What's happening in Franklin, MA: Thursday, August 14, 2025 ??

Thursday, August 14

Library & Senior Center events

7:00pm Jennifer Tefft (live music) (The Newport Harbor Hotel)

9:00pm Brian Cabral (live music) (3 Restaurant)

For additional details on Library & Senior Center events ->        

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

**  Town Meetings today   **

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust - no meeting (next meeting is 9/11/25)

Thursday, August 14 Time: 2:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/466?fileID=5560 

Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School - BOT Mtg

Thursday, August 14 Time: 7:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08142025-1845 

Zoning Board of Appeals ZBA - no meeting (next meeting 8/28/25)

Thursday, August 14 Time: 7:30 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08142025-1842 

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What's happening today in Franklin? 

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendar

"One Year After Signing Affordable Homes Act, Nearly 100,000 New Housing Units Under Development to Lower Costs in Massachusetts"

New Housing Units Under Development
to Lower Costs in Massachusetts

Today marks one year since Governor Healey signed the Affordable Homes Act — and we’re seeing results. More than 90,000 homes are completed or in development across Massachusetts since the start of the Healey-Driscoll Administration.

• 700+ ADUs approved or permitted
• 5,200 homes in the pipeline in MBTA Communities
• Conversions of vacant offices to housing
• State Land for Homes sites moving forward
• Momentum Fund + MBTA Communities + conversions + state land = more homes on the way

Learn more: https://www.mass.gov/news/one-year-after-signing-affordable-homes-act-nearly-100000-new-housing-units-under-development-to-lower-costs-in-massachusetts

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DNBqdusPUPI/

Annual Report of the Town of Franklin Planning Board - FY 2024

With the Biennial Election coming up November 4, 2025, the nomination papers are available beginning Aug 4, 2025 for candidates to take, obtain the appropriate number of signatures to get on the ballot. 

We are sharing the section of the Annual Report for the Town of Franklin 2024 to help explain what each role entails. 

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The Planning Board, as established by MGL. Ch. 41 sec.70, is responsible for “…making plans for the development of the municipality, with special reference to proper housing of its inhabitants.” 

The Board is charged with administering the State’s Subdivision Control Law (MGL. 41 Ch.81K) and the local subdivision rules and regulations (Chapter 300). The Board makes recommendations to the Town Council on Zoning By-Law amendments and may at its own discretion adopt new subdivision regulations. 

The Board is also designated as the permitting authority for various site plan and special permit submittals under the Town’s Zoning Bylaw (Ch. 185). The Board receives recommendations from the Design Review Commission on building design, elevation, and signage for commercial site plan permits, and from the Conservation Commission on wetland related issues. The Board also works closely with the Planning & Community Development and Public Works Departments.

In FY 2024, the Planning Board reviewed and issued decisions for several projects throughout the year. There were several applications received for solar panels. The largest solar project is located at Maplegate Country Club with over 100+ acres of solar panels.

The Planning Board received several applications for residential development. A proposed 20-unit new building located at 100-110 East Central was approved with 2 affordable units. Uncas Ave was previously approved for nine duplex units. The project has since been increase to nine tri-plex units, adding a total of 27 units for residential housing.

Throughout the year, the Planning Board conducted their public meetings in a hybrid format, offering in person and remote attendance to the applicants and public. 

The Planning Board accepted eight (8) Form H - Certificate of Completions. Acceptance of a Form H indicates all work has been completed according to Site Plans or Subdivision Plans previously approved by the Planning Board. 

The Planning Board also received seven (7) Special Permit applications. Since the Town of Franklin has exceeded their 10% of affordable, known as CH40B housing, the Town developed a Friendly 40B process. The Planning Board review one (1) application for a Ch 40B development located at 444 East Central St. This has been the second application received and reviewed by Planning Board and gave the Planning Board an opportunity to provide feedback on affordable housing.

For a complete list of decisions please visit the Town Clerk’s Office. The Planning Board held public hearings on several proposed Zoning Bylaw changes focusing on meeting the most recent state regulations known as Section 3A, requiring MBTA communities to zone for more housing within ½ mile of the train station. 

The Planning Board also reviewed and updated the Marijuana Overlay District map, addition additional parcels to the map. The Board continues to help property owners make the desired changes and improvements to their properties while fostering responsible growth and development in the Town of Franklin.

The Planning Board typically meets twice a month on Mondays at 7:00 PM in the Municipal Building. All Board meetings are open to the public, and are televised via Community Cable Access.

Planning Board Membership

The Planning Board consists of five members and one associate member. The associate member participates in all hearings but only votes on Special Permits if one of the members is unable to act. The Board members are elected and serve 4-year terms. 

Below is a list of current Planning Board members:

Gregory Rondeau, Chairman 

Beth Wierling, Vice Chairman 

Jennifer Williams, Clerk

Jay Mello, Chris Stickney

Mark Mucciarone, Associate member

Respectfully submitted, 

Gregory Rondeau, Chairman

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You can download the Planning Board section (PDF) the Annual report ->   

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c1bkw38iVX6xFLOVxfxHmxSW64zL9quI/view?usp=drive_link

or dig into the full Town of Franklin annual report here ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JGxfeanVhITZ9jSTGf6tgDMtVlI000Ju/view?usp=drive_link

Annual Report of the Town of Franklin Planning Board - FY 2024

"In the logic of money, the old can never beat the new." (video)

"Every minute, a building in Europe is destroyed—not by wind, flood, or fire but by human hands. Real-estate speculators have built a system that puts profit before people and planet. And it’s not only walls and roofs that are lost! This talk exposes the hidden costs of demolition and shows why a home’s true value far exceeds its market price.

Olaf Grawert (@houseeurope.eu @olafgrawert) plans, writes, and speaks about architecture—not just as a profession, but as a cultural-economic and political force. As founding partner of b+ (bplus.xyz) and co-initiator of HouseEurope! (houseeurope.eu), he addresses the big questions of how we adapt buildings and the systems behind them. From campaigns to classrooms, buildings to books, his projects push the boundaries between theory and practice, redefining architecture as more than simply building."

View the full TedX Talk ->  https://youtu.be/2ENMWPx9_-0

"There is a shortage because of us" @SenBrianSchatz

Jonathan Berk (@berkie1) posted:

"I cannot think of something so essential to American life [housing]... where the Government has created the shortage on purpose and then strokes it's chin confused as to why there is a shortage... There is a shortage because of us." - @SenBrianSchatz

"There is a shortage because of us" @SenBrianSchatz

https://t.co/OmcPiTyozX

Zoning regulations in many cases require variances to provide local control. We could set up the zoning in Franklin to allow (within reason) more approvals "by right" rather than require an approval for every exception. Join the mailing list for the Building Equitable Neighborhoods for Franklin (BEN4Franklin.org) to find out more about the ins and outs of zoning.

MHP: "Next Steps for Compliant MBTA Communities"

MHP: "Next Steps for Compliant MBTA Communities"

The majority of MBTA Communities are now in compliance with Section 3A of MGL 40A, and cities and towns have designated specific locations as the “right place” to expand housing opportunities for their residents. A significant amount of new multifamily housing is currently proposed or underway in 3A Districts. How are staff and officials from MBTA Communities preparing to manage and benefit from new or existing multifamily districts?

Join MHP, Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA), and Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities staff to learn about opportunities and strategies for MBTA Communities in a post-compliance world.

Topics will include:
- MHP’s expanded technical assistance program for MBTA communities
- HLC funding opportunities
- Project-focused advocacy and engagement strategies
- Staying in compliance

There will also be time for idea sharing and Q&A.

Register now at the link -> https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/YvchCzm6TBSdL8P7Z2oC5g#/registration

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DMYFZDYs44T/

Boston Globe: "See the latest rent estimates and trends for cities and towns in Greater Boston"

"When you live in Greater Boston, it can feel like the rent never stops climbing. Each year, the price of signing a new lease, or resigning an old one, grows more expensive — whether it be by $50 or $200 — than it was last year.

Indeed, there’s some truth to that.

In many metropolitan areas across the US, rents have trended down over the last year or so, particularly in places where an abundance of new housing has come online.

Not Greater Boston.

See the latest rent estimates and trends

Rent in this housing-starved region has grown more expensive in nearly every community over the last year, according to a new monthly rent tracker launched by the Globe that compares rental trends at the local level"

Shared from -> https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/08/12/business/greater-boston-apartments-rent-price-tracker/ 

How to access the Globe articles via the Franklin Library with your library card

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/how-to-access-online-resources-with.html

"The case for new cities"

via Congressman Jake Auchincloss & Jonathan Gruber: 

"It has become a truism that America can’t build anymore. Housing, infrastructure, and all nature of public goods are nearly impossible to build and irrationally expensive when we do so. The facts are stunning for such a diverse and dynamic economy. California is annually building 100,000 fewer homes than it needs to address affordability. A mile of subway costs two to seven times as much in American cities as in major European cities. One Chinese shipbuilder constructed more shipping tonnage in one year than America has since World War II. Georgia’s new nuclear power plant was seven years late and $17 billion over budget. And the list goes on.

"The case for new cities"

The solution seems straightforward: Cut the regulations that hold back builders. Over the decades, litigation and legislation have snowballed the number of veto points between the conception and execution of projects. Advocates on both the right and the left have argued against this vetocracy, cogently summarized in recent books like Abundance and Why Nothing Works.

That solution isn’t working fast or fully enough. Get-stuff-doners have been snipping away at the vetocracy for decades, with more frustration than success. In Massachusetts, for example, years of YIMBY effort culminated in the MBTA Communities Act, which compels higher-density zoning on sites near transit. Even the most optimistic projections, though, expect it to deliver no more than 40,000 units over the next decade for a state that needs a quarter million. 

These efforts deserve more support, but taken alone they won’t unlock enough building. This decade needs to deliver seven million units of housing and five Hoover Dams’ worth of nuclear power for America. We need radically new ideas."

Continue to read the joint essay ->  https://statesforum.org/journal/issue-1/the-case-for-new-cities/

Are you curious to learn more about ADU’s? (Accessory Dwelling Units) - July 16

Are you curious to learn more about ADU’s?
(Accessory Dwelling Units) - July 16

Are you curious to learn more about ADU’s? (Accessory Dwelling Units) are now by right in Mass but there are tons of questions out there.

So I teamed up with Bryan Brown and we assembled an expert panel. Best part- it’s free!

But we do ask that you use the QR code or link to pre-register -> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/adus-u-leverage-new-tiny-home-laws-to-create-more-space-or-extra-income-tickets-1458722962649

Thanks!!

Ted


Ted Cormier-Leger, Realtor
Coldwell Banker
617.686.1265
HomesbyTed.com

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DLzwmzjP9Gq/

Where can we build?

via the Massachusetts Housing Partnership:

Where can we build?

In addition to summarizing overall characteristics of western Massachusetts parcels, our Center for Housing Data’s new Western Massachusetts Parcel Explorer can help find potential development sites that fit criteria based on a project type of interest.
 
The CHD team worked through four project typologies to demonstrate how users can explore the data to identify an initial set of sites to explore that fit regional and community housing priorities.
 
These slides walk us through Scenario #1: Infill opportunities in neighborhoods with existing residential density
 
Read the full report -> https://www.mhp.net/news/2025/western-mass-development-opportunities

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DL2Z7ecMeNi/

Editor's Note: Yes, the details of the report focus on Western MA. The overall approach is not far off from any other area of MA.

Development Scenarios

Scenario 1: Infill opportunities in neighborhoods with existing residential density

Scenario 2: Accessory dwelling units near existing infrastructure

Scenario 3: Proactive investments to preserve affordable housing

Scenario 4: Diverse strategies and partnerships in Gateway Cities

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Tuesday, July 1, 2025 ???

Tuesday, July 1

Library & Senior Center events 

12:00pm Community Closet (Franklin United Methodist Church)

6:00pm Table Top (Franklin Public Library)

7:30pm Smart Phone Trivia (Teddy Gallagher's Irish Pub)

For additional details on Library & Senior Center events ->   

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

**  Town Meetings today   **

Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Meeting

Tuesday, July 1 Time: 2:00 PM

https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/437?fileID=5188 

------------

What's happening today in Franklin? 

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendar

State of Housing in MA: "housing costs are out of control"

State of Housing in MA:  "housing costs are out of control"

via Abundant Housing MA

The new State of the Nation’s Housing report from @Harvard_JCHS confirms what we already know: housing costs are out of control.

Massachusetts must act NOW to legalize more housing, build near transit, and invest in homes that people can afford.

Read Molly’s Recent Blog Post ➡️https://www.abundanthousingma.org/the-state-of-the-nations-housing-why-massachusetts-needs-bold-action-on-housing/


Check out the report ➡️ https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_The_State_of_the_Nations_Housing_2025.pdf

Read our policy priorities to build a Massachusetts for everyone ➡️ https://www.abundanthousingma.org/2025-2026-priorities/

Shared from -> https://www.instagram.com/p/DLXWmorO7MV/

Groundbreaking Ceremony Held for Old Colony Habitat for Humanity’s New Home Build in Franklin

A groundbreaking ceremony was held today (06/18/25) to launch Old Colony Habitat for Humanity’s (OCHFH) next home build, to be constructed at 762 Washington Street in Franklin. The ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including Franklin Town Administrator, Jamie Hellen, State Senator Jeffrey Roy, and Alan Earls, Historical Commission Chair.

The event was also attended by OCHFH Board of Directors and staff, local community members, as well as sponsors and representatives

group photo of Groundbreaking Ceremony (Old Colony photo)

OCHFH was granted the property through a Request for Proposal (RFP) from the Town of Franklin to acquire the former South Franklin Congregational Meeting House on Washington Street. This is a historic white church built in 1856 with imposing Doric columns. The property was deeded to the town of Franklin in 1972, and it has been unoccupied since 2007. 

Over the next 12-18 months, the structure will be transformed into a single-family home occupying two floors. The historic value of this property will be honored as it is developed into a new home with complimentary landscaping, using volunteer labor and donated materials. The non-profit relies on monetary contributions and sponsorships, donated building and landscaping materials, and volunteer labor to contain the costs of each home build, which allows them to serve as many families as possible.

Before the ceremonial shovels dug the first holes in the ground, OCHFH CEO Kim Thomas stated, “We are so grateful to Town Administrator Jamie Hellen, Select Board, and the Town of Franklin for their partnership and for providing this beautiful property, which will be shaped into a beautiful new home for a deserving family over the next year to a year and a half.”

Leveraging OCHFH expertise and collaboration with a selected family and community volunteers, the non-profit organization will transform the property into a beautiful, safe, and comfortable home for a deserving family. After a competitive application and selection process, the family selected for the home will be expected to pay a down payment, assume a mortgage, and contribute 250 hours of sweat equity labor toward the build – with the objective of providing a deserving family a “hand up” toward affordable home ownership.

Jamie Hellen, Town Administrator said, “I could not be more thrilled to have Habitat for Humanity join the Franklin Family. Many said this building should be knocked down. But due to the power of the Community Preservation Act and a community dedicated to preserving history and providing affordable housing, this is a project the community will cherish for generations."

The property will become a 2,128 square-foot single-family home occupying two floors and will house 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

Thomas continued, "This important step would not be possible without the generous funding support from the CPC funds from the town of Franklin, the Community Health System Foundation, Bristol County Savings Bank, Plainridge Park Casino, Webster Bank, Bluestone Bank, Wood Palace Kitchens, Pinette Plumbing, O'Koren Electrical, ad Banner Enterprises. and Jeff Bragg, My Local Video. Their commitment to our mission has made it possible for us to move forward and begin the work of bringing new life to this cherished part of the Franklin community.”

To help with the project or donate please email dir@oldcolonyhabitat.org

Old Colony Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing safe, reliable and affordable housing to families in need. It currently serves 24 towns in Norfolk and Bristol counties, including Franklin.

WBZ News: "What's an Accessory Dwelling Unit?" (video)

Until recently, ADUs were nearly impossible to build in many Massachusetts towns, thanks to zoning restrictions and red tape.

"Big problems don't always need big solutions. In Massachusetts, one of the answers to the housing crisis might be hiding in the backyard. They're called Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs for short."

Watch the CBS News 4 minute segment -> https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/accessory-dwelling-units-massachusetts/

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/1BTwvpJFY1/

Join Cobi & I for an informative discussion on Jane's Walk in downtown Franklin, Sunday, May 4

Via Cobi Frongillo:

Jane's Walk in downtown Franklin, Sunday, May 4

"Happy to be co-hosting a third annual Jane's Walk with Steve Sherlock and BEN 4 Franklin!  

Meet us 10AM THIS SUNDAY (5/4) at the Depot Street parking lot for a walk-and-talk of Downtown Franklin.  

Wheels and paws welcome!"

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16RhpxVLLZ/

You can join us along the way if you miss the start. We'll be along Main St to Emmons, to West Central, to Cottage, to Winter, to East Central, to Ruggles and then back East Central to Main and the Depot parking lot.

Join Cobi & I for an informative discussion on Jane's Walk

 

Note: the route covers 1.5 miles.