Regional Planning
No town or city is an island when it comes to matters such as transportation, environmental quality, economic development, or other local issues. Decisions in one community can have an impact throughout the region. Regional planning deals with matters affecting the region as a whole, or sub-regions of two or more towns.
Planning projects with a regional perspective underway at the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission include:
Green Communities Technical Assistance
Green Communities - BRPC has been selected by the state Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to provide technical assistance to Berkshire communities interested in becoming a Green Community.
Expedited Permitting
Expedited Permitting - In late 2006, Massachusetts adopted the Expedited Permitting Law. The law was intended to improve the permitting process for commercial and industrial development projects, thereby making Massachusetts more attractive for economic development. The law contained several provisions to streamline local permitting; stimulate economic development; encourage smart growth development policies and practices; and implement related statewide reforms. The law also provided funding to Regional Planning Agencies to offer technical assistance to municipalities for activities related to streamlining permitting.
Berkshire Brownfields Program
Berkshire Brownfields Program - Brownfields are defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as "abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination." Vacant industrial sites, gas stations, commercial buildings, and offices all fall under the heading of brownfields. Such sites have the potential to contaminate surrounding areas and beyond through water and air pollution, and lead to sprawl in "greenspace"- healthy, undeveloped land. However, once cleaned, brownfields can be redeveloped safely for a variety of uses, revitalizing neighborhoods, preserving greenspace, and creating economic opportunities. BRPC has received a series of grants from the US EPA to promote both assessment and clean-up of brownfields sites in Berkshire County.
Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area
Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area Trails - In September, the U.S. Senate passed legislation designating 29 towns in the watershed of the upper Housatonic River valley, from Dalton, north of Pittsfield in Massachusetts south to Kent on the New York-Connecticut border as a National Heritage Area. This officially makes the region part of the National Park Service system. The UHVNHA's goal is to provide a management framework to foster a close working relationship with all levels of government, the private sector, and the local communities in the upper Housatonic Valley region. BRPC has provided assistance to the UHVNHA, including research for a management plan, and a map of trails within Berkshire Upper Housatonic communities.
Mohawk Trail Scenic Byway
Mohawk Trail Scenic Byway - The Mohawk Trail, also known as Route 2, was one of the earliest designated scenic byways in New England. BRPC, together with the Franklin Regional County of Governments, has recently finished a Corridor Management Plan for the Byway. Click on the link above, or view the Mohawk Trail Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan to review a summary of findings. If you would like more information about the Corridor Management Plan, contact Lauren Gaherty at BRPC at 413-442-1521, ext. 35.
Berkshire Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan
Berkshire Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan - Natural hazard planning has historically focused on responding to disasters (floods, tornados, hurricanes, sever winter storms) during or after they hit. In contrast, hazard mitigation planning focuses on mitigating the effects of natural disasters BEFORE they hit. Mitigation planning includes identifying risks and developing strategies to minimize that risk. Mitigation includes structural activities such as replacing undersized culverts, constructing berms or relocating high-risk buildings. Mitigation also includes non-structural activities, such as creating or enforcing floodplain protection bylaws and dedicating flood-prone properties to recreational use to avoid future development. Federal grant programs provide funding to support mitigation activities for those communities that develop local mitigation plans.
Regional Plan for the Berkshires
Regional Plan for the Berkshires - The Regional Plan for the Berkshires is an articulation of the shared aspirations, values, and concerns of those who live in the Berkshires. 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; and Social equality and quality of life.
Berkshire Planning Tools
Berkshire Planning Tools - BRPC unveiled the new Berkshire Planning Tools reference binder in May 2000. Provided as the "next step" in the Regional Plan project, the purpose of this "toolbox" is to provide communities and those who plan with a comprehensive menu of strategies to address growth goals and challenges. Berkshire Planning Tools is designed to provide the citizen planners of the Berkshires with the tools and techniques they will need to successfully accomplish their duties and help them plan for, rather than react to, the growth and development pressures that continue to shape the Berkshire region.