Snow Inn Redevelopment Gets Positive Feedback; Stormwater, Sewer Plans Get High Marks From ConCom

HARWICH – The proposed demolition of the historic Snow Inn and Channel House on the grounds of the Wychmere Harbor Beach Club received positive feedback from members of the conservation commission during the project’s first hearing before town boards.

While the commission took no action during the notice of intent hearing on Sept. 29, members of the commission made it clear they are supportive of the proposal to construct a 72-room hotel to replace the Snow Inn complex, relocate the wastewater treatment plant, and install a comprehensive stormwater management system which would include improvements to Snow Inn Road. 

 “I’m very impressed with the incredible plan you guys have got going here and I’m 100 percent for it,” said commission member Wayne Coulson.

 “Stormwater management is a particular concern to me and that seems to be addressed very plainly,” added commission member Mark Coleman, who also said he was happy to see a reduction in septic volume as well. 

 Conservation Commission Chair John Ketchum said at the start of the meeting that the project’s development of regional impact (DRI) approval granted by the Cape Cod Commission in February has been appealed to the court. He received an opinion from town counsel Amy Kwesell that no construction will be allowed until the DRI appeal is resolved. Kwesell added that the commission act is silent on whether town board hearings can be held in the meantime. The applicant can therefore move forward with hearings at its own risk, said Ketchum.

 Last week’s hearing was the first for the project before local boards, said applicant Wychmere Harbor Real Estate, LLC attorney Andrew Singer. He said approvals will also be necessary from the planning board, board of appeals and the select board.

 Singer said the proposal is to redevelop the existing Snow Inn and Channel House, a 32-room hotel complex, into a 72-room hotel. The existing wastewater treatment plant would be relocated outside the floodplain and a comprehensive stormwater management plan would be established for the site which could also address conditions offsite along Snow Inn Road. Parking will be reconfigured to provide better vehicle circulation, he said.

 Tighe and Bond engineers Sean Riley and Sam Taugher gave lengthy presentations on how the proposed redevelopment will benefit the environment, noting that the proposed design will accommodate coastal flooding, reduce vulnerability to storm damage and maintain the existing floodplain characteristics. 

 The redevelopment would be concentrated within previously developed areas and will minimize the building footprint within the land subject to coastal storm flooding. The overall reduction would be approximately 36,000 square feet of impervious coverage, according to Riley. He said the project adheres to the commission’s policy of any new structures remaining 60 feet back in the buffer zone.

 “The building as proposed is outside the velocity zone,” said Riley of the area likely to get flooded in a storm.

 The current wastewater treatment facilities would be moved outside of the coastal floodplain, reducing the potential for damage and wastewater releases during storm events. The new system would treat septage to five parts per million while the present system reduces nitrogen levels to 10 ppm. The state Department of Environmental Affairs has approved the extension and groundwater discharge permit proposed for the project, according to Taugher. 

 The engineers said stormwater runoff is a major concern, with runoff coming from both Snow Inn Road and Davis Lane, running onto the inn property and ending up in Wychmere Harbor. It also runs south down Snow Inn Road to an access point to the Merkel Beach Conservation Area, depositing sediment there.

 Taugher said the inn owners are willing to work with the town to provide improvements on Snow Inn Road outside of their property, but they will need to have town approval to conduct that work. Taugher said they will not be able to address stormwater conditions on Davis Lane because it is a private road.

 The plan is to raise the habitable hotel spaces above flood elevation. The project incorporates sea level rise and future coastal flood hazard into the building design to improve long-term coastal resilience, Riley said. 

 According to a peer review by Weston and Sampson engineers, the applicant was adequately responsive to issues raised during the review process. Conservation Administrator Amy Usowski said the inn has addressed water quality and wetland resilience issues required by the regulations.

 “I see an overall improvement, especially in moving the wastewater facility,” added commission member Vivienne Mulhall-Maguire.

Ketchum had questions about the nitrogen reduction calculations provided by the engineers based on the proposed reductions in wastewater volume. The present treatment facility plant had a cap of 40,000 gallons per day; the estimate in the redevelopment plan was 27,000 gallons per day.

Ketchum said the commission needs to know the nitrogen kilogram reduction number so the total daily maximum load (TDML) can be plugged into nitrogen reduction calculations under the Massachusetts Clean Water Act. 

With that request, and the need to update the plan to make some adjustments identified in the peer review process, the commission agreed to continue the hearing to its Oct. 21 meeting.