company known for its strip mall retail centers. Lisciotti’s company had a Dollar General store project proposed for Eastham in 2107 and another retail development proposed in Harwich last summer referred to the commission.
When his amendment was introduced Thursday by Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, Tran said, “You may be wondering why this gentleman filed an amendment about Cape Cod.” He told the Senate he simply filed it at the request of a constituent.
Lisciotti is a major donor to Republican elected officials and candidates in the state and made the maximum $1,000 campaign contribution to Tran in 2018.
Cyr then rose in opposition and launched into a long, fiery speech.
In his three years in office, Cyr said, he had never heard any complaints about the discretionary review process between the commission and towns that may not have the resources to analyze complicated development proposals.
“But what I do want to talk about is how this individual’s (Lisciotti) aims are not a one-off or an aberration, but are part of a broader assault that the Cape and Islands region is under,” Cyr said. “This case shows the corrosive element of our politics, where the well-heeled and monied used their largess to get the attention of elected officials, curry favor and advance their agenda, all while circumventing local control with a disregard for those of us who make our lives year-round in this special place.”
Local boards and town staffs are under assault by hired lawyers and lobbyists working to advance their client’s “entitled vision” of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, Cyr said.
He cited several examples, including: the CEO of a multinational bank hiring lawyers to prevent the Nantucket Land Bank from constructing modest dorm-style housing for seasonal workers; a multibillionaire, also on Nantucket, funding a multimillion-dollar campaign to halt development of affordable housing; a wealthy homeowner in Wellfleet using revetments to protect a home “preposterously built” on a coastal dune over the objections of the town; and a Truro homeowner who defied the town by building an oversized home on a coastal dune that he referred to as a monstrosity that “hulks over the beach, a conspicuous display of asphalt shingles and too much money and bad taste.”
“This gave me an opportunity to explain to my colleagues what is going on in an area of the commonwealth that everybody knows and loves, but may not appreciate the real challenges we have here,” said Cyr, adding this type of circumvention worsens already significant challenges with affordable housing, climate disruption and a widespread acute workforce shortage in the region.
State Sen. Viriato “Vinny” deMacedo, R-Plymouth, also advised Tran to withdraw the amendment, saying Tran likely did not understand the implication the constituent’s request would have on Cape Cod.
“Senator Cyr is very passionate about preserving the uniqueness of Cape Cod and wanted to make a case why the Cape Cod Commission is important to our region,” deMacedo said. “I think he did a great job of explaining that today.”
No comments:
Post a Comment