Pioneer Valley
Planning Commission
Press Release
CONTACT: Tim Brennan, PVPC Executive Director, phone: 1 (413) 781-6045
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 2007
PVPC Offers Communities Expanded Local Technical Assistance
The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) has recently notified local officials that it has opened Phase Two of a special year-long Local Technical Assistance initiative, which expands the range of free projects and tasks for its 43 member communities under the Commonwealth’s most recent Streamlined Permitting Law.
Under this expanded program, new categories of planning assistance are:
- Technical assistance to plan and promote sustainable economic development
- Technical assistance work linked to local Smart Growth projects and tasks
- Technical assistance work linked to regional or sub-regional planning projects
- Technical assistance to supplement municipal master plans and zoning overhaul projects
All Phase Two technical assistance requests will require a very modest local commitment of matching funds from PVPC member municipalities seeking assistance.
PVPC will continue to offer free assistance for Phase One-category activities related to applying for fiscal year 2008 Commonwealth Capital funding, designating economic development sites, and streamlining local permitting processes.
Member municipalities should apply in writing as soon as possible to PVPC at 26 Central Street, West Springfield, MA 01089. Requests will be reviewed in the order they are received. PVPC will continue to accept and consider requests until all available state funding for the current fiscal year 2008 has been committed.
Funding for this effort was made possible by the State legislature in late 2006 when it enacted changes to Chapter 43D that included providing funds to regional planning agencies across Massachusetts to help cities and towns with a broad array of local planning and permitting needs.
For additional information, please contact PVPC's Christopher Curtis or Jessica Allan at 1 (413) 781-6045.