Williamstown Planners Seek Input from Airbnb Proprietors

What the board members want is feedback from residents who already rent their homes on services like Airbnb or Vrbo.

North Adams Planners Gives Thumbs Up to Food Pantry Relocation

The Al Nelson Friendship Center Food Pantry is moving into the former Aubuchon Hardware site on Union Street, tripling its space.

Williamstown Planning Board Reduces Parking Lot for Art Museum

Williams College will be back before the Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday for a development plan review for the school's planned art museum at the Field Park rotary.

Dalton Planning Board Approves Draft of Updated Variance and Special Permit Application

The Planning Board approved a draft of the updated variance and special permit application during its meeting on Wednesday.

Dalton Planners Question Need for Cannabis Requirements

The Planning Board last week questioned whether the state is requiring the town to adjust its cannabis bylaws if dispensaries, medical or retailer, and cultivation centers are only permitted by special permit.

North Adams Planners OK 10 Short-Term Rentals

The Planning Board approved 10 special permits for short-term rentals during a brief meeting on Monday night.

North Adams Planners OK Starbucks Development on Problem Corner

The Planning Board on Monday approved a multi-tenant redevelopment of the former St. Francis property that will include a long-rumored Starbucks.

Dalton Planning Board Works to Update Special Permit Fees

The Planning Board is navigating how to update its special permit fees to bring them up to date with the current costs of services.

Williamstown Planners OK Preliminary Habitat Plan

The Planning Board on Tuesday agreed in principle to most of the waivers sought by Northern Berkshire Habitat for Humanity to build five homes on a Summer Street parcel.

Summer Street Residents Make Case to Williamstown Planning Board

Neighbors of a proposed subdivision off Summer Street last week asked the Planning Board to take a critical look at the project, which the residents say is out of scale to the neighborhood.

Williamstown Planning Board Chair to Fin Comm: We're Not the 'Enemy'

The chair of the Planning Board last week stopped by a meeting of the Finance Committee to defend the planners' recent activities to promote economic diversity and growth in town.

North Adams Planners Reject Setback Waiver for Cannabis Operation

The Planning Board on Monday unanimously shot down a setback waiver request for a cannabis dispensary on River Street across the street from the UNO Community Center.

Dalton Planners Explore Tiny Home Amendment to ADU Bylaw

During the board's meeting in February, Tiny Home Industry Association President Dan Fitzpatrick joined the meeting via Zoom to give a presentation on tiny homes.

Williamstown Planners Balk at Sweetwood Zoning Proposal

The Planning Board last week encouraged the owner of the Sweetwood Independent Living Community to take another stab at a proposed bylaw amendment that would allow for multifamily housing at the Cold Spring Road facility.

Deliberations for Ray Robert Excavation & Trucking Special Permit Set for Dec.

The fate of Ray Robert Excavation & Trucking's request for a new special permit remains unclear.

Williamstown Planners Told to Consider Townwide Measures

The cottage court bylaw, which the board is aiming to bring to town meeting in May, would allow up to 12 free-standing dwelling units per acre in the town's General Residence zoning district.

North Adams Planners Put Off Decisions on Dispensary, 'Glamp' Site

The Planning Board on Monday put off deciding on two special permit applications that proponents say will add jobs and contribute to the city's tax base.

Vacant North Adams Bank Being Developed for Retail, Public Space

Latent Build is looking to "break the cycle" with "substantial improvements" to the full 20,000-square-foot site that will create a pedestrian destination.

Pittsfield Board OKs Site Plan for Cannabis Facility

Sweetwood Owner Back Before Williamstown Planning Board

But attorney Karla Chaffee offered no new language to replace the amendments the landowner proposed and later withdrew for last May's annual town meeting.

Manufactured Home Talk Dominates Williamstown Planning Board

Following a familiar pattern, the second Planning Board meeting of its 2023-24 cycle was dominated by an issue the board hoped to have settled at the 2023 annual town meeting.

North Adams Garage Owner Gets Permit Reprieve

Nite Owl automotive repair was found to be in compliance with its permit.

Williamstown Planning Board Recommends Defeat of Sweetwood Zoning Request

By late in the hearing, even the attorney representing Sweetwood was suggesting that if the planners could recommend at least one of the amendments, the petitioner would be grateful.

Self-Storage Company Building Gated Facility at Former Greenberg's

The Planning Board has given the go-ahead to build 61,900 square feet of self-storage off Hodges Crossroad.

North Adams Planners OK Dirt Track Changes Over Residents' Objections

Supporters say the track has provided an outlet for local families, provided training time for youngsters and has had a beneficial economic impact on the city.