Neighborhood Visioning, Plan Development and Implementation 

Local Bylaw Development 

Worked with various communities to engage residents in development of local bylaws, addressing previously-identified priorities.  In some cases, the bylaw would be brought to multiple communities for consideration, and was developed by representatives of those multiple communities working collaboratively

Planning for Development of Regional Impact

Assist community in development of planning framework for large scale development potential.   Development is often a two-sided experience – the positive impacts resulting from prior planning, and the negative impacts experienced when we have not planned adequately.  Our report, “Gambling on Development” shows how to tip the odds in your local community’s favor; Learn how to Take Stock, Develop a Process, Make Revisions and Execute the Plan. 

Housing Plans; Local and Regional Collaboratives (Planning for Housing)

Work with a collaboration of Town Administrators, housing stakeholders and housing advocates in several participating communities to consider strategies to improve each town’s activities with regard to housing planning and development. Without a professional planner or housing specialist, many Central Massachusetts towns are challenged to create housing plans, oversee and promote housing development, and work toward the state’s mandated 10% affordable housing goal.  This exciting project may lead to the development of a model that can be replicated in other small Massachusetts towns.  In fact, the Lt. Governor’s Regionalization Report specifically identified this topic as warranting investigation on how best to collaborate and combine efforts and energy.

Planning for Water Resources Across Municipal Boundaries

Working with representatives from seven contiguous towns, we have assisted  the newly formed regional collaborative in compiling available water resource information, identifying future data analysis needs, and highlighting opportunities for future cooperation that will lead to improved water resource management, mitigation, protection and distribution.

Green Energy Technical Assistance

In 2014, the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) began providing technical assistance to Central Massachusetts communities seeking to increase energy efficiency in their municipal buildings, facilities, and schools through the Green Communities program, overseen by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources. The Green Communities grant program provides municipalities with financial and technical support to municipalities that pledge to reduce municipal energy use by twenty percent over five years, including grant funding for energy efficiency and clean energy projects. Towns and cities see additional benefits from reducing their energy use such as lower energy costs, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, a healthier environment, and strengthening of local economies.

To date, CMRPC has assisted twenty-two (22) Central Massachusetts towns in receiving Green Communities designation. These include: Charlton, Douglas, Dudley, Hardwick, Leicester, Millville, New Braintree, Northborough, Northbridge, Oxford, Rutland, Shrewsbury, Southbridge, Spencer, Sturbridge, Upton, Uxbridge, Warren, Webster, West Boylston, West Brookfield, and Westborough. With assistance from CMRPC, these towns have taken five steps to achieve designation: (1) Provide as-of-right siting of renewable/alternative energy generation or research and development in designated areas; (2) Adopt expedited permitting processes for as-of-right energy facilities; (3) Establish an energy use baseline and develop a plan to reduce energy use by twenty percent over five years; (4) Purchase fuel efficient vehicles, and (5) Adopt the stretch building energy code to minimize life-cycle energy costs for new construction.

CMRPC's Green Energy team assists designated towns in a number of ways, including submitting annual reports, applying for competitive grant funding, and providing grant administration services for designation and competitive grants. The Green Energy team can also assist with additional clean energy related projects such as drafting solar bylaws, writing climate action plans, and applying for additional energy efficiency or clean energy funding opportunities.

Hazard Mitigation and Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP)

Through FEMA/MEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds, CMRPC is currently developing local hazard mitigation plan updates for the twenty-seven member towns. These plans, when approved by FEMA and adopted locally, will allow these communities and their residents to more readily access hazard mitigation and disaster recovery funds from FEMA. For more information regarding our Hazard Mitigation services.

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) released a grant program that will assist municipalities in conducting climate change vulnerability assessments and resiliency planning grants. The Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program provides technical assistance for cities and towns to complete climate change vulnerability assessments, develop action-oriented resiliency plans and implement high priority climate change resilience projects. For more information regarding our MVP services.  

Brownfields 

Of the more than 450,000 brownfield sites located throughout the United States, more than 40,000 reported releases of oil or hazardous material have been recorded in Massachusetts. Recognizing the environmental, social, and ecomomic impacts existing brownfields have on our community, CMRPC is committed to supporting brownfields assesment and clean up projects throughout the region. Click here to learn more about CMRPC's Brownfields Program.