Health & Fitness
Cape Commission Absconds Local Control
Cape Cod Commission Absconds Local Control
Cape Cod Times, February 16, 2014"A different interpretation of local control is" By Linda Zuern
In her Feb. 8 letter, Felicia Penn says the Cape Cod Commission believes in "local control."
She mentioned Chapter H, which is supposedly proof the commission is for local control. Chapter H is another several-page regulation in the form of an application allowing towns to apply for revision to "development of regional impact" thresholds. An application "shall" include the following for a higher threshold: a build-out analysis, descriptions of improvements to address anticipated growth, proposed funding mechanisms, etc. The commission "shall" vote at a public hearing whether to approve or deny such application. Is that local control?
The commission "approved" a growth incentive zone in downtown Buzzards Bay, to which Ms. Penn referred. Is that really local control?
Bourne has received technical assistance, but Ms. Penn neglected to say that each town is charged a fee of more than $100,000 to the commission every year.
Finally, how is a future regional wastewater authority controlled by the commission to manage capital, projects and rates considered local control when every Cape household will be forced to pay a fee?
Unlike Felicia Penn, I fail to see how the commission is for real local control.
LINDA ZUERN is a democratically elected Selectmen from the TOWN OF BOURNE, that town's representative to the Barnstable County Water Protection Collaborative -