Ongoing Research

During the spring semester of 2005, in her capacity as research assistant, graduate regional planning student Cana McCoy assisted the Center for Rural Massachusetts revival effort in a number of key efforts. In addition to providing assistance in creating a new CRM website and various smaller tasks, Cana's principal research project involved the completion of the first stage of a large ongoing study of the creation, application and effectiveness of advanced zoning and site planning techniques.

Specifically, she conducted analytical research in the 351 cities and towns of the Commonwealth to identify the following:

1. Those communities that had adopted conservation subdivision and related laws;
2. The various mechanisms employed to apply these provisions mandatorily, or to encourage their use via different incentive mechanisms;
3. The degree to which natural resources, forestry or agriculture were used as the basis for mandatory open space design;
4. The different permitting techniques and their permutations employed to regulate the development applications;
5. Comparative standards used to regulate certain key design features.

This research made extensive use of Ordinance.com, various professional websites and other sources, and was carried forward successfully to its desired end point for this stage of the work. Discussions are underway for collaborative efforts in the fall to continue this research.

Five Town Action Initiative
"Local implementation from a regional perspective"

The Five Town Action Initiative, a partnership between CRM, the Highland Communities Initiative and representatives from each of the 5 towns, is CRM's flagship project.  This two year effort is designed to build on existing town plans by assisting the towns of Ashfield, Conway, Chesterfield, Goshen and Williamsburg to implement recommendations from their existing plans, but to do so in a cooperative and regionally-thinking way.  Recognizing the similarities of these neighboring towns, this endeavor focuses on them in order to take a more comprehensive view of the natural, cultural, forest, agricultural and infrastructural resources that they share, and to build upon the interest in each town to move forward with key plan initiatives.  Peer-to-peer support will provide a cooperative model for towns with a minimum of governmental capacity (in this region and beyond) to stretch their resources and expertise in the pursuit of important planning initiatives.

The project is divided into two phases: Plan Synthesis and Implementation.  In the first phase, a Five Town Action Partnership, town and citizen driven, will be developed to guide the project.  Plans from the 5 towns will be analyzed and recommendations will be outlined.  The project will also offer cutting-edge information on natural resources derived from a recently created conservation mapping tool – the Conservation Assessment and Prioritization model (CAPS).

In the second phase, implementation will be the main focus. The 5 towns will first be offered tools, model laws,regulations, and instructional materials closely crafted to the towns' synthesized plans.  Then, they will be asked to designate a specific action item from their plans that they feel is important to implement. The project partners will then offer assistance, advice, training and information to help the towns successfully pursue their chosen initiative.

CRM and HCI Conduct Western Mass. Zoning Clinic in Huntington

On February 24, 2005, Glenn Garber, Director of CRM and Robert Ritchie, Director of the Attorney General's Municipal Law Unit, held a zoning clinic in Huntington, sponsored by the Highland Communities Initiative.  Among the issues discussed were:  updates on the MA Land Use Reform Act; endorsement issues with ANR lotting and potential related zoning strategies; limits on the size of home-based businesses; large lot zoning for small towns as it relates to criteria established by Commonwealth Capital.

The session was well attended by board members and interested citizens from around the region.

Land Use Planning and Open Space Preservation Forum

CRM Director Glenn Garber will be among the speakers at a forum on Land Use Planning and Open Space Preservation, on Thursday May 19, from 7-9 PM, at the Hubbardston Center School.  It is open to board members and interested citizens from around the region. Other speakers include Dan Laroche, Director of Land Protection, Mt. Grace Land Trust; Robert Ritchie, Director of the Attorney General's Municipal Law Unit and Robert Mitchell, Special Assistant for Sustainable Development, Office of Commonwealth Development.

This forum will address the voluntary and regulatory planning and open space preservation tools available to rural towns in the Commonwealth.  Topics will include innovative tools and techniques for better planning and development; the Home Rule Amendment and implications for planning; developing partnerships to preserve natural resources and State initiatives, from Smart Growth to Commonwealth Capital.

This program, sponsored by the Hubbardston Planning Board/Open Space Committee and the MA DCR Division of Water Supply Protection, is free and open to board members, landowners and the general public from around the region.  There will be an opportunity for questions and discussion following the presentations.

CRM Presentation at the 2005 CPTC Conference

At CPTC's annual conference on March 19, in Worcester, CRM Director Glenn Garber delivered a presentation outlining the emerging strategies and techniques for improving small town planning, land use, resource conservation and working landscapes. This year's conference featured 18 training sessions taught by professionals in the fields of planning, law, land use and conservation.

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