BRPC - Meeting - Mar. 20th, 2025

This will be a virtual meeting as allowed by Ch. 2 of the Acts of 2023 extending certain provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c.30A sec.20 until March 31,
2025.

The Meeting can be accessed at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3926128831?omn=85439357698

Meeting ID: 392 612 8831
Meeting Materials are posted at www.berkshireplanning.org. Click on the
meeting in the Events Calendar to open them.

Agenda

1. Opening (7:00-7:05)
   
   1. Call to Order and Open Meeting Law Statement
   2. Roll Call of Commission Members Attending the Meeting
   3. Vote to Approve Minutes of the January 16, 2024 Full Commission Meeting
2. Comments from Berkshire Regional Planning Commission Delegates
   and Alternate Delegates (7:05-7:10)
   BRPC Delegates and Alternates may offer comments on any item not on the agenda.
   Any discussion or action will be referred to a future meeting and not discussed at this
   meeting.
3. Comments from the Public (7:10-7:15)
   Members of the public may offer comments regarding topics on the agenda or other
   matters they wish to bring to the Commission’s attention. Comments are to be
   directed to the Commission. Commenters must state their names and the city or
   town they are from. Any discussion or action will be referred to a future meeting and
   not discussed at this meeting.
4. Presentation and Discussion of Executive Committee Actions (7:15-
   7:20)
   Executive Committee actions taken on the Commission’s behalf at its February 6, 2025
   and March 6, 2025 meetings are presented for information and discussion .
5. Presentation and Discussion about the Building for Tomorrow Report
   as prepared by the Unlocking Housing Production Commission (7:20-
   7:50)
   Jennifer Raitt, Executive Director of the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments
   (invited) and a member of the Unlocking Housing Production Commission will present
   the Building for Tomorrow Report, which provides over 50 recommendations to
   increase the supply of housing and lower costs for Massachusetts residents, including
   some related to updating land use and zoning practices and streamlining local
   permitting.
6. Vote to Have the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission Allow
   Remote Participation in Accordance with the Requirements of 940 CMR
   29.10, Applicable to all Subsequent Meetings of the Commission and
   its Committees, but such Adoption shall be Deemed Rescinded upon
   Passage by the Legislature of Remote Participation upon Terms Equal
   to or More Expansive than those Permitted under Section 20 of
   Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021. (7:50 – 7:55)
   Without legislative action beforehand, the provision to allow flexible remote public
   meetings expires on March 31, 2025. Prior to the relaxation of the virtual option due
   to COVID, there was an option for remote participation subject to certain
   requirements, including the Commission would have to vote to allow remote
   participation, and there would need to be a quorum, including the meeting Chair, in
   person. This vote will provide the BRPC with another option should the legislature not
   act.
7. Presentation and Discussion about the Massachusetts Vacant
   Storefront Program (7:55 - 8:20)
   The Massachusetts Vacant Storefront Program was created to aid municipalities in
   their efforts to revitalize their downtown and commercial areas by encouraging the
   occupancy of long-term vacant storefronts. The program allows municipalities to use
   refundable tax credits as a tool to attract businesses to prominent vacancies within a
   community’s downtown and/or commercial area. Programmatic changes this year
   increase the usefulness of this program for smaller communities.
8. Report and Possible Discussion of the Executive Director’s
   Report (8:20– 8:25)
9. Adjournment (8:25)

Other interested citizens and officials are invited to attend.
All times listed are estimates of when specific agenda items may be discussed.
City and Town Clerks: Please post this notice