PROVINCETOWN — The zoning board of appeals has denied a proposal from the owners of the Foxberry Inn to add a third story with six guest rooms. At a public […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Happy Days, Tuna-Wise
What’s not so fine is a weaker Gulf Stream
Happy days are here again: the commercial bluefin tuna season has reopened as of Oct. 1. The quota, at 117 metric tons, is set pretty low, so if the bite […]
THE HOUSING CRISIS
Short-Term Rental Rules Won’t Dent Vacation Home Market, Study Finds
But some limits and deed restrictions could protect the community
PROVINCETOWN — A year after the select board first discussed the need for a study on potential short-term rental regulations, researchers at the UMass Donohue Institute turned in its 60-page […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Humpback Whales at Stellwagen, Giant Tuna in the Harbor
The blues and stripers are still here, and there’s good albacore fishing up Cape
We dodged yet another tropical storm, as Ophelia veered to the west and made landfall in North Carolina instead of staying offshore and heading to our neck of the woods. I’ve […]
DEVELOPMENT
Walsh Property Plan Cut From 252 to 160 Units
Select board approves 18 recommendations, including phased development
TRURO — The proposed number of housing units at the 70-acre Walsh property dropped from 252 units to 160 after a 9-to-2 vote of the Walsh Property Community Planning Committee […]
PERMISSIONS
Five Years and Counting on a Fix at Beach Point
Plans, money, time, permits, and neighbors converge at Ebb Tide condos
TRURO — The Ebb Tide on the Bay Condominiums at Beach Point are closer to the water than any of the other Shore Road dwellings around them, and over the […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Nothing but a Nor’easter Without the Snow — This Time
What the fishing’s like before, during, and after a storm
We certainly dodged a bullet last week with Hurricane Lee. The storm passed just to our east and brought us huge waves on the ocean side and some rain and […]
HOUSING
Town Meeting to Consider New Short-Term Rental Measures
Boards address ‘misinformation’ in email from taxpayers’ group
PROVINCETOWN — Eight of the 15 warrant articles being prepared for an Oct. 23 special town meeting are related to the town’s ongoing housing crisis. They include a $2-million purchase […]
MONEY MARKET
Successful Bond Auction Sparks Hope for Wellfleet’s Finances
Town secures 3.5-percent interest rate on $11-million bond sale
WELLFLEET — A successful auction of municipal bonds on Aug. 29 shows that Wellfleet’s finances are making a strong recovery, said Town Administrator Rich Waldo. The auction, which attracted 15 […]
HOUSING
Two-Thirds of Survey Responses Oppose Walsh Committee’s Plan
The group is split on phasing, which could slow the project but boost its appeal
TRURO — A last-minute surge in the number of responses to its survey of public opinion had the Walsh Property Community Planning Committee discussing the possibility of a phased approach […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Watching Hurricane Lee
Our harbor offers little true protection from big storms
Bluefishing remains good but only back on the ocean side past the Race Point Ranger Station. There are still a few striped bass around, and they’re biting as well, though […]
STOPGAP
6 Homeless Families Land Briefly in Eastham Motel
They were separated from family in a state program ‘past the brink’
EASTHAM — For nine days at the end of August, after Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency because of a shortage of shelters for unhoused families, six families […]
TAX POLICY
Provincetown Ups Residential Tax Exemption to 35%
Overall, the residential tax rate will go from $5.32 per $1,000 of assessed value to $5.58
PROVINCETOWN — At its annual tax classification hearing on Aug. 28, Provincetown’s select board voted unanimously to increase the town’s residential tax exemption to the legal maximum of 35 percent. […]
SHORT-TERM RENTALS
A Stuttered Rollout for the Community Impact Fee
Early returns were low, but summer receipts will be arriving soon
At their spring town meetings in 2022, voters in Provincetown and Wellfleet adopted a “community impact fee” on investor-owned short-term rental properties: a 3-percent surcharge on bookings. According to the […]
BEACH POINT PERMITS
Shore Road Owners Face Tough Reviews of Proposed Changes
Truro ZBA looks to uphold intent of bylaw or ‘you’ll just have walls’
TRURO — The view along Shore Road stirs recollections of days gone by when families with modest incomes could spend a week or two in simple cottages on the water. […]
