DCPC Leads to New Zoning in Eastham

In May Eastham Town Meeting adopted new zoning regulations for the Eastham Corridor Special District by a vote of 316-20. These serve as the implementing regulations for the Eastham District of Critical Planning Concern adopted as a Barnstable County ordinance last fall.

The new zoning will apply to parcels located along US Route 6 between Old Orchard Rd and the Eastham-Wellfleet town line, the heart of the town’s commercial district and the DCPC area.

A District of Critical Planning Concern allows for towns to impose a moratorium on certain types of development or activities in a certain area to plan for and adopt special rules and regulations that will protect the areas resources or values of regional, statewide, or national significance.

The implementing regulations for the District were developed through a series of public workshops hosted by the town and Commission staff and joint work sessions with the Eastham Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals. They were designed to better reflect Eastham’s community character and desired scale for new development and to enhance opportunities for creation of affordable housing within the District.

New zoning divides the area into six sub-districts that transition from a core commercial area at the intersection of Brackett Road and Route 6 to less intensive uses as distance from the core increases.  The new zoning also includes design standards based on the sub-districts, a tiered review system to streamline local permitting for smaller projects, as well as curb cut limitations and other access management requirements for all sub-districts to improve safety along this heavily travelled state highway.

Commission staff is working on a transportation model for the corridor that will provide a comprehensive approach to transportation management along the Route 6 corridor.