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Commissioners back Massachusetts Municipal Association on environmental bond and economic-development provisions
Summary
Barnstable County voted unanimously to join the Massachusetts Municipal Association in expressing concern about provisions in proposed state environmental bond and economic development bills that commissioners said could weaken local zoning, alter wetland protections and penalize towns that maintain stronger environmental standards.
County Administrator Michael Dutton briefed the commissioners on a package of state proposals that include funding elements that could benefit the Cape but also provisions that local officials say would weaken zoning, wetlands protections and wastewater standards. "There are sections which essentially weaken local zoning, land use, and environmental safeguards," Dutton said, describing concerns that some provisions would impose penalties or weaken town authority to shape land use.
Commissioners raised specific objections to grant-preference modifiers that could disadvantage Cape communities that maintain higher environmental standards and discussed the effect of state mandates on local home rule. Commissioner Bergstrom said some communities could and do adopt zoning changes, but the state-mandated approach removes local control. The board voted to join the Massachusetts Municipal Association in expressing those concerns and requested administrator and staff work to fine-tune a draft letter.
