LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Residents are being asked to weigh in on the development of the town's first master plan. 

 

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, through Senior Community Planner Seth Jenkins, is working to meet with town officials, boards/committees, and citizens to inform the plan. 

 

The document will provide the town with a clear direction for development, growth, and investment in the coming 10-20-year timeframe. The Planning Board will oversee the document's creation and help to implement the plan's objectives.

 

Master plans are typically divided into the following sections: goals and policies, land use, housing, economic development, natural and cultural resources, open space and recreation, services and facilities, circulation, implementation.

 

Massachusetts General Law, Title VII, Chapter 41, Section 81D assigns the responsibility of creating a master plan to the Planning Board to provide "a basis for decision-making regarding the long-term physical development of the municipality."  

 

To inform their decisions, the Planning Board needs input from the residents and stakeholders — the deadline is Nov. 1. 

 

"We are asking residents and businesses to tell us about their needs and desires for the town's future," said Jenkins. "The master plan is being paid for with a $50,000 grant from the state Executive Office of Environmental Affairs and $10,000 matches from both the town and Berkshire Regional Planning Commission."

 

The plan is expected to be finished by May 31, 2025. The link for the survey is www.surveymonkey.com/r/LanesboroughMP.