All Quiet on the Western Front

Credit: The New Yorker

In the western suburbs of Boston, just outside of I-495, the roads are remarkably empty, town hall is eerily quiet, and the phone might ring once or twice a week as residents focus on other, more pressing matters of life. Here in Harvard, public life has necessarily ground to a screeching halt and public meetings, if they are held at all, have relocated to the Zoom room.

Juliette Kayyem writes in The Atlantic that "...a strange purgatory awaits us," as we slowly begin to emerge from this more acute stage of the crisis. We will find (or be presented with) new ways of participating in almost every element of public life such as shopping, eating out, going to work or school, and of course traveling. To those of us who tend to be more civic minded and responsible, the adjustment will be incorporated into our new routine without much protest. For those who tend to value personal freedoms above collective responsibility, reactions may range from mild annoyance to unmitigated rage. Trying to balance public policy and satisfy the full spectrum of these perspectives will be daunting and require strong and self-assured leaders and maybe interesting coalitions.

How will civic life change in other ways? At the local level, where I operate, I can envision a host of ways in which our antecedent life will be changing locally, particularly in the public policy realm. First, volunteerism and public participation may either rise or fall based on whether local government migrates back to physical presence meetings or holds some or all meetings virtually going forward. Reluctance to attend physical meetings in confined spaces, even with 6 foot social distancing and required face masks, could be significant. Hearing a sniffle or cough might empty a room quicker than a bomb threat. Can you imagine taking temperatures at the door for every in person public meeting? Don't rule that out, at least in the beginning.

As I pick my "pen" back up and continue writing this shelved piece begun in April, now in August we find some answers to these early questions but public meetings have still not returned and many of us are quite adept at the Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or other remote platforms that allow us to substitute our mundane home backgrounds with the Taj Mahal or Fenway Park. Municipal financial personnel continue to try to keep us all afloat while waiting seemingly in vain for some sort of federal help to compensate local and state government for shouldering the heavy burden of the costs of Covid and the domino effect of economic shrinkage. A list of the adaptations and safety-related actions include cleaning supplies or services, plexiglass barriers, signage and floor stickers, hand sanitizer, and most important for continued productivity, the new technologies--both hardware and software, to allow cities and towns to function by taking online applications and payments, holding public meetings, and so much more.

The Harvard Planning Board, with a brief interruption in meetings, has been hard at work on applications and other work such as bylaw amendments and long-range planning. Business as usual for the Board exemplifies the positive thinking that our members, new and established, have for the future, regardless of the ever present State of Emergency. The hope is that the vision and goals long established in local master plans will still be relevant going forward. Most of all, I am hoping to see everyone in person, safely, in good health, and ready for the challenges of climate change, public health, economy, racism, and more.

Ideas For Functioning During Our New Reality

"New ideas pass through three periods: 1) It can’t be done. 2) It probably can be done, but it’s not worth doing. 3) I knew it was a good idea all along!"

~ Arthur C. Clarke

"I know quite certainly that I myself have no special talent; curiosity, obsession and dogged endurance, combined with self-criticism, have brought me to my ideas."

~ Albert Einstein

*Updated 4-16-20*

I connect to the Einstein quote above, particularly as it relates to not having any special talent. I have always had some measure of pride at being an "idea person" and also possess the cliched characteristic of not having implemented many. But hopefully some of these ideas that I have shared might have inspired others to carry them out. I'll never know. Regardless, in this post I call upon my interest and ability to generate ideas for how we might provide some benefit to ourselves and others during this coronavirus emergency. One or more might have some small impact on our world or a tiny corner of it.  I also include other ideas received from other platforms and give a general shout out to those who have provided the idea but refrain from giving specific credit out of protecting privacy. Finally, I acknowledge that many of these ideas may be recycled or "no brainers" but thought they would be useful to pass along regardless.

Reinvention -  I don't make light of how difficult it would be for a business or other entity to reinvent themselves during this crisis, but for some, it may be the best chance you have for survival. Clearly the more you have invested in specific machinery or other capital items or intellectual property, the more difficult it will be. But if you are creative and nimble, you might be able to identify a current market need and be able to change course and address it.

Patronize Local Businesses - Those local businesses that remain open, particularly small businesses, are in dire need of patrons on a regular basis. To the extent that you can, please shop these local businesses for your needs. You might even try to get to know the proprietor and their employees so that as we emerge from this period, you have made a connection that you otherwise might not have.

Take Out Meals - While this is a subset of patronizing local businesses, in particular I recommend ordering take out or delivery meals at least three times a week if you can swing it.  These local businesses, many mom and pop, have had a large percentage of their business shut down until we can congregate in public again. Take out and delivery is all they have left and regularly doing business with them could make a huge difference in their ability to survive at present.

Reach Out - While this may seem obvious, many of us have a small circle of people that we regularly have kept in touch with while we shelter in place. Likely a few family members and close friends I would guess is the extent of it. Consider widening your circle and reach out to less frequently contacted family members such as aunts, uncles, cousins; other friends that we haven't spoken to in a while; and even people from work or our professional community. You never know, you might be delighted at what impact you are having, on them as well as yourself.

Balance - This is one that I have trouble with but it's pretty important to maintain positive physical and mental health. Working from home or just being there if you've been furloughed, can get us caught up in routines that may not be the healthiest. Some of us may be watching many hours of Hulu or Netflix, consuming too much news on TV or the internet, taking too many trips to the refrigerator, or sleeping in. Others may be finding that we're working longer hours than we might otherwise work because of the shift to remote meetings or as a way to make time pass more quickly. I suggest that a good balance of activities shared between work, entertainment, physical activity, social activity, and mindfulness, is the best way to go. This includes not sitting for too long without getting up to stretch and/or walk around. If you have a stand up desk, by all means use it.

Walks - Another obvious task and unquestionably a key way to get exercise, sunshine, and a host of other benefits. However, think about how you can do more with your walks. You can explore new areas throughout your community, being mindful of safety, of course. I also thought that it would be a unique opportunity to clean up sidewalks and walking trails by taking a garbage bag and wearing a pair of surgical gloves and picking up any trash that you come across. This can also be done more formally by contacting a local land trust, parks commission, or other trails group and ask if you can join more formal cleanup efforts.

Crowd Funding - Think of something in the local community that needs assistance now. This could be PPE, assistance for local businesses, help for a local shelter of any kind, meals delivery or something for seniors or others who don't have anyone at this time, or something else that you hear about or perceive needs something right now. You can support an existing campaign or start your own at GoFundMe, Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, Crowdfunder, or another that you find.

Victory Garden - I'm sure you've seen a few news items about people getting out in the garden and even a few for growing vegetables for personal use. And yes it's a good idea if you have the land to do so (or grow them in containers on your porch). While victory gardening was a means to enhance self-sufficiency and leave farm grown food for the war effort, it has a longer term impact if sustained related to local resilience and sustainability going forward. There is a great satisfaction at assembling a salad that was grown completely in your garden. Add a few chickens in the back yard too while you're at it.

Contributing to This - Come up with one idea of your own, add it here as a comment, then forward this link to 1-2 other platforms (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). See how much we can add to this original piece.

Porch Parties - I really like the idea of neighborhood porch (or front/back yard) parties where everyone stays in their yard or on their porch and has meals and drinks "together".  So much the better if you can all agree on the soundtrack. I bet for many of you, you don't even know your next door neighbor. I can't think of a better way to get to know your surrounding community. In addition, neighborhoods that keep lively and visible are less likely to be targets of burglary, etc.

De-Cluttering and Giving - Taking the typical spring cleaning and ramping it up. Consider everything that you have and no longer need and gather it up and donate it to Goodwill, Salvation Army, Householdgoods.org, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, or something else. Collect your surplus clothing, dishes and cookware, books, toys, and anything else that could be re-used. I assure you, there will be a need for most anything in the months to come. Of course, if you have the capacity, please give generously to the charitable cause of your choice. Also consider volunteering for any cause or opportunity that is safe and of interest. Try VolunteerMatch.org for ideas. Also look at Idealist.org. More specifically, go to web sites of food banks, Alone.ie, ICouldBe.org, CrisisTextLine.org, RedCross.org, and any other that you can think of.

Inspire - If you can communicate in writing, speaking, or art/performance, consider getting out there and contributing something. It could be entertaining, educational, thought provoking, or some other subject. Of course if this suggestion is coming from me, I'd add that it should be respectful and sincere. No need for any more hate speech, spamming, or fraud. Do a YouTube channel, blog, Podcast, or anything else that you've always wanted to but never dared. And you are welcome to mention me for the inspiration!

Other Idea Lists - Here is one from The Washington Post. I haven't read them all so cannot attest to the wisdom or efficacy of any of them but I provided it for your reading pleasure.

That's all for now. I'll leave it at this list to give others the opportunity to contribute their own and I'll add to this later if something profound comes to me....it hasn't yet.

Resources for Small Business During Crisis

Most small businesses will be devastatingly impacted during the coronavirus crisis and their very survival is at stake. Not only is access to physical business locations very limited with no specific end in sight, but also, most people have significantly shifted their buying patterns to essential goods and services but this is further hampered by the number of people now out of work with no or reduced capacity.

We have developed a resources page for small businesses that includes information from:

• The Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce
• Arlington Chamber of Commerce
• Representative Lori Trahan's Office
• The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
• Kevin J. Kuros at the Massachusetts Office of Business Development
• Help for Health-Related Businesses
• MassHire North Central Workforce Board

We will keep this resource board up to date when new information is received and we welcome any other resources for small business that you happen to come across. If you need any help locating resources that are not listed here or on applications for assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me, Christopher Ryan, Director of Community and Economic Development, at cryan@harvard.ma.us or 978-456-4100 x.323 anytime.

What Really Happens When You Donate Your Clothes—And Why It’s Bad (from GetPocket)

"Blame fast fashion."

Good article about the non-sustainability of the fashion industry.

Go to article here...

Harvard Receives 2020 DLTA Grant

The Leominster-based Montachusett Regional Planning Commission or MRPC, notified the Town of Harvard last week that the Town has been awarded a $15,000 equivalent grant through the annual District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) program administered by regional planning agencies such as MRPC. Harvard's grant will be to conduct an updated municipal buildout analysis (updating 2002 version done by MRPC through the State's EO418 program) adding both commercial and agricultural components and also developing scenario analysis into the model. A buildout analysis evaluates what could be built on remaining developable parcels in the community showing how many additional housing units and commercial space can be added and how much additional population, school children, and miles of new roads will be added at full buildout. Harvard will also ask MRPC to add a scenario building module so that different buildout futures can be evaluated, a component that not many other communities have included.

Figure 1 - Conventional and OSRD Developments Compared

 

Harvard will then have a fiscal impact analysis conducted on the updated buildout version and any scenario that evolves from the update. Then, each scenario can be run through a fiscal impact analysis tool to show the different revenue models that would likely occur through different buildout scenarios. The Agriculture Commission will also be participating in the project as they wish to show how much Agriculture contributes to the local economy and this component will be included in the study. If you have any questions about this project, contact me at cryan@harvard.ma.us or call 978-456-4100 x.323.

Open Space Residential Development Workshop Video Online

 For those of you in Harvard who were not able to attend the OSRD workshop last Thursday featuring Randall Arendt, a vedeo of much of the event can be found online at Harvard Cable TV here. I want to express my appreciation to Mass Audubon and the Mass Smart Growth Alliance for co-sponsoring the workshop. Without the assistance of Heidi Ricci and her staff and Larry Fields, it would not have gone so well.

I was also very impressed with Matthew Flokos article in the Harvard Press about the event and given that, I see no need to summarize the festivities here. But I do want to follow up with a few points for how we move forward with these amendments locally.

First, the issue of making the Open Space Residential Development (OSRD) a by-right or as-of-right method, meaning that it would not require a special permit as it does now, I have heard some public support for this. The reasoning used thus far for keeping it a special permit is that as tough and scrutinizing as Town Meeting is, making a development option simpler, more predictable, and easier to accomplish might be too much for residents to allow initially.

Maybe as experience with the amendments have proven successful over time, the Board could consider relaxing the bylaw to allow by-right. On the other hand, if we are proposing the OSRD  as a better alternative to the very flawed conventional development option, then why should we fear it by-right?

The next logical step is to actually make conventional subdivisions the special permit option or disallow it altogether if OSRD is density neutral meaning that OSRD will not result in a regulatory taking.

Thinking about the bylaw as one of the most effective ways to identify valuable open space and protect it in perpetuity is, I think, the preferred way to highlight the potential value. One of the most important elements of the bylaw is that pre-application identification of those features of the lot that are worthy of protection...and also how they might fit into the overall open space network in Harvard and the region. In more than a few cases, open space identified and protected as part of an OSRD will be adjacent to other important open space parcels, maybe conservation land, maybe just a conservation easement or restriction, but in any case, the opportunities for connectivity may lead to more effective wildlife corridors, wetlands protection, passive recreational opportunities, carbon sequestration, etc.

The Planning Board will continue to fine tune the draft bylaw, making sure that it is the best it can be, and will then hold a series of meetings that could be focus groups or local workshops, all before opening the public hearings, so that we are certain to conduct the comprehensive level of outreach that the Town of Harvard expects. But if you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at:

cryan@harvard.ma.us

Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Mike Kennealy Visits Nashoba Valley Chamber

HED Secretary Mike Kennealy spoke to the Public Policy Roundtable of the Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday Morning in Shirley. In his introductory remarks, Sec. Kennealy discussed the newly developed State Economic Development Plan entitled, "Partnerships for Growth."  The plan contains four (4) key areas of emphasis, including:

1. Building Vibrant Communities
2. Business Competitiveness
3. Workforce Development
4. Responding to the Housing Crisis

Related to vibrant communities, Kennealy noted programs such as MassWorks, intended to assist cities and towns in developing the infrastructure needed for growth. He emphasized the need to assist smaller towns on a variety of initiatives. Regarding business competitiveness, the State's focus is on growing existing businesses and aiding start-ups within Massachusetts rather than trying to entice businesses from out of state to move here. The challenge in the area of workforce development, according to the Secretary, was not matching jobs to workers, but matching workers to jobs since job growth is outpacing available labor, particularly in the technology and manufacturing sectors. Finally, and not surprising, as this has been an emphasis of economic development efforts at the state level for years, Kennealy noted that the fourth area of emphasis of the Plan was responding to the housing crisis. Governor Baker is working for a second consecutive year to pass a Housing Choice bill that would reduce the threshold to pass zoning initiatives on nine separate housing-related areas of focus to a simple majority from the current supermajority (2/3 or 67%). Many of these include increases to housing density, which is typically a dreaded word in Massachusetts towns (but doesn't have to be). Secretary Kennealy was cautiously optimistic that the bill would pass in this cycle. However, zoning reform has been a notorious challenge and we'll just have to see.

During the Q&A portion of the program, Ayer Community and Economic Development Director Alan Manoian noted Ayer's passage of two form-based code bylaws over the past two town meeting cycles. I followed up with an acknowledgement that Harvard has a strong interest in considering form-based codes for Ayer Road and other areas of town but needs the resources for the planning and market analysis background work as well as the code development work itself and that assistance from the state for smaller town to pursue this type of smart growth would be helpful. I also noted that grants such as MassWorks, while intended to assist smaller towns in some cases, was still too competitive and that thresholds for eligibility were far too urban-centric.The Secretary agreed to look into ways to assist smaller towns in a greater capacity.

The Chamber's Public Policy Roundtable will feature Keiko Matsudo Orrall, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism on February 4, 2020 at 7:45 am at the Chamber offices in Shirley.