Current Events
It is a busy time for the Planning Department. Many large scale planning projects have been underway for the past couple of years. While some of those are coming to conclusion, new planning activities are also beginning.
The Master Plan is now complete and has been adopted by the Planning Board. A Master Plan Implementation Committee has been formed and the Planning Board and Town Planner have already begin working towards meeting the goals of the plan. We will have the final plan posted on this website soon and plan to print copies so that a paper copy can be available at the library. We thank the many residents and business owners that took part in developing this plan.
We have worked with the Design Review Committee over the past year to develop a Revised Design Review Committee Handbook and Design Guidelines. This project was made possible through a grant from the 43D Expedited Permitting Program. In an effort to streamline permitting in the town, the Guidebook provides detailed guidelines for the submittal process and acceptable design standards for various zoning districts within the town. The Guidelines were enhanced with photographs and graphics to insure understanding of the concepts. The overall goal of the revised and updated Design Review Committee Handbook and Guidelines is to promote and facilitate physical development that is cognizant of the Town's history and character. In addition, this physical development should also promote
economic development in a manner that maintains and expands the Town's existing economic base.
The revised Open Space Plan has been approved and will be valid through May 2018. Open space is a term that is used to refer to a variety of protected lands. Properties owned and maintained by the Town for open space, habitat protection, water supply protection and recreation are included in this plan, as well as lands protected by State and Federal Agencies for similar purposes and for flood control. Lands owned by non-profit organizations and other private landowners such as the Trustees of Reservations and the Opacum Land Trust are also included in the plan when the lands are restricted in some manner. Finally, lands in Chapter Land (a special taxation category for agricultural, recreational and forestry lands) are included in the plan. The plan contains several chapters including
an inventory and map of all these protected lands and a conservation and recreation needs assessment, inventory of resource protection measures, and community goals and seven year action plan. This final approved plan will be posted on-line in the near future.
An application for a Green Communities Planning Assistance Grant was applied for in August 2010. That grant was awarded in September 2010, and the planning assistance has finally begun in March 2011. The Green Communities Act was signed into law by Governor Patrick in July 2008; this Act established the Green Communities Grant Program that provides grant funding to communities that meet five specific criteria. To become a Green Community, a town must meet the following:
1. Provide for as-of-right siting of renewable or alternative energy generating facilities, renewable or alternative energy research and development facilities, or renewable or alternative manufacturing facilities in designated locations.
2. Adopt an expedited application and permitting process under which these energy facilities may be sited within the municipality and which shall not exceed one (1) year from the date of the initial application to the date of the final approval.
3. Establish an energy use baseline inventory that includes municipal buildings, vehicles, street and traffic lighting, and put in place a comprehensive program designed to reduce this baseline by 20 percent within 5 years of the baseline year.
4. Purchase only fuel-efficient vehicles for municipal use whenever such vehicles are commercially available and practicable.
5. Require all new residential construction and all new commercial and industrial real estate construction to minimize, to the extent feasible, the life cycle cost of the facility by utilizing energy efficiency, water conservation and other renewable or alternative energy technologies. The recommended method for meeting this criteria is adoption of the Stretch Code, 780 CMR 120.AA, appendix to the MA State Building Code. (Certain commercial facilities are exempt).
The Planning Assistance Grant provides up to 100 hours of planning assistance and includes the following tasks:
1. Verifying the criteria that have been met and focus on those criteria that have not been met;
2. Developing an action plan to meet the outstanding criteria;
3. Educating the municipality on the five criteria including the Stretch Code; and
4. Meet with municipal officials to present the action plan for adoption by the community.
More information on this program can be found on the official website of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs at this link Green Communities Information.
Check back often as we try to update this information and add new planning news.
Activities of the Sturbridge Planning Department
The Town of Sturbridge Planning Department provides a wide range of services in an effort to achieve the goals of established planning documents and to improve the level of service provided to the community. Currently we are:
Providing support for the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals in the form of project review, site inspections and department administration;
Working to help the Town of Sturbridge become a designated Green Community.
Working to insure that the goals of the recently adopted Master Plan are achieved.
Providing assistance to the Design Review Committee as it works to streamline its procedures. Revised Rules and Regulations were adopted at the March 8, 2011 meeting of the Design Review Committee.
Providing assistance to the Housing Partnership as it works to achieve goals identified in the Sturbridge Housing Needs Assessment and as it strives to provide diverse housing opportunities within the Town of Sturbridge;
Continuing to build the Geographic Information system to support planning related activities and to better provide current land use information to both residents and businesses in the community, or those considering locating in the Town of Sturbridge;
Enhancing the level of service provided to the community by working with student groups and college level students to help them gain an understanding of planning issues in the community and general planning topics;
Meeting with abutters and other interested parties to help them better understand projects proposed in their neighborhoods and the bylaws and regulations that are applicable to those projects;
Meeting with developers to review project proposals; and
Providing general information related to planning to interested residents.
Planning Related Links
There are many useful resources available to those interested in planning and the environment. Several websites that can be helpful are listed below:
Planning Resources on the Web
Nature and Land Conservation Organizations
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