Showing posts with label master plan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label master plan. Show all posts

Monday, March 29, 2021

Worcester getting into their school start time discussion

The Worcester Public School District is getting into their school start time discussion. Yes, remember that? Franklin put it aside to deal with the Davis Thayer issue and then the pandemic hit. It is still sitting on the sidelines. 

The Davis Thayer issue remains only partially resolved, so it would seem that the Franklin school start time discussion is not likely to resume anytime soon. 

The decision to close Davis Thayer effective September 2021 was made by the School Committee at their Feb 9, 2021 meeting. Planning on the transition of Thayer students to the Keller facility for September are underway. The FY 2022 budget is being adjusted to account for what savings and/or expenses would occur to make the transition seamless for both school and Town sides of the budget. (The School budget handles the education side, the Town budget handles the facility operation side.)

The decision to make the Davis Thayer building 'surplus' for the School District has not yet be scheduled. The Town of Franklin can't do much officially without that notification from the School District. 

The next big item the School Committee (and community) will get into should be development of the 'master plan' for the school district. Recall that the facility utilization report revealed the District could operate with less schools than it currently has. The excess capacity could be addressed by closing additional schools and potentially restructuring to operate with three elementary schools, one middle school all feeding to Franklin High. How to get to this position, if it is desired, is what the 'master plan' should work on.

Running with excess capacity is a budget issue and will need to be addressed sooner or later.  In the meantime, you can read what Worcester is starting here

Washington Post had an article recently touching on how sleep times have been affected by the remote learning schedules of the pandemic:

Worcester getting into their school start time discussion
Worcester getting into their school start time discussion

Refer to the Meeting Notes page for all the reporting and audio files for the prior School Committee and subcommittee meetings  

Monday, February 8, 2021

"recommendation that the DT facility be closed for FY22"

"After completing a comprehensive closing study for the Davis Thayer School, the Ad Hoc Facilities Analysis subcommittee has voted to present this final report to the Franklin School Committee with our recommendation that the DT facility be closed for FY22.
Additionally, we also recommend that the Franklin School Committee establish a standing subcommittee focused on creating a Master Facilities Plan to address other facility needs in the district."

Respectfully submitted,
 
The Davis Thayer Facilities Analysis Sub-Committee:
Elise A. Stokes
Mary Jane Scofield
Judith Pond-Pfeffer
 
 
The full recommendation document and action item for the School Committee discussion on Tuesday, Feb 9, 2021:
 
Full School Committee agenda for Tuesday, Feb 9, 2021
 
Davis Thayer Facility Analysis page
  
"recommendation that the DT facility be closed for FY22"
"recommendation that the DT facility be closed for FY22"


Saturday, January 16, 2021

EDC 'Listening Session' - Jan 13, 2021 - Recap - Franklin's housing discussion starts

Quick Recap:
  • While this was the last of the 'listening sessions' the bulk of the meeting time was spent presenting an overview of housing in Franklin. The presentation was insightful and will be shared when made available.
  • Housing is one of the the key issues Franklin faces. The discussion will include the data points of this presentation, the demographics from the School study, the Market Study done by MAPC (from which these 'listening sessions' were started), and the realities of the post-pandemic world ahead of us. Keeping civil discourse with multiple threads and trying times will be a challenge but the end goal is required. Franklin needs to determine what it's housing goals will be.

For the time being photos of the slides shared during the meeting are all that is available. The doc is not part of the meeting agenda, nor if it has since been posted to the Town page, I have not found it. Once I do, I will share. Photos can be found in one folder: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KwjXyPtwuadMHsCF8

The audio of the meeting will be shared soon.


----

As with most meetings in this pandemic period, I took my notes via Twitter during the meeting reporting in real-time via the virtual session.
 
The Twitter hashtag can be found online  

https://twitter.com/search?q=%23edc0113&src=typeahead_click

  • Swivel seat to do listening session starting now. #edc0113
  • Chair Melanie Hamblen opens meeting, runs thru the protocol statement as normal. #edc0113 Frongillo new member to subcommittee (replacing Chandler). Jones and Bissanti complete the 4 Council membership. Jamie touts the grant process deadline Friday
  • #edc0113 Economic Development legislation on Gov Baker's desk for approval. Bryan Taverner to review presentation on housing for Franklin.
  • #edc0113 housing slides and population slides (can't share all, will find doc to share - eventually)
  • More slides #edc0113
  • Getting to discussion on the legislation, not yet signed by Gov Baker; zoning change would be simple majority for Franklin 5 not the current 6 votes required. #edc0113 tenants right to purchase would be interesting for/if Franklin if chosen
  • After Council comments, question raised on how do you address the small business side and get better rents as many of them are too high. If the business can't afford, that would affect the residents affordability too. #edc0113
  • Could use a 'maker' or incubator type space for start ups, does require land/building owner to be willing to participate. #edc0113 new growth not likely to happen if affordability is mandated to be part of it, takes away their profit. Could renovate existing space
  • Residential complex downtown was all presold, to downsizers. Condo folks do want to walk to the restaurants downtown. Not much downtown now in pandemic. #edc0113 supply chain issues due to COVID, development in another Community shd be done now but due to supply issues
  • Inclusionary zoning was introduced for cities like Boston to invent development of private residence/condos Franklin at this time and foreseeable is not a good fit for this, numbers also speak to no rush to do something as we should be good thru 2030 #edc0113
  • Low income units are in shortage here and all other Communities around the state. Affordable housing is a higher market rate than low income, two separate needs, can't confuse them #edc0113 terms are important. Work force housing is another slice of affordability
  • "the rent for an affordable apartment is not really affordable" #edc0113 need to keep terms separate in that 'affordable' is a state housing designation and not to be confused with what 'affordable' is when used an adjective that is relative to each individual circumstance
  • Consensus is to get the housing plan done, there are many problems and that may require multiple solutions to address. Need to define the problems (or problems), agree on terms to be used, and then continue the discussion. #edc0113 motion to adjourn, via roll call 4-0
  • That's all for tonight, been a long one. Time for a walk and fresh air. Catch you next time #edc0113 
EDC 'Listening Session' - Jan 13, 2021 - Recap - Franklin's housing discussion starts
EDC 'Listening Session' - Jan 13, 2021 - Recap - Franklin's housing discussion starts


Sunday, September 29, 2019

"we’re trying to both build some strategies and add some new strategies"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"State environmental officials on Friday rolled out a draft plan that calls for Massachusetts to reduce its solid waste disposal by 1.7 million tons by 2030, in part by targeting food waste, textiles and construction materials.

The Department of Environmental Protection will accept public comment on its draft 2020-2030 Solid Waste Master Plan through Dec. 6, and has a series of hearings on it planned throughout the fall.

With the state on track to fall short of its 2020 waste reduction goal - the current master plan called for a 30% reduction from 6.55 million tons in 2008 to 4.55 million tons in 2020 - the new draft sets “some very aggressive goals” backed up by a “really robust and multi-pronged strategy,” said deputy DEP commissioner Stephanie Cooper.

“We are redoubling our efforts,” Cooper said. “Part of what has affected the progress to date has been a strong economy, which sort of cuts against waste reduction generally.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190929/state-rolls-out-plan-to-reduce-solid-waste

  • More info on the MassDEP Solid Waste Master Plan
https://www.mass.gov/guides/solid-waste-master-plan

  • The draft 2020-2030 Solid Waste Master Plan
https://www.mass.gov/doc/draft-2030-solid-waste-master-plan/download

  • The Presentation document for the draft Master Plan
https://www.mass.gov/doc/presentation-review-of-draft-2030-solid-waste-master-plan/download


MassDEP has scheduled the following public hearings:
  • Wednesday, October 30, 2019 at 5 p.m. at the MassDEP Central Regional Office, 8 New Bond Street, Worcester;
  • Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at 5 p.m. at the MassDEP Northeast Regional Office, 205B Lowell Street, Wilmington;
  • Thursday, November 7, 2019 at 10 a.m. at the MassDEP Headquarters Office, 1 Winter Street, Boston;
  • Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 5 p.m. at the Springfield City Library, Sixteen Acres Branch, 1187 Parker Street, Springfield; and
  • Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at 5 p.m. at the MassDEP Southeast Regional Office, 20 Riverside Drive, Lakeville.
 
 
MassDEP Solid Waste Master Plan
MassDEP Solid Waste Master Plan

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

2013 Master Plan - time to review

One of the items being carried on the Economic Development Subcommittee agenda and gradually moving its way up the topic listing is a discussion on the Master Plan. I would assume that the group would be looking to the current plan (see link below) to see what has been accomplished in the 5 years since the plan was approved, and what remains to be done. Of those items that remain to be done, there would likely be a discussion on what of those items to prioritize.

To help prepare for this discussion, an overview of the 2103 Master Plan is provided as well as links to the full document itself.

Happy reading!

---------

"What is a Master Plan?
According to Chapter 41 Section 81D of the General Laws of Massachusetts a Master Plan is:
“A statement through text, maps, illustrations or other forms of communication, that is designed to provide a basis for decision making regarding the long-term physical development of the municipality…”
A Master Plan consists of the following elements as defined by the M.G.L. Chapter 41 Section 81D.

  • Land Use
  • Housing
  • Economic Development
  • Circulation
  • Open Space and Recreation
  • Natural, Cultural and Historic Resources
  • Community Services and Facilities
  • Goals and Policies
  • Implementation
---------

The Planning and Community Development Master Plan page

The 2013 Master Plan doc and sections

The abridged version of the 2013 Master Plan

In a document dated Dec 2016, Bryan Taberner provided an updated to the Town Council on recent accomplishments for the Master Plan for the Jan 4, 2017 meeting

2013 Master Plan - time to review
2013 Master Plan - time to review

Sunday, April 9, 2017

Land Use Workshop - Thursday, April 13

Land Use Workshop 
April 13, 2017 at 6:30 PM
355 East Central Street 
Council Chambers


Topics for Workshop


• COMMUNITY APPROACH TO HOUSING and Economic Development
1. Current Growth spurt? - see attached Memo
2. Residential VII ?
3. Commercial I
4. Commercial II
5. Height of issues in Cl, C2, Downtown and RS
6. Affordable housing
• lnclusionary Zoning - for affordable/or open space?
7. Open Space Acquisition Plan?


History
Master Plan Adopted by the Town Council in 2013 

Changes as a result of the Master Plan
• Change Industrial to R 5 at the end of Dean Ave (Thompson Press)
• Allow surface parking lots as primary use in Downtown
• Clean up zone lines in the Downtown
• Rural business (was Neighborhood Commercial) - Washington Street and Spring Street
• Change R4 to RS on West Central near Beaver Street

Zoning in Master Plan not addressed to date
• C-1 issues/options/location

Recent proposed changes not included in the Master Plan
1. Residential VII East Central Street - Citizen/Developer petition
2. Storage Facility moved from CII to industrial - In process
3. Medical Marijuana - State law passed - adopted
4. Recreation Marijuana - State law passed - adopted


Thompson Press building on Dean Ave - future site of 200+ condos
Thompson Press building on Dean Ave - future site of 200+ condos

The original agenda document for the Land Use Workshop




The Master Plan can be found on the Town of Franklin webpage
http://www.franklinma.gov/planning-community-development/pages/master-plan

The 5 part Special Report on the development of the Residential VII zoning proposal can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2017/01/part-5-full-residential-vii-timeline.html



Monday, January 16, 2017

2013 Master Plan: Housing Section

I copied the Housing Section from the approved Master Plan to let you read and see how many of the 2013 Master Plan objectives are met by this zoning bylaw change. 

One of the arguments for the Residential VII zone in this area of Summer St is that it meets the goals of the Master Plan. 

You can find the full Master Plan document online here 
http://www.franklinma.gov/planning-community-development/pages/master-plan-2013

You can find the full Housing section (PDF) here
http://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/uploads/h.pdf

Read and decide for yourself

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

Goals and Objectives 
Policy Statement: Support in-fill housing practices and provide for all affordability options, giving Franklin’s residents the opportunity to maintain a decent standard of living. 

Franklin recently created a Housing Plan which was adopted in 2008 by the Commonwealth. 

This plan helped the Housing and Circulation Sub-committee form the goals and objectives listed below. 

Goal 1: Provide the appropriate mix of housing alternatives that meet the needs of Franklin based employment.

Objective 1.1: Assess current and projected employment within the Town, and propose policy and zoning changes to assure adequate workforce housing is provided.

Objective 1:2: Encourage development of a mix of rental and owner-occupied housing units that are affordable to Franklin’s workforce.

Objective 1.3: Encourage development of workforce housing in areas of Town where property is underutilized or needs redevelopment, and where walking distance of Rail service is available.
Please refer to Goal 1 in the Land Use section of this document. 

Objective 1.4: Create zoning that would allow for workforce housing in appropriate areas of Town

Goal 2: Support development of affordable housing opportunities for low, moderate and middle-income households. (See Appendix H: 2011 Affordable Housing Strategy – Program Recommendations)

Objective 2.1: Seek adoption of Chapter 40R: Smart Growth Zoning Overlay District, in appropriate area of town. 

Goal 3: Assure residential developments requiring special permits are concentrated where adequate utilities are available and where proposed project impacts will not significantly impact roadway circulation level of service.

Objective 3.1: Evaluate housing development plans to assure proposed projects utilize existing infrastructure in the most cost effective manner, and where capacity can be sufficiently increased in the most cost effective manner, as well as encourage 10% affordable housing in any new residential development.

Goal 4: Encourage, rezone as required, and support housing appropriate for expected future demographics.

Objective 4.1: Support the development of housing opportunities for seniors and the elderly. 

Objective 4.2: Change zoning to allow for the expansion of “in law” apartments in the existing single family homes.

Objective 4.3: Encourage the development of smaller housing units to better meet the needs of a younger generation of households.

Goal 5: Encourage future housing developments to take advantage of public transportation resources, including the MBTA commuter rail, and GATRA bus service.

Objective 5.1: Promote mixed-use, Transit-Oriented Development in appropriate areas. 
Please refer to Goal 2 and related objectives in the Land Use section of this document.

Objective 5.2: Encourage development of housing near public transportation, including the MBTA stations in Downtown Franklin and the Forge Park Station.

Goal 6: Support sustainable development, renewable energy and recycling initiatives, low impact development, and other “Green” activities during all public and privately funded housing developments (Refer to Section 9 of the Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP), Objective 4.3 and subsequent actions.)

Objective 6.1: Seek adoption of Community Preservation Act (CPA) (Refer to Section 9 of the OSRP, Objective 4.2 and subsequent actions).
Please refer to Natural, Cultural & Historic Resources Objective 5.4. 

Town of Franklin Master Plan 2013 webpage
Town of Franklin Master Plan 2013 webpage

Friday, January 6, 2017

In the News: Milford schools exploring panic button; Master Plan progress noted

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"School officials are targeting a February date to debut a smart phone panic button program to better alert faculty, staff, students and families in the event of an emergency. 
The Rave Mobile Safety program will be implemented sometime in late winter, said Superintendent Kevin McIntyre at Thursday's School Committee meeting. 
IT Director Matthew Joseph has taken on the rollout of the program, working "hand-in-hand" with the Police Department and Chief Tom O'Loughlin. 
Joseph, O'Loughlin and school administrators have been working throughout the school year on the program, which is essentially a smart phone app that allows a faculty member to alert authorities with the click of a button."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170105/milford-schools-smart-phone-panic-button-program-coming-in-february



"Town officials said Franklin has made good progress over the past year toward its master plan goals, but the town still needs less costly housing. 
The Town Council considered the matter at its Wednesday night meeting as part of a yearly review. 
Town Administrator Jeffrey Nutting said one of the highlights of the town's 2016 efforts involved improving the DelCarte Conservation Property, which helps fulfill a goal that the town protect natural resources. 
"A management study for the DelCarte property is out," he said, adding that the town was beginning its efforts to combat invasive weeds in the ponds there."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20170105/franklin-council-reviews-master-plan-progress

frozen pond at DelCarte
frozen pond at DelCarte

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Live Reporting: Master Plan Update


H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS

2. Master Plan Update

multiple items have been covered, the outline of what has been done is summarized by Bryan

Can someone please describe: "compact neighborhood district"?

Taberner: a state term, we have done what we needed to there so nothing more at this time
work force housing, also a state term referring to affordable housing

Pfeffer - we should pick where 40Bs should go rather than having developers come and tell us

Bissanti - we did get a lot of heat for the term 'work force housing',  we should not discard the idea, anything under the $500K should be in that category

Kelly - work force housing is a starter home, we need to have that available, we need to be cognizant of the concept and the variable pricing

Jones - do we have the power to determine where our 40Bs could go?
Nutting - no



Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Master Plan Update

An update to the Master Plan is on the agenda for the Town Council meeting Wednesday, Jan 4,2017.

You can find the update document embedded here:






You can also find the document on the Town of Franklin page
http://www.franklinma.gov/sites/franklinma/files/mai/files/h2_master_plan.pdf

The full 2013 Master Plan can be found here
http://www.franklinma.gov/planning-community-development/pages/master-plan-2013

The Master Plan webpage can be found here
http://www.franklinma.gov/planning-community-development/pages/master-plan

new sidewalks on Pleasant St provide access to DelCarte
new sidewalks on Pleasant St provide access to DelCarte
The full agenda for Jan 4, 2017
http://www.franklinma.gov/town-council/agenda/town-council-meeting-agenda

Monday, October 17, 2016

Franklin Town Council to consider proposal for Rural 7 zoning expansion

The Town Council has a rather full agenda scheduled for the meeting on Wednesday, Oct 19, 2016. The public hearing for the proposed "rural business zone" is scheduled. There are 6 separate bylaw amendments that need to be consider together to put this proposal in effect.

The documents for the rural business zone can be summarized here
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Council/October%2019,%202016/Hearing.pdf

and found here http://franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_News/024F90D5-000F8513


Also on the agenda for the meeting is a discussion on a proposal to rezone a parcel along Summer St from R 1 to R 7. The proposal would enable the property to be developed for four times the units allowed for R 1. The proposal would also require approval for a sewer extension.

The proposal documents outline the current buildings under construction and the 800+ units already approved to build.
  • The associated documents for this Town Council discussion item

http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Council/October%2019,%202016/R7%20HANDOUTS%201%20AND%202.pdf


  • The 2013 Master Plan as referenced can be found here

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczRVFxM1hsemUzb2c/view?usp=sharing

The Cook's Farm development which was approved as the initial R 7 development
The Cook's Farm development which was approved as the initial R 7 development

The Cook's Farm development which was approved as the initial R 7 development. Located at the entrance to Franklin on RT 140 coming in from Norfolk near the Franklin Country Club.


  • The full Town Council agenda can be found here

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2016/10/franklin-ma-town-council-agenda-oct-19.html


Thursday, November 5, 2015

Franklin Open Space and Recreation Plan Update

The Town of Franklin is in the process of updating its 2008 Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP).  The purpose of the OSRP is to create a document through a public input process that will guide the Town of Franklin in its continuing efforts to maintain and enhance the community's open space and recreation resources.

In order to complete a plan that represents the opinions, desires and needs of the community the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) is attempting to gather information in a variety of different ways, including:

tot lot at Fletcher Field
tot lot at Fletcher Field

Open Space & Recreation Public Meeting

When:   Saturday, November 14, 2015 at 9:30 a.m.
Where:  Franklin Public Library, 118 Main Street
The DPCD will hold a public meeting on Saturday November 14th in order to facilitate comment and gauge public support for various open space and recreation priorities.  Progress that was made by the Town implementing the 2008 Open Space and Recreation Plan will be discussed, and written and verbal comment regarding future goals and suggested projects will be accepted.

Conservation Commission Public Hearing

When:   Thursday, December 3, 2015 at 7:15 p.m.
Where:  Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 355 East Central Street.
Conservation Commission members will discuss proposed goals and objectives to be included in the 2016 OSRP, and ask for input from the public on all open space preservation and recreation issues.
community painted fish at the Sculpture Park
community painted fish at the Sculpture Park

Open Space & Recreation 2015 Citizen Participation Questionnaire

As part of the public input process the DPCD is conducting a survey; results of the Open Space & Recreation Citizen Participation Questionnaire will inform Town officials how Franklin residents feel about preservation of open space and the adequacy of parks and recreation opportunities.

Completed surveys will be accepted until December 4, 2015, at which time the DPCD will assess the collected data and develop a summary report which will include a fairly detailed analysis of specific variables.

The Questionnaire is attached. Copies of the Questionnaire can be downloaded from the Town's web site (http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Planning/openspaceplan), or hard copies of the Questionnaire can be obtained at any of the following locations: Franklin Recreation Department, Franklin Town Library, Franklin Senior Center, and Franklin Department of Planning and Community Development.

Completed Questionnaires can be returned to the locations mentioned above or mailed, faxed, or scanned and emailed to the following.

Franklin Open Space & Recreation Planning Study
C/O Planning and Community Development
355 East Central Street
Franklin, MA 02038-1352

Stakeholder Meetings

DPCD staff will hold meetings with non-profit organizations, town personnel, and other stake holders upon request.  Please contact DPCD staff at 508-520-4907 or planning@franklin.ma.us for more information.

Written Comments

Written comments can be mailed or emailed to DPCD staff at the address listed above.  To ensure your input is included in the development of the 2016 Open Space and Recreation Plan please provide written comments by December 4, 2015.

playground at DelCarte
playground at DelCarte 

Other Opportunities to Provide Input?

Once the Draft 2016 OSRP is developed the Town will implement a month-long public comment period, which will include at least one public hearing to gather input regarding the Draft plan.  DPCD expects a Final plan will be submitted to the State for approval by February or March 2016.

Questions?

Please contact DPCD at 508-520-4907 or planning@franklin.ma.us if you have any questions or would like more information.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Live reporting - Zoning Workshop (part 2)


B. Areas for Discussion requested by Economic Development Committee

1. Increase areas for Multi-family Housing

why are discussing increasing areas for housing when we were discussing that this residential housing is costing us money

it is a difficult situation with the way the State is funding education. 

about 1200 apartments and condos in Franklin

we have to fix zone 6 first, it doesn't really fit on the map, no one has asked for it

zone 6 had been stopped before because it was helping to drive the school population

multifamily zone doesn't discriminate between rental or condo

2. Increase areas for Commercial/ Business Development
brings up the RT 140 discussion again
what is the right area to increase commercial within the town

in the current industrial area downtown Thompson building, but then it is next to the train station and it is not prime for residential

Bernon Family trust owns the land near the town line past Garelick Dairy

be aware of issues where zones come together, home owners are used to the buffer

only 2% of the land is zoned commercial, 18% is zoned industrial, and 80% is zoned residential

re-write neighbor and put that on the map would address the need

what is the benefit of more commercial space? does it put more money in our pocket?

we need commercial/industrial more than residential. A property owner pays about $5K and one kid in the schools cost $10K

the only way you control what goes on in your neighborhood is to own the land

consider getting Garelick to Maple St to re-zone as commercial


discussion on Washington St property with industrial switched to residential



2. Other Proposed Zoning Changes
Commercial I Zoning District

  • Amend the dimensional requirements for Commercial I in the Town’s Zoning By-law’s Schedule of Lot, Area, Frontage, Yard and Height Requirements
  • Amend the Town’s Zoning Bylaw to require sufficient parking in the Commercial I zoning district.

zoning comparisons are hard to make from community to community, each has been so customized for the local requirements

consensus to leave C1 alone


meeting closed

Thursday, October 10, 2013

"contrary to the theory of 'smart growth'"

The Milford Daily News updates the vote that the Planning Board needed to do over due to some procedural issue violations with the original vote.
Upon second look, the Planning Board on Monday voted not to endorse zoning legislation allowing a specific development on the Cook’s Farm property. 
The five zoning bylaw amendments, taken together, create a new residential district for Cook’s Farm that permits several single-family units on one parcel, provided the developer meets certain requirements. 
If accepted by the Town Council, the district could be used for similar developments.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x980104331/Franklin-Planning-Board-opposes-Cook-s-Farm-zoning#ixzz2hJNeUns9


I copied the Housing Section from the recently approved Master Plan to let you read and see how many of the Master Plan objectives are met by this zoning bylaw change. You can find the full Master Plan document online here http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/pages/FranklinMA_Planning/masterplandoc/doc


Goals and Objectives
Policy Statement: Support in-fill housing practices and provide for all affordability options,
giving Franklin’s residents the opportunity to maintain a decent standard of living.

Franklin recently created a Housing Plan which was adopted in 2008 by the Commonwealth.
This plan helped the Housing and Circulation Sub-committee form the goals and objectives
listed below.

Goal 1: Provide the appropriate mix of housing alternatives that meet the needs of Franklin based employment.

Objective 1.1: Assess current and projected employment within the Town, and propose policy and zoning changes to assure adequate workforce housing is provided.

Objective 1:2: Encourage development of a mix of rental and owner-occupied housing units that are affordable to Franklin’s workforce.

Objective 1.3: Encourage development of workforce housing in areas of Town where property is underutilized or needs redevelopment, and where walking distance of Rail service is available.
Please refer to Goal 1 in the Land Use section of this document.

Objective 1.4: Create zoning that would allow for workforce housing in appropriate areas of Town

Goal 2: Support development of affordable housing opportunities for low, moderate and middle-income households. (See Appendix H: 2011 Affordable Housing Strategy – Program Recommendations)

Objective 2.1: Seek adoption of Chapter 40R: Smart Growth Zoning Overlay District, in appropriate area of town.

Goal 3: Assure residential developments requiring special permits are concentrated where adequate utilities are available and where proposed project impacts will not significantly impact roadway circulation level of service.

Objective 3.1: Evaluate housing development plans to assure proposed projects utilize existing infrastructure in the most cost effective manner, and where capacity can be sufficiently increased in the most cost effective manner, as well as encourage 10% affordable housing in any new residential development.

Goal 4: Encourage, rezone as required, and support housing appropriate for expected future demographics.

Objective 4.1: Support the development of housing opportunities for seniors and the elderly.

Objective 4.2: Change zoning to allow for the expansion of “in law” apartments in the existing single family homes.

Objective 4.3: Encourage the development of smaller housing units to better meet the needs of a younger generation of households.

Goal 5: Encourage future housing developments to take advantage of public transportation resources, including the MBTA commuter rail, and GATRA bus service.

Objective 5.1: Promote mixed-use, Transit-Oriented Development in appropriate areas.
Please refer to Goal 2 and related objectives in the Land Use section of this document.

Objective 5.2: Encourage development of housing near public transportation, including the MBTA stations in Downtown Franklin and the Forge Park Station.

Goal 6: Support sustainable development, renewable energy and recycling initiatives, low impact development, and other “Green” activities during all public and privately funded housing developments (Refer to Section 9 of the Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP), Objective 4.3 and subsequent actions.)

Objective 6.1: Seek adoption of Community Preservation Act (CPA) (Refer to Section 9 of the OSRP, Objective 4.2 and subsequent actions).
Please refer to Natural, Cultural & Historic Resources Objective 5.4.


Sunday, September 29, 2013

"It’s a great roadmap"

Yes, Master Plans are important. In this summary by the MetroWest Daily News, you can tell this had been prepared in advance of publishing today. Franklin's Master plan was approved at the Town Council meeting this past Wednesday (Sep 25).
After spending several years working to update the master plan, Loomis said town officials will continue to use the plan to help guide the town’s future development. 
"There’s always work to be done," said Loomis. "The master plan is a living, working document." 
After nearly three years of public hearings and visioning meetings, Franklin is on the cusp of updating its master plan for the first time since 1997. Planning Board members will likely accept the plan early next month, said Town Planner Beth Dahlstrom.

Read more: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x1155167798/Towns-craft-blueprints-for-their-futures#ixzz2gHN7QJUP

The Master Plan for Franklin can be found here
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/pages/FranklinMA_Planning/masterplandoc/doc

Franklin Matters reporting on the Master Plan can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/public-hearing-draft-2013-master-plan.html
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/master-plan-mission-and-vision.html
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/master-plan-required-summer-reading.html

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Divided Council moves zoning bylaw changes to second reading

In my reporting on this current Council, there have been very few instances where a vote was less than unanimous. On Wednesday, the zoning bylaw changes put forward to allow development of the Cook's Farm property ultimately passed by a 5-2 vote. There were only seven of the nine Councilors voting as two recused themselves for connections to the property or family in some way.

It is telling that the two 'No' votes rose from Tina Powderly (who has approached everything she has done with professional integrity and intelligence) and Glenn Jones (the subcommittee chair of the Economic Development Committee). One of the key arguments against the proposal as outlined by Councilor Powderly was how this proposal did not fit with anything in the Master Plan which had been also presented on Wednesday and approved unanimously by the Council. Primarily it allows for higher density development when Franklin has been operating since the 1990's to managed its growth.

The population grew rapidly due to development of the farms, increasing the need for schools which we were fortunate to build with much State help while we were growing. That help (read funds) has dried up and instead of increasing to meet our current needs has flatten out and started to decline. Franklin is dependent upon State funds to operate. We do need to grow to expand our tax base. That is the only way we can get help. But putting in additional homes may not be the best way at this time to do so.

There are additional problems with this proposal. The Planning Board will re-do their vote on the changes. Apparently during the meeting on Monday, the motion to approve the bylaws was made before the hearing closed, comments on the measure were not properly solicited, and while the vote did pass, one member has retracted their vote due to the situation. Planning Board Chair Tony Padula explained these 'house keeping' steps were needed. He expects to be able to re-do the vote properly during their next meeting October 7th. This is still before the Town Council can take the measures up for their second reading on Oct 16th.

There was also discussion around the dead end calculation and how it should be handled. Why the fuss over this? A safety issue. If the streets are too narrow emergency vehicles can not get in and turn around to deal with an emergency. If the road in is also the only road out, it could create a situation where an emergency vehicle needing to leave to transport patients to the hospital can not get out of the development. This situation would be created by allowing higher density development in a smaller space allowing for profit to the property owners and developer but putting the residents at risk in case of an emergency.

I agree with the 'No' vote caste by Councilors Powderly and Jones. Rushing into this change in zoning bylaws can have a lasting effect on Franklin. The Master Plan was just approved. We should spend time putting those recommendations into place so that Franklin can be a place to live safely in the future, not just now.

Additional links with the "live reporting" from the Town Council meeting can be found here:



Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Live reporting - Master Plan

Jeff Roy provides an overview of the changes from the comment period and then reads the introduction to the final version of the report. (copy to be provided later)

Dear Fellow Residents 
We have long known that Franklin is a community committed to high-quality education and the superb delivery of public services. It is part of what drove us all here to live, work, and raise families. Indeed, our community has been recognized by Family Circle magazine as one of the Top 10 places to raise a family, is at the top of the 100 safest cities to live according to Neighborhood Scout, and was recently ranked 10th among the Top 100 places to live and launch a business by CNN/Money. Once a busy hub for the production of straw bonnets back in the 18th and 19th centuries, Franklin has diversified tremendously since then and hosts a 360-acre industrial park, a single tax rate for businesses and residents, trails for hikers and bikers, two commuter rail stations, and two exits off I-495 that offer easy access to Boston,
Worcester, and Providence, RI. 
Committed to continuously improving the quality of life for everyone in our community, Franklin has developed—over many months and with input from a wide array of constituencies—a vision for its future as well as goals, principles, and a plan to support and implement that vision. This undertaking, encompassed within these pages, is a comprehensive Master Plan that seeks to ensure that the Town of Franklin can continue to meet its current and ongoing economic, social, and environmental needs without compromising the future for succeeding generations. 
We began with a vision of Franklin as a vibrant community that supports the arts, non-profit organizations, higher education, and businesses in an atmosphere that allows growth and prosperity, while at the same time conserving our heritage, natural resources, and history. Also, we are committed to building on and celebrating that uniqueness as a community, maintaining the quality of life that is our strength and competitive advantage. 
This Master Plan is a blueprint for our future that will help to guide our choices and decisions as a Town. It is a report to the community that sets forth a policy framework to guide town decision makers in the future, and it advances an action agenda to achieve the town’s vision. Indeed, it is a plan for smart growth that balances preservation of our exceptional natural and cultural heritage and our quality of life with the pursuit of new and exciting opportunities for economic growth. 
The Plan was designed, in part, to fulfill the requirements of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 41, §81D, for the development of municipal comprehensive or master plans. Citizen participation was crucial to its development, and it will be vital to its implementation over the next five to ten years. Aside from the invaluable knowledge that residents bring to the planning process, citizen participation is the only way to ensure that both majority and minority perspectives will be heard, evaluated, and accounted for as the Plan evolves. It is a “living document” which is meant to address and respond to the goals and aspirations of the community for the course and direction of our town. 
The implementation tool included within the Plan is vital to its success. The goals and objectives can, in many instances, be measured by comparing actual performance with the quantitative targets included in the implementation component of the Plan. We trust that the Town’s decision makers, guided by an Implementation Committee, will use this as a structure for acting upon our recommendations. We realize that the goals, objectives, and actions outlined in this Plan are ambitious and comprehensive, but they were created to address the desires, needs, and concerns of the residents of Franklin. 
We have all enjoyed the opportunity to serve Franklin over the past two years, and we offer this Master Plan with our best wishes and intentions. We stand ready to help and assist with its implementation and look forward to continued success and good fortune for our friends and neighbors in Franklin.
signed - very truly yours
Jeffrey N. Roy
Master Plan Committee Chair


The document and sections thereof, can be found here
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/pages/FranklinMA_Planning/masterplandoc/doc

Thanks to the Planning Dept and their hard work, we could not have delivered this without their help.

Pfeffer - referring to the use of the term 'work force housing' the emphasis on the term is contrary to the way Franklin has grown. there is a recommendation to increase funding. No one would disagree with that but I have trouble with this phrasing.

Roy - we did spend time discussing this, the term is standard in the planning arena. It may be misunderstood. It is a term of art that we felt should remain in their. It is not to lower the quality. I do agree with you that where the money will come from is an issue. I have read multiple annual reports and I have one on my desk where the citizens are asking about where they are going to come up with funding for schools. These goals are lofty. The decisions will be left to you as leaders for this community. It is not a statement of what we are going to do, it is a goal. I appreciate your input. We felt it was important.

Motion to accept, passed 9-0

Vallee - We will set up a committee to work the actions