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2025 Spring Webinar Series

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Spring Workshops

The Spring 2025 workshops are beginning. All workshops are via Zoom. The fee is $35 unless otherwise noted. Registration closes 48 hours before the workshop begins. Cancelations must be received at least 48 hours before the workshop begins in order to receive a refund. Workshop handouts will be emailed to registrants.

Demystifying Development: A Peek Behind the Curtain of Permitting Projects

  • Date: Monday, June 16, 2025, 5:00 PM
  • Cost: free
  • Registration: Register

This session offers board and committee members a behind-the-scenes look at the intricate world of local permitting. A developer will share insights into the key factors they evaluate before submitting a project application, offering a valuable perspective on early-stage planning. An engineer will highlight technical considerations that often shape project feasibility, while a planner will provide clarity on regulatory frameworks and community dynamics. Designed to enhance understanding and improve decision-making, this session equips board and committee members with the knowledge to evaluate development projects effectively and confidently.

  • Presenters: Sam Randel, Founder, Randel & Co Development; Brittany Gesner, Director of Land Development, Worcester, VHB; Jenny Gingras, Director of Planning, Town of Westborough

Roles & Responsibilities of Planning and Zoning Boards

  • Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 5:30 PM
  • Cost: $35
  • Registration: Register

Join us if you are a new Board member or building inspector. This program will launch you into your role as a local official, introduce you to the functions of the two boards and the main tools of planning and zoning. This session will also include an introductory discussion of the Open Meeting, Public Records, and the Conflict-of-Interest Laws. 

  • Presenter: Bob Mitchell FAICP, Planning Consultant

MEPA: Understanding State Project Review Process and the Value for Local Communities

  • Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2025, 7:00 pm
  • Cost: free
  • Registration: Register

Learn about the basic rules of the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) review process and how it interacts with and can help inform local project review. The presentation will review both current rules and recent developments related to environmental justice and climate change.

  • Presenters: Tori Kim, MEPA Director, Jennifer Hughes, MEPA Deputy Director

Special Permits & Variances

  • Date: Thursday, June 26, 2025, 5:30 pm
  • Cost: $35
  • Registration: Register

Participants will learn about the difference between special permits and variances; the issues and criteria for decision-making; and procedural requirements. Additionally, the course will discuss who has the authority to issue special permits and variances and how judicial decisions guide the way we work with them.

  • Presenters: Adam J Costa, Mead, Talerman & Costa, LLC

Previous Workshops