Designated DCPCs

As of July 2010

Black Beach/Great Sippewissett Marsh DCPC (Falmouth) -- designated in January 1996 to prevent flood damage and protect the habitat of 340 acres of barrier beach and salt marsh in West Falmouth. For information, contact Natural Resources/Open Space Specialist Heather McElroy.
Bournedale DCPC (Bourne) -- designated in December 1998 to protect drinking water, assure safe transportation, and preserve the historic and natural resources of nearly 2,000 acres in northeastern Bourne. For information, contact Planner Sarah Korjeff.
Three Ponds DCPC (Sandwich) -- designated in February 2000 to protect water quality, preserve open space, and maintain the character of nearly 700 acres of land and more than 300 acres of water in southeastern Sandwich. For information, contact Natural Resources/Open Space Specialist Heather McElroy.
Six Ponds DCPC (Harwich) -- designated in May 2000 to protect the water and natural resources and to manage growth over more than 1,200 acres of land and 110 acres of water in northeastern Harwich. For information, contact Planner Martha Hevenor.
Barnstable DCPC -- designated in September 2001 to manage residential growth and encourage affordable housing over nearly 60 square miles (see the May 2004 decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court supporting the Barnstable DCPC). For information, contact Senior Planner Sharon Rooney.
Quivet Neck/Crowe's Pasture DCPC (Dennis) -- designated in March 2002 to protect natural, historic, water, and coastal resources and to manage residential growth on nearly 250 acres in East Dennis. For information, contact Chief Planner Sharon Rooney.
Pond Village DCPC (Barnstable) -- designated in January 2006 to protect the water quality of a freshwater pond and a portion of Barnstable Harbor and the historic and scenic character of a 115-acre area north of Route 6A near Barnstable village. The Barnstable Town Council voted to approve a zoning change for the district rather than adopt special implementing regulations. For information, contact Planner Phil Dascombe.
Brewster Water Protection DCPC - designated in July 2008 to protect "zones of contribution" (or watersheds) to public drinking water wells. The DCPC encompasses 6,538 acres in several areas: one in the southeastern part of Brewster, another in the southwestern part of town, and all land in Brewster that is within the Pleasant Bay Water Recharge Area. The DCPC has two purposes: a water resources district and a major public investment district. Watersheds within the DCPC include wellhead-protection lands for public wells in Brewster and for wells in Orleans, Harwich, and Dennis. The four Brewster wells in the DCPC provide about 95 percent of the town's public water supply; the remaining need is met mostly from private wells. Brewster has invested millions of dollars in the development and protection of the public drinking water supply wells within the DCPC. The Cape Cod Commission approved the town's proposed implementing regulations on October 1, 2009. For information, contact Chief Planner Sharon Rooney.
Craigville Beach/Centerville Village Center DCPC -- On February 12, 2008, the Cape Cod Commission received a nomination from the Barnstable Town Manager to create a DCPC for the Craigville Beach area and the Centerville Village Center area. The areas are contiguous, encompassing about 380 acres of land and 66 acres of open water, but separate issues are to be addressed for each area. On February 21, the Commission voted to accept the nomination for consideration. On May 21, the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates approved the designation of the DCPC.
The Centerville Village Center area of the DCPC includes an existing business zoning district and residential parcels including the Main Street National Register Historic District. The DCPC has two purposes: an economic resource district and a cultural, historic, and architectural resource district. The town developed its implementing regulations for this area of the DCPC, and the Cape Cod Commission approved those regulations on August 6, 2009.
The Craigville Beach area of the DCPC includes a barrier beach along Nantucket Sound, an estuary system behind it, and freshwater ponds. It encompasses many summer homes and cottages and a former "Christian Camp Meeting" area, which is recognized within a National Register Historic District. The DCPC has five purposes: a natural and ecological resource district; a cultural, historic, and architectural resource district; a hazard district; a wastewater management district; and a waterfront management district. Rather than approved draft implementing regulations for this area of the district, in early September 2009, the Barnstable Town Council voted to have the town manager nominate the district again. The Cape Cod Commission accepted the renomination on October 1, 2009, and the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates redesignated the Craigville Beach DCPC on November 4, 2009. The town has revised draft implementing regulations for the Craigville Beach area, which the Barnstable Town Council will consider in August 2010.
For details about the Craigville Beach/Centerville Village Center DCPCs, see the town's web site: http://town.barnstable.ma.us/GrowthManagement/ComprehensivePlanning/DCPC2/default.asp or contact the Town of Barnstable's Growth Management Department, 508-862-4678. For information about the regional DCPC process for the DCPC, contact Chief Planner Sharon Rooney.
Ocean Management Planning DCPC - nominated by the Barnstable County Commissioners in December 2009 and designated as a regional ordinance by the Assembly of Delegates on April 21, 2010. The County Commissioners made the nomination in anticipation of the final Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan on December 31, 2009. The state created the Ocean Management Plan to coordinate and promote certain types of development within Massachusetts ocean waters. The newly designataed DCPC includes all the ocean waters and land below and air above within Barnstable County, starting from a line drawn 0.3 nautical miles seaward from Mean High Water (MHW) around Barnstable County and extending to 3 nautical miles from MHW, or the state jurisdictional boundary, whichever is farther. This area (576,745 acres total) is coincident with the planning area as defined in the Massachusetts Draft Ocean Management Plan and excludes the Cape Cod Canal and several bays, harbors and embayments. Where the bounds of the municipal corporations intersect with a neighboring town, the district boundary ends with the municipal corporation boundary. The Cape Cod Commission and Cape towns are working together to develop "implementing regulations" for the district. See Ocean Management Planning DCPC for more information.

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