Lanesborough Selectmen to Hear Temporary Police Station Plans

By Brian RhodesiBerkshires Staff
06:48AM / Sunday, April 24, 2022Print Story | Email Story

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Police Station Committee plans to present its proposal for a temporary police station location to the Board of Selectmen on Monday.

"I think us getting a temporary location set up is huge. It's something that, when the committee was formed, we didn't think that would be something we'd really be doing, but it ended up being something that worked out really well," said Chair Kristen Tool.

The Selectmen will have to approve the committee's proposal to relocate the Police Department to 545 South Main St. before anything can move forward. The American Rescue Plan Act Fund Committee approved a budget on April 20 that includes the $65,000 for a potential two-year lease of the property.

The lease, according to Tool, should already save the town a significant amount of money compared to what was anticipated.

"By moving the officers to this temporary location, once that is able to get approved, we will have already saved $120,000 that we budgeted to have a temporary location," she said "A trailer somewhere, that was going to be closer to $200,000."

Regarding the new station, Tool said she thinks a separate meeting with the Selectmen to discuss details with each potential site would be helpful. The committee discussed the feasibility of several potential sites, including the current police station site at 8 Prospect St., with Brian Humes of Jacunsci & Humes Architects on on April 6.

"It would be irresponsible for us to say, 'Do it and see what happens,' if there are other things here that would rule this site out before that taxpayer money is spent," she said. She noted Humes is willing to work with the town regardless of which site Lanesborough chooses.

The committee discussed the difficulties of getting any accurate estimates for the price of a new station. Tool said the committee is nowhere near a discussion on costs.

"I think there's a lot of fear in town about the money. Then it's like we're not even ready to talk about it because it's just an idea that we will get there. I'm confident that we will be able to lower the costs," she said.

Tags: police station,

iBerkshires.com Text Ads

rk MILES Blding Materials

Are You Ready to Update Your Home? Start With rk MILES. 4 Locations (800)670-7433

www.rkmiles.com

RIBCO Supply

Check out our great lineup of Boss Plows, and spreaders. 2 Locations Clarksburg & Pittsfield!

ribcosupply.com

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Berkshire Towns Can Tap State Seasonal Communities Resources

10:54AM / Monday, December 29, 2025

BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey announced that 18 additional municipalities across Massachusetts have been designated as Seasonal Communities, opening up new tools, support and grant funding to help them manage seasonal housing pressures.

Created as part of the historic Affordable Homes Act signed into law by Governor Healey in 2024, the Seasonal Communities designation was designed to recognize Massachusetts communities that experience substantial variation in seasonal employment and to create distinctive tools to address their unique housing needs. The law also established the Seasonal Communities Advisory Council (SCAC).

The Affordable Homes Act identified several communities to automatically receive the designation, including:

All municipalities in the counties of Dukes and Nantucket;
All municipalities with over 35 percent seasonal housing units in Barnstable County; and
All municipalities with more than 40 percent seasonal housing units in Berkshire County.

To identify additional communities, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (HLC) reviewed available data, specifically focusing on cities and towns with high levels of short-term rentals and a high share of second- or vacation homes.

In Berkshire County, Egremont, Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, New Marlborough, Richmond, Sandisfield, Sheffield, West Stockbridge and Williamstown have been designated.

"Our seasonal communities are a vital part of Massachusetts' cultural and economic fabric, but they're also home to essential workers, families, seniors, and longtime residents who deserve a place to live year-round," said Governor Healey. "That's why we're committed to supporting these communities with innovative solutions like the Seasonal Communities designation to meet their unique needs, and I'm thrilled that we're offering this opportunity to 18 additional communities across the state. Everyone who calls these places home should be able to live, work and grow here, no matter the season."

As with the statutorily identified communities, acceptance of the designation for municipalities is voluntary and requires a local legislative vote. HLC will open an application for newly eligible communities that haven't accepted the Seasonal Communities designation to request consideration.

The Affordable Homes Act created several new tools for communities who accept the Seasonal Communities designation to be able to:

Acquire deed restrictions to create or preserve year-round housing
Develop housing with a preference for municipal workers, so that our public safety personnel, teachers, public works and town hall workers have a place to live
Establish a Year-Round Housing Trust Fund to create and preserve affordable and attainable housing for year-round residents
Create year-round housing for artists
Allow seasonal communities to develop a comprehensive housing needs assessment
Permit tiny homes to be built and used as year-round housing
Permit year-round, attainable residential development on undersized lots
Increase the property tax exemption for homes that are the owners' primary residence