Six Franklin County, Massachusetts, communities are exploring how zoning and permitting can make housing easier to develop—but they are not adopting one shared countywide code. Deerfield, Erving, Greenfield, Montague, Orange, and Whately partnered with the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) on community-specific efforts focused on reusing vacant or underused properties near public transit.
What the six-community effort actually is
The project is called Greenfield Area Complete Neighborhoods. The six municipalities joined FRCOG in a grant partnership selected in 2022, with each community pursuing its own reuse project. The focus is practical: identify places where underused property near transit could support housing, and consider how local rules and review processes affect that possibility.
The January 2025 FRCOG project materials describe the partnership and its community-specific purpose. The phrase “one county zoning code” is shorthand, not a description of what the project produced.
Why the distinction between one code and six matters
Massachusetts municipalities make zoning and permitting decisions through their own local frameworks. FRCOG’s January 2025 assessment reviewed the separate zoning bylaws and permitting processes in the six communities and offered tools and recommendations relevant to them; it did not establish a uniform county zoning code. Greenfield is a city and has ordinances, while the other communities have bylaws.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →#1 Best Overall
- High quality
- Meets production rules
- Practical and intuitive
That distinction matters for builders and residents. A housing type that fits one municipality’s rules or review process may face different requirements in another. A regional assessment can help communities identify useful ideas, but local adoption and project approvals remain community-specific.
What zoning and permitting changes can do
Zoning determines, among other things, what kinds of housing may be built and where. Permitting and review procedures shape how a proposal moves through local approval. Changes to either can remove barriers or make certain projects more feasible, particularly when they support reuse of vacant or underused sites near transit.
Rank #2
- 48 x 36 inches. Laminated. Flat map, tubed for shipping.
- This map of Raleigh, North Carolina shows ZIP code areas overlaid on a road map. Ideal for planning of deliveries, home services, sales territories, real estate and much more. Base map features include all roads with major roads and highways labelled; neighborhood names; railways; and high level land use such as parks and recreation areas, industrial areas and hospital campuses.
- Scale 1:40,000
FRCOG treats zoning as one part of the response, alongside permitting and other non-zoning practices. The assessment is intended to help small, rural communities consider ways to enable a wider range of housing. Recommendations, however, are not the same as adopted amendments, approved projects, or completed homes.
The housing need behind the effort
FRCOG’s January 2025 assessment reports a net shortage of 3,020 affordable housing units in Franklin County, attributing that figure to the Franklin County Regional Housing Plan, 2024. It says the greatest needs are among extremely low-income and low-income households. That regional estimate explains why creating more housing options is a policy concern; it does not measure the effect of this six-community initiative.
Rank #3
- FULLY BLANK MAPS. Clean map outline design made by professional cartographers.
- 50 DOUBLE-SIDED MAPS INCLUDED. A blank United States map is on one side and a blank World map is on the other side.
- BONUS LAMINATED ANSWER SHEET INCLUDED. Use dry or wet erase markers to mark the areas you need to study more.
- LEARN GEOGRAPHY QUICKLY WITH QUIZZING. Study our laminated answer sheet then test your knowledge by labeling the blank sheets. Perfect for the home or classroom.
- MADE IN THE USA. These maps are designed and printed in Charlotte, NC. Made by a family-owned small business.
What is—and is not—known about results
The reviewed assessment does not provide a comparable count of homes built across all six communities as a result of the work. It should therefore be understood as a set of recommendations and planning tools, not proof that the partnership has increased housing production.
To evaluate progress community by community, the useful measures are whether a reuse project was identified, what local zoning provisions and housing types apply, how approval and permitting work, and whether projects received approvals or produced completed units. Those records need to be checked separately for each municipality; a regional recommendation alone cannot establish a construction outcome.
Massachusetts ADU law is relevant context, not a countywide code
The assessment also describes the Massachusetts Affordable Homes Act, signed August 6, 2024. It says the law amended the Massachusetts Zoning Act to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) up to 900 square feet by right in single-family zoning districts, subject to applicable implementation details. FRCOG noted that draft state regulations were issued in December 2024. The exact requirements that apply to a proposed project should be checked against current state guidance and the relevant municipality’s rules.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep similarly named efforts separate
This Franklin County partnership is not the Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Single-Family Zoning Analysis. Cuyahoga County’s separate initiative launched in 2021 and covered 19 inner-ring suburbs; a December 16, 2024, county announcement said five communities had adopted updates and three were working on updates. Those figures describe the Ohio program, not results in Massachusetts.
Best Value
- Designed for the city planner who survives public meetings draws zoning maps and dreams of bike lanes and corner stores Zoning Nerd.
- Perfect for city planners who endure public comment debate zoning code and the long arc of turning blueprints into a real city.
- Dishwasher and microwave-safe for everyday convenience and easy cleanup
- Features glossy finish with accent colors on interior, handle, and rim of two-tone designs
- Perfect for morning coffee, tea, or hot cocoa at home or the office
Likewise, Dane County, Wisconsin, has a separate residential zoning guide. It is another example of local housing policy work, not part of the Franklin County six-community partnership.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
