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The annual OneCape Summit convenes a diverse gathering of local leaders, state officials, and national experts to reflect on the challenges facing Cape Cod and chart a path forward together. This year’s program brings experts who offer their perspectives, practical solutions, and inspiration to advance Cape Cod’s most pressing priorities. 

The Town of Eastham established a District of Critical Planning Concern (DCPC) in 2017, known as the Eastham Corridor Special District. It covers commercially zoned lands along Route 6 and is in place to protect community character, encourage mixed-use development, enhance the North Eastham economy, improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety and access, minimize traffic conflicts, expand affordable housing opportunities, and reduce stormwater impacts. Updates to the DCPC were recently approved by Eastham voters and the Cape Cod Commission.

A status on projects currently under review by the Cape Cod Commission.

Cape Cod’s groundwater depends on precipitation to recharge. When rainfall is significantly lower than average, as it has been this summer, the region can slip into drought. Additionally, growing plants take up most of the water that falls during spring and summer. Although sunny days are great for beaches and outdoor activities, less rainfall means our aquifer isn’t being replenished. 

In early August, Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper declared that Cape Cod had been upgraded to a Level 2 Significant Drought from Level 1 last month. 

This Regulatory Update provides a status on projects currently under review by the Cape Cod Commission. Visit www. capecodcommission.

Each year, the Cape Cod Commission receives funding through the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities’ District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) program. This initiative enables the Commission to support Cape towns with technical planning assistance that fosters sustainable development and aligns with both state and regional priorities. This year, DLTA funding is helping advance two important local housing initiatives in the towns of Sandwich and Falmouth, each addressing different but important aspects of housing development and smart growth. 

A status on projects currently under review by the Cape Cod Commission.

The Cape Cod Commission is pleased to release the draft 2025 Regional Policy Plan for public comment. The public is invited to review the document and submit comments by Monday, August 25, 2025.

The Cape Cod Commission is pleased to announce the release of the final Freshwater Strategy, a comprehensive, data-driven plan that defines a path forward for Cape Cod to support healthy, functioning ponds and lakes.  

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.