Economic Development & Planning
Industrial Park Planning for the Region
The Airport Industrial Park in Montague is one of six planned industrial parks in Franklin County.
Project Overview
The Airport Industrial Park in Montague is one of six planned industrial parks in Franklin County.
Pla Planned industrial park land plays an important role in the economy of Franklin County. Without such land available, locally grown businesses seeking to locate or expand in the region may have difficulty finding a suitable place to build their facilities and may be forced to move to another region. Industrial park planning ensures the most efficient use of public financial resources and existing infrastructure, while encouraging appropriate development patterns in keeping with the residents' vision for their community. There are six planned industrial parks in Franklin County. Presently only one of the parks has significant acreage available for new development. The FRCOG supports planning for the next industrial park to be conducted with a regional perspective and with careful consideration of environmental conditions as well as economic feasibility.
Current Activities
The FRCOG monitors the tenancy of the existing planned industrial parks and conducts planning activities to address future needs. The FRCOG recently completed an update to the Inventory & Analysis of Industrial Park Properties in Franklin County, which was originally completed in 2003. An assessment of development trends in these parks indicate that the supply of available, developable land may be exhausted within six to ten years. As a result, it is important to establish a new industrial park land that will meet future demand and is appropriate to the character and vision of the region. This report is available by contacting Jessica Atwood (jatwood@frcog.org or 413-774-1194 x101).
Future Plans
The FRCOG will continue to work with individual municipalities and the greater region to manage the location of industrial growth, so as to make the most efficient use of tax dollars for public infrastructure, create an atmosphere that is appropriate to these businesses, and that will help preserve the character of Franklin County.
Page last updated on December 14, 2011 .