News & Resources

Smart Growth Project: Great Barrington Master Plan (2013)

The Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance recognizes smart growth projects and planning/zoning initiatives across the Commonwealth. This project is one of many that were featured at our 2013 conference. See other examples

Great Barrington

The 2013 Great Barrington Master Plan was drafted over the course of three years of public participation and stakeholder engagement. The Vision of the final approved plan calls for Great Barrington to continue to balance its small town character, historic buildings and vibrant downtown, with the rural heritage of productive farms, scenic vistas and open spaces, and vast tracts of protected habitat. The Plan groups its implementing actions into a set of four Core Initiatives, these being: “Character”, “Community and Connections”, “Commerce”, and “Coordination”.

Opportunities: Key opportunities for Great Barrington include: Redevelopment of historic and contaminated sites, cleanup of the Housatonic River, and restoration of the passenger railroad.

Challenges: The challenges facing Great Barrington include a shrinking population and burdened tax base; infrastructure and buildings that are aging and in need of repair; and an economy transitioning to tourism.

Project Team: Town of Great Barrington, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission

Cost: In house

Funding Sources: BRPC for mapping District Local Technical Assistance

Contact: Chris Rembold, Town Planner, Town of Great Barrington, crembold@townofgb.org