Cape Cod Commission receives grant funds to support environmental and economic resilience 

State funding to support the creation of land-use and zoning best practices for mixed-use development 

The Cape Cod Commission has received a grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs in the amount of $144,043 to complete the Land Use Planning for Economic Resilience project, an effort to facilitate vibrant, compact mixed-use downtown areas across the region and improve the stability and resiliency of the local economy.  

Cape Cod Commission staff will lead the project in collaboration with the towns of Barnstable, Chatham, and Eastham. The project will result in a better understanding of long-term trends and pandemic-induced impacts on commercial and mixed-use development. An analysis of the performance of commercial and mixed-use property types will inform identification of best practices for leveraging land use and zoning tools to sustain local economies and foster resilient development patterns. The resulting insights will be applicable to all 15 Cape Cod towns.  

“Current development patterns and economic pressures have impacted the ability of residents to live and work on Cape Cod,” said Kristy Senatori, Cape Cod Commission Executive Director. “This project aims to promote more efficient development and redevelopment in core areas, support the creation of more diverse housing options, and improve the stability and resiliency of the local economy, while guiding development away from sensitive natural resources.” 

The Land Use Planning for Economic Resilience project aligns with and advances ongoing regional planning efforts to render Cape Cod more resilient both environmentally and economically, including the 2018 Regional Policy Plan, the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, the Regional Transportation Plan, and the Climate Action Plan.