HYANNIS – A local environmental official highlighted a new mapping tool from Grow Smart Cape Cod that will be used to keep both conservation and housing interests in mind.
Grow Smart was recently unveiled as a partnership between Housing Assistance Corporation and the Association to Preserve Cape Cod.
Andrew Gottlieb, Executive Director of the Association, said the group will collect data on water quality and wastewater infrastructure to inform towns on the best possible areas on what areas could be best for more housing development.
Keeping the variety of interests in mind and by overlapping data, the group was able to identify ideal areas for development through a mapping tool.
Gottlieb told the CapeCod.com NewsCenter in a recent Sunday Journal interview that water quality is both a local and regional issue.
“Towns working together, regional projects have a better chance of succeeding and improving water quality at a lower cost than the towns operating separately do,” he said.
Gottlieb also addressed how effects of climate change also tie into the group’s planning, citing higher sea levels.
“The project seeks to provide housing choice in areas that are less likely to flood under future scenarios as opposed to trying to pack people into the areas that are vulnerable,” Gottlieb said.
There are two upcoming forums which will outline the new Grow Smart website and map tool on May 31 at 4pm and June 21 at 10am. Register through the HAC website.
By Brian Engles, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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