Smart Planning and Growth Coalition

This is the area where design elements, logo, and contact information will go.

Got Community?

The Smart PLanning and Growth Coalition is the product of the efforts of a diverse group of business people and concerned citizens residing on or investing in Cape Cod. These individuals began to meet as a direct consequence of, and specifically in response to, the apparent unplanned future for the commercial and industrially zoned properties remaining on Cape Cod. While the Cape Cod Commission has the ability to regulate and set policy through the Regional Policy Plan, it is not within their purview to create a vision fdr the Cape. Rather it is up to each Town to create and implement its own vision. There are fifteen towns on Cape Cod, the majority of which do not have a Comprehensive Plan. Those who do, are not proactive about creating a vision, and using the plan to implement the vision. The SP&GC has adopted the following priciples and mission in order to help facilitate visionary planning and the evolution of our communities into sustainable economies:

Background:

Whereas Cape Cod's population has grown 45% in the last twenty years, and, whereas the results of this explosive growth has impacted our natural and social environments; and whereas, there is an unprecedented call for regional solutions in planning, management and implementation; and whereas we love this spit of land we call home--

Principles

A new coalition has formed that believes that our future depends on activating our connections to each other and developing and implementing a thoughtful comprehensive strategy for the future of our peninsula. This coalition is one that:

Promotes more locally owned and operated businesses so that the dollars earned on Cape Cod are recirculated on Cape Cod, and that the profits serve as local dividends in the community. Local profits nurture Cape Cod's soul.
Advocates broad regional planning, so that individual projects don't act as decision drivers for infrastructure development.
Encourages balanced and sustainable commercial development which addresses the reduction of the sustainability gap for Cape Cod workers by encouraging the development of these positive economic sectors that enhance our quality of life: education, marine science, environmental sciences and technology, biotechnology, software engineering, telecommunications, financial services, "clean" manufacturing, retirement services, health care and elder services.
Manages growth by the implementation and activation of Growth/Activity and Growth Incentive Zones in order to direct development to appropriate areas, and diminish future commercial sprawl.
Embraces changes in current zoning by-laws in order to allow mixed uses in the above defined zones. (residential over retail, pedestrian-friendly developments, etc. )
Protects the Cape Cod environment in a way that supports the present economy and establishes a firm basis for improved economic development that enhances our quality of life.

Our ultimate mission is to creat an environment that changes the way we grow and provide a positive and enduring Cape Cod community character for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren, and those yet to come.

Strategy

In order to advance our vision, we intend to educate ourselves by:

Collaborating with existing entities supportive of our mission.
Taking an inventory and quantifying our current economic factors and their impact on our communities.
Learning about and implementing sound community planning practices that support desired development, and preserve community character and natural resources.
Using existing "best practices" as well as applying newly acquired practices where applicable, to formulate a comprehensive regional plan with our neighboring towns.

Plea