Announced on October 10, 2012

The Commonwealth is pleased to award the fifth round of technical assistance (TA) to communities seeking to implement the South Coast Rail Economic Development and Land Use Corridor Plan. The Corridor Plan, released in the summer of 2009, calls for a smart growth future for the South Coast with more jobs, better housing, and preserved farms, fields and forests. It specifically identifies priority areas for protection and development, known as Priority Protection Areas (PPAs) and Priority Development Areas (PDAs).

To realize the goals of a sustainable future and high quality of life for the South Coast, local, regional and state actions are required to support the communities. MassDOT and the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED) have provided four previous years of technical assistance to communities to help them plan great neighborhoods around new stations, preserve natural resources and open space, plan for housing, expand transportation choice, and support areas for economic development. The technical assistance program assists the cities and towns in the development of detailed plans and zoning changes needed to bring the Corridor Plan to life.

This summer, the agencies invited 31 corridor communities to apply for technical assistance in the following areas: station area planning and zoning; economic development and transportation; housing plans and zoning changes; and open space preservation. Communities worked with their Regional Planning Agencies (RPAs) to develop proposals. In reviewing requests for assistance, MassDOT and EOHED gave preference to requests seeking to enhance PDAs and PPAs in a manner consistent with the Corridor Plan, as well as clear and achievable outcomes. Requests for technical resources were evaluated to provide for equitable assistance between communities, while prioritizing projects that relate most closely to the rail project, economic development and smart growth.

This work is facilitated and supported by the Regional Planning Agencies who work with the communities on the South Coast, including the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD); Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC); and Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC).

• Acushnet - The Town of Acushnet will develop a Village Smart Growth Plan. The plan will provide vision for smart growth initiatives, including building out the new Business Commercial (BC) district and rezoning the village for higher density and multi-family residences.



• Bridgewater - The Town of Bridgewater will work with Old Colony Planning Council on extensive public outreach in support of downtown revitalization committee efforts, including residential issues. As a follow-up to the Housing Production Plan, this effort aims to improve Central Square parking, pedestrian safety and traffic operations.



• Dartmouth - The Town will develop a Gateway Area Mixed Use Zoning Plan with support from SRPEDD. The plan will include a mixed use bylaw that implements the "Gateway Transition Strategy."



• Foxborough - MAPC will assist Foxborough with updating its zoning bylaws for downtown growth. Actions include implementing a housing production plan and creating mixed-use district bylaws to help accommodate growth in the Town’s downtown area.



• Freetown - The Town will create rules and regulations for the newly adopted Planned Mix Use Development (PMUD) law. A tool for PMUD will be developed and the final steps will include a process for visioning, developing the bylaw and obtaining town meeting approval.



• Lakeville - The Town will prepare an Inclusionary Zoning Bylaw in conjunction with the Planning Board. This grant is the implementation step for the award the Town received in FY 2012 to complete its Housing Production Plan.



• Mansfield - The Town of Mansfield will develop an Infrastructure Needs Assessment in conjunction with the proposed commuter rail system. The assessment was based on the recently developed Transit Oriented Development (TOD) bylaw completed with funds from a previous award.



• New Bedford - The City of New Bedford will develop a schematic design and cost estimates for a parking plan in the Quest Center/Armory Innovation area. The plan is to include solar and electric charging stations as identified in the SCR Corridor Plan.



• Raynham - Raynham will develop a Mixed-Use Overlay Bylaw. The bylaw will encourage interaction among uses, enhance business vitality, reduce vehicular traffic and provide employment opportunities for residents close to home.



• Rochester - The Town of Rochester will develop a Village Center Overlay District Implementation/Visioning Plan. The plan will help residents envision changes to a proposed Village Center Overlay District Bylaw. Visioning software will be used to depict development scenarios that would be permitted under the new bylaw.



• Somerset - The Town seeks to gain final approval of the Slade’s Ferry Mixed Use Zone Plan. Most of this work will be preparation for securing necessary votes at the Town Meeting.



• Stoughton - The Town of Stoughton will work on developing a mixed use development highway access business district. The effort includes a traffic plan, a land use analysis, examination of underutilized sites, public forums, zoning by law preparation, and a strategy for town meeting submission.



• Taunton - Taunton will be updating its Open Space and Recreation Plan.



• Wareham - The Town of Wareham will develop a streetscape concept plan and preliminary cost for Merchants Way in Wareham’s Village area. The concept plan will include improved pedestrian-friendly access, bike path/ route, street trees, lighting, way finding signage, traffic and circulation options.



• Westport - The Town of Westport plans to develop its Central Village Revitalization Project. The project will include design guidelines for development of a zoning bylaw that promotes preservation of the historic village and existing farms.

The Town received regional technical assistance to assess bicycle/pedestrian connections between employment and residential centers and proposed South Coast Rail stations (Fall River, Westport, Dartmouth, New Bedford). The study will include TOD, laying out new bicycle routes, and proposing new potential multi-use paths and sidewalk construction. It will look at bicycle and pedestrian way-finding signage options.