The Planning Commission of Williamstown, MA, is discussing how to educate residents about their proposal for allowing manufactured homes into traditional NIMBY neighborhoods.
The bylaw amendment developed by the Planning Board would essentially treat single-family manufactured homes the same as single-family “stick-built” homes in every residential district. Planners hope that the less costly manufactured homes will provide more opportunities for residents of varying incomes to live in town.
It also changes the language in the town code from “mobile home” to manufactured home, in line with how the federal government and industry refer to the mass-produced residences that are delivered to a residential lot largely intact.
The manufactured home proposal may require an additional warrant article to make sure that there are no unintended consequences to other parts of the bylaw, perhaps by specifying that older mobile homes that predate current HUD regulations still are acceptable temporary dwellings during construction.
This Planning Commission should be commended for its forward-thinking proposal, and let’s hope it passes, so other towns and cities in MA will have a blueprint to follow when they face this issue.
Gary Fleisher, Contributing Editor
