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The Cape Cod Commission was established in 1990 by Cape Cod voters concerned about the impact of rapid growth on the character of their communities. This regional planning agency has the authority to approve or reject proposals for new construction larger than 10,000 square feet and changes of use for commercial sites that exceed 40,000 square feet.

The review process involves a public hearing and focuses on the project's impact on the environment, traffic, community character, and local economy. Applicants bear the burden of demonstrating that the project's benefits outweigh its detriments, and that the development is consistent with the goals of regional and local comprehensive plans.

Cape Cod's Regional Policy Plan, which provides the Commission with guidelines for reviewing development applications, states that, when reviewing a project, the Commission "should take into account any negative impacts that the project would have on the Cape Cod economy and should encourage businesses that are locally-owned and that employ Cape Cod residents."

Armed with a regional land use plan and careful review of large scale developments, Cape Cod residents have given a number of corporate retailers the cold shoulder, including Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Costco, and Home Depot.

More:

• Cape Cod Commission Act
• Regional governance in Cape Cod - by Lisa Schneiderman, Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University
  In a state where strong local government is a proud tradition and counties are almost irrelevant, Cape Cod has successfully managed to preserve local autonomy while employing a powerful regional government aimed at overseeing - and potentially halting - development in the region.
• Regional Land Use Planning and Regulations on Cape Cod: Reconciling Local and Regional Control - by Robert W. Smith, Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley
  This report examines the key components of this remarkable partnership between fifteen towns and the regional government in Cape Cod that coordinates all fifteen planning efforts.