Baker-Polito Administration Awards Over $1.4 Million to Support Local Land Use Planning

Baker-Polito Administration Awards Over $1.4 Million to Support Local Land Use Planning

BOSTON - The Baker-Polito Administration today announced $1,452,098 in grant funding for 35 projects from the Planning Assistance Grant Program. The program, which is funded through spending authorized in the Environmental Bond Bill, is part of an effort to encourage municipalities to implement land use regulations that are consistent with the Baker-Polito Administration’s land conservation and development objectives. These objectives include the reduction of land, energy, and natural resource consumption; the creation of sufficient and diverse housing, and the 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.

“Working with municipalities across the Commonwealth is critical for us to achieve important objectives, such as building more housing, better protecting natural resources, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which will greatly improve local communities,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “These important grants will enable updated zoning and better planning, ensuring the public will receive both immediate and long-term benefits.”  

“We are very pleased to be able to help municipalities update local regulations so that they can better achieve their housing, economic development, natural resource protection, and other goals,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “The grants represent exactly the sort of partnership between state and local governments that our Administration has worked to encourage.”

The grants are awarded to the Commonwealth’s municipalities and Regional Planning Agencies acting on their behalf to support their efforts to plan, regulate, and act to conserve and develop land consistent with the Massachusetts’ Sustainable Development Principles.

“Under the leadership of Gov. Baker and Lt. Gov. Polito we are helping communities update and enhance their zoning, subdivision, and other land use regulations so that they can grow in ways that reduce land, natural resource, and energy consumption, said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “Projects we are funding today will help address climate change and make the Commonwealth more resilient, to the benefit for future generations.”

The following are 2022 grant recipients:

Applicant	Municipality (ies)	Project Name	Grant Award
Avon	Avon	Plan for Smart Redevelopment with the Sewering of Avon Industrial Park	$       40,000
Barnstable	Barnstable	Update & Consolidate Design, Infrastructure, & Historic District Guidelines	$       37,500
Belchertown	Belchertown	Incorporate Climate Resilience into Belchertown's Master Plan	$       47,430
Canton	Canton	Downtown Zoning Amendments & Design Guidelines	$       39,500
Cape Cod Commission	Cape Cod Region	Land Use Planning for Economic Resilience	$     144,043
Chelmsford	Chelmsford	Climate Action Regulatory Audit & Action Plan	$       30,000
Chesterfield	Chesterfield	Completion of an Open Space and Recreation Plan	$          9,900
Central MA Regional Planning Commission	Douglas	Completion of an Open Space and Recreation Plan	$       13,932
Central MA Regional Planning Commission	Hopedale	Master Plan Phase III - Transportation, Circulation, Public Services, & Facilities	$       45,000
Central MA Regional Planning Commission	Mendon	Master Plan Phase II - Transportation, Facilities & Services, Natural & Cultural Resources, & Open Space and Recreation Elements	$       45,000
Central MA Regional Planning Commission	Central MA Region	Regional Housing & Infrastructure Plan - Phase I	$       70,000
Central MA Regional Planning Commission	Rutland	Transportation & Natural and Cultural Resources Elements of the Master Plan	$       26,782
Dover	Dover	Natural Resource Protection and Tree Preservation Bylaws	$          7,500
Fairhaven	Fairhaven	40R Zoning & Design Standards	$       45,000
Fitchburg	Fitchburg	Completion of an Open Space and Recreation Plan	$       32,500
Franklin	Franklin	Franklin Center Rezoning for Economic Growth & Diverse Housing	$       45,000
Harvard	Harvard	Ayer Road Commercial District Vision Plan	$       45,000
Haverhill	Haverhill	Dock planning, Trail Design, EV Station Mapping, Bike Route Mapping	$       45,500
Lexington	Lexington	Climate Action Plan Phases II and III	$       50,000
Metropolitan Area Planning Council	Malden, Medford, Melrose	"Building Resilience, Efficiency, and Affordability Project"	$     113,211
Montachusett Regional Planning Commission	Ashburnham	Master Plan - Natural & Cultural Resources, Services & Facilities, Circulation, & Economic Development	$       45,000
Montachusett Regional Planning Commission	Hubbardson	Solar Bylaw	$       30,000
Montachusett Regional Planning Commission	Phillipston	Climate Vulnerability Assessment & Plan	$       45,000
Montachusett Regional Planning Commission	Townsend	Completion of an Open Space and Recreation Plan	$       28,000
Montague	Montague	Comprehenbsive Plan - Visioning & Scenario Planning	$       33,000
Merrimack Valley Planning Commission	Andover, Boxford, Georgetown, and North Andover	Enhanced land use regulations to mitigate climate change in 4 communities	$       68,000
Norfolk	Norfolk	Southwood State Hospital Site Re-Use Analysis & Zoning Recommendations	$       42,500
Northampton	Northampton	Zoning Update to Incorporate Climate Resilience & Regeneration Plan	$       45,000
Oxford	Oxford	Completion of an Open Space and Recreation Plan	$       30,000
Plainfield	Plainfield	Climate Resilience Plan	$       11,000
Southborough	Southborough	Revitalization of the Route 9 Corridor	$       45,000
Stockbridge	Stockbridge	Natural Resource Protection Zoning Bylaw	$       20,000
Stoughton	Stoughton	Commercial/Residential Mixed Use Bylaw	$       48,300
Swampscott	Swampscott	Eiseman's Beach Design Project	$       15,000
Wareham	Wareham	Downtown Rezoning - Illustrations	$       13,500

 

The administration’s Housing Choice Initiative, which was announced in December 2017, is a package of technical assistance for communities, the Housing Choice Communities (HCC) designation, new capital grant funding, and pending legislation, An Act to Promote Housing Choices. This initiative, and its goal to produce 135,000 new units of housing by 2025, complements the investments made by the Department of Housing and Community Development in affordable housing production across the state, and supports local government actions to meet the demands of a growing and aging population in Massachusetts.