CHATHAM — Treating it like an idea straight out of left field – literally – voters gathered at Veterans Field for Saturday’s special town meeting summarily rejected a zoning bylaw change linked to the redevelopment of the Monomoy Theatre property. Seated in the baseball field facing the outfield, voters could imagine the project that would have created 24 condominium units on the property next door, just behin...

CHATHAM — If you’ve been missing the experience of browsing for books or using other services at the Eldredge Public Library, your wait is almost over. Beginning Oct. 13, the Library will be open for limited, in-library services by appointment only. Patrons must call 508-945-5170 to schedule a 30-minute appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They can browse books on the first floor only, ...

CHATHAM – The owner of the historic Nickerson house on Shell Drive, thought to be one of if not the oldest house in town, will seek the town's permission to keep it on the land where it’s stood for more than 300 years. Joe Giacalone said he'd like to relocate the house, built on the shores of Bassing Harbor by the son of Chatham founder William Nickerson, to a new spot on the three-acre lot and restore it as a...

CHATHAM — With the burgeoning need for affordable and attainable housing, selectmen are methodically moving ahead on several initiatives. “We do hear a lot of criticism about us not getting things done, but I think we’ve been very thoughtful in our approach,” Selectmen Chairman Shareen Davis said at last week’s board meeting. “We’re taking these steps in a way that’s going to build on itself, in a way that’s r...

CHATHAM — Boat owners will soon be able to do something they’ve wanted to do for a long time: renew their mooring permit or waiting list application from their computer or smart phone. Making good on a longstanding goal, town officials are rolling out a system that allows mooring holders and people on the waiting list for moorings to renew and pay online. Given the green light by selectmen last week, the softw...

CHATHAM – An accessible path has been completed in Chase Park, providing access to the historic grist mill and community labyrinth at the back of the downtown green space. “It's looking pretty good,” said Frank Messina, a volunteer at the Godfrey Grist Mill, which dates from 1797 and is one of the oldest working mills on the Cape. The winding path provides access from the parking lot off Shattuck Place to t...

CHATHAM –Saturday's special town meeting will be held as scheduled, but there may be no vote on the only article on the warrant. The owner of the Monomoy Theatre property has requested that the zoning bylaw amendment not be voted on and instead be referred back to the planning board. After the planning board, board of selectmen and finance committee voted this week not to support the article ( see separate ...

Selectmen, Plan Board Oppose Zoning Change CHATHAM – Saturday's special town meeting promises to be a drama worthy of the Monomoy Theatre stage, as the new owners of the venerable property try to convince voters to change the zoning bylaw to allow its redevelopment. The players lined up this week as Greg Clark of Alexandra Properties, which purchased the 2.7-acre property at 776 Main St. and 70 Depot Rd. a ...

CHATHAM — The holidays might seem pretty distant, but the Chatham Children’s Fund is urging supporters to get in the giving spirit a bit early this year. Thanks to the pandemic and economic emergency, the nonprofit is expecting increased demand from clients seeking help with food, winter coats and holiday gifts. The group is launching its holiday project appeal early, since COVID-19 rules will complicate the o...

CHATHAM – The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hit Bob Staake like an emotional punch. “I just really lost it,” the Chatham artist said. Along with grieving the loss of the iconic jurist, “I anticipated what it meant, the vacuum it created. I knew it was going to be big,” he said. After taking a walk, he went straight to his studio outside his Main Street home and completed an illustration he knew would...

For restaurants operating under strict public health protocols during the pandemic, any small bit of good news is worth celebrating. While certainly not game-changing, the relaxation of certain rules that took effect Monday represented progress, said Peter Barnard, owner of the Impudent Oyster in Chatham. “It’s been helpful,” he said. “Everything helps.” Announced last week, the changes allow restaurants...

CHATHAM — It’s not exactly high praise, but given the pandemic and the economic disaster it spawned, the summer of 2020 could’ve been worse. The visitor economy was buoyed by day-trippers and longer-term visitors who came from places within driving range to the Lower Cape. One metric of activity in downtown Chatham is the use of the paid parking lot at the former Eldredge Garage property. Chatham Valet ran ...