Cape Cod Commission
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Cape Cod Commission is a regional planning authority created in 1990 by an Act of the Massachusetts General Court and confirmed by a majority of Barnstable County voters.
In the wake of an unprecedented growth boom in the 1980s, the Cape Cod Commission Act found that the region known as Cape Cod (Barnstable County) possesses unique natural, coastal, historical, cultural and other values which are threatened by uncoordinated or inappropriate uses of the region's land and other resources.
The Commission was established as a regional planning and regulatory agency to prepare and implement a regional land use policy plan for all of Cape Cod, review and regulate Developments of Regional Impact, and recommend designation of certain areas as Districts of Critical Planning Concern.
The Commission is a department of Barnstable County, Massachusetts and is funded by the Cape Cod Environmental Protection Fund.
[edit] Comission Composition
The Commission is made up of 19 members representing each of Barnstable County's 15 towns as well as the County Commissioners, minorities, Native Americans, and a governor's appointee. The members are citizen volunteers who guide a professional staff to plan for Cape Cod's future growth, provide technical assistance to towns, review and vote on major developments and act as the Commission's liaison to their communities.
Commission planners and technical staff have expertise in a wide variety of areas including: landscape architecture, land use planning, economic development, affordable housing, historic preservation, wetland and wildlife resources, water resources, coastal resources, waste management, transportation planning, communications and computer mapping. Staff discusses specific issues or projects with local officials, project proponents, and the public.
[edit] Unplanned Growth
Cape Codders know that their home is a fragile and beautiful place that can be ruined by lack of planning and inappropriate development.
In scientific polls, Cape residents said overwhelmingly in 1991 and again in 1995 that they want the Cape Cod Commission to protect groundwater, encourage only clean, light industries, cultural facilities and neighborhood businesses, and restrict development which they feel harms the character of the Cape.[1] A large majority of them opposes new, large hotels, malls and factory outlets.[2]
Unplanned growth brings with it a host of problems - negatives which affect Cape Codders' everyday lives. Traffic jams, mounting trash and water quality problems, congestion of a once-rural Cape Cod are all warnings that we need strong regional planning for Cape Cod.
The Commission's work is divided into three major areas: planning, technical assistance, and regulation.
