Comment period open until March 25, 2025 on Environmental Assessment for Veterans Memorial Drive Extension

The Town has received an $850,000 Community Project Funding (CPF) grant through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funds will be combined with a portion of our FY2023 Massachusetts MassWorks Infrastructure Program grant to construct the Veterans Memorial Drive Extension in Franklin, which will extend the existing public right-of-way through an undeveloped tract of land to support the future construction of the Franklin Ridge Senior Affordable Housing Project.

The Town has recently completed an environment assessment (EA) of the Veterans Memorial Drive Extension project’s potential impacts, and has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment.

 
Anyone disagreeing with this determination or wishing to comment on the project may submit to the Town of Franklin’s Department of Planning & Community Development.  All comments received by March 25, 2025 will be considered by the Town of Franklin prior to submission of a request for release of funds.  

On or about March 26, 2025 the Town plans to submit a Request for Release of Funds and Certification to HUD for the release of the $850,000 in CPF HUD funding.

Attached is a combined Notice that satisfies two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the Town: a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) notice; and a Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds (NOI-RROF).  

Thank you for your attention to this issue.

Bryan W. Taberner, AICP

Director of Planning and Community Development

355 East Central Street

Franklin, MA 02038-1352

Phone: 508-520-4907

Email: btaberner@franklinma.gov

Attached is a combined Notice ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_OXYwHNKaih9PkWieLoasKT5hpziuwOT/view?usp=drive_link

Comment period open until March 25, 2025 on Environmental Assessment for Veterans Memorial Drive Extension

Jamie leads the group on 5 hot topics in this "Talk Franklin" episode (audio)

FM #1382 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1382 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares our “Talk Franklin” discussion with Town Administrator Jamie Hellen in the Municipal Building on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.  

Several folks joined in this roundtable discussion on a variety of hot topics around development. Joining the discussion 

• Breeka Li Goodlander, Conservation Director

• Cathleen Liberty, Health Director

• Bryan Taberner, Director of Planning & Community Development

• Joel D’Errico, Franklin resident & developer

• Joe Halligan, Franklin resident & developer

• Brad Chaffee, Franklin resident & developer for Camford Property Group  

• Gus Brown, Building Commissioner

Key topics

• Main development issue, change

• Then 5 things that are top complaints

• Traffic

• Density

• Environmental concerns

• Too many school children

• Character of the Town

The recording runs about 1 Hour & 40 minutes. Let’s listen to this conversation on Franklin’s development hot topics. Audio link -> https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/letstalkfranklin/episodes/Talk-Franklin---A-Podcast-from-the-Town-Administrators-Office-e2f34do/a-aatdjc7

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Town of Franklin page  https://www.franklinma.gov/ 

Community calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar 

Master Plan (as approved by Planning Board & Town Council)

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4018/Final-Report 

Jimmy McMillen, founder of the “Rent is too Damn High Party”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rent_Is_Too_Damn_High_Party

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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

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

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"

Jamie leads the group on 5 hot topics in this "Talk Franklin" episode (audio)

Schmidt's Farm & Maple Hill Planning Session scheduled for Oct 16

Schmidt's Farm & Maple Hill Planning Session

We want you to participate!

Schmidt's Farm & Maple Hill Planning Session

Come join us at the Franklin Senior Center (10 Daniel McCahill Street) on Wednesday, October 16 from 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM to see preliminary concept designs, existing conditions, and speak to Town staff and our consulting planners for Schmidt's Farm and the Maple Hill Conservation Area. Light refreshments will be provided. Be sure to bring your input!

Not able to attend? No problem! Please utilize this form to view the draft concept designs and provide feedback: https://forms.gle/p68XWq4c13Bf2jrx8

Feedback must be submitted by 1 PM on Friday, October 18.

Shared from ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/conservation/news/schmidts-farm-maple-hill-planning-session

Town of Franklin: Municipal Building Renovation Update - Many Departments now working remotely

Municipal Building Renovation Update

IN-PERSON ACCESS TO THE FOLLOWING DEPARTMENTS IS TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE DUE TO RENOVATIONS. ALL DEPARTMENTS ARE FULLY STAFFED AND WORKING REMOTELY.

• BUILDING DEPARTMENT - Please call 508-520-4926 and someone will call you back.  Department contact numbers, business cards and forms can be found outside the department door. 
• BOARD OF HEALTH - Please call 508-520-4929 and someone will call you back.

• 

  Many Departments now working remotely

  TREASURER/COLLECTOR - Please call 508-520-4950 and someone will call you back. Drive-up window is not available. Payments can be left in the WHITE drop box located at the corner of the Municipal Building.  There will also be a Treasurer/Collector employee located in the Town Clerk's office to accept payments. You may also contact us by emailing treasurer@franklinma.gov.
• CONSERVATION - Please call or email our Conservation Agent Breeka Li Goodlander at 508-520-4929 / bgoodlander@franklinma.gov and she will get back to you. Her business card will be located in front of the building department doors.
• PLANNING DEPARTMENT - Please call 508-553-4852 or email our Town Planner Amy Love at alove@franklinma.gov and she will get back to you. Business cards are in front of the building department doors.

The ASSESSORS DEPT staff are working onsite in the Municipal Building.  They are currently located in the 3rd floor conference room. Take elevator up to 3rd floor, turn left, and turn left again at the end of the hall. 

Shared from -> https://www.franklinma.gov/home/urgent-alerts/municipal-building-renovation-update

May 2024 - Veterans' Council Meeting and Memorial Day Parade Planning

May 2024 - Veterans' Council Meeting and Memorial Day Parade Planning

Thursday, May 16 - 7:00 pm - Senior Center

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE/CEREMONY VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED! 

CALL OUR OFFICE TO SIGN UP: (508) 613-1315

Shared from -> https://www.franklinma.gov/veterans-services/news/may-2024-veterans-council-meeting-and-memorial-day-parade-planning

May 2024 - Veterans' Council Meeting and Memorial Day Parade Planning

Making Sense of Climate: Ted & I talk emergency preparedness with Chief McLaughlin (audio)

FM #1030 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1030 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist via the Zoom conference bridge Thursday, July 27, 2023.  

In this episode we welcome Town of Franklin (ToF) Fire Chief James McLaughlin. The Chief is also the ToF Emergency Management Director. Given the headlines and climate weather related emergencies around us, it was a good time to talk about Franklin’s planning efforts.  Links to the articles we talk of are located in a section below.  

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 42 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Ted McIntyre and Chief McLaughlin as we help ‘make sense of climate.’

Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1030-making-sense-of-climate-29-07-27-23

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Links to articles referenced:

Resources available on Town page https://www.franklinma.gov/fire-department/pages/emergency-preparedness 

Hazard mitigation plan https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/franklin_ma_hazard_mitigation_plan_2020_update_-_adopted_01-06-21.pdf 

Home emergency guide https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/uploads/home_emergency_guide_2018.pdf 

The Mass Emergency Mgt Agency (MEMA) posted a reminder on important docs to have ready in an emergency (good timing!)

Mass Emergency Mgt Agency (MEMA) posted a reminder on important docs to have ready in an emergency (good timing!)

Not to be left out, the Federal Emergency Mgt Agency (FEMA - they must have been listening to us) just released a planning guide for working on climate change emergencies -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/19CHPJsmBN40DMKlBea9RKbqiE6lf_--G/view?usp=drive_link

** See the page that collects all 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 www.franklin.news/ or  www.Franklinmatters.org/ 

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"

Making Sense of Climate: Ted & I talk emergency preparedness with Chief McLaughlin (audio)

School Committee approves "Comprehensive School Facility Planning" effort (video)

The School Committee met on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 as scheduled and completed business without student updates (school vacation) or any presentations (summer time) with a brief Executive Session and the total was within an hour. A rare but worthy accomplishment.

• Getting ready to report on the School Committee meeting at 7 PM follow along with the agenda #schcom0726  https://www.franklinps.net/sites/g/files/vyhlif4431/f/agendas/scagenda_7-25-23.pdf
• Chair Spencer opens meeting, gets right to the Supt Giguere report on the activity this summer. Administrator pretreat the day after school ended to close and reflect on the past school year. #schcom0725 retreat next week, 3 days, asst and principals together
• Planning and strategic planning key topic, to be held at Dean College; MSAA executive institute for Lucas, Paula & Tina at the Cape recently, how to move from striving to thriving, budget development also a key topic #schcom0725
• Elementary literacy materials arrived, being distributed to the schools, 30 openings currently but a moving # as candidates are in process, HS experience, new teacher orientation, professional development before schools starts, report and dates coming in writing
• Clarification q, 2 asst principals open at this time. No presentations, now discussion action items
• Space Needs & Facilities Assessment Sub Committee - I recommend that the School Committee dissolve the Space Needs & Facilities Assessment Sub Committee as detailed motion to approve, second, passes 7-0
• School Facilities Master Planning Subcommittee - I recommend that the School Committee establish a School Facilities Master Planning Subcommittee as detailed motion to approve, second, Amended to be Comprehensive School Facility Planning Subcmte, passes 7-0; Second vote to pass formation of committee as amended, passes 7-0
• Off-site/retreat working on an overall calendar for meetings and subcommittee meetings to make them as predictable as possible, likely ready in a couple of weeks #schcom0725
• Consent agenda recommended to be approved, moved, second, passes 7-0
• Order for Committee comments, Callaghan advises participating in Joint Budget Subcmte meeting Aug 2
• Motion to executive session, to return to open meeting, second, passes 7-0 via roll call We will hang out for this one, not supposed to be a long session. Stay tuned!
• Ok, about to return to open session
• Called back to order, motion to adjourn, via roll call passes 7-0 That's all for tonight catch you next time!
  

My notes captured via Twitter can also be downloaded in one PDF ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B6e2erfStEAvBxEN7GfhZHU7gIxni4t6/view?usp=drive_link

Franklin TV video replay -> https://www.youtube.com/live/C-AM9cmYqSU

Franklin, MA: School Committee Meeting - July 25, 2023 at 7 PM

Master Plan Update Committee gets sworn in, goes over introductions, will split into 5 subcommittees for detail work (video)

The Master Plan Update Committee met for the first time on Wednesday, June 14 at 6:30 PM. Twelve of the committee present were sworn in, one was remote and will be sworn in later. The 13 member committee will split into 5 subcommittees each responsible for their own goals, workflows, and coordinating through the Planning Dept for support. 

The meeting video is available for replay ->   https://www.youtube.com/live/uQjupaOHK-o

The agenda doc is rich with links to the prior master plan and associated materials     https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/june_14_2023_mp_agenda_0.pdf

 The Master Plan update Committee page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/master-plan-update-committee

My notes captured during the meeting can be found in one PDF file ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XUd8eMitR2P9x6RrzkNklg-lPFYqa-tm/view?usp=drive_link

Note the meeting begins about 2:15 into the recording

Agenda for the initial Master Plan Committee meeting Wednesday, June 14, 2023 - 6:30 PM

Agenda for the initial Master Plan Committee meeting Wednesday, June 14, 2023 - 6:30 PM

Master Plan Committee 

Agenda for June 14, 2023 6:30 PM

Meeting will be held at the Municipal Building Town Council Chambers

355 East Central Street

1. Swearing in of Master Plan Committee Members 

- by Town Clerk Nancy Danello

2. Introductions

a. Town Council

b. Planning Board

c. Zoning Board

d. Conservation Commission

e. Members At-Large

f. BETA & Barrett

3. Rules, Policies, and Procedures

a. In-House Communications, Town Emails, and Data Collection storage

i. Google Town Emails, use of.

ii. Google Drive for DATA/Information Storage (Amy Love)

b. Robert's Rules of Order

c. State Open Meeting Law

i. Open Meeting Law Guide and Educational Materials | Mass.gov

d. Commonwealth of Massachusetts, General Law on Master Plans

i. MGL Section 81D: Master plan; economic development supplement

4. Current 2013 Master Plan Document

a. 2013 Master Plan Document

b. Goals & Policies

c. Land Use

d. Natural, Cultural and Historic Resources

e. Open Space and Recreation

f. Circulation

g. Housing

h. Economic Development

i. Community Services and Facilities

j. Implementation Plan

5. Committee Charge:

a. Master Plan Charge

b. Five Sub-Committees

i. Land Use & Zoning Subcommittee (6 Members)

ii. Housing & Economic Development (3 Members)

iii. Community Services, Facilities, & Circulation (3 Members)

iv. Sustainability (3 Members)

v. Open Space & Recreation and Natural, Cultural, & Historic Resources (4 Members)

The agenda doc also contains remote participation info ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif10036/f/agendas/june_14_2023_mp_agenda_0.pdf

 The Master Plan update Committee page -> https://www.franklinma.gov/master-plan-update-committee

Agenda for the initial Master Plan Committee meeting Wednesday, June 14, 2023 - 6:30 PM

April Veterans' Council Meeting - Thursday, Apr 27 - 7 PM

Join us! Thursday, April 27, 2023 - 7:00 p.m.

The April Veterans' Council/Memorial Day Parade meeting will be held on Thursday, April 27, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the Senior Center.

We'll move back to our regular schedule, the third Thursday of the month, in May. That meeting will be held on Thursday, May 18 at 7:00 p.m. at the Senior Center.

All Franklin residents interested in Veterans' activities and events are welcome to join us!

April Veterans' Council Meeting - Thursday, Apr 27 - 7 PM

Talking about the Master Plan Committee with Glenn Jones - 02/06/23 (audio)

FM #941 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 941 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Town Councilor Glenn Jones. We met in the Franklin TV & Radio Studio to talk about the opportunity to help develop the “Master Plan” for Franklin. 

The Committee was recently established by the Town Council (01/04/23 meeting). Glenn has just been appointed as Chair. Councilor Cobi Frongillo will be Vice-Chair and Councilor Melanie Hamblen will be Clerk of the committee.

Applications for the 6 resident members of the committee are open and due by March 3, 2023.

The audio recording runs about 38 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Glenn on the Master Plan and all that it will involve. Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-941-master-plan-opportunity-with-glenn-jones-02-06-23

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Applications for the Master Plan committee and other volunteer opportunities as discussed https://www.franklinma.gov/home/news/town-volunteer-opportunities

Master Plan charter (Town Council resolution creating committee) ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/9h._23-07_master_plan_update_comm.pdf 

Master Plan from 2013 (full 200+ pages) ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/planning-community-development/files/master-pan-2013 

Master Plan from 2013 (abridged version) -> 

https://www.franklinma.gov/planning-community-development/files/goals-policies-and-implementation-plan 

Master Plan update as of 2020 ->

https://www.franklinma.gov/planning-community-development/files/2020-master-plan-update 

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

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"

The current Master Plan was completed in 2013 and due for an update