Newsroom

This Regulatory Update provides a status on projects currently under review by the Cape Cod Commission. Visit www.capecodcommission.org/regulatory for a full overview of our Regulatory program and answers to frequently asked questions.   

For the past three years, the Cape Cod Commission and the Association to Preserve Cape Cod have collaborated on the Cape Cod Regional Pond Monitoring Program (RPMP), an effort to collect consistent data from 50 representative ponds across the region. Since the spring of 2023, monitors, including hundreds of volunteers, have made nearly 1,000 visits to ponds, collecting almost 3,000 samples. Now, at the end of its initial three-year run, the program has brought new insight, new capabilities, and a new level of community involvement to understanding pond health across Cape Cod. Now, the Commission is seeking to expand the program and continue it for years to come. 

The 2025 Regional Policy Plan (RPP) serves as the foundation for local and regional planning and regulation across Cape Cod. Updated every five years, the RPP guides development and resource protection across the region, ensuring that Cape Cod’s natural, built, and community systems remain in balance. 

For the past year, the Commission has been engaged in a process to update this document, holding public hearings, stakeholder meetings, and focus groups, and conducting surveys to ensure it aligns with the region's needs. The Cape Cod Commission approved the updated RPP in October and it will soon be adoped as a Barnstable County ordinance.

Communities across Cape Cod continue to advance a wide range of roadway, safety, and multimodal improvements.  The following project updates summarize current construction activity, recently completed milestones, and upcoming work for major state and local transportation projects that are funded through the region’s Transportation Improvement Program. 

This Regulatory Update provides a status on projects currently under review by the Cape Cod Commission. Visit www.capecodcommission.org/regulatory for a full overview of our Regulatory program and answers to frequently asked questions.   

Hundreds of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) professionals gathered in Falmouth this week for the annual New England Arc Users Group fall conference, an event designed to build connections and advance professional growth. The Cape Cod Commission was well represented, with staff showcasing how GIS technology supports planning, environmental stewardship, and storytelling across the region.  

Recognizing the important ecosystem services native plants provide, Commission staff are developing an updated list of native plants for use in local and regional planning. Using the comprehensive plant list featured in the Cape Cod Freshwater Pond Buffer Guidance as its foundation, the updated list will include additional native species and indicate which are suited for upland and coastal environments as well as freshwater pond buffers. Created as part of the Freshwater Initiative, the Pond Buffer Guidance highlights the ecological benefits of native plants and their role in supporting healthy habitats.  

Natural systems are central to Cape Cod’s identity and resilience, shaping the region’s environment, economy, and quality of life. A series of lightning talks by Commission staff highlighted efforts to protect ponds, enhance outdoor access, and build resilience in the face of climate stress, sharing practical actions communities and residents can take.  

Across multiple sessions, speakers at OneCape 2025 examined Cape Cod’s infrastructure not just as pavement and projects, but as the foundation of daily life, safety, and community character. Together, the discussions highlighted how bridges, streets, transit, preservation, and redevelopment can be designed with people at the center. 

Across Cape Cod, leaders are moving from diagnosing the housing crisis to delivering solutions. At OneCape, state officials, local innovators, and community partners highlighted strategies, from adaptive reuse to deed-restricted rentals, that are showing that the Cape can expand year-round housing while preserving its character.