Meetings are held remotely. Go to eastham-ma.gov/calendar-by-event-type/16 and click on the meeting you are interested in to read its agenda and find information on how to view and take part remotely.
Thursday, March 18
- Eastham Affordable Housing Trust, 11 a.m.
Monday, March 22
- Visitors Tourism and Promotion Services Board, 3:30 p.m.
- Zoning Bylaw Task Force, 4:30 p.m.
- Select Board, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 23
- Ballot Testing, 10 a.m.
- Conservation Commission, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, March 24
- Open Space Committee, 3 p.m.
- Finance Committee, 5 p.m.
- Nauset High School Building Project information meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 25
- Board of Health, 3 p.m.
Conversation Starters
T-Time Interim Uses
With a few years to go before the permanent development of the T-Time property, Eastham’s select board weighed in on potential interim uses for the 10.8-acre parcel. They are leaning towards programming on the scale of the Payomet Center for Performing Arts with its approximate 750-person capacity.
“That’s about as many people as I would want to see at an event there, mainly because of traffic,” said vice chair Aimee Eckman at the March 15 meeting.
The town has already been approached by vendors asking to use the property, including one inquiry to use the site as a live entertainment venue.
Finance Director and Assistant Town Administrator Rich Bienvenue presented a number of options for high intensity uses for the site, including live entertainment with up to 3,000 attendees.
“I’m really concerned with having something that large right up against a residential neighborhood,” said Eckman.
Board chair Jamie Demetri noted she had already received emails on the subject after it was discussed briefly at a recent board meeting. One email, from a resident on Sparrowhawk Lane, which is just across the rail trail from the T-Time property, expressed concern about the quiet character of the neighborhood being affected by outdoor concerts.
“Knowing we’re already getting things in our inbox about it definitely says to me smaller scale, more passive, may be a little bit better,” said Demetri.
While a farmers market was suggested by Eckman, deed restrictions placed on the property as part of its purchase from Stop & Shop would prohibit that use, said Town Administrator Jacqui Beebe.
Board member Art Autorino suggested allowing small theatrical productions similar to Shakespeare in the Park, where attendees bring their own lawn chairs.
Demetri noted that, due to time constraints, the property might be used on a smaller scale this season, which would not bring in a lot of money, but that a “bigger plan” could be made for the pre-development years ahead.
“We want to make money with this land in the interim,” Demetri said, “but we also want to do it responsibly and in a way that it still synchronizes with the strategic plan and the community character of Eastham.” —Linda Culhane
