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Barnstable County forms housing working group to pursue regional solutions to development, sewer and zoning barriers
Summary
County administrator and delegates reported formation of an eight‑member housing working group that will focus on practical zoning, shared housing and water/sewer constraints; the group plans short‑term recommendations and continued outreach to town planners and housing specialists.
Barnstable County Administrator Michael Dutton and delegates told the Assembly on July 2 that the county has formed a housing working group to explore regional responses to the Cape's housing shortage. The group currently has eight core members drawn from town planners and affordable‑housing specialists and plans to meet repeatedly to develop practical proposals.
The working group aims to focus first on operational obstacles flagged by municipal planners: local opposition to new projects (often called NIMBYism), limited developable land, zoning barriers, and water and sewer accessibility. Delegates said the group would emphasize practical, implementable steps — for example, redevelopment or adaptive reuse — and would consult town planners and municipal housing staff before seeking political or legislative changes.
Delegates discussed membership and scope. Dutton said participating towns so far include Barnstable, Brewster, Chatham, Dennis, Sandwich, Truro and Yarmouth, with Falmouth expected to join. Several delegates emphasized adding an environmental representative; Delegate Wanda Colombo noted environmental constraints such as flows and outfalls and asked the committee to include environmental expertise, and Dutton confirmed that the working group had been asked to include that component.
Delegates also raised the distinction between "affordable" housing and "attainable" or workforce housing for people who earn too much to qualify for subsidized units but not enough to buy locally. Delegates said the working group discussed funding mechanisms such as a real‑estate transfer fee but noted prior state‑level resistance to similar proposals on Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. Several delegates asked that the working group bring short‑term recommendations to the Assembly as they are ready rather than waiting for a final report.
Ending: The working group is in early stages; delegates said it will return with more specific proposals and that staff would seek broader input from towns and environmental experts as planning proceeds.
