Post date: May 23, 2016 12:48:13 PM
BUILDING
Current projects are on on schedule. Now under plan review are Garfield House and the addition to the Book Depository. Permits have been issued for both new hotels. The State Building Code is currently in a period of concurrency
HEALTH
Jeff Kennedy has been inspecting barns and livestock; this includes large farms and small backyard operations, performing Title 5 inspections using both state and local regulations, inspecting rental dwelling units, and has been working with his colleagues in Great Barrington, primarily on rental housing issues and complaints.
LAND USE
A request for proposals was issued recently for a vendor to serve as the Town's Qualified Environmental Professional on the Photech site. The Town received an EPA grant of $200,000 earlier this year to clean hazardous materials out of the existing structure on the property. Berkshire Housing will be providing the local match. The Town has entered into an agreement with Berkshire Regional Planning to serve as the lead for an update of our Hazard Mitigation Plan which will include work on climate resiliency and climate change vulnerability. This work will be funded by a total of $35,000 in state and federal grant funding. It is important to note that the Hazard Plan will, when certified by FEMA, allow the town to remain eligible for other FEMA funding such as the HMGP Grant that allowed the town to successfully restore the floodplain at the Spruces and relocate its residents to safe housing.
The Planning Board will meet Tuesday evening to discuss a DPR for Garfield House on South Street and new zoning changes for 2018 including lighting amendments and a major rewrite of housing policy based on community outreach that was conducted last winter.
The Conservation Commission will meet Thursday night to finalize an Order of Conditions for the College to replace the aging Green River bridge into Mount Hope.
The Zoning Board will also meet Thursday night to open a public hearing on a proposal from Verizon to construct a new cell phone tower on land of Ariel Sutain at 1161 Cold Spring Road, also known as the former Taconic Restaurant.