Baker-Polito Administration Announces Over $1 Million in Land Use Planning Assistance Grants

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Over $1 Million in Land Use Planning Assistance Grants

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced $1,030,659 in grants for 31 projects to improve municipal land use planning and development through the second round of grants from the Planning Assistance Grant Program. Through this program, the Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) provides municipalities funding to undertake public processes and hire technical expertise to improve their land use practices, diversify housing choices, mitigate and prepare for climate change impacts, and conserve and develop land consistent with the Massachusetts Sustainable Development Principles. 

“Through smart and sustainable development, we can ensure Massachusetts remains an exceptional place to live and grow a business,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “As an important supplement to our Housing Choice Initiative, these grants help municipalities modify their plans and regulations to build more affordable housing, better protect natural resources, and reduce car travel.”

“The Baker-Polito Administration is committed to working in partnership with communities to provide residents across the Commonwealth good jobs, transit access, housing, and access to open space,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “We are proud to provide municipalities the funding and technical expertise to make smart land use decisions that are right for their communities and unique needs and challenges.”

The Planning Assistance Grant Program is part of an effort to encourage municipalities to implement land use regulations that are consistent with the Baker Administration’s land conservation and development objectives, including reduction of land, energy, and natural resource consumption, provision of sufficient and diverse housing, and mitigation of and preparation for climate change.  The program is also part of the technical assistance offered to communities in support of the Baker-Polito Administration’s Housing Choice Initiative.

“This program encourages communities to reduce their land, natural resource, and energy consumption through smart local development planning,” said EEA Secretary Matthew Beaton. “Helping municipalities improve their land use regulations will allow them to achieve their housing, economic development, climate change resiliency and environmental protection goals.”

The following are grant recipients:

2019 Planning Assistance Grants
Applicant	Municipality	Project	Total Grant Amount
Agawam	Agawam	Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance	$7,500
Ashland	Ashland	Rezone Downtown	$25,700
Barnstable	Barnstable	Rezone Downtown Hyannis	$50,000
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC)	Adams	Adams Stormwater Management Bylaw	$28,500
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC)	North Adams	Comprehensive Re-Write of the Zoning Ordinance	$50,000
Chelsea	Chelsea	Re-zoning for Admiral's Hill Neighborhood	$40,300
Central MA Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC)	Auburn	Design Guidelines	$34,040
Central MA Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC)	Westborough	Parking Study	$33,435
Central MA Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC)	Webster-Dudley	Economic Develpment Strategic Plans	$37,191
Easthampton	Easthampton	Downtown Strategic Plan	$50,000
Foxborough	Foxborough	Community Discussion + Housing Production Plan	$35,030
Franklin Regional Council of Governments	Franklin County	Sustainable Stormwater Management Plan for Franklin County	$40,000
Gloucester	Gloucester	Update Open Space and Recreation Plan	$28,790
Goshen	Goshen	Goshen Town Center Connectivity Plan	$10,000
Hull	Hull	Update Open Space and Recreation Plan	$26,680
Lynn	Lynn	Creation of Overlay Districts to Support Open Space and Economic Development	$50,000
Marblehead	Marblehead	Production of a  Housing Production Plan	$20,619
Martha's Vineyard Commission	Martha's Vineyard	Site Plans for Elderly Housing that address Nitrogen	$15,000
Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)	Arlington, Natick and City of Melrose	Net Zero Energy Planning	$150,000
Merrimack Valley Planning Commission (MVPC)	Amesbury, Andover, Boxford, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Merrimac, Methuen, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Rowley, Salisbury and West Newbury	Regional Housing Initiative	$50,000
Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG)	Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Pepperell, Tyngsborough and Westford	Accessory Dwelling Unit zoning for all six communities	$30,000
Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG)	Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Pepperell, Tyngsborough and Westford	Solar Zoning for all six communities	$30,000
Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG)	Tyngsborough	Tree Retention Bylaw	$5,000
Peabody	Peabody	North River Corridor Chapter 40R Study	$22,500
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC)	Springfield	Green Infrastructure (GI)/ Low Impact Development (LID) Policy	$9,128.75
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) & Town of Southampton	Southampton	Promoting a Low Impact Development Approach and New Stormwater Design Standards through Updates to Local Land Use Code	$10,900
Scituate	Scituate	Development of the Scituate Harbor Sustainability and Resiliency Master Plan and zoning amendments	$37,500
South Hadley	South Hadley	Preparation of a Master Plan for the Route 33-Route 202 corridor	$33,500
Walpole	Walpole	Produce Open Space and Recreation Plan	$28,400
Wareham	Wareham	Compact Development Plan for Littleton Drive Site	$32,500
Westminster	Westminster	Low Impact Development regulations to implement LID Bylaw	$8,445

 “My hometown of Ashland is in the process of an exciting, transformative downtown revitalization project, and this grant will help the town to implement its vision,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “As part of a multi-town collaboration, my community of Natick will also benefit as it implements its Net Zero Energy Planning efforts.  I am grateful for the partnership of Secretary Beaton and the Baker-Polito administration in recognizing the importance of developing sustainable communities.”

“Sound planning produces cost -effective, well-reasoned actions that take into account major factors such as climate resilience,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester). “Yet planning takes money, and these grants will provide the investment it takes for our communities to get the job done.”

“I am very pleased that the Town of Wareham will be receiving this $32,500 Land Use Planning Grant for compact development planning,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Marc R. Pacheco (D-Taunton). “Efficient, integrated land use benefits the built and natural environment in our local communities.  These resources announced today will help give Wareham insight into the various factors at play and ultimately ensure sustainable growth for the future.  I’d like to thank and congratulate everyone who participated in the grant process.”

“Wareham's grant for $32,500 will go a long way toward exploring more housing options at this site for our senior citizens, something our town really needs,” said State Representative Susan Williams Gifford (R-Wareham). “These grants provide much needed financial resources so municipalities can make the best possible decisions based on their needs.”

“I am excited that Ashland is receiving a grant from the Planning Assistance Grant Program to help renovate its downtown,” said State Representative Jack Patrick Lewis (D-Framingham). “Ashland is a vibrant community in growth, and these funds will help to ensure that its downtown continues to thrive.”

“The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission continues to work toward providing accessible and affordable housing to all residents in the Merrimack Valley, and we are grateful to the Baker-Polito Administration for its support in this mission,” said State Representative Lenny Mirra (R-West Newbury). “This $50,000 grant will allow the MVPC to reduce land, energy, and natural resource consumption while achieving our housing and economic development goals.”