Cape Cod Commission Postpones Vote on Falmouth Marriott

CCB MEDIA PHOTO Chairman of the Falmouth Board of Selectmen Doug Jones reads a letter to the Cape Cod Commission stating his board's opposition to the project to construct a Marriott hotel on Main Street in Falmouth.

CCB MEDIA PHOTO
Chairman of the Falmouth Board of Selectmen Doug Jones reads a letter to the Cape Cod Commission stating his board’s opposition to the project to construct a Marriott hotel on Main Street in Falmouth.

BARNSTABLE – The Cape Cod Commission yesterday put off a vote on the controversial project to construct a Marriott hotel in Falmouth. The matter will be taken up at the commission’s next meeting on September 3 .

After taking testimony from about 15 people during the almost three hour meeting, Cape Cod Commission Chairman Richard Roy of Dennis said the commission would close the public hearing and deliberate and possibly vote at the next meeting.

When asked if the decision was being postponed because a lot of deliberation is necessary, Roy said, “I think we probably will take a long time. There’s a lot of things to discuss and we’ve heard a lot of information today. I think it’s new information for a lot of the commission members. . . . I think it’s an important decision.”

About 15 residents raised their concerns with the project in front of the full commission with many saying the architectural design does not fit in with the character of the Cape town.

“Rest assured, Spring Hill Suites in Falmouth will look just like the Spring Hill Suites in Memphis, Tenn. And Des Moines, Iowa,” said Lantern Lane resident Matthew Gould. “It will not be unique to Cape Cod.”

Falmouth resident Robert Dugan, an abutter to the development, echoed concerns that the proposed 110-room hotel does not belong.

“It is not a magnificent structure. It is a behemoth of a building looming over surroundings completely out of scale with the area,” said Dugan.

Earlier this week the Falmouth Board of Selectmen sent a letter to the Cape Cod Commission saying they were opposed to the 65,000 square-foot building. Chairman of the Falmouth Board of Selectmen Douglas Jones read that letter to the commission, explaining why the board is unanimously opposed to the project.

A commission subcommittee tasked with reviewing the project took its final vote earlier this month with a four-to-one vote in favor. The opposing vote came from Falmouth Selectman Mary (Pat) Flynn who serves on the commission in her role as county commissioner.

The Commission’s next meeting is September 3 at 3 p.m. at the Assembly chambers at First District Courthouse in Barnstable Village.

By LAURA M. RECKFORD, CapeCod.com NewsCenter

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