Tagged: williamstown

The selectboard of Williamstown recently voted to allow the town to pursue a Cultural District Designation from the state of Massachusetts designed to promote economic development through the arts.

On Wednesday evening, the Williamstown selectboard gave the go-ahead for town residents to seek out a Cultural District Designation from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The designation is not a monetary award but includes signage and serves as a badge of honor in recognition of community efforts to promote the arts and humanities.

The Board of Selectmen in Williamstown has given town manager Peter Fohlin the authorization to sign off on a $6.1 million grant for the town to acquire and close a mobile home park partially destroyed in 2011 by Tropical Storm Irene.

Fohlin said that before Williamstown can accept the FEMA grant which would be used specifically to remove housing from the Spruces Mobile Home Park, the town will have to negotiate a transfer of ownership and operation of the park from current owners Morgan Management.

A recently released report provides a deeper look into the housing needs of one small Berkshire County community.

Williamstown’s Affordable Housing Committee recently commissioned a study on the housing needs of the community by housing and development consultant, John Ryan. 

More than 750 voters filled the gymnasium of the Mount Greylock Regional High School on Wednesday, with many expecting to vote on articles that would determine the future use for properties currently under conservation restriction.

One article was included as the result of a citizen’s petition, which sought to place a permanent restriction on the 30.5-acre parcel of land known as the Lowry Property, and a nearby 140-acre parcel known as the Burbank Property.

Residents of Williamstown, Massachusetts tonight will vote for or against opening a portion of conservation-restricted for development. The land is being considered as a potential site for new affordable housing units.

Williamstown has received a $6 million Hazard Mitigation Grant from FEMA to purchase and demolish the Spruces Mobile Home Park and build replacement affordable housing for residents at another area in town. Most of the homes in the Spruces were destroyed by flooding in 2011 by Tropical Storm Irene.

A Berkshire town has received more than $6 million in federal funds to assist in relocating residents of a mobile home park  torn apart by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, but there’s still much debate within the community on how the town should move forward with relocation plans.