Welcome to The Town of Barnstable.
On Monday August 2, 2021 at 6:00 PM Planning and Development staff held a virtual community meeting on the proposed update to the Downtown Hyannis Zoning. The purpose of this meeting was to present the proposed Downtown Hyannis Zoning revisions, discuss their impact on development downtown, and how they vary from the current zoning. The meeting was recorded and can be viewed from the link below. Additionally, as noted in the calendar below, staff will be holding office hours on Wednesday August 4th and Monday August 9th to discuss questions and comments.
Downtown Hyannis Zoning Revision Presentation
You can ask questions or submit comments on the proposal to Planning and Development staff via the online forum below or by e-mail to Planning and Development staff, Karen Herrand, Karen.herrand@town.barnstable.ma.us..
The Downtown Hyannis Rezoning effort is a major step towards implementing the goals of Barnstable’s Local Comprehensive Plan, Housing Production Plan and
Growth Incentive Zone Strategic Plan. The zoning for downtown Hyannis is proposed to be revised, with a particular focus on residential and mixed-use development that responds to local context through size, form, placement, and design considerations.
Introduction – Downtown Hyannis Zoning District
DRAFT Downtown Hyannis Zoning Amendment
DRAFT Downtown Hyannis Zoning District Map
The proposed amendment will replace the current Hyannis Village Zoning Districts. The provisions in the ordinance pertaining to Adult-Use Marijuana will remain unchanged, but will be transferred to a Zoning Overlay District. Corresponding updates to the sign code will also be proposed.
Submit your questions or comments on the rezoning proposal below. Questions, answers, and comments will be posted here (posts will be unattributed).
On August 2, 2021 at 6:00 PM Planning and Development staff will hold a virtual public meeting to present the proposed Downtown Hyannis Zoning revisions, discuss their impact on development downtown, and how they vary from the current zoning.
Downtown Hyannis Zoning Revision Presentation
On August 4, 2021 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Planning and Development staff will hold virtual office hours to discuss any outstanding questions post the virtual community meeting.
Link:
https://zoom.us/j/94591120400?pwd=cEVXa1JpaGF5Q0hMZlkyN2xxQW1GUT09
Meeting ID: 945 9112 0400
Phone: +1 (646) 876 9923
On August 9, 2021* from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM Planning and Development staff will hold virtual office hours to discuss any outstanding questions post the virtual community meeting.
Link:
https://zoom.us/j/97095446310?pwd=NFdBTkFKZHFwcVJMdHEyK05hcWZYdz09
Meeting ID: 970 9544 6310
Phone: +1 (646) 876 9923
*Updated Date
The current zoning allows for multi-family residential development; however, very few residential units have been permitted by-right. The proposed zoning revisions strive to allow for efficient models of compact housing by-right through a code crafted to correspond with the historic development patterns of downtown Hyannis.
Current Hyannis Village Zoning Districts
Current Hyannis Village Zoning Map
Downtown Hyannis Study Area
The proposed “study area” is downtown Hyannis, with the same boundary as the Growth Incentive Zone (GIZ) and the existing “Hyannis Village Zoning Districts”. This area is currently served by public sewer and water. Hyannis serves as the regional commercial and transportation hub of the Cape. Achieving a greater density of jobs and housing within the GIZ is the foundation of the community’s vision of a vibrant, livable, mixed-use, walkable regional center. Dense, compact housing options paired within buildings that respond Hyannis’ unique character can support a mix of housing choices for all ages and incomes while encouraging healthier and more sustainable lifestyles.
Existing Conditions
While the GIZ provides some opportunity for streamlined permitting and as-of-right multi-family development, the regulatory structure has not been effective in broadly attracting residential development to the area. In the first 10 years of the initial GIZ designation, only 110 new residential units were built. The residential densities allowed by zoning do not respond to the high costs of land and construction. Requiring a developer to permit projects through a lengthy and unpredictable process only further increases project costs. This dis-incentivizes investment and raises the costs of housing in projects that do move forward.
Additionally, the current conventional methods of zoning do not adequately address most physical characteristics that contribute to the sense of place or sufficiently address the aesthetic character of our community.
Proposed Zoning Revisions
The focus of this effort is to create a predictable regulatory framework that encourages compact residential development, compatible with traditional development patterns, meeting a range of housing needs. The proposed zoning revisions are based on input received during the Community Resiliency by Design community engagement process, which produced a report on Village of Hyannis design preferences. This report included community input on preferred types and styles of building massing, scale, character, and composition.
This zoning amendment is also supported by the Cape Cod Commission’s Form Based Code Framework, which advocates for the use of form-based and hybrid zoning to help deliver context-appropriate densities in forms that respect existing historic development patterns.
To help keep the public informed of zoning issues in Barnstable, the Town is now offering e-mail notices of current and upcoming zoning amendment proposals and related meetings. Sign up HERE.
