SRPEDD Annual Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Development Underway |
SRPEDD's Transportation Planning team has begun the development of the FFY2024-28 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The TIP is the official planning document that lists all transportation projects in the region by federal funding category, including roads, bridges, transit, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.
For the next 5 years, the anticipated budget for SRPEDD’s 27 communities is $135,224,073, averaging $27 million per TIP year. Although $27 million may seem like a lot of money, depending upon the size of the project, it may be enough to cover only 3-4 projects on average per year across the region, with most ranging in cost from $3 to $15 million. Ideally, programming smaller projects (under $4 million per), such as signal upgrades or intersection improvements, can help enable ultimately more projects to be completed, and communities are strongly encouraged to inquire about and initiate these smaller projects as well.
The development of the TIP is slated for discussion at upcoming Joint Transportation Planning Group (JTPG) and Southeastern MA Metropolitan Planning Organization (SMMPO) meetings. The meetings are open to the public, posted on SRPEDD’s website, and active participation is welcome and encouraged. Anyone can attend, and feedback and comments can be offered on any of the projects or any part of the process. SRPEDD staff are also available to provide guidance and assistance to member communities with study needs or interested in making improvements through the TIP process. For more information, please visit our TIP web page or contact Lisa Estrela-Pedro at lestrela@srpedd.org, or Jackie Jones at jjones@srpedd.org.
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Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program:
State of the Region and Upcoming Grant Application Timeline
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As of June 2022, all 27 SRPEDD cities and towns have a certified MVP Plan in place and are eligible for MVP Action Grants to enhance community resilience and adaptation to climate change. Six years into the MVP Action Grant Program, SRPEDD communities have achieved 19 grant awards totaling $10,208,664. The MVP Action Grant program has enabled the preservation of over 450 acres of land with inherent climate change resilience, like large intact forests and coastal salt marshes; enabled six communities to evaluate aspects of their public water supply and risk to future vulnerabilities; examined water quality impairments and nutrient impacts and developed solutions through better stormwater infiltration infrastructure, green infrastructure and CSO evaluations; evaluated vulnerability to sea level rise, flooding and storm surge; and advanced one dam removal and three culvert replacements. The MVP Program has released the first set of key dates for the FY2024 Action Grant round.
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Expression of Interest Form, Detailed Review due January 20, 2023
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Expression of Interest Form, Limited Review due February 3, 2023
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Official RFR Release due Mid-Late March 2023
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Application Deadline due Early May 2023
This year, the MVP Program is piloting a renewed and updated MVP Planning Process. The MVP 2.0 program will provide communities with funding to expand their Core Team to include a more diverse array of community members in climate resilience planning and action, receive additional training, reset priorities in their MVP Plans, and receive technical assistance to implement an action project. All SRPEDD communities are eligible for this program and can indicate their interest in being part of the initial pilot project cohort.
Through a one-time state infusion of new District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA)- Augmentation funding, SRPEDD staff are able to research, assess, and identify federal, state, and other funding opportunities, and to assist in preparing applications on behalf of municipal partners. The SRPEDD Environmental Team will be reaching out to all 27 SRPEDD communities to determine how we can assist with MVP grant applications. Please also contact hzincavage@srpedd.org if you would like to explore further in the interim.
The map above on the left displays relative distribution of MVP Action Grants across the region, showing the number of times each community has been involved in an individual or regional MVP Action Grant project.
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Multi-Family Zoning Requirements for MBTA Communities -
Update on Section 3A
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To meet the current unprecedented demand for housing, observed both nationally and locally, the Commonwealth implemented requirements for multi-family zoning in communities that host or that are adjacent to MBTA rapid transit and commuter rail stations. Due to the MBTA’s presence in the Southeast, these requirements affect several SRPEDD communities.
In support of the new legislation, known as Section 3A of the Zoning Act (M.G.L. Chapter 40A), SRPEDD is currently assisting three communities (Wareham, Norton, and Lakeville) and is similarly prepared to work with any of our communities in need of guidance and technical assistance. SRPEDD is collaborating with the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP), on the delivery of technical assistance related to the new multi-family zoning requirements with funding opportunities for member communities working toward compliance.
SRPEDD is available to answer questions and assist with the following range of services, including, but not limited to:
· Siting of a new multi-family zoning district;
· Review of current zoning districts for MBTA Multi-family Zoning compliance;
· Amendment of existing, non-compliant district to ensure compliance;
· Development of a new, compliant overlay district;
· Assisting with community outreach to gain support for future zoning changes; and
· Running the GIS compliance model required to demonstrate compliance.
The graphic above on the right is an image of One Mansfield Avenue, a multi-family TOD development featured in a recent MHP-funded webinar hosted by SRPEDD.
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Coordinated Human Services Transportation (CHST) Plan
In the Process of Being Updated
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SRPEDD’s 2018 Coordinated Human Services Transportation (CHST) Plan is in the initial phase of its 2023 update. The plan is required by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and identifies the transportation needs of individuals with disabilities, older adults, and persons with low-income. In Massachusetts, regional CHST Plans are developed and updated, as needed, by the state's regional planning agencies, of which SRPEDD is one of thirteen. The plans are updated every five years and relied upon to set regional planning and coordination priorities, as well as to document and validate evolving area transportation needs in applications submitted under MassDOT’s Community Transit Grant Program.
The CHST Plan consists of four parts:
- Inventory of existing transportation resources and services;
- Identification of service gaps and regional needs;
- Criteria for evaluation of proposals (examples of projects); and
- Priorities for funding proposals (eligibility and funding outline).
Identifying service gaps and regional needs will be accomplished through extensive public outreach. Stakeholder outreach through emails and meetings will be conducted, as well as public forums and meetings. An Unmet Transportation Needs Survey will be distributed to stakeholders to gather the input of their constituents while a separate Unmet Transportation Needs Survey adapted to the general public is concurrently distributed.
For more information about the Coordinated Human Service Transportation Plan or how to become involved, please contact Jennifer Chaves at jchaves@srpedd.org.
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Significant Return on Investment from CARES Act Funding |
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) recognized the important role that regional economic development districts, such as SRPEDD, play in fostering growth and helping communities recover from the adverse economic impacts of the crisis. EDA awarded SRPEDD and other Economic Development Districts (EDDs) $400,000 of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act emergency funding to build capacity, assist local communities, and update the tools and technology the agency relies upon in order to advance its mission and deliver the economic development and planning-related services that it does. Under this umbrella of broad goals, SRPEDD surged staff support and significantly expanded its economic development and recovery outreach, including large- and small-scale project and program development, grant-writing and grants administration, and related technical assistance.
During the last two years, SRPEDD advanced each of the major goals for the CARES Act, reaching out to every community in the region, writing 28 grants to support planning efforts, infrastructure improvements, and lay the groundwork for future development. With a 57% success rate in grant-writing, SRPEDD assisted communities in bringing over $3.4 million in additional funding into the region. The efforts made possible by the CARES Act will also result in a renewed vision for the Regional Economic Strategy Committee (RESC), which serves as the steering committee in responding to the economic development needs and priorities of area communities. In addition, SRPEDD published the new economic development portion of the website (see the article below) and is poised to release an updated Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (2023 CEDS) to continue coordinating local and regional economic development goals – all while supporting the continued growth and resilience of our communities through SRPEDD’s general services.
The graphic above on the right is the Critical Economic Development Site interactive map, featured on the updated Economic Development District web page. This project was funded by SRPEDD’s CARES Act award.
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Updated Economic Development District (EDD) Website and Information |
Over the course of the last year, SRPEDD staff worked with Marion-based Design Principles to update the Economic Development District web pages. This work involved streamlining materials, revisiting design and user-friendliness, and highlighting SRPEDD’s role in advancing and supporting the regional economy. Major highlights of the enhanced new website include an overview of services, featured projects, as well as market data to let developers from outside the region know all that southeastern Massachusetts has to offer. The new website also identifies Critical Regional Economic Development Sites – a mapping tool to help communities market priority sites to prospective developers.
The work for this project was funded by the CARES Act to enhance SRPEDD’s role in expanding capacity across our communities, supporting project development, and coordinating local and regional economic development goals. For more information, please visit www.srpedd.org/Economic-Development.
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Taunton Open Space Plan Submitted to the State for Approval |
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The City of Taunton has completed its Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) update, which will guide the city’s recreational and natural resource planning for the next seven years, from 2023 to 2030. Through an inclusive community engagement process, facilitated by the Taunton Open Space Working Group and SRPEDD, the city collected feedback through a public survey published in three different languages, at two hybrid (in-person and virtual participation) public meetings, and through an interactive mapping exercise hosted at several community events, in City Hall and online.
The Plan balances the city’s need for further support to manage its existing abundance of recreational resources and the public’s desire for additional amenities, all while preserving the important natural areas that protect the community from extreme storms, flooding, and heat waves. In this update of the plan, the city also added a new goal to expand inclusive recreational opportunities for all in Taunton. This additional equity consideration aims to expand recreational access both geographically and socially, to ensure easier access to the city’s parks.
Taunton’s Plan has been submitted to the Massachusetts Division of Conservation Services for review and approval. The state may require additional edits to the plan, but once they complete their review, Taunton will receive conditional approval and become eligible to apply for funding to begin implementation of the open space and recreational improvements recommended in the plan. Taunton’s 2023 – 2030 Open Space and Recreation Plan can be accessed at www.srpedd.org/taunton-osrp.
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Green Communities 2023 Update |
In 2023 SRPEDD will continue to provide technical assistance that supports the 18 designated Green Communities of Southeast Mass. Obtaining and maintaining Green Community designation allows municipalities to be eligible for competitive grant funding. This funding, which is awarded twice a year, helps communities pursue and offset the costs of renewable energy projects; acquire fuel-efficient vehicles; and implement other energy efficiency measures.
We are excited to announce the recent competitive grant awards from the Fall 2022 grant application cycle to the towns of Carver ($199,984), Marion ($194,065), and Rehoboth ($199,485). All three towns will be using this round of grant money to help implement energy efficient measures in the way of LED lighting and weatherization of public buildings.
In Carver, these projects have been approved for the Middle/High School, Fire Departments 2 and 3, the School Administration building, and the Public Library. In Marion, they are focusing on their Fire Departments 1 and 2, as well as their Community Center. In Rehoboth, Fire Departments 2 and 3 will be receiving these energy efficient measures, in addition to the installation of two electric vehicle charging stations at the Senior Center and Town Hall.
To date, this puts the total amount of Green Communities grant funding awarded to the SRPEDD region at over $6.5 million.
Moving forward into the 2023 calendar year, here are important report due dates for communities to be mindful of:
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Prior Grant close out (to be eligible for Spring Block) - due February 3
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Competitive Grant Spring Block - due April 14
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Prior Grant close out (to be eligible for Fall Block) - due August 31
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Competitive Grant Fall Block - due October 20
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Annual Report - due November 3
The photo above on the right shows one of Marion fire department buildings that are among the facilities where energy efficiency measures will be implemented with the latest round of Green Communities funding.
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Is Your Community Cyber Ready?
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Communities have only so much funding, personnel, and time to invest in cybersecurity. How do you know if you’ve made the right decisions and investments to fend off and maintain critical services during a cyberattack? One way to explore these issues is to participate in an exercise called the Cyber Ready Community Game. Developed by FEMA, aligning with the national cybersecurity framework, and facilitated by SRPEDD Homeland Security program personnel, this game runs around three hours. During play, members of the community will weather multiple simulated cyber incidents, share information, and negotiate to prioritize cyber responses to sustain the community’s critical services.
The game splits players among up to six community organizations: Emergency Management, Local Government, Local Utilities, Hospital, Bank, and Business. The number of organizations and sizes can be adjusted based on participation (for example, a community with no local hospital wouldn’t benefit strongly from playing on the Hospital board). The ideal audience of participants includes cybersecurity/information technology personnel as well as non-cyber personnel.
This lively game will encourage substantive discussion among community stakeholders about cyber preparedness and response planning. Whether your community is well entrenched behind a layered cyber defense or just starting its cybersecurity journey, the Cyber Ready Community Game will elevate discussions and help to build stronger ties between essential members of the community. For more information, or to request a hosted game in your community, please reach out to Kevin Ham in SRPEDD's Homeland Security Department at kham@srpedd.org or 508-212-5302.
The photo above on the left displays FEMA’s Cyber Ready Community Game. SRPEDD’s Homeland Security Staff can facilitate this exercise for your community.
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88 Broadway
Taunton, MA 02780
Phone: 508-824-1367
Fax: 508-823-1803
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