District Local Technical Assistance

Overview

The District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) Program is funded annually by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to help municipalities with sustainable development and to encourage communities to form partnerships to achieve planning and development goals consistent with state and regional priorities.

State funding is allocated to each of the state's 13 regional planning agencies, including the Cape Cod Commission, to accomplish these technical assistance projects. In the past, the funding has been used to support initiatives in housing and wastewater, as well as to study redevelopment options and support local planning efforts.

2026 Projects

Barnstable: Incentivizing reuse and preservation of historic structures

The Town of Barnstable will receive technical assistance from Cape Cod Commission staff to help develop zoning that encourages the reuse and preservation of historic buildings, supporting new housing opportunities while maintaining the character of places like downtown Hyannis.

Brewster: Identifying suitable uses for town-owned and town-identified parcels

Cape Cod Commission staff will provide GIS and technical assistance to the Town of Brewster and its Land Evaluation Committee to develop criteria for better understanding what the most suitable municipal uses may be for town-owned and town-identified parcels, ranging from open space to housing.

Dennis: Updating the Housing Production Plan

The Town of Dennis will receive funding to update its Housing Production Plan through a consultant-led process that includes community engagement, updated data, and revised housing goals and strategies. The updated plan will guide housing priorities over the next five years and inform the Town’s Local Comprehensive Plan, which is currently in development.

Mashpee: Housing feasibility study

The Town of Mashpee will receive funding to conduct a feasibility study for developing Town-owned land for potential housing development to address the region’s affordable housing needs while promoting Cape Cod’s environment and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Provincetown: Developing a town-wide form-based code

The Town of Provincetown will receive funding to develop a model Request for Proposals that clearly defines expectations for community engagement, technical analysis, historic preservation, and zoning reform that will be the basis for developing a town-wide form-based code.

Yarmouth: Developing a cultural asset inventory

Commission staff will provide GIS and technical assistance to the Town of Yarmouth to develop an online cultural asset inventory for the Town, including galleries, museums, cultural venues, historic sites, and related creative resources.

Regional Tax Analysis

Commission staff will contract with a consultant to assess how different land uses, property types, and climate-related vulnerabilities affect the region’s tax base, helping to inform more equitable and sustainable tax and land use decisions.

2025 Projects

Falmouth: Guidelines for mixed residential and commercial overlay district 

The Town of Falmouth received technical assistance from the Cape Cod Commission to develop design guidelines for the Mixed Use Residential and Commercial Overlay District (MRCOD). The guidelines address building siting, form, and pedestrian-scale features, ensuring alignment with Falmouth’s architectural character while supporting mixed-use and multi-family housing. 

Orleans: Advancing the Local Comprehensive Plan 

The Town of Orleans received funding assistance to advance and complete its local comprehensive plan update efforts. The funds supported public outreach and engagement, culminating in Town Meeting action on the new Local Comprehensive Plan (LCP). 

Sandwich: Advancing zoning for commercial and residential development 

The Town of Sandwich received technical assistance from the Cape Cod Commission to advance zoning aligned with its updated wastewater management system. Building on a zoning framework completed with DLTA funds in 2019, this work developed more comprehensive zoning amendments for South Sandwich Village, including potentially utilizing the outcomes of the Commission’s pre-approved housing plans.  

Strategy for establishing year-round occupancy incentive programs 

As requested by the Town of Orleans, the Commission collaborated with a consultant to develop regional strategies for year-round housing incentive programs. This initiative aligns with a key recommendation of the Regional Housing Strategy to provide financial incentives for converting and preserving year-round housing. The consultant researched deed restriction programs and program to transition short-term rentals into long-term housing being implemented elsewhere in the Commonwealth and country and developed recommendations for the region.