Changes to Downtown Parking Effective July 1, 2023

Effective July 1st, 2023, many parking regulations will change in downtown Franklin. As part of our communication to the public, we would like to remind the community to check all parking signs and street signs throughout the summer as they may continue to change. The Town will continue to communicate throughout the summer on any additional announcements or changes as they occur. Below is a short summary. 

Downtown Parking Lot Rates

Effective July 1, 2023

Depot Street Municipal Parking Lot & Ferrara's Municipal Parking Lot ONLY

Monday - Friday

Times listed below refer to when a customer arrives and begins parking. All parking is first come, first serve and payment can be done via phone app, debit/credit card and coins on a Flowbird payment kiosk. The quarterly lottery permit is not required. Parking rates are:

5:00 AM to 12:00 PM - $3.00 flat rate all day* 

12:00 PM to 6:00 PM - $2.00 flat rate 

6:00 PM through curfew is Free!

Please note there is no overnight parking allowed. Police take notice and violators will be susceptible to a $50.00 fine, per violation. *The Administration and Town Council are working to tidy up the parking bylaw that will make the parking lots effective at 5:00 AM for the first commuter train. The final enactment of this change is expected to be in effect for the beginning of August. The Police will not give tickets to those commuters between 5:00 to 6:00 AM during the month of July or until the bylaw is changed (signage will be posted appropriately and timely).

Saturday & Sunday

All daytime and evening parking on weekends is free! Please note there is no overnight parking allowed. Police take notice and violators will be susceptible to a $50.00 fine, per violation.

 

Downtown On-Street Parking Modifications

Effective July 1, 2023

• All street parking on residential side streets within the downtown, where allowed, has been merged from two zones into one consistent zone. Monday to Friday 8-2 2HR Parking on certain residential side streets. 
• The Central Business Corridor on East Central Street (Alpine PL to the Bridge) through Downtown Main Street (the Bridge to Emmons Street) has a new zone of regulations. 
  • Monday through Saturday 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM 2 HR parking maximum. 
  • No overnight parking seven days a week from 2:00 AM to 6:00 AM. 
• Some traffic violations have increased, notably a No Overnight Parking violation is $50.00. A new list of violations and tickets are Appendix A of the Franklin Town Code.

Additional Information

• Download the Flowbird Kiosk App for your phone. Kiosks have been installed at the Depot Street and Ferrara's Municipal Parking Lot to accept parking payment. The kiosks accept coin and card, mobile card processing is also available via the Flowbird Kiosk App.
• For online ticketing, please visit the Town's website. If you wish to appeal a ticket, please contact the Treasurer-Collector at 508-520-4950. 
• The Town is working toward developing materials to promote the new downtown parking availability and will be distributed after Labor Day. A portal has been created on the Franklin Police Department website. 
• There will be parking regulations in effect in the Davis-Thayer lot and the Library Parking lots. No overnight parking is allowed in either lot.

Shared from -> https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/changes-downtown-parking-effective-july-1st-2023

Changes to Downtown Parking Effective July 1, 2023

Hear about green banking and more in this Making Sense of Climate episode with State Rep Jeff Roy - 11/15/22 (audio)

FM #887 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 887 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist. For this session we were joined by State Representative Jeffrey Roy. We recorded this via the Zoom conference bridge Tuesday, November 15, 2022.  

In this episode we covered the following topics: 

• Green banking, what is it?

• Smart metering, better able to manage use by knowing what and when it is being used; rebate potential for off-peak use

• Grimsby, England and video segment on 60 Minutes; Franklin Sheet Metal part of the developing ecosystem being built to support green energy

• Building net zero stretch code opt in, pilot with 10 communities to gain lessons learned; Clean Heat Report due Nov 2022

• How Will it be working on climate legislation with the new Governor

This discussion continues our journey understanding the MA roadmap toward net zero and while it helps me “make sense of climate”, we hope it helps with your understanding as well. 

If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session.  

The conversation runs about 59 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Ted and Jeff  Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-887-making-sense-of-climate-19-11-15-22

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Grimsby, England and 60 Minutes video segment

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/wind-energy-grimsby-england-60-minutes-video-2022-10-16/#x 

Elton John “Grimsby”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7K3ddSNGbA 

Link to Channel 5 piece on MassSave -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/11/representative-roy-addresses-masssave.html 

See the page that collects the “Making Sense of Climate” episodes -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/02/making-sense-of-climate-collection.html 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Windblade testing at Wind Technology Testing Center

Now that the Climate bill was signed, what's next? State Rep Jeff Roy joins Ted & I to answer that question and more (audio)

FM #859 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 859 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist. We recorded this via the Zoom conference bridge Monday, October 3, 2022.  

We are joined by our special guest, MA State Representative Jeff Roy. The last time Jeff was with us (August) we were all waiting for the governor to take action on the recent climate legislation. It had worked its way through the MA House & Senate, the Conference Committee, back through both the MA House & Senate and sat on Governor Baker’s desk until he did sign it.

In this episode our conversation covered the following topics: 

• legislation passed, signed, now what's next

• electric rate, municipal aggregation, home electricity monitoring

• Site visits; White House, Schneider Electric, Andover; Millstone Nuclear Plant in CT

• MassSave options

This discussion continues our journey understanding the MA roadmap toward net zero and while it helps me “make sense of climate”, we hope it helps with your understanding as well. 

If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session.  

The conversation runs about 53 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Ted and State Rep Jeff Roy.

Audio file ->   https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-858-ma-state-representative-jeff-roy-10-04-22

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Mass Save to sign up for an energy audit -> https://www.masssave.com/ 

White House visit -  https://twitter.com/jeffroy/status/1570067557687738370 

Millstone Nuclear plant visit ->https://twitter.com/jeffroy/status/1576180037132292096   

See the page that collects the “Making Sense of Climate” episodes -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/02/making-sense-of-climate-collection.html 

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

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-clean-energy-and-climate-plan-for-2025-and-2030

Did you get your water meter replaced yet?

We had ours replaced earlier this year and it was quick and easy. The post card arrived, we made the appointment, they arrived as scheduled and 15 minutes later were out the door.

"The Franklin Water Department has initiated a water meter replacement program. The installations will be done by a private contractor called USI Services. Please keep an eye out for a postcard from Thielsch Engineering/USI. The program will start with residents who have the oldest meters, so not all residents will receive a postcard. 

If you do receive a post card, please follow the instructions on the card and set up an appointment at your earliest convenience. To set up an appointment please call the number on the card NOT the DPW office. All installers will have uniforms, photo ID badges, and will be driving clearly marked vehicles.

**Some customers recently received their first notice letter but they say second notice. We apologize for the confusion, but please respond to the card at your earliest convenience!** 

If you have any questions, please contact the DPW at 508-520-4910."

DPW webpage image

http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_PublicWorks/General_Pages/Meter%20Replacement

Franklin DPW: Water Meter Replacement Program

The Franklin Water Department has begun its water meter replacement program and you may be receiving a postcard in the mail from our installer.  

The installations will be done by a private contractor called USI Services.  Please keep an eye out for a postcard from USI which is a division of Thielsch Engineering.  The program will start with residents who have the oldest meters, so not all residents will receive a postcard. 

If you do receive a post card, please follow the instructions on the card and set up an appointment at your earliest convenience.  All installers will have uniforms, photo ID badges, and will be driving clearly marked vehicles.  

If you have any questions, please contact the DPW at 508-520-4910.  Thank you and have a great week.

This e-mail has been sent to you by TOWN OF FRANKLIN. To maximize their communication with you, you may be receiving this e-mail in addition to a phone call with the same message.