Barrington Town Manager Phil Hervey offered a slight change to the development plans for the former Carmelite monastery property.

Hervey’s version of the plans calls for fewer single family house lots and more cottages in the pocket neighborhood. 

At a Barrington Town Council meeting late last month, Hervey spoke about the two plans for the town-owned monastery property. The first plan has been recommended by the Barrington Planning Board and calls for the seven acres of land to be divided into six single-family house lots, a pocket neighborhood with 10 to 12 smaller cottages, and two acres of open space. 

The Planning Board-recommended proposal calls for three of the cottages and one of the single-family lots to be deemed “affordable.”

Hervey also shared details of a version of the plan that he altered slightly — it calls for five single-family house lots, 14 cottages, and two acres of open space. Hervey said four of the cottages would be deed-restricted as affordable. He said his plan puts more housing units overlooking the proposed open space, which would address safety and security concerns raised by some of the neighbors.

Both plans drew criticism from people at the meeting. 

Council member Annelise Conway said Hervey’s plan failed to move Barrington’s stock of affordable housing any closer to the 10 percent goal set by the state. Officials said less than 4 percent of Barrington’s housing is currently deemed affordable. 

Questions surfaced about who would manage the senior housing in the pocket neighborhood. Hervey said a homeowners association would. He said housing for empty-nesters is not expected to require a higher level of care. 

Conway asked Hervey if his plan would be financially feasible for property developers. Hervey said it was, according to research included in the appraisal of the monastery property. 

“This one is penciling out,” Hervey said. 

The town manager said previous plans which called for the monastery building to be repurposed into housing units were not financially feasible. That brief mention served as a reminder that the Planning Board recommendation and Hervey’s version will require the demolition of the monastery building. On two separate occasions voters supported preservation of the monastery structure. 

Other questions

Paige Barbour lives in the Watson Avenue neighborhood and has attended many of the monastery meetings. At last month’s meeting, Barbour said the plans seem to include a lot of buildings but the drawings did not feature much parking. 

Hervey said the parking shown in the plans is consistent with other similar developments. Barbour asked if people were still brainstorming on potential uses for the monastery building. 

Deb Nyser lives on Adelaide Avenue, a short walk from the monastery. Nyser asked officials if they had considered how many of the senior cottages would be occupied by “snowbirds,” referencing older residents who spend their winter months living in warmer climates. 

Nyser then added that she thought there were to many cottages included in the plans. 

Elizabeth Grieser thanked Town Council President Carl Kustell for taking time to meet with residents regarding the monastery. She then asked about the single-family house lots — Grieser wanted to know if a developer could purchase multiple lots. Some people have voiced concerns that a developer could buy up a few lots and build a larger housing development. 

Brian Rua asked if the property appraisal factored in the selling cost for age-restricted units. Hervey said that point was shared with the appraiser. 

Thomas “TR” Rimoshytus said he would like the town to sell all the monastery property as buildable lots. Rimoshytus said he wants the town to get its money back from the investment: Barrington used taxpayers’ money — $3.2 million — to purchase the monastery property in 2021. Rimoshytus then asked what the town’s role was with the monastery property. Are we the Realtors? Are we the property manager? Are we making the rules and regulations?

He then asked what the next step was. The answer: Hervey’s version could get sent to the Planning Board for their endorsement; permission to demolish the monastery building will need voter approval at a future Financial Town Meeting. 

Allan Klepper asked if Council members had considered installing a plaque or memorial at the property that would note the significance of the land as the former home to the Carmelite monastery. Kustell said he was very much in favor of doing something like that. 

Laura Young asked about accessibility with the cottage units — would they be one-level homes or two-level homes? Hervey said the cottages would have the primary bedrooms and bathrooms on the first floor. Young said senior citizens are not interested in senior-specific housing; she was glad the town was not pursuing a continuing care facility because they often become institutionalized, she said. 

Mary Alyce Gasbarro said she knows a lot of seniors who have no intentions of moving out of their homes. 

“We’re here til we die,” she said, adding that town officials need to talk to seniors. 

Mary Grenier seemed quite pleased with the direction the plans have taken. She said it was important to keep the character of the neighborhood intact. Grenier said the two acres of open space can connect with other bike paths, and she believes the community will appreciate that … “we haven’t paved paradise.”

Michell Turgeon said the town has discussed a lot of plans, but they all include housing. She said there should be an alternative plan to housing.

Open space is the solution

Ann Strong spent a few minutes discussing the financial aspects of the property. The former Town Council member said the town would stand to save money if officials preserved the property as open space.

Strong said single-family homes do not make the town much in the way of tax revenue. She said most of those homes will be filled with families and school-age children. She said those kids will cost the town money for school, off-setting tax revenue. 

She also suggested that if the town wanted to increase its stock of affordable housing then officials should deed-restrict all of the homes built on the monastery property. Otherwise, keep it as open space, she said. 

“What you’re proposing is insanity. I think that’s it,” Strong said, adding that open space is the solution. 

Strong also said that she does not believe the town can stop a developer from buying multiple lots and building a multi-unit development.