Alleging an unlawful approval and faulty hearing process regarding a proposed 312-unit, 510-bedroom apartment complex in Hyannis on the site of the former Twin Brooks Golf Course, Save Twin Brooks (https://savetwinbrooks.org), a grassroots nonprofit, along with a local business and a nearby resident, filed an appeal on March 9 in Barnstable County Superior Court of the Cape Cod Commission’s decision last month.
The site represents the last large open green space in Hyannis Village and is the core of the endangered Stewart’s Creek Estuary. Save Twin Brooks says the project would have adverse impacts on the environment, traffic and underserved communities, including loss of critical open space,
The appeal asserts that:
- The Cape Cod Commission approved a development agreement for the project despite expressly finding that it is inconsistent with two key objectives in its regional policy plan. The Commission failed to comply with multiple other elements of the plan;
- Commissioners failed to address substantive issues raised in expert testimony;
- The Commission did not substantively review or discuss compliance with the Town of Barnstable’s local comprehensive plan as required by law; and
- The hearing process lopsidedly favored the developer, who was allowed over 30 minutes to present while members of the public rarely had more than three minutes, and requests for equal time were refused.
“The decision of the CCC to approve this project is unprecedented and every town on Cape Cod should take notice, said Karen McGuire, president of Save Twin Brooks, Inc. “If you have a parcel of land under review by the CCC, in an environmentally sensitive area, this could be you. This property, located on the Stewart’s Creek Estuary, should be restored and conserved for the benefits of future generations. We don’t have to choose between housing and environment, we want both.”
A copy of the appeal can be found at www.savetwinbrooks.org/appeal
For further information, contact Angela Rutzick at 617-828-8328 or info@savetwinbrooks.org
