Berkshire Regional Planning Commission

The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) is the official area-wide planning agency in Berkshire County, with comprehensive planning responsibilities which include land use, transportation, economic development, and environmental management. BRPC was established in 1966 under Chapter 40B of the Massachusetts General Laws, and consists of one delegate and one alternate from each of its 32 member communities, as well as a commission staff and consultants who provide direct technical assistance to the county municipalities. The Commission is required to study the problems, needs, and resources of the region and to make recommendations for physical, social, governmental, and economic improvements in the Berkshires. BRPC is responsible for regional review procedures required by numerous federal and state programs.

Improved means of transportation and communication have made municipalities more dependent on each other, and the problems and needs of the region in which the municipality is located are also the municipality’s problems and needs. BRPC thus acts as a focal point for discussing and evaluating area-wide inter-municipal problems and needs, and for working out joint plans for their solution. These plans may then be rejected or accepted by the cities and towns involved. Other functions include serving as a "united voice" for the Berkshires when dealing with state and federal agencies, and providing an opportunity for member communities to share experiences and results with each other.