Land Use
The knowledge base and skills required of volunteer town land-use
boards has changed dramatically in the 1990’s. They face increasingly complex
legal and environmental decisions that have broad and sometimes unanticipated
ramifications. At the same time, lifestyle changes and workplace demands
have reduced the number of volunteers and the time they have available
for "keeping up", let alone for planning ahead. Professional
staff has taken up part of the slack in larger municipalities, but
Massachusetts’ predominant town meeting style of government
- and strong devotion to home rule - keeps the volunteer boards on
the front lines of policy making, long range planning, resource protection
and, ultimately, grass-roots decision making.
The NREC program in Land Use Management and Planning uses applied
research and extension programs addressing needs:
- By providing education and training to local officials, planners,
policy-makers, and community leaders
- As an outreach and education provider to those who train or
educate local officials: circuit riders, Board/Commission staff,
consultants, etc.
- As a facilitator of collaborative pilot approaches among groups
of training providers
- By developing innovative growth planning tools and approaches
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