2005-DCPC DISTRICT OF CRITICAL PLANNING AND CONCERN

Home Browse Search

DCPC NOMINATION FORM, ITEMS #10 THROUGH #17 MAY 9, 2005 DRAFT #7, Revision 1 Planning Board Note: The Board will provide notes of explanation throughout this - draft to provide a clearer understanding as we move forward on the process. These notes will be shown in red. Nomination Form, Item #10: Indicate the type of district (s) that is (are) proposed. The Commission has identified certain types of districts that may be nominated as DCPC's; types of districts not listed may also be nominated. The Town of Mashpee proposes that the entire town be designated a District of Critical Planning Concern as a "Water Resource District". Our purpose is to plan and craft implementing regulations that will (1) address the problems caused by excessive nutrient loading to our water resources, and (2) pursue solutions for the restoration of our State-designated impaired water bodies. After exploring possible ways and means for moving these needed actions forward, we determined that the best tool available to us is the DCPC. It is a structured process with. specific time frames that will enable a focused approach to moving the planning and implementation tasks forward in an orderly and timely fashion. As pointed out in the Association to Preserve Cape Cod's March 30, 2005 comment letter addressed to the Mashpee Planning Board: "Continued degradation of the town's groundwater, fresh surface waters and marine embayments from past and current growth trends is an extremely critical issue in Mashpee, and one that certainly warrants being addressed through all available options. Mashpee's ponds and rivers are located throughout the town, the town's drinking water supply is provided by groundwater under the entire town, and nearly all of Mashpee is located within the nitrogen impaired Popponesset Bay and Waquoit Bay systems". The town of Mashpee is the primary stakeholder in. the Popponesset Bay estuary system, with small portions located in the town of Sandwich and the village of Cotuit in Barnstable_ The Waquoit Bay estuary system is a shared system between . the towns of Mashpee and Falmouth. It is our intention to pursue Memorandums of Understanding (MOD' s) and Memorandums of Agreement (MOA's) with these adjacent towns regarding regulatory and facilities responses to the Popponesset Bay and Quashnet TMDL' s established by DEP. Nomination Form, Item # 11: Explain why you think this area warrants designation. Reference the criteria (C1, C2, or C3) . Include supporting facts and figures when available.