PROVINCETOWN — Outdoor dining for restaurants, new picnic areas on town property, an experimental car ban on Commercial Street, and extra oversight of the excursion fleet were all approved at […]
THE HAIL MARY
For Some, Outdoor Alcohol May Save Season
Wellfleet chiefs support restaurant plan
WELLFLEET — The Beachcomber, the Pearl, and Mac’s Shack will ask the select board on June 9 to be allowed to serve alcohol outdoors. Each restaurant hopes to set up […]
SHELLFISHING
Seasonal Permits Are Banned in Wellfleet
But more costly year-round licenses remain an option
WELLFLEET — Vacationers and visitors received another blow from the select board last week — a ban on seasonal recreational shellfishing permits. On top of the short-term rentals ban through […]
ART SEEN
Strolling by Scrolling: Provincetown Galleries Launch Website
Ptown Gallery Stroll is their response to a potentially dismal season
PROVINCETOWN — As of this week, art lovers can stroll past many of Provincetown’s galleries without getting up from their living room couches. A new website, ptowngallerystroll.com, was launched by […]
THE REOPENING
Memorial Day Presages a Long, Complicated Summer
Provincetown officials are getting 10 to 15 calls a day about rental violations
PROVINCETOWN — This week and next, town governments on the Outer Cape will be rolling out changes to traffic flow, restaurant rules, bathroom arrangements, and dozens of other adjustments to […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
A Slow Start for a Better Protected Harbor
The new wave attenuator has increased safety
Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, and all the questions about how busy the waterfront would be have now been answered. It’s not looking good. On top of the Covid-19-related […]
SEASONAL PROSPECTS
Tourist Economy Can’t Open Till Mid-June
Lodging, dining, and retail get three weeks to prepare
PROVINCETOWN — Phase one of the governor’s reopening plan began on Monday, but for the Outer Cape’s hospitality-driven economy, the big changes will come with phase two. That’s when renting […]
ECONOMY
Short-term Rental Ban Is Extended
But longer vacation rentals could salvage summer
Gov. Charlie Baker’s extension of the ban on short-term rentals until at least June 8 takes a bite out of one of the biggest pieces of the Outer Cape’s economic […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Adjusting to the New Normal
A minefield of conditions faces the boating world
Gov. Charlie Baker had his reopening update news conference on Monday, May 18, and a lot of strict limitations on boats for hire are still in place. As I understand […]
RECOVERY
Gauging Town’s Population Key to Reopening
Balancing occupancy against health resources requires knowing who’s here
PROVINCETOWN — The town’s Recovery Coalition is working on a phased reopening of Provincetown’s economy that depends on knowing how many people are here. That won’t be easy.
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
DMF Lifts Gear and Speed Restrictions in Bay
Right whales have departed, but two blues are seen
PROVINCETOWN — The much quieter than normal waterfront businesses are anxiously waiting to see what Gov. Baker does with the current stay-at-home and social distancing policies. It has given boat […]
AQUACULTURE
OysterFest Is off the Table
Economic hit estimated at over $2 million
WELLFLEET — This town’s signature day will be missing in 2020 due to fears about the spread of Covid-19. The select board voted on April 28 to ban public uses […]
ECONOMY
Small Businesses Seeking to Reopen Face Obstacles
Problems remain with health rules, staffing, and government assistance
PROVINCETOWN — Bringing a business back from a dead standstill is hard enough. But the problems surrounding that effort during the Covid epidemic are so fiendishly interwoven, they resemble the […]
DEVELOPMENT
ZBA Backs Commissioner’s Duplex Ruling
A builder argues that his Route 6 project is really townhouses
EASTHAM — Developer Tim Klink of Coastal Companies failed to persuade the zoning board of appeals on May 7 to overrule the building commissioner’s decision that Klink’s proposed 16-unit Route […]
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Town Meeting Delay Stalls Housing Progress
Water main upgrade, a first step, needs voter approval
WELLFLEET — Officials are pumping the brakes on the 95 Lawrence Road affordable housing project due to the delay of town meeting. The use of town-owned land at that location, […]
