Growth Incentive Zone, Downtown Barnstable, MA

Kate Kennen was part of a team of Town of Barnstable staff that worked together to create the Downtown Hyannis Growth Incentive Zone [GIZ].

The GIZ sets out a regulatory and infrastructure strategy for Downtown Hyannis to spur infill development of underutilized lands. Vacant storefronts and deteriorating facades on Main Street tell the story of previous single use zoning and development trends towards decentralization. This traditional urban node however, has a strategic location at the geographic center of the Cape, with proximity to public transportation, a working harbor, and existing infrastructure that does not exist in other areas.

The GIZ streamlines the permitting process for development projects downtown. Because the area is already developed, there was a disincentive to go through a long and potentially costly permitting process when it is less expensive to develop on raw land outside of downtown Hyannis. The GIZ removes this hurdle, and maps out a strategy to accommodate infill and offset future growth in other areas of Town that do not have infrastructure to support new development.

To get the Growth Incentive Zone passed by local and regional government, the team developed a thorough map-based planning document that includes the following:

• a build-out analysis to establish the amount of residential and non-residential development that is anticipated with regulatory restructuring
• an analysis of future infrastructure needs downtown based on the build-out figures
• a capital improvements plan to identify public improvements that will be needed to service growth in the area over time
• an offset strategy to deter growth outside of the GIZ area

The regional planning agency, the Cape Cod Commission, and Barnstable County unanimously approved the Growth Incentive Zone in June of 2006.

Town of Barnstable Primary Collaborators: Paul Niedzwiecki, Assistant Town Manager, Patty Daley, Director of Comprehensive Planning, Ruth Weil, Director, Growth Management Department, Steve Seymour, Growth Management Engineer

Awards:
2006 MA Governors' Smart Growth Leadership Award
http://www.mass.gov

Publications:
Barnstable Patriot, May 2006 'Warm Reception for Plan to Control Growth'