County Commission Acts To Prioritize Cape’s Carrying Capacity

 HARWICH – The Barnstable County Commissioners voted Aug. 12 to make the Cape’s water supply and carrying capacity regional priorities, after hearing how stretched those resources were from the select board and residents. 

During a commission meeting in Harwich on July 30, select board members and residents made it clear that large developments and 40B housing projects are adversely impacting the community.

 “We don’t want to invite big box businesses. Why do we want to invite big box housing?” Select board member Donald Howell said at the session. 

Citing the Cape’s finite carrying capacity, resident Sally Urbano said that “nothing else will matter if we fail to face these realities head on.”

The commission subsequently heard similar concerns from Falmouth town officials about increasing pressures on the town’s drinking water supply, heavy summer demand and continued growth.

 The commission, in its Aug. 12 session, voted unanimously to make carrying capacity a recurring topic at upcoming meetings with select boards across the Cape seeking input from all 15 towns as the county considers the relationship between population growth, development, infrastructure and the Cape’s finite natural resources.

 Falmouth officials are considering stronger conservation and enforcement measures, exploring additional water resources and planning a broader discussion involving local boards and departments about water, development restrictions, infrastructure expansion and public safety, according to a press release issued by the county commissioners.

 “We’re headed down a path that’s not sustainable right now,” Falmouth Select Board member Doug Brown said in the press release.

 The Falmouth water supply shortage led into a broader conversation among the commissioners about Cape Cod’s carrying capacity and the impact of additional development on the region's already burdened water supply and wastewater systems, its roads, land and other resources.

 Commissioner Ron Bergstrom said the goal should be to make deliberate decisions about future growth rather than wait until Cape Cod reaches the physical limits of its resources.

 “Do we really want to reach those limits?” asked Bergstrom. “We want to take a step back and decide exactly what we want the Cape to look like in five years.”

The commissioners discussed potential planning and regulatory tools to address these issues, including stronger regional review authority for the Cape Cod Commission.