I. Opening a) Call to Order and Open Meeting Law Statement
00:02I. Opening b) Roll Call of Commission Members Attending the Meeting
00:36I. Opening c) Vote to Approve Minutes of the January 16, 2024 Full Commission Meeting
03:20II. Comments from Berkshire Regional Planning Commission Delegates and Alternate Delegates (7:05-7:10) BRPC Delegates and Alternates may offer comments on any item not on the agenda. Any discussion or action will be referred to a future meeting and not discussed at this meeting.
06:41III. Comments from the Public (7:10-7:15) Members of the public may offer comments regarding topics on the agenda or other matters they wish to bring to the Commission's attention. Comments are to be directed to the Commission. Commenters must state their names and the city or town they are from. Any discussion or action will be referred to a future meeting and not discussed at this meeting.
06:55IV. Presentation and Discussion of Executive Committee Actions 7:20) (7:15- Executive Committee actions taken on the Commission's behalf at its February 6, 2025 and March 6, 2025 meetings are presented for information and discussion.
07:09V. Presentation and Discussion about the Building for Tomorrow Report as prepared by the Unlocking Housing Production Commission 7:50) (7:20- Jennifer Raitt, Executive Director of the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (invited) and a member of the Unlocking Housing Production Commission will present the Building for Tomorrow Report, which provides over 50 recommendations to increase the supply of housing and lower costs for Massachusetts residents, including some related to updating land use and zoning practices and streamlining local permitting.
07:47VI. Vote to Have the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission Allow Remote Participation in Accordance with the Requirements of 940 CMR 29.10, Applicable to all Subsequent Meetings of the Commission and its Committees, but such Adoption shall be Deemed Rescinded upon Passage by the Legislature of Remote Participation upon Terms Equal to or More Expansive than those Permitted under Section 20 of Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021. (7:50-7:55) Without legislative action beforehand, the provision to allow flexible remote public meetings expires on March 31, 2025. Prior to the relaxation of the virtual option due to COVID, there was an option for remote participation subject to certain requirements, including the Commission would have to vote to allow remote participation, and there would need to be a quorum, including the meeting Chair, in person. This vote will provide the BRPC with another option should the legislature not act.
53:08VII. Presentation and Discussion about the Massachusetts Vacant Storefront Program The Massachusetts Vacant Storefront Program was created to aid municipalities in their efforts to revitalize their downtown and commercial areas by encouraging the occupancy of long-term vacant storefronts. The program allows municipalities to use refundable tax credits as a tool to attract businesses to prominent vacancies within a community's downtown and/or commercial area. Programmatic changes this year increase the usefulness of this program for smaller communities.
56:02VIII. Report and Possible Discussion of the Executive Director's Report
01:17:49IX. Adjournment
01:18:23