Orleans Citizens Forum

Understanding Orleans’ Housing Problem

 November 10, 2022

Click here to watch the recording

Orleans Housing: How extensive is the housing crisis in Orleans? What do we mean by ‘affordable housing’? Which housing needs should we address? Do we have viable solutions?

The Orleans Citizens Forum hosted a forum digging deeper into the ‘housing problem’. Everyone agrees we need ‘affordable housing’, but everyone is not talking about the same thing. There are multiple housing needs, each with its own challenges. If we are going to tackle the housing problem in Orleans we need to understand the problem thoroughly. Who are the housing-stressed people in Orleans and how do we prioritize their needs? Whom do we want to provide housing for: Low-income or missing middle-income families? Young professionals or hourly wage earners? Municipal employees or labor force for area businesses? Grown children of our neighbors or people commuting to work in Orleans? All of the above? Lastly, we need to look at the resources needed and obstacles faced to provide the different types of housing needed to allow people to live and work here.

Fran McClennen, of the Affordable Housing Committee, explained the types of housing needs facing Orleans, and helped us understand the terminology used to define these needs. View Fran’s presentation by clicking here.

Lisa Simundson, Executive Director, Orleans Chamber of Commerce, illustrated the effect lack of affordable housing has on local businesses. In turn, we saw how all of us are affected by the lack of services driven by the housing shortage.

Hadley Luddy, Chief Executive Officer, Orleans Homeless Prevention Council (HPC), put a face on the housing and financially stressed residents of the Lower and Outer Cape. View Hadley’s presentation by clicking here.

Marsha Allgeier, Affordable Housing Coordinator for the Town of Orleans, spoke to the challenges we face providing affordable and attainable housing, including available government subsidies, other possible incentives and strategies, and ongoing planning and efforts needed. View Marsha’s presentation by clicking here.

The Orleans Citizens Forum is an unbiased, public service organization dedicated to keeping the residents of Orleans knowledgeable about the issues confronting our town

OrleansCitizensForum.org 

THE FUTURE OF ORLEANS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2022

Click here to watch the recording

The Orleans Citizens Forum hosted a presentation on the challenges facing the Town of Orleans’ future including concerns regarding climate change, housing shortages, economic uncertainties, and shifting demographics.  Given these challenges, what are the consequences of inaction within Orleans and throughout the Cape?  What options for action exist and at what cost?

The following panelists explored these questions and discussed potential ramifications for the future, depending on how the Town and the Cape in general chooses to address these issues.

Chloe Schaefer, Chief Planner of the Cape Cod Commission, presented data that underlies regional priorities and talk about how regional trends and goals impact the Cape, and Orleans in particular. View Chloe’s presentation here

George Meservey, Director of Planning and Community Development for the Town of Orleans, focused in on Orleans’ Comprehensive Plan, how it’s impacted by the regional vision, and the anticipated consequences of various options versus doing nothing.90

Andrea Reed, Orleans Select Board Chair and Former Chair of the Orleans Planning Committee, elaborated on the planning process for key Town initiatives.

The Orleans Citizens Forum is an unbiased, public service organization dedicated to keeping the residents of Orleans knowledgeable about the issues confronting our town

OrleansCitizensForum.org 

FALL TOWN MEETING: A PREVIEW OF THREE KEY WARRANT ARTICLES

Thursday, October 6, 2022

Watch the recording  by clicking here

The Orleans Citizens Forum hosted a presentation on three key articles to be voted on at the Orleans special Town meeting on Monday October 17, 2022, including:

  • Proposed new rules on short-term rentals (Article 19)
  • A home rule petition from the Town to the State seeking authority to regulate the use of fertilizer in Orleans (Article 32)
  • Interim requirements for management of the Town-owned Governor Prence property. (Article 15)

Andrea Reed, Select Board Chair, addressed Article 19 that would require every owner of a property used for short-term rentals to register the property with the Board of Health.

Michael Herman, Select Board Vice-Chair, spoke to Article 32 which, if passed, would result in a Home Rule Petition to the State Legislature to allow the Town to develop a bylaw that could result in restricting or prohibiting the application of fertilizer in Orleans, with the goal to reduce the adverse impacts of fertilizer on water quality.

John Sargent, Chair of the Governor Prence Planning Committee, explained Article 15 which seeks additional funds for the Governor Prence property to cover annual costs of maintenance and insurance due to new financial needs that have been identified through the planning process to repurpose the property

Lynn Bruneau: Chair Ementa of the Finance Committee, commented on the financial implications of the articles.

Alan McClennan moderated the Forum.

Watch the recording  by clicking here

The Orleans Citizens Forum is an unbiased, public service organization dedicated to keeping the residents of Orleans knowledgeable about the issues confronting our town

OrleansCitizensForum.org 

May 2022 Town Meeting Forum

Wastewater Warrants and a Budget Override
What do we need to know?

After more than two years, the Orleans Citizens Forum was back with an in-person event.  We hosted a May Town Meeting review at the Church of the Holy Spirit on April 28.  There were several critical articles on the warrant and a proposal for a budget override.  Key wastewater issues relate to funding the sewering of the Meetinghouse Pond area and the betterment and tax policy to pay for the new system. Our knowledgeable panel addressed these issues and answered questions.

Unfortunately, we were not able to record the forum. Instead, we are posting two of the informative presentations below.

Speakers for the April 28 forum:

Meff Runyon, Chair, Orleans Select Board

Alan McClennan, Chair, Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners  Click here for Alan’s presentation

John Kelly, Orleans Town Administrator

Judy Schumacher, Vice Chair, Nauset Regional School Committee

Lynn Bruneau, Chair, Orleans Finance Committee  Click here for Lynn’s notes

Click here to see more pictures of the forum

 

The Orleans Citizens Forum is an unbiased, public service organization dedicated to keeping the residents of Orleans knowledgeable about the issues confronting our town

Climate Change in Orleans: What Can We Do

How Orleans Residents can Adapt Homes, Buildings, and Vehicles
for the Impact of Climate Change?
Orleans Citizens Forum:  April 2, 2022

This forum empowered all of us to take actions that affect us directly and make us all part of the campaign to help our community and ourselves.

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Climate Change in Orleans: What We Can Expect?

Orleans Citizens Forum, February 28th, 2022

Research indicates Orleans is a location and economy that will continue to be impacted by developing sea level, temperature, and weather patterns.  How is the Town of Orleans responding and preparing, and what can individuals do to deal with the challenge?

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Protecting Our Green Space

What You Can Do
Orleans Citizens Forum
January 26, 2022

You already know that climate change is causing rising temperatures, severe weather and melting ice caps. At this forum our panelists presented another threat to our environment – the destruction of our ecosystem. We discussed the value of green space, the need for open space, the importance of using native plants in our yards, how to identify and deal with invasive plants, and examples of what some people are doing in Orleans to help combat climate change.

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