Summary Document

The Berkshire region is pleasing because of its variety and vitality. It offers interesting terrain, farmlands, traditional town and village centers, world-class culture, and abundant natural beauty. A distinct region geographically, economically and culturally, the region possesses an outstanding quality of life that makes it an attractive and desirable place for business, industry, research, educational institutions and community life. For some, the Berkshire region is unmatched anywhere in the country.

Unfortunately, the growth of the region over the past decades is changing the long-standing land use pattern in the region, affecting not only the environment but also the way we live and move about it. Concerns focus on the loss of many agricultural and open space resources, the decline of established downtown business centers, unacceptable traffic congestion on many roadways, and development with an unattractive "sameness" about it.

The Regional Plan for the Berkshires is an articulation of the shared aspirations, values, and concerns of those who live in the Berkshires and aims to provide continuing guidance for change in the region. Advisory in nature, the Plan is not intended as a regulatory tool. It is intended to provide guidance and information for communities as they work toward strengthening local government.

The Plan is based on four Guiding Principles, or broad statements of intent:

• Spatial efficiency in land use development and management
• Preservation of sensitive environments and open space
• Economic development and fiscal responsibility
• Social equality and quality of life

Each of these is followed by goals that strive to depict a desired future for the Berkshires on matters relating to land use, natural resource management, transportation, economics, housing, and community resources. In addition to a comprehensive inventory of existing conditions, the Plan contains policies and approaches for communities, state government, and the private sector suggesting how the region might develop. Found throughout the Plan, the policies and approaches aim to further define and carry out the goals. These policies and approaches form the core of the Plan and suggest ways that the more general Guiding Principles can be achieved.

The policies and approaches are intended to be mutually supportive. A number of the policies and approaches contain specific recommendations for managing the region’s land and community resources, while others provide direction for specific programs and activities. Supported by these policies and approaches, the Regional Plan demonstrates a common view throughout – a view that growth, environmental protection, and economic development can occur simultaneously.

The following pages contain the policies and approaches found throughout the Plan. In the full Plan, the policies and approaches are supported and explained by the data and analysis. It may be easy to misunderstand their intent if one has not read the section of the Plan from which they came. Since so many of these policies require implementation at the local level, we encourage communities to become familiar with them.

1. Encourage sustainable, balanced growth and development consistent with the carrying capacity of the natural environment in order to maintain the Berkshire’s economic health and strong sense of community.
2. Encourage the preservation of rural, village, community and regional centers as vibrant centers for living, working and shopping.
3. Maintain and revitalize existing urban areas and industrial centers.
4. Preserve and support agricultural uses in order to maintain traditional occupations, economic diversity, and scenic resources, associated with agricultural views.
5. Develop and sustain a balanced and diverse transportation system which provides for the safe, economical, and efficient movement of goods and people, and is compatible with the Berkshire’s social patterns, land use, economy and environment.

1. Direct new growth in the form of jobs, housing, commerce, utilities, industry, community facilities, recreational facilities, and cultural facilities to regional centers.
2. Promote the economic and community vitality of the central business district in Pittsfield. Support revitalization efforts that strengthen and improve viability of the downtown area.
3. Use and maintain historic structures whenever possible.
4. Target federal, state and private funding to support public transit, bridge and highway repair, and other transportation needs, water and sewer, community development, housing, recreation and other identified regional center needs.
5. Encourage the rehabilitation of existing housing, and commercial/industrial buildings and areas.
6. Promote the attractiveness of regional center through quality building and landscape design and by maintaining public open spaces for scenic and recreational pleasure.

1. Encourage the designation of growth centers and discourage new roadside strip commercial development outside of this growth center.
2. Target federal, state, or private funding to support infrastructure improvements, bridge and highway repair, installation of sidewalks and lighting, housing and recreation.
3. Support initiatives to enhance culture and the arts in community centers.
4. Support efforts to enhance the diversity of housing stock within community centers.

1. Target federal, state, or private funding to support infrastructure improvements, bridge and highway repair, installation of sidewalks and lighting, housing and recreation
2. Encourage the construction or expansion of utilities when needed to protect health and groundwater resources, and allow full use of land within growth boundaries of the town center, to the extent feasible.
3. Support improvements to mass transit and alternative forms of transportation.
4. Support the use of design guidelines for protecting and enhancing the unique character of town centers.

1. Establish and maintain village boundaries in order to prevent rural sprawl and preserve historic settlement patterns.
2. Direct residential and commercial development, recreational facilities, and cultural activities to villages to keep these centers culturally, socially, and economically viable.
3. Protect the character of villages through appropriate design and scale of commercial, industrial, residential, and transportation infrastructure.
4. Encourage revitalization efforts in villages which strengthen and improve the viability of villages. Use existing historic structures in the villages whenever possible.
5. Encourage the construction or expansion of utilities when needed to protect health and ground water resources, and to allow full use of lands within villages.

1. Encourage a mix of uses within rural settlements including housing, home businesses and recreation, provided that these uses are compatible with one another.
2. Support efforts to protect the character of rural settlements through appropriate zoning, site planning and building design.
3. Encourage revitalization efforts in rural settlements which strengthen and improve the viability of these areas. Use existing historic structures in the rural settlements whenever possible.

1. Invest in existing transportation corridors, to the maximum extent feasible, to accommodate new transportation services, infrastructure, and utilities.
2. Consider the additional growth that can result from transportation infrastructure improvements and their effects on land use in all transportation system improvements.
3. Minimize the negative impacts on residential areas and loss of parks and recreation areas, agricultural land, wildlife habitat and other important natural resources through good design when considering improvements and additions to the transportation system.
4. Commercial and industrial development should provide adequate parking and include provisions for safe movement through the property as well as into and out of the property. To the extent possible, adjacent industrial and commercial institutions should make use of common parking and access drives.
5. Encourage improvements such as bike lanes and sidewalks to existing infrastructure, especially construction and redevelopment projects to encourage the use of alternative transportation.
6. Encourage and support energy efficient modes of transportation such as public transit ridesharing, vanpools, and biking and walking.
7. Enhance public transit services to meet the special needs of transportation-disadvantaged people.
8. Encourage the maintenance and improvement of existing airfields.
9. Support efforts to enhance passenger and freight rail service into and out of the county.
10. Support local and regional efforts to designate scenic byways or otherwise protect travel corridors that exhibit special scenic, historic, cultural and natural qualities.
11. Towns should ensure that municipal plans are not contrary to planning objectives of the state highway department or with plans of adjacent municipalities. Therefore, efforts should be made to improve coordination between communities and the State Highway Department on transportation issues.

1. Preserve and improve the ecological integrity of important natural environments and resources: surface waters and watersheds, forested areas, critical wildlife and plant habitats, wetlands, prime agricultural soils, flood prone areas, aquifers and recharge areas, steep slopes and mountain tops.
2. Maintain and improve the overall quality and quantity of the Berkshire’s surface and ground waters.
3. Enhance the protection and management of open space in order to provide wildlife habitat, protect natural resources, provide recreational opportunities, maintain scenic views, and maintain the character of the Berkshires.

1. Maintain or enhance the existing water quality of the region’s surface waters.
2. Encourage maintenance of undisturbed buffers of vegetation around lakes and ponds.
3. Support identification and appropriate management of water resources with exceptional natural, ecological, and recreational value.
4. Identify and address both point source and nonpoint source pollution to eliminate or reduce the effects of such pollution on surface waters.
5. Encourage the use of best management practices to reduce the contamination of surface waters from uses such as landfills, junkyards, residential areas, and parking lots.
6. Promote watershed and sub-watershed planning to ensure the preservation of good water quality.
7. Secure easements along ponds and lakes for better public access.

1. Maintain undisturbed buffers of vegetation along watercourses in order to minimize effects of erosion, protect shorelines, and maintain scenic, recreational, and habitat values.
2. Maintain water flows in streams at levels which will support a full range of in-stream uses and values.
3. Encourage a continued educational program for Conservation Commissions on the regulations governing rivers and streams.
4. Encourage the use of soil bioengineering solutions to bank erosion along rivers and streams rather than revetments and hard structures.

1. Encourage the maintenance of vegetated filter strips of 100 feet or more along shorelines and wetlands to provide habitat, minimize effects of pollutants, and maintain scenic qualities.
2. Identify both point and nonpoint sources of pollution to eliminate degradation of water bodies and wetlands and address solutions to deal with the sources.
3. The use of appropriate best management practices should be encouraged to eliminate contamination of wetlands and waterways.
4. Adoption of local floodplain bylaws should be encouraged.
5. Identify and address any adverse environmental impacts of development proposals which could alter floodplains
6. Encourage certification of vernal pools by private landowners
7. Discourage forestry practices within 200 feet of vernal pools.
8. Encourage the development and use of a strong wetlands protection bylaw that establishes jurisdiction over seasonal wetlands such as vernal pools.
9. Encourage public participation in the monitoring of known vernal pools.
10. Encourage local Conservation Commissioners to attend education forums to better understand wetland processes, regulations, and enforcement.

1. Identify and remediate potential sources of groundwater contamination such as underground storage tanks and failing septic systems to current state standards.
2. Identify and map the regions most important groundwater resources including areas of recharge, storage, and transmission.
3. Monitor closely the design, construction, and maintenance of sewage disposal systems to ensure protection of groundwater.
4. Ensure that contamination of groundwater from the drilling of wells be avoided through the use of proper well-drilling technology and appropriate placement.
5. Support efforts aimed at preventing the contamination of groundwater from the use of household chemicals through public awareness and reduced reliance on such products.

1. Improve and expand public transit and programs that promote ridesharing and alternative modes of transportation.
2. Discourage development or other activities that significantly degrade air quality.
3. Reduce the use of older or less fuel-efficient and pollutant emitting vehicles.
4. Encourage the use of high-efficiency wood and coal burning stoves for home use.
5. Support efforts to reduce regionally generated air pollutants from residential, industrial, and transportation uses.
6. Solicit "clean" industry for economic development.
7. Encourage the use of solar and wind power energy generation.

1. Encourage special precautions on slopes to avoid environmental damage, including negative consequences associated with erosion.
2. Avoid intensive development in areas dominated by slopes greater than 25% and minimize areas of earth disturbance, grading and vegetation clearing on steep slopes over 15%.
3. Encourage the implementation a soil erosion bylaw.
4. Ensure development plans address soil erosion control and drainage with adequate plans.
5. Avoid development on constrained soils, ie. poorly drained, very poorly drained, and alluvial soils.
6. Promote use of alternative and innovative technologies for on-site sewage disposal in developed areas where failing systems exist, or in environmentally sensitive areas.

1. Require that proposals for new mineral extraction demonstrate that efforts have been made to minimize the effects of noise and any adverse effects to air quality, surface waters, wetlands, adjacent properties and the character of the area.
2. Mining and mineral extraction should not be sited adjacent to sensitive natural areas, including recharge areas and critical habitat areas.
3. Ensure that valuable mineral resources areas are not developed in a manner that could preclude any future use of the land for mineral extraction.
4. Ensure that funds for site rehabilitation are in place prior to operation and that plans are implemented when the mining operation has ceased. These plans must allow for appropriate new land uses.
5. Mineral extraction should be prohibited within 200 feet of a watercourse and within 10 feet of the water table. Gravel removal should be limited to 5 acres at a time according to a phasing plan in order to minimize areas susceptible to erosion

1. Support initiatives to preserve forestland that contains high quality habitat or important surface and groundwater recharge areas.
2. Encourage sustainable timber cutting practices and the utilization of BMP’s to reduce erosion and sedimentation.
3. Encourage landowners to enroll in state/federal forest management programs such as Stewardship Incentive Program and the Chapter 61 tax incentive program to ensure long term production of forests in the region.
4. Encourage initiatives that direct land uses and future development away from areas of prime forest soils and reduce the fragmentation of forestland.

1. Protect ecosystems and habitat of threatened and endangered species.
2. Support state, federal, and local efforts to acquire and protect important land areas through conservation restrictions or other methods for plant and wildlife conservation.
3. Encourage private and public landowners to recognize the importance of protecting, maintaining, and enhancing important ecosystems and plant, fish, and wildlife habitats by supporting a variety of tax incentives and local, regional, and state protection programs.
4. Protect important habitat areas from development impacts. Encourage adequate buffer areas and appropriate BMP’s to mitigate potential negative impacts.
5. Require a habitat evaluation as part of site plan review and special permit process.
6. Expand the identification and mapping of threatened and endangered species habitats and important ecosystems.
7. Encourage certification of vernal pools by private property owners through education and outreach.
8. Use and planting of invasive exotic plants that may displace natural species should be discouraged

1. Give special consideration to, and foster appreciation for, high quality scenic landscapes and scenic corridors.
2. Improve sites that decrease scenic views, particularly along state roads.
3. Encourage the siting, design and management of new development and roadways to be in keeping with the landscape and to enhance it.
4. Minimize visual impact of communication and other high-elevation or ridgeline structures through co-location, design, siting, or color choice. Design and site communication and other high elevation towers so that they do not require nighttime illumination.
5. Encourage communities to adopt the Scenic Mountains Act, where appropriate, in order to protect significant ridgeline features
6. Encourage zoning changes that allow back lot development through flexible lot frontages and provide enticements for developers to set aside open space for scenic preservation, recreation and/or conservation in their projects through easements or dedications.
7. Support redevelopment of existing sites to minimize the visual and environmental impacts of continued sprawl.

1. Develop and implement local Open Space and Recreation Plans that are in keeping with the intent of this plan.
2. Support local, state, federal, and local conservation group acquisition of land and conservation easements and scenic easements to protect open space
3. Encourage towns to adopt zoning and infrastructure strategies that protect open space identified in local Open Space Plans through such strategies as cluster development and transfer of development rights.
4. Encourage tax assessment practices that reward the donation of conservation restrictions to public and private conservation groups.
5. Educate communities and individual property owners about the values of land protection and various protection techniques and programs available.
6. Encourage towns to aggressively seek to acquire tax title lands and hold them for community purposes including open space.

• Create and sustain an atmosphere of partnership between the public and private sectors which recognizes their joint roles in investing resources to stimulate continuous, diverse, and environmentally responsible economic development.
• Provide access and opportunity for job training and retraining, and support initiatives which encourage the retention and creation of good jobs (to stem the population loss of people with roots in the Berkshires,) and attract new and younger people to our regional workforce.
• Encourage a variety of economic development strategies among communities throughout the region in order to maintain the fiscal integrity of all the region's cities and towns.
• Promote local fiscal stability and regional growth planning as a means of attracting private sector commitment of resources in balance with public provision of services and financing of infrastructure and other community capital improvements.

1. Support regionwide coordination of efforts to create and implement economic development strategies.
2. Improve regional competitiveness through the coordination of efforts and resources resulting in enhanced, cost-effective marketing of the region.
3. Develop a coordinated approach and provide a centralized source for accessing regionwide development resources.
4. Recruit qualified businesses and individuals to the region, and retain and strengthen existing businesses.
5. Expand recruitment efforts to attract skilled, younger workers and families to the region.
6. Stimulate the growth of a "trainable" workforce to meet the needs of existing and new companies.
7. Foster development of the workforce through expanded opportunities for education and job training.
8. Support regional excellence in education, job training, and retraining opportunities and initiatives.
9. Promote the revitalization of downtowns and under-utilized industrial and commercial sites.
10. Focus on identifying and addressing infrastructure needs critical to business and industry: roads, rail, telecommunications, water and sewer projects, schools and town/community/regional center improvements.
11. Support economic opportunity for distressed areas of northern Berkshire to promote business creation and community revitalization.
12. Develop flexible and proactive strategic planning for ongoing development and maintenance of regional core downtowns: Pittsfield, North Adams, and Great Barrington.
13. Utilize resources of Department of Housing and Community Development for support of rural and small city governments through Municipal Incentive Grants and Ready Resource Grants.
14. Promote opportunities for strategic alliances among towns and municipalities to enhance common goal setting and problem-solving capacities.
15. Identify components of "Quality of Life" marketable as regional assets.
16. Promote access to capital and markets for "homegrown" or other new businesses.
17. Track and give strategic attention to regional business costs.
18. Foster technology partnerships that link Berkshire companies and public and private university and research laboratory resources for improved technical "know-how" and industrial modernization.
19. Develop capacity for improved regional data collection and analysis to support informed local and regional decision-making.
20. Provide timely forums for regionwide, multi-interest discussions on common challenges and goals in living and working in the Berkshires.
21. Foster developing networks and alliances among employment groups, business, industry, and education leaders and other community/regional citizens ("opinion leaders") for a shared vision and common goals.

1. Respect the rights and dignity of all members of the community, regardless of income, age, race or ethnicity when undertaking economic revitalization and development activities.
2. Promote mixed types of housing that blend with the character of the Berkshires and with attention to the supply that are affordable, available, and convenient.
3. Provide adequate community facilities and services to meet community and regional needs.
4. Protect and preserve historic and cultural features that are important components of the Berkshire’s heritage.
5. Preserve undeveloped areas so that residents of the Berkshires may maintain their ways of life.

1. Extend municipal water mains to those areas where future development is being encouraged, as identified in town master plans or to areas where extension is required for public health purposes.
2. Discourage activities and land uses which may degrade the watersheds of public water supply sources
3. Minimize erosion and runoff to protect public water supplies.
4. Limit land uses within wellhead protection areas to those uses that pose no threat of contamination to public water supplies.
5. Support efforts to secure open space around public drinking water reservoirs.

1. Ensure wells are drilled using the best available technologies, as well as proper isolation distances and drilling techniques.
2. Encourage homeowners to understand the importance of limiting pesticide and fertilizer use to prevent possible well contamination.
3. Work with local highway departments to implement alternative technologies to limit salt applications to roads in winter.
4. Discourage new development that could have the potential to impact existing wells.

1. Plan development to manage wastewater to protect surface and ground water quality.
2. Support proposals to upgrade and improve existing wastewater treatment facilities, as well as the collection infrastructure.
3. Promote environmentally sound wastewater treatment systems.
4. Extend sewer service only to areas where development is being encouraged.
5. Encourage community treatment facilities in villages and clustered/dense housing developments.
6. Educate homeowners on the importance of conserving water and reducing use of hazardous materials in order to lengthen the life and improve the efficiency of wastewater treatment facilities.

1. Encourage homeowners and businesses with subsurface disposal systems to properly maintain their systems.
2. Support programs such as Community Septic Management that educate homeowners about the need to properly maintain systems.
3. Support loan and grant programs that assist homeowners with the replacement of failed systems.
4. Encourage the use and development of alternative systems to further protect ground and surface water.

1. Encourage the reduction of solid waste generation in the region, to the maximum extent feasible.
2. Support recycling, composting, waste reduction and waste management programs.
3. Assist towns in the region to cooperate with each other on issues of solid waste management.
4. Encourage towns, as feasible, to join local or regional solid waste management districts.
5. Support programs that develop and disseminate educational materials that promote public awareness to recycling and waste management.
6. Encourage the development of a region wide solid waste management plan.

1. Continue to promote the mission of the Berkshire Connect project.
2. Encourage the use of existing towers for broadcast, satellite transmission, and other wireless communications; encourage new equipment locations on or closely associated with existing buildings over the development of new towers.
3. Encourage the development of an enhanced telecommunications infrastructure in coordination with existing land-use policies.
4. Support increased access to public information and information about local events in user-friendly electronic formats.
5. Encourage the expansion of transmission and receiving equipment at existing stations.

1. Encourage the development of comprehensive Open Space and Recreation Plans to identify, acquire, and manage recreation facilities to meet projected community needs.
2. Improve water-based recreation opportunities within the region, particularly for swimming and fishing.
3. Develop strategically located, field-based recreational facilities that serve as regional sites
4. Support programs that place high priorities on the acquisition and protection of recreation and conservation resources.
5. Encourage development of sidewalks, separate paved pathways or paved shoulders for bicycle and pedestrian travel in all major road improvement projects where feasible.
6. Provide varied and accessible opportunities for outdoor recreation for all age groups and physical abilities, particularly the young and elderly.
7. Encourage multiple use recreation facilities and public access to recreation lands and water.

1. Encourage the continued support of organizations serving to promote the region as a premier cultural resort.
2. Strengthen the role of arts and culture in public education.
3. Protect places of outstanding historic importance from development that impairs their character and quality.
4. Encourage rehabilitation of significant historic sites and structures.
5. Encourage development that preserves the historic and architectural character of village, town, and community centers.
6. Support local, regional, and state historic preservation trusts such as Trustees of the Reservation.
7. Encourage the use of design guidelines that respect the historic character of buildings and areas.

1. Support school districts in their efforts to secure greater assistance from the state in order to provide quality education in state of the art educational facilities.
2. Support programs that aim to increase vocational training to employees of area businesses.
3. Support efforts of libraries to provide materials and facilities for independent, life-long learning.
4. Encourage local and regional school districts to renovate traditional school buildings, where appropriate, to accommodate the needs of the pupils instead of consuming new land for new school buildings.
5. Promote the use of school buildings as "community centers".

1. Adjust zoning to allow compact housing with community parking, neo-traditional housing, and accessory residences in businesses. Create the zoning framework that will encourage proposals for clustered and neo-traditional housing development.
2. Encourage new residential development within existing growth boundaries, and support opportunities for infill housing and housing in mixed-use developments, especially in village and urban areas.
3. Encourage new residential development to be compatible with existing community character.
4. Support new residential development that has a minimal impact on natural resources, open space, scenic vistas, and important agricultural lands.
5. Encourage innovative housing design which minimizes long-term costs and energy consumption.
6. In the review of seasonal housing proposals, use the same considerations as those used in the review of year-round housing proposals.
7. Encourage stakeholders to develop a region-wide housing needs analysis.

1. Support the provision of affordable housing throughout the region, particularly in regional and town centers served by public transit.
2. Encourage stakeholders to develop a region-wide affordable housing needs analysis.
3. Support the provision of affordable housing throughout the County, as opposed to strictly within a few towns or cities.
4. Encourage individual towns to work with the Housing Authorities in their area and other non-profit housing organizations to provide choices for low-income families regarding housing.
5. Support the preservation of affordable housing and the strategies that would guarantee long-term affordability.
6. Support the maintenance of existing housing stock for continued residential use rather than conversion to other uses.
7. Encourage municipalities to develop housing plans that include an identification of any affordable housing issues in their community, an assessment of resources available to address the problem, widespread public involvement, and a plan of action.
8. Encourage the support of organizations and programs that seek to rehabilitate existing substandard housing units.
9. Encourage affordable housing that minimizes long-term living costs through good design, construction, and energy efficiency.

1. Ensure that energy conservation measures are employed during the siting, design, and construction or reconstruction of buildings, to the maximum extent possible. Buildings and homes that incorporate renewable energy systems (eg. solar, geothermal) are encouraged.
2. Encourage the use of clean burning fuels so long as such proposals are economically feasible and environmentally appropriate.
3. Efforts should be made by towns and school districts to include energy efficiency and conservation in their plans and day-to-day operations. Energy efficiency should be considered when designing new buildings and purchasing equipment.
4. Support energy conservation in the transportation sector such as energy efficient vehicles, ridesharing, and investments in bicycle trails and public transit.
5. Support the redevelopment of an efficient rail system for the movement of people and goods.
6. Support programs that offer assistance in planning and financing energy conservation projects and encourage lending institutions to fund low-interest loans for energy conservation improvements and for the development of renewable energy resources.
7. Continue support of wind energy research and development in the region, provided that facilities be sited appropriately in such a way as to not significantly distract from aesthetic, wilderness, recreational, or ecological values.
8. Support the development of an up-to-date energy conservation plan for the region.
9. Encourage and support educational programs that focus on residential and business energy conservation strategies.