Planning Assistance Grants Announced for Massachusetts Communities
Funds Will Help Municipalities Sustainably Develop and Conserve Land; Diversify Housing Choices
BOSTON- Senator Anne Gobi (D-Spencer) joined the Baker-Polito Administration today in announcing $1,152,500 in grants for 29 projects to improve municipal land use planning and development through 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 sustainably develop land.
Senator Gobi, the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture, has seven towns in her district set to receive $195,250 in funding through these grants. The projects in the Senator’s district being addressed are listed here:
- Athol will receive $40,000 for a downtown initiative planning program.
- Barre will receive $6,375 for natural resource protection, flexible frontage, and ADU zoning amendments.
- Rutland will receive $40,000 through the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) for an updated Master Plan to include housing, land use, and economic development planning.
- Spencer will receive $15,875 through the CMRPC for the creation of a new housing production plan.
- Hubbardston will receive $18,000 through the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) for their Master Plan implementation chapter.
- Ware will receive $30,000 for a West St. corridor study.
- West Brookfield to receive $45,000 to conduct a comprehensive zoning re-write in the town.
For more information on the grant program, please visit https://www.mass.gov/service-details/planning-assistance-grants