Community Development

Post date: May 03, 2019 6:32:34 PM

BUILDING

Travis Fachini has successfully passed the first of three International Code Council tests. Upon the completion with passing scores of all three exams Travis will have a formal final certification as a Local Inspector. He continues to work with the department with a conditional certification from the Commonwealth.

Ryan Contenta and Travis have recently started advance plan review meetings with the design team from Berkshire Housing on the 330 Cole Avenue Housing project. Other major jobs in town including several very large single family homes and all major work at Williams are continuing on pace with no current issues of concern.

HEALTH

Jeff has been performing food establishment and rental unit inspections. The mild January has also allowed a couple of Title 5 soil evaluations to be completed when they are generally not possible.

LAND USE

The Planning Board continues its work on bylaw amendments. Two amendments have been finalized and await a vote by the Board to kick off the formal amendment process. These are reforms to the town's regulations on non conforming 1 & 2 family homes. The reforms are meant to bring the town in line with recent precedent from the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. The second is a proposal completed in conjunction with the Fire District to regulate driveways over 500 feet in length and those that serve more than one residence.

The Board is also working on reforms to the marijuana related land uses in our bylaw, particularly surrounding outdoor growth of cannabis plants. The Town has also applied for District Local Technical Assistance funding from the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission to assist the Planning Board in future efforts. With the 2020 Federal Census underway, and the current 2002 Master Plan approaching 20 years in age the time to start advance planning for a new Master Plan is now. The Planning Board will, if awarded the DLTA request, be working with BRPC to outline a Master Planning process for 2021.