PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission accepted an amended budget Thursday with no increases to community assessments.
The Committee voted to rescind the assessment increases to member communities in response to the financial impacts COVID-19 will surely have throughout Berkshire County.
"The situation has changed dramatically since January and understanding the fiscal challenges that our communities are going to be facing over the next year and possibly longer," BRPC Executive Director Thomas Matuszko said. "It is a recommendation to roll back that increase."
Originally in January, the commission voted to implement a 2.5 percent increase to all member communities but earlier this month agreed it may be better to keep the assessment level funded.
Matuszko said this amount may be small, around $2,600 and is more symbolic.
"I think it is an important symbol to our communities to show that we recognize their plight," he said.
The committee then accepted the full fiscal 2021 budget of $3,434,072. Matuszko said the budget is actually $574,564 higher than fiscal 2020. This is primarily because of several new grants for Education, Public Health and Environmental programs.
Toward the end of the meeting, the committee took some time to talk about the impacts of COVID-19 and Matuszko asked if any of the communities were considering new zoning that would expand outdoor dining and shopping.
"It seems that the social distancing requirements might be with us over the summer," Matuszko said. "Something that might allow for greater flexibility for outdoor dining."
Sheila Irvin, the Pittsfield representative, said the city is considering such changes. She said other communities have found ways to use public space for dining.
Pedro Panchano, the Great Barrington representative, said his town has had early conversations about closing down roads to vehicles and allowing open markets that would allow social distancing.
James Sullivan, the Hinsdale representative, said he was hesitant to change town or city codes until there is more information on the virus.
"Making changes to the zoning bylaws and having to go back and change them again later would be redundant to begin with," he said. "We are 4 1/2 months into this and are literally talking about restructuring everything we do."
He reiterated that the virus was not permanent and noted there is not a one size fits all zoning change that would help all communities and businesses.
Commissioner Roger Bolton said these changes could be temporary and they did not have to try to push full on zoning changes.
Commissioner Malcolm Fick added that he did not see a zoning change as restrictive but something that could help restaurants and businesses recover and cope with social distancing requirements.
"Every town is suffering a lot and if we can do something small to help businesses that are suffering it is a worthwhile endeavor," he said. " What we can do to help small businesses now is vital."
Chairman Kyle Hanlon agreed and said restaurants specifically are going to "take it on the chin" this summer and it may be helpful if planners could find a way for them to capture more revenue through this next short term period.
John Duval of Adams said it also may help build consumer confidence if communities can find ways to alter zoning to allow people to visit establishments while maintaining social distancing.
"It is a matter of confidence," Duval said. "They can be open, they can be clean, and have all of the social distancing but if people don't have the confidence to go out and visit these restaurants or stores ... we need to get people confident to help them in the short term."
In other business, the commission approved the Berkshire County Metropolitan Planning Organization draft Transportation Improvement Program that ranges from fiscal years 2021 to 2025.
Anuja Koirala, senior transportation planner, went through the plan and requested that the chair vote for the plan at the upcoming MPO meeting.
A comprehensive view of the plan can be found here in the meeting documents.
The commission also accepted the proposed Transportation Unified Planning Work Program for fiscal 2021 and some changes to the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program Regulations
Both of these can be found in the meeting documents.
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Pittsfield's Site 9 to See Mill Town Development
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
Tim Burke, CEO and director of Mill Town, speaks at Thursday's announcement about the development plans for the parcel.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mill Town Capital is continuing its investment in the city by purchasing 4.7 acres of Site 9, William Stanley Business Park's largest parcel.
Across the street at 100 Woodlawn Ave., the investment firm intends to build a mixed-use development that includes housing. This will be a far cry from the abandoned, moonscape-looking block that General Electric left behind.
"Mill Town has had an interest in Site 9 since 2018. During this time, we have invested in it and developed over 200 units of housing in Pittsfield, with a particular focus on the Tyler Street Neighborhood," said Timothy Burke, CEO and managing director, at a press conference on Thursday morning.
"Our financial support is also extended to the Berkshire Innovation Center, the Tyler Street Lab, the Berkshire Dream Center, all the Tyler Street neighborhood, and numerous other regional nonprofit organizations. Overall, we have invested over $80 million in the region, addressing crucial needs and supporting local assets across various sectors and platforms, much of which is community driven."
The Pittsfield Economic Development Authority approved a letter of intent for the sale on Thursday and over the next couple of months, it is expected to become a definitive purchase agreement.
The price is $200,000 for the 4.7 acre parcel at Site 9. The 100 Woodlawn block will be conveyed to Mill Town for the purchase price equal to PEDA's cost of acquiring and reconveying the parcel.
Mill Town's vision includes evaluating the development of a commercial building upwards of 20,000 square feet to provide office and lab scape for growing local businesses.
"We've been having conversations with mostly local businesses for quite a while now and I think there is a lack of Class A office space out there for growing local companies so we have a group of companies that we're working with to define their needs," Burke said.
"And I think now that we're at this point where we can hopefully progress to the next step. We're going be looking to network with other businesses as well but I think our approach would be looking to secure local companies that are growing and looking to add jobs and running out of their current space and then potentially looking to add some capacity for companies that may be looking to start or move here from other locations but I think the first focus is on local businesses that we know, that we work with, that are already growing."
Mill Town Capital is continuing its investment in the city by purchasing 4.7 acres of Site 9, William Stanley Business Park's largest parcel. click for more
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