“They’re sending their engineers along to do the work, and these guys are coming in, and basically they can get all their answers in one building in one day and decide if a project can even work.”The town also plays an important liaison role when projects involve state agencies like MassDOT, since so much development occurs along Route 20. “We try to be that middleman for those projects, to make it a little bit easier,” Grimm says. Masterson emphasizes how this unified approach sets Sturbridge apart. When two recent companies explored relocation or expansion, the town brought month, and we talk about issues that are ongoing in regards to permitting,” she conveys. “We invite the applicants to come meet with us before they formally submit an application, so we’re able to iron out any glitches before they spend all that money and finalize all their plans and come to the boards.” Grimm says it is this collaborative mindset that shapes the town’s “one stop” approach. “It really is a team effort, we just want to make this as easy as possible,” she relays, adding that Sturbridge often works with small and mid-sized developers who appreciate the ability to get information quickly. 159 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 12 STURBRIDGE, MA
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