Clients: State & Regional Planning Agencies

The Economic Impact of Housing Investment Through the Community
Summary: This study attempts to look at the need for affordable housing and the economic impacts of housing in the city of Boston. Its premise is that the economic impact of housing is significant and involves a multitude of factors, from the monetary effects of the construction process to the impact of personal incomes on the local economy. The study uses the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) local impact model to assess economic impacts.

Economic Development Report for the Three Corners Region
Summary: The Three Corners Region consists of nineteen communities in the northeast corner of Connecticut, the south-central section of Massachusetts and the northwest corner of Rhode Island. The Region is centrally located between the metropolitan areas of Boston, Providence, Worcester and Hartford and is in close proximity to the rapidly developing Route 495 corridor in Massachusetts. This region possesses a strong industrial and agricultural history and is rich in cultural and recreational resources. However, due to its proximity to urban centers and current land use patterns, the area is prime for rapid sprawl growth. This report examined the economies, infrastructure, social and cultural, and landscape aspects of this Tri-State Region. Interviews, charrettes, and research revealed that the greatest risks for the Region were the lack of a true east-west transportation corridor, the development pattern which is inconsistent with historical village and town center settlement patterns, a weak sewer and fiber optic infrastructure and low educational attainment. The region is strengthened by its proximity to urban centers, natural resources, and the presence of the national heritage corridors and their affiliation with the National Park Service.

Connecticut River Economic Development Administration's Economic Adjustment Project: An American Heritage River Initiative
Summary: In phase one of this study, various environmental and economic criteria were inventoried for the region and displayed in digital map format. In the second phase that data was analyzed for implications for development potential. Environmental and economic factors were included in a Net Available Land Analysis (NALA) done for the entire region to determine the areas available for development. In the third phase the Net Available Land Analysis (NALA) methodology was applied on the town level to two towns that meet one or more of the three Economic Development Administration criteria. There will be greater detail at the town level than the regional level. With the addition of parcel, zoning and other environmental constraint data, if available, the town level NALA's will be more accurate.

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for Berkshire County, Massachusetts
Summary: Regional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and treats were assessed. Elements were used as a guide to create the strategies and programs that fit these objectives and identified throughout the region and prioritized for implementation within the action plan. Procedures were also identified to update economic development activities in the region and to evaluate the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy process on an annual basis.

Guide to Green Planning and Regulation Practices in the SuAsCo Watershed
Summary: This document was used to identify local planning tools and practices within its thirty-six communities located in north central Massachusetts that were most effective in improving and protecting the aquifer while encouraging "smart growth". In effect, planning development to minimize environmental impact while permitting economic development and growth. The compilation of six case studies was intended for use as an outreach and advocacy guide for local planners, officials, and others in the SuAsCo region.

Strategic Plan for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Boston, Massachusetts
Summary: The Center for Economic Development in partnership with MAPC created a strategic plan for a Data Center last summer. This year, CED helped MAPC begin implementation of actions outlined in the strategic plan to create a state of the art data center. CED will work with MAPC to identify and assess critical trends with policy implications, identify strategic partnerships with other statewide organizations, and facilitate educational seminars sponsored by MAPC.

Merrimack Valley Planning: Regional Assets Study
Summary: This report is intended to illuminate the Merrimack Valley Region's assets. The Region represents 15 communities located in the northeastern corner of Massachusetts bordering both New Hampshire and the Atlantic Ocean and just 30 minutes away from Boston. The communities are Amesbury, Andover, Boxford, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Merrimack, Methuen, Newburyport, Newbury, West Newbury, North Andover, Rowley and Salisbury. The report is divided into two parts. The first is a compilation of the assets from a regional perspective. The second is intended to serve as a technical compendium. It lists the assets on a community-by-community basis. Included in the report are 8.5 X 11" maps of Zoning and Open Space for each community.