On this page I will be presenting the vision, background and proposal for the creation of new Hotel Resort zoning for the Town of Dennis. The work that will be presented represents the output of lengthy discussions between town staff, the Economic Development Committee and property and business owners within the three target areas.
The vision is to create three new Hotel Resort Districts. The challenge is to develop regulations that are both protective of the residents of Dennis while responsive to the needs of the hotel resort industry. Ultimately we may find that not all properties will be able to take maximum advantage of the new by-law. This proposal looks at several different sets of standards, and will need to determine whether these should move forward as one, two or even three zoning proposals. The Dennisport Area discussed below will remain, for now, as an area where more intense development may be appropriate. However, by introducing a concept of hotel/condo to the equation, perhaps reinvestment could become possible without the massive density changes. In the other two coastal areas significant land tracts may be available, which would suggest the ability to accomplish quality reinvestment without significant height increases.
The proposal also will include provisions for the hotel properties within the General Commercial II Zoning District. The thinking on this is that we do not want to place the Route 28 hotels at a disadvantage. The area is not quaint and attractive like Route 6A, and is clearly already suffering. Taking steps now to address these failing properties would seem expedient.
The Districts
Hotel/Resort Area 1, Dennisport
Within the Hotel/Resort Area 1, the district would include the properties immediately adjacent to the water and Chase Avenue. A few properties along Old Wharf Road would also be included as they are also operating motels. The area contains about 41 acres of land.
The Dennisport Study area is comprised of land parcels that are significantly below current zoning standards. Zoning limitations make it difficult for these parcels to be redeveloped as the costs for reconstruction and septic upgrades exceed potential hotel revenues. To meet these expenses, property owners have been converting hotel units to timeshare properties. While current zoning does not clearly authorize such conversions, they have been accomplished under the guise of creating hotels in time share form of ownership. It would seem appropriate to formalize a hotel/condo land use that specifically addresses these market changes. In approaching this concept, we should consider what intervals of ownership are appropriate and how much of a site may be owned during any particular time period. The proposal starts with a suggestion that we change the height limitations for hotel properties in this district to 4 ½ stories with an at-grade story (or portion there-of) for parking and the remainder for occupied space comprised of rooms, registration area, lobby, and other guest services. A mixed use structure would be restricted to no more than 30% of the ground floor level being used for accessory commercial purposes in this district. Other allowed and permitted residential, commercial and mixed use projects would be restricted to 2 ½ stories.
Hotel/Resort Area 2, Dennisport
The Hotel/Resort Area 2 is a more centralized area and comprises the area between Lower County Road and Old Wharf Road currently home to several large cottage colonies and extends easterly to the Pelham House property. The Economic Development Committee has identified this area for inclusion as it provides the greatest opportunity for a significant year round resort to be constructed. The area contains about 94 acres of land.
The significant amount of land area within this district suggests that structures may be easily screened and that limitations on building height may not be too restrictive. As this area is currently within the Resort Residential Zoning District, which would have allowed some level of hotel development, suggests that current zoning does not economically promote such uses within the area. This suggests that the hotel/condo approach may also be appropriate for this area. The proposal suggests that a height limitation of 2 ½ stories be considered for this area. Although there would be significant land area for surface parking, it is suggested that we consider allowing or even requiring structured parking to preserve land area that can be put to use for outdoor recreation facilities serving the resort. A mixed use structure would be restricted to no more than 50% of the ground floor level being used for accessory commercial purposes in this district. Other allowed and permitted residential, commercial and mixed use projects would be restricted to 2 ½ stories.
Hotel/Resort Area 3, West Dennis
The West Dennis area comprises the Lighthouse Inn and several parcels surrounding it. These parcels are used for a variety of commercial and seasonal uses and in most cases represent uses that are clearly inconsistent with the residential zoning district within which they are located. The area contains about 199 acres, however the single largest parcel within this district is the West Dennis Beach at 136 acres. The West Dennis Beach is included in this district to clear up some issues related to commercial activities requested to be operated on the beach that were inconsistent with the residential zoning. The rezoning allows the Beach Commission to entertain non-residential requests for use of town property, it does not require the Committee to allow such uses.
This district would have similar considerations to the Hotel/Resort Area 2 discussed above. However, we are considering measuring the height of hotel structures in this district based upon Base Flood Elevation to encourage upgrading of hotel properties to meet FEMA Flood Zone Standards without losing customer space.
General Commercial II Zoning District
The General Commercial II Zoning District stretches from the new West Dennis Zoning Districts in the west to the Dennisport Village Center Zoning District in the east. We provided new development guidelines for hotels in West Dennis, and the relaxation of most zoning restrictions in Dennisport, it would appear that hotels on the south side, except for the remaining ones in the GCII Zoning District have had improvements in their development conditions. It would seem appropriate to extend some advantages to the remaining Route 28 corridor hotels. The proposal would allow an increase in one-half (½) story, relax the land area requirement for hotels and hotel rooms, and relax parking requirements. It would also formalize accessory commercial uses in hotels, hotel/condo arrangements, etc. This draft section will hopefully allow us to start discussing Route 28 hotel properties within the same framework as the waterfront hotels. There is no attempt to look at the remaining Resort Residential Hotels, this will have to wait for a further review of this zoning district. Without opening this area up to increased hotel activity a broad-brushed zoning district approach would not seem appropriate in the Resort Residential District.
Check back soon to get the General Working Concepts for these zones.
Posted September 8, 2009
[...] specifics on the proposal on the Economic Development Blog. You can find that discussion on the Hotel Resort District Proposal tab at the top of that [...]
[...] Dennis Economic Development blog since the beginning of September. You can find the information here. Over the coming weeks, as the Economic Development Committee continues its work on this [...]
Drive down to Atlantic City NJ Resorts or any of hundreds of beaches in NJ who’s water view and access to the public are now obscured by “development”. Hotels and motels which blight the waterfront. With that came the crime and demands on services which have never been correctly addressed by the town governments there. Walk but a few blocks from the boardwalk in Atlantic City and I guarantee you will become a crime statistic. Crime, prostitution,muggings,and worse await you. Is this what we want in Dennis ?
For every negative location, there are just as many positive ones. Why not more places like the Lighthouse Inn?
I am not adverse to change, I see much positive in the proposed changes, but would be very interested to see more. My home, is not a cottage or an RV but abutts these properties. With this new proposal, where does this leave me and my home, fighting to keep it, or hoping that the Hotel/Lodging doesn’t cast a shadow on my property?
Faith, In actuality the zoning proposal for this hotel/resort area would have given the town more control over hotel development than is present in today’s zoning. However, the message from the last two weeks is a strong suggestion that there is strong sentiment to try to keep that area somewhat as is. We will need to spend the next several months, perhaps a year or so, trying to come up with options that work both for the cottage and RV owners as well as the abutting properties. Stay tuned. The blog will be one of the methods used to provide this information.
Daniel:
Thank you for the response. Over the past several years, there has been some development within the Chase Grove Area, particularly the Glendon Town Beach. The development of a new septic system for the bathhouse, erosion control sea grass and new retaining wall, has removed what was once a quant and pretty beach area replaced with ruined continuity. A prefab stone wall on one side-a lovely white picket on the other; sea grass around new septic bathhouse is great, but to only rope three sides and not the fourth is not keeping people out and off erosion control. No beach access on left of bathhouse, except for stepping over a splintered plank while holding on to a splintered electrical pole. A memorial buried in sand and sea grass. A retaining wall that will actually cascade the Ocean over Old Warf Road instead of retaining into to the parking lot/beach area are just of few of the issues found with the redevelopment of the town beach and hope it is not a sign of what is to come. I don’t envy your position of having to find a mutual acceptable plan to redevelop the area and keeping the old cap code charm, my hopes are that any development be well thought out since this area keeps loosing that charm, year-after-year. A poll and blog are a good start. Good Luck.
Faith, Thanks. There is a lot to be done. Right now zoning is by-right for redevelopment in that area. Clearly we need a heightened level of review brought to bear – without creating a situation where a land owner feels their only option is to pursue a Chapter 40b project. Since many of those who live in the area are from out of state, Chapter 40B allows land owners to override local zoning and wetlands regulations in the name of affordable housing. Tossing out a vision that concentrated development to a smaller footprint (the hotel/conference center idea) clearly has raised some hackles. Zoning could also promote a far worse example – a condominium housing project under the guise of a cluster development, that walled off the water from Old Wharf Road and left the required open space on the north side of Old Wharf Road. This could just as easily happen under current zoning. We have a lot to do to create a vision and ensure we put into place the mechanism to get to where we would like to be. Dan