Showing posts with label public meeting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label public meeting. Show all posts

Friday, January 11, 2019

"the Commission was unable to come to an agreement on joint recommendations"

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

"After holding on to their public records law exemption in a landmark 2016 reform law aimed at making government more transparent, lawmakers assigned to come up with ways to open up the Legislature have now blown past two deadlines and are entering 2019 without consensus recommendations. 
In late 2017, as a statutory deadline approached for a commission tasked with studying the public availability of legislative records and information, the group had yet to meet, and lawmakers gave their colleagues on the panel another year to complete their work. 
The extra year, however, did not lead to the delivery of recommendations. The group of six representatives and six senators charged with examining legislative transparency and whether to apply public records law standards to the state Legislature is entering the 2019-2020 session, and near-term rules debates, with no report."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190110/legislative-commission-whiffs-on-public-records-report

For access to information on the Legislative Branch (both House and Senate)
https://www.mass.gov/topics/legislative-branch

Find information on the Legislative Branch of the Massachusetts state government
Find information on the Legislative Branch of the Massachusetts state government

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Ballot question on constitutional amendment

Note: this event was originally to be held in the new FHS, it will be held in the Horace Mann Middle School Auditorium.



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Ballot question talk on Monday, September 22

Corporations are not peopleOn Monday, September 22, 2014 at 7:30 p.m., author Jeff Clements will speak about his new book "Corporations are not People: Reclaiming Democracy from Big Money and Global Corporations." The talk will take place in the Thomas Mercer Auditorium at the Horace Mann School at 224 Oak Street in Franklin. Clements will also entertain questions from the audience following his presentation.

The talk is a public forum that will offer residents of the 10th Norfolk District information on the public policy question which will appear on the November 4, 2014 state election ballot. The ballot question asks essentially whether I, as your State Representative, should be instructed to vote in favor of a resolution calling for an amendment to the United States Constitution, stating that corporations are not people. This would be in response to the Citizens United decision, a U.S. constitutional law case dealing with the regulation of campaign spending by corporations.

Under Article XIX of the Massachusetts Constitution, Part I, the people have a right, in an orderly and peaceable manner, to assemble to consult upon the common good; give instructions to their representatives, and to request of the legislative body, by the way of addresses, petitions, or remonstrances, redress of the wrongs done them, and of the grievances they suffer. Over the summer, residents of the 10th Norfolk District signed petitions, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 53, section 19, asking that the ballot question on corporate person-hood be submitted to the voters.

The talk by Clements will offer background on the question posed and an introduction to his book on the topic. In his book, Clements explores the Citizens United decision, where the U.S. Supreme Court decided that corporations, as virtual persons, have the same free speech rights as living, breathing persons. He describes the strange history of the Citizens United ruling, its ongoing effects on democracy, and the growing movement to reverse it. He includes a new chapter, "Do Something!," showing how—state by state and community by community—Americans are using creative strategies and tools to renew democracy and curb unbalanced corporate power. Since the first edition, 16 states, 160 members of Congress, and 500 cities and towns have called for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, and the list is growing.

Jeff Clements is a cofounder of Free Speech for People, a nonpartisan campaign working to reverse Citizens United, restore equal citizenship for all Americans, and reform corporate law. Mr. Clements served as Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the Public Protection & Advocacy Bureau in the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office from early 2007 to 2009.  As Bureau Chief, he led more than 100 attorneys and staff in law enforcement and litigation in the areas of civil rights, environmental protection, healthcare, insurance and financial services, antitrust and consumer protection.  Mr. Clements also served as an Assistant Attorney General in Massachusetts from 1996 to 2000, where he worked on litigation against the tobacco industry and handled a wide range of other investigations and litigation to enforce unfair trade practice, consumer protection and antitrust laws. In 2012, he cofounded Whaleback Partners LLC, a funding partner for businesses engaged in sustainable food, agriculture, and local economies.

I hope that you will join us tomorrow evening for a thoughtful and timely discussion of this important public policy matter. I look forward to seeing you there.

Copyright © 2014 State Rep Jeff Roy, All rights reserved.
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Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Emmons St building discussion documents

The handouts from the meeting last week are available for reading and download.

Emmon St building seen from West Central St
Emmon St building seen from West Central St


From the American Planning Association "How cities use parks for ... Economic Development" (4 pages)




The Franklin Downtown Partnership input (2 pages)




The letter sent for the February meeting from Representative Jeff Roy (1 page)




Helen Chalk's suggestion sent to the Planning Dept via email (1 page)




Sue Sheridan's letter with the recommendation of a multipurpose cultural space (1 page)




The notes from the meeting last week on the future of the Emmons St building can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/03/live-reporting-emmons-st-public-meeting.html


Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Live reporting - Emmons St public meeting

Jeff Nutting opens with an overview of the evening, some conceptual drawings to be presented a couple of minutes each, followed by general discussion

photos of some of the design proposals from Allevato interns

Meghan's first up to describe her concept

Nick Testa's conceptual drawing
a park with Horace Mann theme, open to multiple 
Andrew Javier presenting for Juan who couldn't make it tonight
food stands, food trucks, and farmers market space

Corinne Javier presenting along with Andrew

mixed use retail or offices, with park space, terraced for performance space

Axel and David collaborated on this
a gravity well soaking everything in, build on this concept of urban fabric, the park as a gateway, a gem
mom and pop deli or intranet cafe

UMass Student coudn't be here tonight
UMass student couldn't be here tonight

The sale price would be dependent upon the use of the land and possible building. Lease option could also be considered.

The park would depend upon how much space would be used for it vs. the remainder of the lot, placement of the building, etc.

* Lisa Piana, Downtown Partnership Executive Director, presenting goals collected from the partnership members

  • enhance downtown center and support the downtown businesses
  • gateway property
  • encourage foot traffic and avoid traffic issues
  • safety of the area

Dean College students already cross in many spots in that area
Thanks to the Economic Development Committee for involving us in the planning process
We are happy to continue to work on this important piece of the downtown

* Paul Cheli, member of the Citizens Committee
important Recreation Dept already located in this space, need to maximize the revenue from the property to enhance what the Rec Dept does

  1. up front money to relocate the Rec Dept
  2. ongoing revenue of more than $20K per year
  3. reputation of the developer

If there is a desire for a park, there is a longer list of waiting for senior housing before

* Brian Kelly, Facilities Director for Dean College
highly interested in working with the town on development of the space
While economic growth is critical, folks will pay more for space closer to home that is green space and recreation
parks revived demand for neighboring office space in NYC according to a study quoted
organized events at the parks generate other revenues for neighboring businesses
where the sense of community is strong, the crime rates are down
it is not for the Dean students, this is for Franklin

* Sue Sheridan, representing the Franklin Art Association
agree that this property should be for community use, should not be just retail space
looking for space all over to get space to hold their art shows, forced to go to the library in Bellingham for their recent show
pursuing a cultural district designation, should be a cultural space, public performance space
perhaps even an art museum, get a 501(c)(3) org to leverage grants from the State to explore this

* AK Bistro owner
where is everybody going to park? you have to put the infrastructure in place before people can gather
there is a retail space next to us that is hard to fill because they are worried about parking
there needs to be more space for people to gather

* Jeff Roy, State Representative for Franklin and Medway
delighted to see that the proposals included a status of Horace Mann
since we are his birthplace, it is a shame that we don't have a fitting memorial place to recognize him
The FSPA are going to bring a live theater into that area
green space does have a way to bring people
the proposals are great ways to use this space
we are the home of the birthplace of the father of education

*Jim Schultz, member of the partnership
founded and based upon culture, arts, books, etc.
lesson from Lehigh Valley after the steel mills left, provide space where art and farmers can sell their wares
in all cases, the spaces are filled on the weekends
don't look short term on the sale proceeds, look long term to preserve art and culture

* (add name)
affordable care act, folks are utilizing the ER for their care
there is space downstairs could be used as a free clinic
a big supporter of what they want but also what they need, medical services, free legal services
not for selling it outright

*Debbie Pellegri, Town Clerk
it was the Horace Mann High School at one point and torn down
it needs to be a better building, a better design
I see too many brick buildings
we would love to see some green space
we have been talking about this for years, where we could put the status for Horace Mann
garden, gateway, welcome to Franklin
keep or sell, developer would be willing to work with us

* Tina Guarnio, retired art teacher
kids love art, they need a place to shine
having an area in this spot would be wonderful for the kids as well as the adults involved in the arts

* Gary Carrentino (?)
a triangle park in downtown Providence
weekend, farmers market, kids crafts,
Weds and Sat, look at it and see and bring it back here

* Bob Brown, resident
I see a parking garage in there, it wouldn't be any uglier than what is already there
the box theater would be looking for parking
parking in downtown gets people there
it could be a revenue generator

* Judy Pfeffer, Town Council
where does anyone think we are going to find a million dollars to put a park
a children's park on that corner is the worse space
it is a money thing, we don't have the capability to take this off the tax rolls

* AK Bistro owner clarify position
parking is needed,the geography is what it is, teach people that you can walk from one side to another
if you provide the resources to actually come downtown, there will be an incentive for businesses to come
there is a retraining that needs to happen

* Brian Kelly, again
evidence shows it brings revenue to town, it might not be much right now but it will be there forever

* Pandora Carlucci,
thanks for inviting the participation, I never thought about having the clinic and coupling the needs of the Food Pantry
think about who we are, we have before us an opportunity to consider what we want
it is a complicated decision
I drive by this site everyday, sometimes multiple times a day
we are very fortunate to be able to make this decision, we have time to make the decision
thank you for including Horace Mann

* Joel D'Errico, resident
 would like to touch on what Cheli mentioned to see if it could be kept in the municipal use
we have the need for retired senior housing, housing authority would control folks that live there
it would increase the foot traffic downtown

* Jeff Nutting
outside engineering evaluation on the road conditions, approx 45-50 million needed to bring the roads to currency; the council will put on for consideration, a debt override to put money to the roads and sidewalks
some years we can give money for roads, some years we can't
would people support a dedicated override, not a regular override, but dedicated to this purpose, a provision added later

* Cheli
45-50 M is a conservative answer

*Nutting
Davis Thayer may be closed in a couple of year given the student population decline

* Andy Bissanti, Town Council
what would you perceive of the timing and construction for the project?

* Calareese
would be dictated by the RFP,
it is important that the curb cuts get integrated prior to the project to get done

* Glenn Jones, Town Council
thanks for coming out tonight for sharing your ideas

* Nutting
any money from the sale of this building could be used for any other project that would be a similar asset
$20-30,000/space estimated for above ground parking garage

* Beth Dahlstrom, Town Planner
could the town use CPA funds?

* Nutting
explains the Community Preservation Act, there is a lot of communities that have joined
the real estate market isn't what it was, it failed at the ballot box before
it would be a tough issue to balance

* Rae Lynn Mercer, FSPA Director
opening the Black Box at 15 W Central St
currently responsible for a lot of traffic downtown
thrilled that the project has come full circle to come downtown
I hope that this decision is dealt with carefully and with the big picture
we happen to have a beautiful Town Common but it is not downtown
the economic impact of art and entertainment needs to be considered as the gateway
our theater with Artistry Kitchen could help to transform Franklin
we need to be careful about the big picture
focus on culture and gathering space


meeting closed


The documents that were handed out that night were shared online later and can be found here

Public Meeting tonight - FinCom budget hearing schedule

Tonight the meeting you should participate in is the public meeting on the future of the Emmons St building. This meeting had been scheduled for earlier in Feb and was canceled due to one of the snow storms.

Emmons St building
Emmons St building

The 7:00 PM meeting tonight will be held in the 3rd floor training room in the Municipal Bldg, 355 East Central St. The location usually means that the meeting will not be broadcast via local cable so participation in person would be required.

The Finance Committee would normally meet tonight. They are not meeting until next Tuesday, march 11 when they begin the budget hearing process for FY 2015. The current budget hear schedule looks like this:
Tuesday 3/11
Thursday 3/13
Thursday 3/20
Wednesday 3/26
Tuesday 4/1
Thursday 4/3
For the budget hearing, each department manager presents their budget needs and usually provides some good insights into how the department works and why the budget change is required.

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Reminder: Public Meeting on Emmons St building - Mar 4


Friendly reminder: The public meeting to discuss the future uses of the Emmons St building, delayed due to a snowstorm in January, has been rescheduled for 7:00 PM Tuesday, March 4

Emmons St building
Emmons St building

Please see the flyer below for details and plan to provide your input at this important meeting. 


flyer for public meeting on future of Emmons St building
flyer for public meeting on future of Emmons St building





Thursday, February 13, 2014

Public Meeting - Emmons St building - March 4th

The public meeting to discuss the future uses of the Emmons St building, delayed due to a snowstorm in January, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 4

Please see the flyer below for details and plan to provide your input at this important meeting. 


flyer for public meeting on future of Emmons St building
flyer for public meeting on future of Emmons St building




Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Public Meeting on Emmon St Building -> Canceled Tonight


Good Morning:

The public meeting regarding the Emmons Street property is canceled tonight due to expected snow.

It will be rescheduled at a later date.

Emmon St building - flag wrapped in wind
Emmon St building - flag wrapped in wind

Monday, January 20, 2014

Public Meeting: Emmons St Building

So many of you have great ideas for the future use of the downtown Emmons Street property.  Please come and be part of the discussion!

See details below:



Tuesday, Jan 21, 2014
7:00 PM

Franklin Municipal Building 355 East Central St
3rd Floor Training Room

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

"regulations tighten the town’s rules on smoking in public places"

The proposed regulations are set for a public hearing today at 10:00 AM.

The Board of Health’s public hearing on new tobacco regulations, written by Health Director David McKearney, is set for Tuesday. 
The three-member board will meet at 10 a.m. at the Municipal Building, 355 East Central St. 
The regulations call for raising the legal age to purchase tobacco products to 19 and establish a tobacco and nicotine delivery products permit, administered by the board. The town has never had a local tobacco permit, though businesses selling tobacco products must still acquire a license from the state Department of Revenue.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/blog/healthconscious/x407166500/Franklin-Board-of-Health-hearing-on-tobacco-regs-slated#ixzz2phzM2RNJ

You can read the proposed regulations here:




Or find this document on the Franklin Board of Health webpage
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_HealthNews/01C3F009-000F8513 

(Note: The BoH revised their proposed regulations and posted the new set (1/23/14), took down the old. You'll need to figure out what the difference between the two sets are, there are no revision marking on the new document.)
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_HealthNews/01C7D47D-000F8513


Saturday, December 7, 2013

"the regulations tighten the town’s rules on smoking in public places"

The Milford Daily News reports on the public hearing being set up for Jan 7th to review proposed new tobacco regulations for Franklin.
The Board of Health will hold a public hearing next month on whether to pass comprehensive new tobacco regulations. 
The three-member board scheduled the hearing for its Jan. 7 meeting, set to begin at 10 a.m. at the Municipal Building, 355 East Central St. Health Director David McKearney wrote the proposed regulations. 
If passed, the controls would reshape how the town handles tobacco sales, raising the legal age to purchase tobacco products to 19 and establishing a tobacco and nicotine delivery products permit, administered by the board. Currently the town does not have a local tobacco permit for businesses, which still must acquire a license from the state Department of Revenue in order to sell cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/blog/healthconscious/x915450461/Franklin-Public-hearing-set-for-new-tobacco-regulations#ixzz2mnGuTbfg

Franklin Elks - BPOE 2136

The membership and association clubs such as the American Legion and Elks would also be included in the new regulations to ban smoking within their facilities.

I would hope that there would also be a hearing scheduled for some evening as any of the voters/residents who work during normal business hours are disenfranchised by this particular time of day for the 'public hearing.'


Saturday, August 10, 2013

"this is going to be a living document"

The public hearing on the Master Plan will be held today at 10:00 AM in the meeting room at the Franklin Public Library.
"It’s the most important part of the process," state Rep. Jeffrey Roy, committee chairman, said Friday. "We’ve gotten public input along the way in bits and pieces … but I don’t think anyone has seen the project we’ve put together in one document. People may look at some of the ideas a little differently in the context of the bigger picture." 
The 172-page master plan includes overarching goals, which are presented with specific actions for how to achieve them. 
Roy said he has already fielded calls about certain sections of the document. 
"The initial reactions I’ve seen are on the housing component," he said. "Folks think there is too much emphasis and focus on workforce housing. I’m getting the sense that people think we have enough of that inventory in Franklin."

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x369946656/Hearing-this-morning-on-Franklin-master-plan#ixzz2bYtT3p41

Related posts on the 2013 Master Pin include links to the full plan document

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/master-plan-mission-and-vision.html

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/08/master-plan-mission-and-vision.html

Reporting from the initial presentation to the Town Council
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/07/the-master-plan-is-here-master-plan-is.html

Friday, August 9, 2013

2013 Master Plan: Broad, overreaching goals

In preparation for the Public Hearing on the 2013 Master Plan to be held Saturday, 10:00 AM at the Franklin Public Library, I am sharing this key section. "This section of the Master Plan contains the broadest, most overreaching goals of the Master Plan, and is intended to provide a basic direction for each section."

Land-Use

The following policy statement and general goals were developed by the Land Use and Economic Development subcommittee. The focus of these goals is to establish the Town as a center for development while deterring unnecessary growth.

Policy Statement: Adopt long-term sustainability, and start-growth principles to attain fuller, more efficient development, protecting natural resources and the New England, small town character of Franklin.

General Goals:
  • Designate areas for workforce housing in order to retain existing businesses and attract new industries;
  • Minimize the occurrence of new development by focusing on Brownfield re-development; and
  • Protect the health of our citizens and help sustain our businesses by preserving natural
  • lands and the resources they provide.


Natural, Cultural and Historic Resources

This element’s policy statement and general goals were drafted by the Open Space and Recreation and the Natural, Cultural and Historic Resources subcommittee. The focus of these goals is to protect and support Franklin’s history, character, and creative and cultural resources.

Policy Statement: Preserve Franklin’s New England, small town character through controlled growth, preserving scenic vistas, supporting local arts and culture, and protecting historic architecture.

General Goals:
  • Protect and preserve the integrity of natural resources in town;
  • Provide resources for the arts, and support cultural initiatives in town to foster education and creativity;
  • Maintain the Town’s historic appeal by identifying and protecting trademark land and historic characteristics.


Open Space and Recreation

The Open Space and Recreation and Natural, Cultural and Historic subcommittee developed this policy statement and general goals, which acknowledge the importance of open space and recreational resources for the physical and emotional health of Franklin’s residents. The policy statement and general goals aim to: increase open space and recreational availability and accessibility; maintain existing facilities and spaces for these resources; and make knowledge of these resources more abundantly available in Franklin.

Policy Statement: Open space and recreational resources are a key contributor to the quality of life in Franklin and an important aspect of the community’s appeal. Open lands help protect the Town’s water supply, manage flood waters, provide wildlife habitat, and provide opportunities for passive and active outdoor recreation within the Town.

General Goals:
  • Document the Town’s open space and recreational resources, and improve public awareness of these resources through increased education, signage, publicity, and events;
  • Preserve existing unprotected natural and open space resources in Franklin;
  • Provide opportunities for passive and active recreation to meet the community’s evolving needs;
  • Implement sustainable practices in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of Franklin’s public parks and playgrounds; and
  • Investigate grant programs and other revenue sources available to provide funding for the goals and objectives of this chapter.


Circulation

The Circulation and Housing subcommittee championed this section’s policy statement and general goals. This subcommittee made sure all of the Town’s priorities in transportation were up-to-date and comprehensively covered. The subcommittee and DPW were also heavily involved in the development of the specific Circulation goals, objectives and actions, for moving forward.

Policy Statement: Assure the safe and efficient movement of goods and people within the Town of Franklin, and across the regional transportation network, by providing a range of integrated transportation options.

General Goals:
  • Provide the necessary infrastructure to keep Franklin’s citizens and businesses moving and growing in town;
  • Support green, sustainable transportation initiatives by accommodating pedestrians and cyclists throughout town;
  • Reduce the dependence on single passenger vehicles by improving public transportation and ridesharing options; and
  • Improve access and circulation in the Downtown.


Housing

The Circulation and Housing subcommittee created this section’s policy statement and general goals, ensuring the equal treatment of all of Franklin’s residents, while protecting natural resources and welcoming new industry for continued growth and development within Franklin.

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.

General Goals:
  • Provide sufficient affordable housing;
  • Encourage clustered and mixed-use housing to minimize land-clearing as well as conserve open and natural lands;
  • Encourage the development of small scale housing units in and around the Downtown; and
  • Welcome new industrial development by designating areas for workforce housing.


Economic Development

The Economic Development policy statement and general goals were developed by the Land Use and Economic Development subcommittee, and address the long-term financial strength and growth for the Town of Franklin. These general goals, along with the specific Goals, Objectives, and Actions outlined in the Implementation Element, are tailored to be in-line with the State’s Economic Development Plan which addresses five initiatives: advancing education and workforce development for middle-skill jobs through coordination of education; economic development and workforce development programs; supporting innovation and entrepreneurship; supporting regional development through infrastructure investments and local empowerment; increasing the ease of doing business; and addressing cost competitiveness.

Policy Statement: Adopt strategies for business and workforce retention and attraction to diversify Franklin’s economic foundation, and increase its property tax yields.

General Goals:

  • Actively pursue the improvement of infrastructure to attract large industry, small businesses, and skilled workers;
  • Further incentivize the biotechnology, medical device, and research industries to come to Franklin; and
  • Advocate for the small business community, especially within and around the Downtown area.


Community Services and Facilities

The Community Services and Facilities subcommittee, with the assistance of Town Department Heads and other staff members, developed this section’s policy statement and general goals. The main priorities influencing this section were to serve Franklin’s residents and make sure any new services were developed sustainably.

Policy Statement: Provide adequate and appropriate facilities and infrastructure necessary to accommodate current and future community needs by maximizing use of existing resources and adding new assets in an economically prudent manner.

General Goals:

  • Continue to provide quality police, fire, and emergency medical services to keep Franklin’s residents safe;
  • Invest in Franklin’s future by increasing funding for its schools;
  • Increase the capacity of the Town’s water and sewer supply as needed to accommodate new industrial development and strengthen Franklin’s economic and social infrastructure; and
  • Support the safe and timely movement of people and goods throughout town.



The public input period is open until August 16, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. A copy of the Draft Plan is available online at http://town.franklin.ma.us/pages/FranklinMA_Planning/masterplandoc/doc, at Franklin Public Library or at the Department of Planning & Community Development in Franklin Municipal Building.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Public hearing: Draft 2013 Master Plan


Franklin’s Master Plan Committee will hold a public hearing to receive public input on the DRAFT 2013 Town of Franklin Master Plan. The hearing is scheduled for Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 10 a.m. in the conference room at Franklin Public Library. The Master Plan Committee developed documents, reviewed research and data, and obtained public input to outline and compose a Master Plan for the community. The draft report includes an Existing Conditions Report, Goals and Objectives and an Implementation Plan.

Early in the Master Plan rewrite process, the Master Plan Committee worked to develop general goals and a vision for the Town. The Town's current Mission Statement helped lead the Committee to the development of a new Mission Statement for the Master Plan Committee with a goal of adopting the Mission for Franklin as a community:
“Franklin is a community committed to high quality education and the superb delivery of public services. We strive to attract and retain businesses, both profit and non-profit, that grow our economy, create jobs, and contribute to a vibrant downtown center. We are committed to cultivating accessible open space, a sense of neighborhood, and a desire to preserve the character of our New England town. We support the safe and efficient movement of people and goods within the Town of Franklin, and across the regional transportation network, by providing a range of integrated transportation options. We are a community dedicated to effective planning, responsible land use, balanced growth, responsive government, racial, religious and economic diversity, and care and concern for its citizens and the environment. We value our arts, cultural and natural resources, heritage, and history, in order to foster a well-balanced community.”

The public hearing will give residents the opportunity to comment on the draft document. The Draft Plan was formulated as a result of public input received from public hearings held in May of 2012, review of the 1997 Master Plan, input from Town Officials, various Departments and Master Plan Committee members.

The public input period is open until August 16, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. A copy of the Draft Plan is available online at http://town.franklin.ma.us/pages/FranklinMA_Planning/masterplandoc/doc, at Franklin Public Library or at the Department of Planning & Community Development in Franklin Municipal Building.

Public input will be utilized to formulate the final document. Comments received will be reviewed by the Master Plan Committee and incorporated into a final Master Plan document to be endorsed by the Planning Board and Town Council at meetings during the week of September 16, 2013.

The Master Plan Committee members are Jeffrey Roy, Chairman, Matt Kelly, Vice Chairman, Andy Bissanti, Secretary, Christi Apicella, Nathan Carlucci, John Carroll, David F. Dobrzynski, Jay Duncan, James Esterbrook , Gene Grella, Jeff Livingstone, Greg Rondeau, Timothy C. Twardowski, and Chris Vericker.

The Committee has a website on the Franklin Town page at:
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_BComm/Masterplan.

It also has a presence on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/FranklinMasterPlan.

Residents can offer input online at either site.

In addition, written comments can be submitted to the following address:
Franklin Master Plan Committee at Planning and Community Development,
355 East Central Street
Franklin, MA 02038

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Master Plan: Zoning

The draft Master Plan 2013 for Franklin is chock full of great information. Zoning plans an important role in how Franklin operates and grows. Look around town, there are commercial zones and residential areas. These are all by design. The design can be changed via the zoning process and the overall guidelines to the design come from the Master Plan. The full plan document runs over 90 pages but should be required summer reading for each Franklin resident and voter.

You can participate in the Public Hearing on this draft on Saturday at the Library at 10:00 AM

The overview section on zoning is shared here:

Zoning

A municipality’s authority to create zoning laws comes from Chapter 40A of the Massachusetts General Laws and Article 89 of the Amendments to the Massachusetts Constitution. Zoning plays an important role in the character of the town and the spatial distribution of land uses. This distribution of land uses has social, environmental, and economic consequences on the Town. These consequences can have positive and negative impacts. For example, increased economic development can help support the Town’s tax base and provide local jobs, but it can also lead to increased traffic congestion. Also, the ways in which development occurs impacts how stormwater is managed, and therefore affects the quality and supply of the Town’s water. Since zoning regulations affect where specific types of development are allowed, it plays a crucial role in the livability of the Town.

In the past sixty years land use theory on zoning has changed considerably. During the mid-20th century single-use zoning became the norm. The developed areas of most communities increased substantially and spread out as residential, commercial, and industrial areas were built far apart from each other. Franklin experienced this pattern of development, commonly known as sprawl, to some extent in the mid twentieth century, but by the 1980s and 1990s residential sprawl had occurred throughout Town, substantial industrial development was occurring on industrially zoned lands west of I-495, and commercial development was
increasing along Route 140.

There are both benefits and advantages, and costs and disadvantages, to this type of development. Some of the benefits and advantages include: ease of permitting; segregated residential areas are thought of as safe; and homes segregated away from commercial and industrial uses often have higher values. Some of the disadvantages and negative consequences of sprawl include increased traffic congestion and time commuting, loss of open spaces, damaged natural resources and wildlife habitat, and loss of a rural New England character. Furthermore, low-density, sprawling development tends not to pay for itself due to the higher infrastructure costs. The Town has recognized the advantages and disadvantages of single-use development and has worked to minimize these issues by amending the Town’s Zoning Bylaws.

Description of Zones

Franklin’s zoning code is documented in Chapter 185 of the Town Code for the purpose of promoting the:
“health, safety, convenience, morals and welfare of the inhabitants of the Town of Franklin, to lessen the danger from fire and congestion, to encourage the most appropriate use of land and to improve the Town under the provisions of Chapter 40A of the General Laws, and of Article 89 of the Amendments to the Constitution. For this purpose, the use, construction, repair, alteration, height, area and the location of buildings and structures and the use of premises in the Town of Franklin are regulated as hereinafter provided.”
The zoning code is regularly modified to reflect the current needs of the Town. At present, the Town Code divides Franklin into 14 Zoning Districts. It should be noted however, that while Zoning Districts have been established within Chapter 185 Section 4 for Limited Industrial and Neighborhood Commercial, no parcels have formally been designated to those zoning districts, and thus are not shown on the Town’s Zoning Map (see Map LU-1: Zoning Map).


You can view the full document online on the Franklin webpage
http://www.franklinma.gov/planning-community-development/pages/master-plan

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Master Plan: Mission and Vision Statements

Leading up to the public hearing Saturday, Aug 10th on the Master Plan, I'll share sections of the draft document to help foster discussion. The hearing will take place at the Franklin Public Library, 118 Main St at 10:00 AM.

From the Master Plan draft document - 

The Master Plan Committee (MPC) developed the following Master Plan Mission Statement, which it used as a guide throughout the Plan development process:
“Franklin is a community committed to high quality education and the superb delivery of public services. We strive to attract and retain businesses, both profit and non-profit, that grow our economy, create jobs, and contribute to a vibrant downtown center. We are committed to cultivating accessible open space, a sense of neighborhood, and a desire to preserve the character of our New England town. We support the safe and efficient movement of people and goods within the Town of Franklin, and across the regional transportation network, by
providing a range of integrated transportation options. We are a community dedicated to effective planning, responsible land use, balanced growth, responsive government, racial, religious and economic diversity, and care and concern for its citizens and the environment. We value our arts, cultural and natural resources, heritage, and history, in order to foster a well-balanced community.”

The MPC also developed a vision statement for Franklin:
“To be 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. We will build on and celebrate our uniqueness as a community and maintain the quality of life that is a strength and competitive advantage.”


You can find the whole master plan document here
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/pages/FranklinMA_Planning/masterplandoc/doc


The presentation and notes from the Town Council meeting can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/07/the-master-plan-is-here-master-plan-is.html


Monday, June 25, 2012

Reminder: Public Hearing - Thursday, Jun 28, 7:00 PM


The MassDOT will hold a public hearing on the RT 140 and Downtown Project on Thursday, Jun 28 at 7:00 PM. The hearing will be conducted at the Municipal Bldg in the 3rd Floor Training Room. (Note due to this choice of location in the Municipal Bldg, the hearing is not likely scheduled for broadcast via cable.)

Additional info on the public hearing can be found in this official notification



Why a public hearing?
The project is funded by the State of MA and hence MassDOT has controlling interest. The project delays are primarily due to the State schedules. Franklin was granted the funds at $1 M per year and waited for the $5 million total was accumulated before beginning the detail planning on this project.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Franklin's 'Master Plan' public hearings scheduled

FRANKLIN - Franklin's Master Plan Committee will hold its first two public hearings this month to hear from residents about what they want for the future of Franklin.  The first hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, May 9 at 7 p.m. in the training room on the 3rd floor of the Franklin Municipal Building.  For those unable to attend a weeknight meeting, a second hearing has been scheduled on Saturday, May 19 at 10:00 in the conference room at Franklin Public Library.


"These hearings will afford Franklin residents an opportunity to provide input on the planning process, and get involved early in developing the Franklin's Master Plan," noted Committee Chairman and Town Councilor Jeffrey Roy.  "We have been meeting for several months formulating a structure for our work, and we want to hear from the Franklin community about priorities and concerns.  We have scheduled the two hearings to afford citizens a good opportunity to participate in the process."

In December 2011, following the election of a new Town Council, the Master Plan Committee was formed to develop documents, review research and data, and obtain public input to outline and compose a Master Plan for the community.  In addition, the Committee will incorporate a strategic plan into this effort that will invite residents to visit the questions of who we are and what we want for our community.

"Attending a public hearing will provide Franklin's residents and organizations a great opportunity to provide the Town's Master Plan Committee with input as the Committee works toward development of a vision for the Town's future," said Bryan Taberner, the Director of Franklin's Planning & Community Development Department.  "The public process is an extremely important component of any comprehensive planning process, as the resulting goals and objectives will help to focus the decision making of Town officials well into the future."

By law, 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.  In that context, the committee is looking at the following elements:  Land Use, Housing, Economic Development, Circulation, Open Space and Recreation, Natural, Cultural and Historic Resources, Community Services, and Facilities. The Committee will establish recommendations for goals and policies in these areas and develop an implementation plan.  The report is expected to be delivered to the Town Council by June 2013.

Beth Dahlstrom, Franklin's Town Planner is hoping to learn how the residents of Franklin view the community in which they live.  She is interested in learning about what the residents see as the most important aspects of the community and what can the Town can do to enhance areas within the community to make it a better place to live. "I then hope the Master Plan Committee will be able to then use the information obtained at the Public Hearing to help formulate goals and objectives for use in the Master Plan," noted Dahlstrom..

The Master Plan Committee members are Jeffrey Roy, Chairman, Matt Kelly, Vice Chairman, Andy Bissanti, Secretary, Christi Apicella, Nathan Carlucci, John Carroll, David F. Dobrzynski, Jay Duncan, James Esterbrook , Gene Grella, Jeff Livingstone, Greg Rondeau, Timothy C. Twardowski, and Chris Vericker. 

The Committee has a website on the Franklin Town page at http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_BComm/Masterplan.  

It also has a presence on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/FranklinMasterPlan.  

In addition to the public hearings, residents can offer input online at either site.