Eldredge Garage Lot Open

The Eldredge Garage parking lot opened for valet parking and shuttle services on Wednesday, July 10th and the Visitor Center restrooms opened for the public’s use on Thursday, July 11^th . Final landscaping and installation of EV charging stations will be completed in the coming weeks.

Remember: Chatham residents and non-resident taxpayers with a valid Beach, Recycling or Transfer Station sticker can park in the lot for free!

Chatham Valet has been awarded the operation and shuttle service contract for 2024-2026. Shuttle services to Lighthouse Beach and Chatham Fish Pier are available to lot users.

A ribbon cutting to officially open the facility will take place Friday, July 19th at 8:15 a.m.

Downtown Parking & Circulation Study Public Meeting on July 30th

The Cape Cod Commission and the Town of Chatham invite residents, business owners, and others who frequently visit downtown Chatham to attend a hybrid public meeting on Tuesday, July 30th, at 5:00 PM at the Town Annex, 261 George Ryder Road, to learn more and share their thoughts on plans to improve parking and circulation in downtown Chatham.

Downtown Chatham's numerous restaurants, cultural destinations, retail stores, and other local businesses draw visitors year-round. Because of this, parking and circulation in the immediate area can pose several challenges, particularly in the busy summer months.

The Cape Cod Commission is working with Town of Chatham staff and the Chatham Parking Solutions Working Group to develop recommendations to improve parking, safety, and multimodal accommodations along Main Street. Draft recommendations include potential parking time restrictions, improved crossings, and increased signage to direct motorists to available parking lots.

This is a collaborative effort and public participation is essential. Those who attend the July 30 meeting will hear a presentation about potential improvements and join an interactive discussion to provide feedback on the presented ideas.

Virtual Meeting Option: https://cccom.link/ChathamParking

For more information, please visit the Commission's website or contact David Nolan, Senior Transportation Planner.

Shorebird Update

Shorebirds continue to be monitored on Town beaches by the Mass Audubon Coastal Waterbird Program.

As of July 10th there were 5 nesting pairs of piping plovers and 27 broods of chicks. Several broods of chicks have already fledged. There are also colonies of least terns with nests and chicks and American Oystercatchers with nests and chicks on local beaches.

Please continue to respect areas that have symbolic fencing for the protection of the birds.

Due to the presence of these nests and chicks, our Town's Beach Management Plan, directed by Mass Audubon, beach raking is limited to one beach per week. Harding's Beach gets attention one week, while Ridgevale and Cockle Cove (considered one beach) are raked the next. 
 
Once the birds fledge raking will resume 4-6 days per week.

CC Commission Meetings on Chatham Municipal Airport 

The Cape Cod Commission has two upcoming meetings on Chatham Municipal Airport's Development of Regional Impact (DRI) Hardship Exemption Major Modification request for its Safety Improvement Project.

The Airport seeks modification to the Commission's 2005 DRI Decision (CCC No. 04012) to incorporate an updated Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) to remove or manage vegetation for compliance with federal and/or state safety regulations.

The first scheduled is a subcommittee virtual meeting on Tuesday, July 16th at 5 p.m. The subcommittee will meet to review and discuss a draft Modification Decision to the Development of Regional Impact (DRI) Hardship Exemption Decision for the Chatham Airport Safety Improvements Project. At this meeting the subcommittee may take a vote to make a recommendation to the full Commission on approval of the Major Modification.

The Commission will also hold a virtual public hearing on Thursday, July 25^th (continued from Tuesday, June 25^th) at 3 p.m. to consider a Development of Regional Impact (DRI) Hardship Exemption Major Modification request. At this hearing, the Commission will hear testimony, review the draft Major Modification Decision and may vote on the Major Modification.

This Major Modification is subject to review pursuant to Sections 12, 13 and 23 of the Cape Cod Commission Act, as amended, and section 11(b)(iii) of Chapter A, Commission Regulations Governing Reviews of DRIs, as amended. 

The public can join and participate in the meetings using one of the following methods:   

• By clicking on the following zoom meeting link at the scheduled date/time:  https://capecodcommission.org/reg/join, passcode: join  
• Participants wishing to speak should click “Participants” icon on the lower toolbar and then click “Raise Hand” in the dialog box to notify the chair.
• Calling in to (929) 205-6099 for the July 16th meeting at 5 p.m. and entering meeting ID 967 0382 0087. Participants wishing to speak should press *9 to notify the chair. It is recommended that participants access materials in advance of the meeting.
• Calling in to (929) 205-6099 for the July 25th hearing at 3 p.m. and entering meeting ID 968 0382 0087. Participants wishing to speak should press *9 to notify the chair. It is recommended that participants access materials in advance of the meeting.

All interested persons will have an opportunity to comment at the hearing on July 25th. Written comments may also be submitted by mail to the Cape Cod Commission, P.O. Box 226, 3225 Main St. Barnstable, MA 02630 or using the online form. The DRI application including a map showing the location of the subject property and other project materials may be accessed for review at www.capecodcommission.org/ccc  and is also available for public inspection at the Commission’s office during normal business hours.

Seasonal Community Designation

The Affordable Homes Act is a multi-prong legislative initiative of the Healey Driscoll Administration that seeks to address the housing challenges faced by many lower income households in Massachusetts. The Act is currently in Conference Committee where differences between the versions submitted by the House and Senate will be reconciled.

In addition to dedicating funds to create new affordable housing units for vulnerable populations such as seniors, veterans and those with disabilities, the creation of middle-income housing units and new homeownership opportunities, all three versions of the Act (Governor, Senate, and House) create a seasonal community designation to address the unique housing challenges faced by communities that experience large swings in seasonal population and employment needs due to tourism.

State Senator Julian Cyr provides the following summary of key provisions in the Senate’s final version of the Act designed to support the needs of cities and towns receiving a seasonal community designation.

• Creation of the Office of Livable Communities and Community Services: This new office, within the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, will offer technical assistance and support to rural towns and seasonal communities as they implement housing solutions tailored to their specific needs.
• Creation of the Seasonal Communities Advisory Council: This council will provide essential advice and recommendations on necessary policies and programs for seasonal communities.
• Towns in Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket will automatically receive the Seasonal Community designation. In Barnstable and Berkshire Counties, towns where at least 35% of housing units are second homes will also automatically qualify (all Outer and Lower Cape towns will automatically receive the designation).

With the seasonal communities designation, towns can:

• Establish a year-round housing trust fund without going through the home rule process.
• Acquire year-round housing occupancy restrictions to build middle-income year-round housing.
• Develop housing units specifically for public employees, utilizing federal low-income tax credit dollars.
• Expend funds for artist housing to preserve the creative economy.
• Adopt bylaws or ordinances to encourage tiny house construction and use undersized lots for year-round housing.
• Increase the residential property tax exemption for primary homes of year-round residents.
• Conduct biannual housing needs assessments to provide more accurate forecasting and planning.

The Senate bill also includes a statewide commission to examine a real estate transfer fee, Community Preservation Act reform, zoning reform, and other measures to finance and spur housing production.