Vote YES on Article 38: Help Save 17 Acres

Muddy Creek Headwaters Project:  Protect 17 acres with ~1,400 feet of shoreline

Vote YES on Article 38 in the May 2, 2016 Annual Town Meeting Warrant to help preserve 17 acres (~14 acres in E. Harwich & ~3 acres in Chatham) with approx. 1,400 feet of shoreline on Muddy Creek that flows into Pleasant Bay at Jackknife Cove.

We have a chance to preserve this landscape to:

• Protect the water quality of Muddy Creek and
  Pleasant Bay
• Protect wildlife habitat
• Create a future walking trail

The 17-acre site is upstream of the new Route 28 Muddy Creek Bridge & Salt Marsh Restoration Project. The restoration project goal is to enable full tidal flow back and forth between Pleasant Bay and Muddy Creek by replacing two undersized culverts beneath Rt. 28 with a bridge. Why is this bridge project important to the potential 17-acre purchase? When the bridge is in place by summer 2016, people can kayak and canoe at the right tide from Jackknife Cove upstream into Muddy Creek to enjoy scenic views of the landscape from the water.  A foot trail will also be available from Church Street.

Summary of Article 38:

Owned by the Marini family through the Marini Nominee Trust, the 17-acre property on Church Street is listed for sale at $1.65 million. The Harwich Conservation Trust (HCT) remains in discussion with the Marini family about a potential purchase price.  Once a purchase agreement is secured, HCT has committed to raising the balance between the purchase price and the town’s maximum contribution of $500,000 in Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds. Use of CPA funds does not compete with other important town needs like the schools, police/fire, road repairs, and other services paid for by general revenue.

As part of Article 38, HCT pledges to raise and transfer an additional $300,000 to the Town for a total warrant article figure of $800,000.  This warrant article amount of $800,000 puts the Town in a positive position to apply for a $400,000 state grant to offset the final purchase price.

Conservation Restriction and Land Ownership:

Because HCT will be responsible for raising the bulk of funds, HCT will own the land, but subject to the Town holding a conservation restriction over the land. Essentially, the restriction is a protective overlay measure. Typically, when the Town purchases a property for conservation with a majority of Town funds, then HCT holds the conservation restriction. In this case with Article 38, HCT is raising the majority of funds for the land purchase, so the Town will hold the conservation restriction.

What’s at stake?: If not preserved, then we lose the wildlife habitat, history, and walking trails in this valley of woodland, meadow, and wetland .  .  . forever:

Many ecologically valuable areas have been haphazardly developed over the past decades. The result is that the Cape has been deprived of traditional water views, wildlife habitat, and recreation resources.  The real estate market is rebounding since the 2008 recession.  Cape Cod communities are again faced with some of the most intense development pressure in the Northeast.  If funds are not raised to purchase the property, then it could be subdivided and developed into 12 houses. This development could negatively impact water quality, wildlife habitat, generate more traffic, and increase the demand for expensive municipal services and infrastructure. A subdivision plan has already been engineered and received approval by permitting agencies.

Voter approval of Article 38 is an important step forward in the negotiating process and will signal town support in this partnership project with HCT.

If you would like to read Article 38 as printed in the Town Meeting Warrant, then click this link and scroll to page 31.