The next step is to start to research effective Design Review Panels.  ”Effective” in this case, means finding a way to create a Design Review Panel that will not result in the same frustrations felt by the panel that last existed in the 1970′s.  A panel that disbanded after reporting over and over their frustrations with having no teeth and being ignored in the project review process.

To this end, I have made a request to my counterparts across the state for their thoughts on a workable Design Review Panel with teeth.  I am sure there are many examples out there for us to consider.  I am hopeful that we will find something that can be adapted to work for Dennis.

If anyone in Town has any ideas, please feel free to share them.

A side note, to be truly effective, we may need to consider changes to the “by-right” development thresholds.  Many communities limit by-right commercial development to between 2,000 and 5,000 sf, with 2,500 sf of space being the norm.  That leads to a new question:

Since I have no idea what the new maps will look like, I have taken down the page with the version of the maps we expected to adopt this year.  Soon I will replace that with a map of the existing flood zones that will remain in place for the time being.

To read more about the RiskMAP project, see the following link:

Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning (Risk MAP)

Paid for by?
Limit on panels?
Priority public or commercial?
If limited panels which business gets left out?

All good questions. I will try to answer here and on the blog.

Paid for by?

We envision these signs to be treated in a similar fashion to the ladder signs located around town, Public sites will be licensed to a private entity who will erect and maintain the signs. Ultimately the sign company will determine the fees to be assessed. Just like the ladder signs, those who locate at a particular location would pay for that right.

Limit on panels?

The Federal Highway Administration, and therefore the sign code proposal, limits a sign to three panels per leg of an intersection. Thus pointing north at Telegraph Road and Route 28 there would be three panels. This would provide up to three businesses, located within 500 feet of the intersection the opportunity to locate on the sign. The total panels in the Village will depend upon the plan established for the village.

Priority public or commercial?

This will be determined within each village. In Dennisport, it will be the Dennisport Revitalization Committee’s responsibility. There are some controls in the by-law, the destination must be within 500 feet of the intersection and no destination shall be on more than two signs.

If limited panels which business gets left out?

The by-law proposal addresses this issue as well. First, the destination must be within 500 feet of the intersection. Second, the requests shall be reviewed on a first come, first served basis. Finally, If two or more requests are received at the same time, the by-law determines that the business closest to the sign will have priority. In crafting the proposal, we felt it was important to address the method of placing destinations onto the signs directly and not leave too much discretion.

Hopefully these answers will help to address your concerns with this proposal.

The sign reminded people of important places they wanted to be.

Essentially this is the same purpose Village Wayfinding Signs play in the economy of a village.  The Village Wayfinding Signs will direct people to important destinations in that village.  Individual VILLAGE committees will be charged by the Village Wayfinding Sign amendment to  decide if it wants to establish a signage program in that particular village, and then to work with the businesses to implement a balanced program that meets the needs of the village.

This places a major responsibility on committees such as the Dennisport Revitalization Committee.  Within the framework provided by the Village Wayfinding Signs amendment, these committees will need to determine:

• What key logo identifies and ties the Village together;
• Strategic destinations which NEED to be placed on Village Wayfinding Signs (generally  major public destinations such as libraries, parks, parking lots and public restrooms);
• How many panels will be required to direct travelers to these destinations; and
• How many panels will be available to direct travelers to business destinations.

Balance will be important. The committees will need to be sure that these signs can help residents, tourists and businesses in the villages.  The signs will improve the quality of the experience those traversing the village and for those conducting business in the village.

Take Our Poll

15 months ago, as we wrapped up the discussions of the Seasonal Resort Community Zoning Proposal, a question arose related to the allowed length of stay at these facilities during the off-season.  The proposal as originally crafted, and reviewed over the course of the summer of 2010 sought to attract these seasonal residents for three key off-season time periods, Christmas week, February School Vacation and April School Vacation (this latter school vacation is covered with the opening date we ultimately placed in the by-law).  My original draft suggested seven days in any thirty day time period.  This changed to ten days due to discussions at one of the meetings held with cottage and RV owners at the West Dennis Graded School House.  It was felt that any of these “week-long” vacation periods actually included over seven days with the lead-in and close-out weekends.  The ten days was to allow a Friday arrival at the start, and a Sunday departure at the end of the school vacation weeks.  The discussion also recognized that, in most years, school is out for more than ten days around the Christmas/New Years holidays, however, we stayed with the ten day limitation.

At the end of this process a question arose over this ten day length of stay.  As it was more important to bring the overall by-law proposal to closure than to hold it up over this one issue, the length of stay that went to Town Meeting was reduced to just four days.  The determination being that four days was adequate access to allow the cottage owners to come in on a weekend to paint or do other repairs to the cottages.  This completely missed the point of the ten day stay, which was to expand the economic opportunity that these properties bring to the town to beyond the summer season.

A case in point, during February of 2011 the Cape was virtually snow free, while major portions of Massachusetts and Connecticut were still blanketed with snow.  For those regional seasonal residents with “cabin fever” an escape to their Cape Cod getaway, if it were properly heated, would have been ideal.  The Zoning By-law pretty much precluded such an escape.

During the Thanksgiving to Christmas time period in 2011 the Cape saw unseasonably warm temperatures with many days in the 50’s.  We experienced similar weather during the holiday week.  Access to these properties would have attracted at least a portion of the tenants to town for their holiday shopping and perhaps a few days between the two holidays (say perhaps to visit First Night Chatham).  All of it providing increased revenue opportunities for local merchants.

The economics of the situation were the catalyst for proposing the ability to use winterized units during the off-season.  Since the adoption of the by-law safety issues have been brought forward as well.  Areas are safest when there are eyes present to watch a property.  In late 2010 the town experienced several different acts of vandalism.  One was directed specifically at one of these properties, the second targeted randomly vacant properties through-out town.  The thefts and vandalism that occurred on these properties were noticed by neighbors walking through the property in one instance close to when the acts occurred.  However, most thefts are not discovered until many weeks or months after the acts occur as no one visits or has access to the properties until they legally reopen for the summer season.  In discussions I have had with Chief Michael Whalenabout off-season access to these properties, he is a firm believer that the properties would be safer if off-season access was increased for these sites.

So, I would like the EDC to discuss whether the following amendment should be proposed for Town Meeting consideration:

To See if the Town of Dennis will Vote to Amend Section 12 Seasonal Resort Community Districts Subsection 12.6 Provisions Affecting All Seasonal Resort Communities Part A. by making the noted deletion (strike-through) and addition (bold italic):

A. Seasonal Resort Communities may be open between April 1^st and October 31st, inclusive. Seasonal Resort Communities may provide for short term use, up to four ten days in any thirty day period, during the remainder of the year, provided that there is an occupancy permit which ensure sanitary facilities are provided.

By:  Economic Development Committee

1.    Village Wayfinding Signs – Request Board of Selectmen schedule a Public Hearing and Place on Annual Town Meeting Warrant

2.    Length of Off-season Stays in Seasonal Resort Community Cottages

3.    “Heritage Sands” Development Project Presentation

These signs are seen by many businesses in the Dennisport Business District as critical to their survival.  Currently businesses located off of the main drag, Route 28, have limited visibility to travelers along the highway.  Many have taken to putting up signs on other people’s property to attract business.  These signs are not only illegal under the Dennis Sign Code, but also could become a safety hazard.

The Village Wayfinding Sign proposal is designed to create a legal, controlled sign program for these businesses as well as for other popular destinations located just off of the main roads.

You can read more about this proposal at the following link:

Wayfinding Signs

I know many businesses through-out Dennis look forward to your support of this proposal.

Should we consider sidewalk oriented Walk-up Window Service in our pedestrian oriented village centers?  Comments?

The Tourist Test

After reading the short discussion, what do you think, do we pass “The Tourist Test?” Are we a place where peoples say “it’s good enough to live there,” and “it’s good enough to vacation there?”