By Melanie Petrucci, Senior Community Reporter
Northborough – Rain didn’t dampen attendance Dec. 10 at the Northborough Free Library, when the Planning Board hosted a public hearing on the recently completed Master Plan.
Planning Board Chair Kerri Martinek welcomed Fran Bakstran, chair of the Master Plan Steering Committee, who gave a brief overview of the plan.
Maintaining the feel of small town New England, making the community more walkable and bicycle friendly while managing transportation needs, and making the downtown more vibrant, continuing support for commercial development, and balancing town preservation priorities were the prevalent topics.
Geoffrey Morrison-Logan, principal consultant with VHB, explained that the Master Plan was a future vision and policy guide for the town.
“It’s not meant to get into all the little details about how you implement specific things – it’s meant to be overarching,” he noted, adding that it is about the broader vision, the goals and strategies to encompass a 10- to 15-year time-frame.
He said that the first step involved identifying the issues and opportunities. Then the vision, goals and policies were set. Recommendations and an implementation plan were developed and now is the implementation stage.
Morrison–Logan explained that they engaged all stakeholders by holding interviews, public meetings, community surveys, committee meetings and department questionnaires. They also participated at Applefest and built a project website.
Committee Vice Chair Rick Leif shared the committee’s vision for the future.
“The key takeaway here is the idea of walkability, connectivity,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of people throughout the surveys and public meetings tell us that there is a real desire to make this town easier to get around in.”
He added: “There is nothing in here that has been authorized to actually happen; the committee did not have the authority to do anything here. It’ll eventually be up to the town through its boards and committees.”
Members of the Steering Committee explained each of the plan’s eight chapters which include: land use, housing, economic development, natural and cultural resources, open space and recreation, public services and facilities and transportation. Key findings, goals and recommendations were also touched upon.
“This is a living, breathing document… the only way for it to be implemented is for the town to take it seriously and we strongly recommend that the Board of Selectmen have an implementation committee established,” Bakstran remarked.
Selectman Julianne Hirsh expressed her concern over transportation and asked whether the committee envisioned the need to obtain professionals to project how needs will change.
Leif responded that the implementation committee will engage with consultants as needed.
Planning Board member Millie Milton inquired about plans to reevaluate the plan and how the implementation committee will be formed.
Leif replied that it is up to the Selectmen to form the committee, but there were no plans as of yet.
To view the full Master Plan, visit www.NorthboroMP.com. Copies are available at Town Hall, the Senior Center and Library.