Committee hears plan to create temporary study commission for regional planning

The Municipal and County Government Committee on March 3 heard testimony on House Bill 471, which would establish a temporary, multi-town commission to study growth, traffic and land‑use planning in a set of communities that currently sit in different regional planning commissions.

Supporters told the committee the proposal was a response to shared transportation and growth pressures along major corridors and was requested by multiple residents and town officials. "These towns share common locality as far as — access to Southern New Hampshire, Route 93 — and they're looking at a lot of very similar issues," Representative Diane Power said, reading remarks submitted on behalf of Representative Ron Dunn (transcript). Brookline planning board member Eric Power said the commission could reduce friction when projects cross…