The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC), a Massachusetts recipient of a Regional Planning grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), has completed the first phase of its “Sustainable Berkshires” plan. On Tuesday, December 11th, the BRPC presented to the public the plan for economic development, conservation, and historic preservation. Next spring, the next phase of the plan will address housing and neighborhoods, regional energy, transportation and infrastructure.

On September 12, local business owners convened at a workshop in North Adams, MA to voice their concerns and priorities for the future of business in their area. This meeting was part of an effort to form a Master Plan for the city, a part of the broader Sustainable Berkshires initiative, funded with grant support from a HUD Regional Planning Grant.

Mayor Richard J. Alcombright emphasized the city’s need for a growth plan, saying,

“This is a very important process for the city, which, on a whole, hasn’t had a master road map in 40 years. Coming from the business world, we always had a plan. It needs to be a design that is in a very bendable, soft cover book, because it needs to be a fluid road map to success. It needs to keep the community on track, but also allows us to change direction. We are definitely a city that is at a crossroads. Our immediate need is growth, and a good solid plan is key to that.”