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Home My WebLink AboutMemo Proposed Downtown Hyannis Zoning AmendmentsTown of Barnstable Planning & Development Department https://barnstable.gov/Departments/planninganddevelopment/ TO: Town Council Zoning and Regulatory Committee FROM: James Kupfer, AICP, Director of Planning & Development DATE: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 RE: Potential Amendments to the Downtown Hyannis Zoning Districts Below is a list of potential zoning amendments specifically for the Downtown Hyannis zoning districts. The potential amendments were identified during the Downtown Hyannis zoning amendment process at both the Planning Board and Town Council. This effort aligns with zoning amendment priority number 5 previously identified by this committee in the Memo dated Thursday, March 19, 2026. Explore amendments to the Town’s Downtown Hyannis Zoning Districts (Priority #5) 1. Text amendment to update the building height definition and height limitation comprehensively within the Downtown Hyannis zoning districts This amendment proposes updating the building height definition for all Downtown Hyannis zoning districts to match the definition recently approved for the Downtown Main Street (DMS) and Downtown Village (DV) zoning districts. Currently the zoning includes two definitions for building height as extracted below. The first definition specifically applies to the Downtown Neighborhood (DN) zoning district, and the second definition applies to both the Downtown Main Street (DMS) and Downtown Village (DV) zoning districts. §240-24.1.5.A.4 (Standards for All Districts) (a) In the Downtown Neighborhood Zoning District building height is measured as the vertical distance from the average finished ground level to the top of the structural beam or joists of the upper most story. (b) In the Downtown Village District and the Downtown Main Street District, building height shall be defined as the vertical distance between the elevations of the natural mean grade and the highest point of the roof. The natural mean grade is calculated by taking the average of the existing grade at the proposed building footprint corners. This amendment proposes deleting subsection §240-24.1.5.A.4(a) and replacing §240- 24.1.5.A.4(a) with the language currently defined within §240-24.1.5.A.4(b) with one amendment to remove the language “In the Downtown Village District and Downtown Main Street District” as shown below. These amendments would establish that all of the Downtown Hyannis zoning districts are subject to the same definition for building height. §240-24.1.5.A.4 (Standards for All Districts) (a) In the Downtown Neighborhood Zoning District building height is measured as the vertical distance from the average finished ground level to the top of the structural beam or joists of the upper most story. (a) In the Downtown Village District and the Downtown Main Street District, bBuilding height shall be defined as the vertical distance between the elevations of the natural mean grade and the highest point of the roof. The natural mean grade is calculated by taking the average of the existing grade at the proposed building footprint corners. This amendment also proposes establishing a maximum building height for the Downtown Neighborhood (DN) zoning district. Currently the DN zoning district limits the number of stories to a maximum of three stories but there is not a limitation to the overall building height. Of note, within the Downtown Neighborhood District the third story in a single-family or two-family dwelling can only occur within habitable attic space. This committee can consider a maximum building height for the Downtown Neighborhood zoning district. 2. Map amendment to convert parcels currently zoned Downtown Main Street (DMS) to Downtown Neighborhood (DN) This amendment proposes amending the Downtown Hyannis zoning map to convert parcels that are currently zoned Downtown Main Street (DMS) to Downtown Neighborhood (DN) as outlined in red within the map defined below. List of Parcels Impacted Address Map and Parcel 1 720 MAIN STREET 308-003 2 707 MAIN STREET 308-145 3 705 MAIN STREET 308-152 4 701 MAIN STREET 308-151 5 539 SOUTH STREET 308-153 6 535 SOUTH STREET 308-164 7 525 SOUTH STREET 308-162 8 17 NEWTON STREET 308-161 9 675 MAIN STREET 308-138 10 667 MAIN STREET 308-137 11 659 MAIN STREET 308-136 12 655 MAIN STREET 308-135 13 649 MAIN STREET 308-134 14 645 MAIN STREET 308-133 15 641 MAIN STREET 308-132 16 631 MAIN STREET 308-131-002 17 627 MAIN STREET 308-131-001 18 488 SOUTH STREET 308-141 19 478 SOUTH STREET 308-142 20 20 SEA STREET 308-121 21 450 SOUTH STREET 308-122 22 50 SEA STREET 308-198 23 31 PEARL STREET 308-090 24 39 PEARL STREET 308-089 25 20 PEARL STREET 326-015 26 32 PEARL STREET 326-017 27 38 PEARL STREET 326-018 28 46 PEARL STREET 326-019 29 24 PLEASANT STREET 327-131 3. Text amendment to modify setback requirements This amendment proposes reviewing current setback requirements within the Downtown Main Street (DMS) and Downtown Village (DV) zoning districts. The suggested language defined below increases the primary and secondary front setbacks with varying dimensions in relation to the number of building stories. Buildings that are two or more stories require a greater front setback (10 feet minimum and 15 feet maximum) than buildings that are less than or equal to two stories (5 feet minimum and 10 feet maximum). The front setback which includes the area between the building face and property line could be improved with the suggested frontage types currently defined in the Downtown Hyannis zoning as attached to this Memo to improve the design connecting the building to the street. The committee might consider an additional amendment to reduce the front setback within the Downtown Hyannis Main Street zoning district particularly along Main Street between Sea Street and Pleasant Street where ground floor commercial is required on the first floor. Downtown Main Street (DMS) A - Primary front setback (1) 5 feet minimum and 15 feet maximum from the property line for buildings that are less than or equal to two stories. (2) 10 feet minimum and 15 feet maximum from the property line for buildings that are greater than two stories. B - Secondary front setback (1) 5 feet minimum and 15 feet maximum from the property line for buildings that are less than or equal to two stories. (2) 10 feet minimum and 15 feet maximum from the property line for buildings that are greater than two stories. Downtown Village (DV) A - Primary front setback (3) 5 feet minimum and 15 feet maximum from the property line for buildings that are less than or equal to two stories. (4) 10 feet minimum and 15 feet maximum from the property line for buildings that are greater than two stories. B - Secondary front setback (3) 5 feet minimum and 15 feet maximum from the property line for buildings that are less than or equal to two stories. (4) 10 feet minimum and 15 feet maximum from the property line for buildings that are greater than two stories. Page 32 of 37 Table 11. Frontage Types P – Permitted N – Not Permitted DMS DV DN DH HH TC HC Gallery A frontage type consisting of a storefront(s) and an attached colonnade with a roof, open pergola, or balcony overhanging a paved sidewalk. A gallery may wrap around the corner of a building to create a veranda-like gallery. P P N N/A P P P Storefront A frontage type consisting of an assembly of commercial entry doors and display windows providing access and light to a commercial space and a place to display goods, services, and signs. P P N N/A P P P Common Lobby A frontage type consisting of an assembly of entry doors and windows providing access and light to the lobby of a building. A common lobby may be combined with an entry plaza or front garden frontage type. P P N N/A P P P Page 33 of 37 Table 11. Frontage Types P – Permitted N – Not Permitted DMS DV DN DH HH TC HC Dining Patio A frontage type consisting of a storefront(s) and outdoor café seating in the frontage area. P P N N/A P P P Entry Plaza A frontage type consisting of a storefront(s) and a highly paved frontage area. An entry plaza may be combined with a common lobby frontage type. P P N N/A P P P Front Garden A frontage type consisting of a highly landscaped frontage area. A front garden may be combined with a common lobby, dooryard or stoop, or porch frontage type. N P P N/A N N N Page 34 of 37 Table 11. Frontage Types P – Permitted N – Not Permitted DMS DV DN DH HH TC HC Dooryard or Stoop A frontage type consisting of a zero-step entrance or a set of stairs with a landing that provides access to the entrance of a building. A dooryard or stoop may be combined with a front garden frontage type. N P P N/A N N N Porch A frontage type consisting of a raised platform with a roof supported by columns, piers, or posts; an area for seating; and an optional set of stairs with a landing that provides access to the entrance of a building. A porch may be combined with a front garden frontage type N P P N/A N N N