Barnstable County Commission candidates discuss climate change, housing and transportation
Here on Cape Cod, there are many issues that are unique to the region. Often, addressing them requires Cape-wide collaboration, and that is where the Barnstable County Commission comes in.
In the Nov. 8 state election, there are two candidates looking to be part of that team: incumbent Commissioner Ronald Bergstrom and former Commissioner Ronald Beaty Jr.
The commission oversees Cape Cod's county government, which comprises all 15 Cape towns.
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There are numerous issues of importance on the Cape, from environment to water supply, development and transportation, to name a few. The Times asked each candidate about three top issues; specifically, the impact of climate change on Cape Cod and how the county can work to help towns address the problem, the shortage of affordable housing and workforce housing, and their views about traffic congestion.
How can the county help towns respond to rising sea levels as a result of climate change?
It's established that Cape Cod is vulnerable to rising sea levels as a result of climate change, and much grant funding has gone into studying this issue.
Bergstrom said this is a topic that's consistently on the commission's radar screen and steps are already being taken to meet the challenge.
"I'm an incumbent so I've been involved in this for four years," he said.
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He explained the commission has already conducted surveys to determine where the low-lying areas are, so they can make informed decisions about shoring them up.
"We also work with the towns and we do assessments of low-lying roads and determine what roads are going to need to be moved," Bergstrom said.
As a result, he said the commission will need to continue its role in seeking state and federal grants to finance any further studies that may be needed, as well as actual mitigation projects. Bergstrom also supports zoning, such as the existing coastal resiliency bylaw, as a means of curbing the impacts of rising sea levels, either by prohibiting development in certain areas, or calling for the inclusion of mitigative systems and technologies.
Bergstrom said the county can also take steps to expand and support green technologies. He supports the addition of electric vehicle charging stations on the Cape, and also supported the county's purchase of two additional electric vehicles.
"We're doing a lot, and I'm continuing to support those kinds of opportunities, and continuing to look at solutions," Bergstrom said. "You can't hold back the ocean. You can only be prepared as best as you can for it."
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Beaty, who formerly served on the commission from 2017 to 2021, said he also supports ongoing usage of county resources to aid the towns as they look to mitigate rising seas and climate change effects, as well as continuing efforts already under way.
He said the Cape Cod Commission — the regional land use planning, economic development, and regulatory agency — has drafted the Barnstable County Multi-Hazard Mitigation (MHM) Plan, which identifies hazards Cape towns face, as well as specific locations where the region is vulnerable.
"The plan also assesses past mitigation strategies chosen to reduce the risks associated with these hazards and recommends new strategies where necessary," Beaty said.
He said he'd like to see expansion of the Cape Cod Commission's "Coastal Planner" Program that he describes as "a map-based communication and decision-support tool to help residents and decision makers understand the relative environmental and socio-economic effects of implementing adaptation strategies to address sea level rise, storm surge, and erosion.
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"The tool integrates research on potential adaptation strategies for Cape Cod communities and how ecosystem services are impacted by hazards and strategy selection."
Beaty said he would "strongly encourage" the Cape Cod Commission to further refine and update it's "Resilient Cape Cod" Project that studied the environmental and socio-economic effects of local and regional coastal resiliency strategies.
"These resiliency strategies are location-centric and largely dependent upon what a particular municipality and community wants to see implemented," he said. "Projects have a multitude of ranges such as: coastal bank or dune stabilization via vegetation, beach nourishment using sand, building breakwaters and jetties, building hurricane barriers or levees, or construction of offshore reefs."
Beaty said he would support continuation of the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension Service's floodplain mapping and community rating system assistance program to help obtain discounted rates on flood insurance for Cape residents.
Concerns about affordable and workforce housing
The candidates also shared their thoughts on the issue of affordable and workforce housing on the Cape and what measures they would support to address it.
Beaty said one way to expand the Cape's housing supply and boost the number of small units is by enhancing existing housing stock with so-called "accessory dwelling units (ADUs)."
"The American Planning Association depicts accessory dwelling units as smaller, autonomous residential dwelling units situated on the same lot as a single-family home," he said.
Beaty said such units can be "a significant means to strengthen housing affordability here, where a profusion of seasonal housing units sit vacant for a great deal of the year.
"In those areas of the county with reduced infrastructure and vulnerable habitats, particularly in the more rural portions, ADUs will be an ongoing and important component of meeting Barnstable County's housing affordability question."
Beaty said he would also encourage the county to lobby the state Legislature to reevaluate and update the existing Chapter 40B affordable housing law — an ordinance that applies more flexible local zoning rules for housing projects comprising at least 20 to 25% affordable housing. He said this should be pushed to a minimum of 40% in order to make an impact on the Cape's housing problem.
Beaty said he would additionally be open to listening to other proposals that may be suggested.
Bergstrom said the housing issue is a tough one to grapple with. But the county is poised to do what it can to address the crisis, both for year-round residents and the seasonal workers who he describes as "vital to our economy."
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He said he would direct county resources to support affordable housing for families, seniors and the homeless.
"I'm going to emphasize housing for seasonal workers," he said. "And we're looking for opportunities where the county can step in to improve the amount of affordable housing in Cape Cod. We have to partner with the towns."
One solution could be to convert former, now-closed motels for housing, said Bergstrom. He said housing is one of his top issues coupled with a concern about the related topic of wastewater, which also needs to be better managed to address nitrification of the Cape's estuaries and bays.
Talking about traffic
Cape Cod is favored with many attractive qualities, from its dune-fringed beaches to its scenic salt marshes and its quaint towns.
However, the traffic can be a problem at times, especially during the peak visitors' season. It's not an easy issue to tackle given the lack of space for the expansive highways of mainland Massachusetts and the desire to maintain the Cape's unique personality.
In addressing this issue, Beaty said he would support the efforts of the Cape Cod Metropolitan Planning Organization, which is the regional governing body that oversees regional transportation planning and recommends distribution of transportation funds here.
"Specifically, I would support the MPO's published Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for fiscal years 2023-2027," he said.
The following projects are included in the TIP program for 2023-2027:
Barnstable, Bearse’s Way Shared Use Path (2023)
Wellfleet, Route 6 at Main St Intersection Improvements (2023)
Wellfleet, Pavement Preservation and Related Work on Route 6 (2023)
Bourne, Bourne Rotary Improvements (2023)
Harwich, Sidewalk Installation on Route 28 to Saquatucket Harbor (2024)
Dennis/Harwich, Route 28 Reconstruction (Upper County Road to Herring River Bridge) (2024)
Provincetown, Shank Painter Road Improvements (2024-2025)
Dennis/Yarmouth, Bass River Bridge Replacement and Route 28 at North Main Street intersection Improvements (2024)
Harwich, Harwich Elementary School Safe Routes to School (2024)
Barnstable, Park and Ride Improvements on Route 132 (2024)
Yarmouth-Barnstable, Cape Cod Rail Trail Extension (2024)
Bourne, Rail Trail – Phase 1 (2025)
Bourne, Route 6 Scenic Highway Median Installation (2025)
Barnstable, Route 6 Resurfacing and Related Work (2025-2026)
Mashpee, Route 151 Corridor Improvements (Phase 2) (2025-2026)
Provincetown/Truro, Resurfacing and Related Work on Route 6 (2026)
Chatham, Route 28 at Main St, Depot Rd, Queen Anne Rd and Crowell Road (2027)
Dennis, Route 28 Streetscape (Phase 2) (2027)
Various transit projects to allow the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA) to operate their year-round and seasonal fixed-route services, operate their demand response services, and maintain the vehicles and other infrastructure. (2023-2027)
Bergstrom, too, would continue to support the planning organization's efforts. He said commission members oversee the organization and are always looking for federal and state funding for road improvement projects that ultimately would improve the flow of traffic.
Bergstrom said an important step will be replacement of the Sagamore and Bourne bridges, which the Army Corps of Engineers has already been studying. He agreed the bridges are too narrow, and that leads to more congestion once vehicles cross to the Cape side.
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"The congestion points are right at Harwich, where you go from two lanes to one lane, and at the bridges," Bergstrom said.
In addition to road improvements, he said, "safe, reliable public transportation is needed for our seasonal workers and those without cars."
To learn more about each candidate's position on various issues, visit their websites. Beaty's campaign information can be found at https://www.ronbeaty.com/ and Bergstrom's is at www.electronbergstrom.org
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Barnstable Co. Commission candidates weigh in on major Cape Cod issues
