“VISION QUEST 2020”

1. “VISION QUEST 2020”

2. MASTER PLAN COMMITTEE MEMBERS • JIM LANE – CHAIR PLANNING BOARD • PHILIP ELIOPOULOS – VICE CHAIR SELECTMAN • GEORGE ZAHAROOLIS – CLERK PLANNING BOARD • DAVID McLACHLAN CONSERVATION • LINDA PRESCOTT COMMUNITY PRESERVATION • JACKIE HOONJAN BUSINESS • SHEILA PICHETTE TOWN MEETING REP • PETER ROBSON CITIZEN REP • JUDY TAVANO BOARD OF APPEALS • EVAN BELANSKY ADVISOR

3. CHELMSFORD’S MASTER PLANNING HISTORY Chelmsford has a 40 year history of master planning. Master plans have been completed in 1963, 1975, 1986 and 1996. The Planning Board is charged with drafting a Master Plan for the Town of Chelmsford.

4. WHAT IS A MASTER PLAN? The Master Plan is a guide to manage future growth so as to protect Chelmsford’s natural resources, character and family orientation. It will be an important tool for town residents, boards, and officials as the community makes decisions about land use, open space, and development. The Master Plan includes a vision for the town, goals, and many recommendations. It addresses land use, town character, historic and cultural resources, open space and recreation, natural resources, housing, economic development, transportation, and infrastructure.

5. PROCESS • 12-16 month process • Committee Meetings (usually the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month, at 6:30pm) • 6 community input sessions - Tonight’s Visioning Session - May 6 – Business Community Session - June 3 – Economic Development Session - June - Infrastructure Session - September – Natural / Cultural / open space & recreation resources - January 2010 – Final input session

6. THE PAST TWO MONTHS • Entered into an agreement with Northern Middlesex Council of Governments • Reviewed the 2009 Build Out Report • Scheduled the first three public input sessions • Master Plan website blog for public input • Developed public input form • Performed SWOT analysis on all functional master plan topics

7. FUNDING SOURCES • In Spring of 2008 Town Meeting approved $70,000 for the purpose of developing a new Master Plan • Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG) provided $10,000 from DLTA II funds • Community Preservation Committee approved $10,000 for Housing section and $10,000 for Open Space and Recreation • Planning Board approved $10,000 from the traffic mitigation funds (53G) for the transportation section • NMCOG’s fee for consulting $70,000 • The remaining $40,000 will be used for implementation

8. PUBLIC OUTREACH & INPUT • All Committee meetings are open to the public • Master Plan Process Blog -http://chelmsfordmasterplanprocess.blogspot.com • Input & Recommendation Form • Town’s website http://www.townofchelmsford.us/ - Master Plan Committee website - Online Documents

9. GROUND RULES! • 3 minutes at the microphone. Provide everyone with an opportunity to speak. • Set cell phones to vibrate. • Let’s keep it original. Please do not repeat comments or thoughts. • Stay focused on the agenda. • Tonight's session is not a debate. • Please remember to sign attendance sheet (include email). • Let your creative thoughts flow. • Remember this is your community and you have a chance to help set the tone for the next 10-15 years.

10. A MASTER PLAN WILL HELP THE COMMUNITY: • Manage growth and change • Provide for orderly and predictable development • Protect environmental resources • Strengthen local identity • Create a framework for future policy decisions • Provide guidance to residents, local boards, permitting authorities, and the business community

11. STATE REQUIREMENTS: • Under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 41, Section 81D, the Planning Board is required to prepare the Master Plan. • The Chelmsford Master Plan Update will contain the following elements: • Vision Statement, Goals and Objectives • Land Use • Housing • Economic Development • Natural and Cultural Resources • Open Space and Recreation • Transportation • Implementation

12. WHAT’S IN A MASTER PLAN? • Data Analysis • Existing Conditions • Trends, Estimates and Future Projections • Goals, Policies and Actions • Maps • Implementation Strategy

13. HOW DOES THE PROCESS WORK? • Visioning Session • Business Forum • Stakeholder interviews • Survey • Public Forums: • Economic Development, Land Use and Housing • Infrastructure (sewer, water, transportation) • Natural/Cultural Resources/Open Space/Recreation • Community Meeting on the Draft Master Plan Document

14. WHERE ARE WE TODAY? • Review and synthesis of past plans, studies and reports • Data collection and analysis: • Demographic data • Economic data • Assessor information • Traffic counts and crash data • Town data and resources • Local organizations: e.g. Housing Authority, COA

15. WHERE ARE WE GOING AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO AFFECT CHANGE? • Examine trends, estimates and projections • Opportunities and challenges • Analysis of options • Develop consensus regarding strategy • Outline Recommendations • Create Implementation Plan • Adopt Master Plan with consistency among elements

16. ADOPTION OF MASTER PLAN • Although not required, communities may choose to have the Master Plan formally adopted by Town Meeting • Master Plan must be adopted by majority vote of the Planning Board

17. WHAT IS A SWOT ANALYSIS? • SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats • SWOT analysis is utilized by private industry and government agencies, to collect the thoughts of all involved at the outset of a planning process, in order to develop a vision • Designed to capture your personal thoughts about the Town and individual topical elements of the Master Plan

18. HOW DOES THE PROCESS WORK? • There are no right or wrong answers, and everyone is encouraged to express their thoughts about the community • As you express your thoughts about the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to Chelmsford, we will write them on flip chart sheets and hang them around the room • Please focus your responses on the topical areas addressed within the Master Plan

19. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? • At the end of the SWOT Analysis, there will be a fifteen minute break, so that you can place color coding dots on the flip chart sheets to prioritize those ideas which you feel are most important. • Under this system, REDwill represent your 1st priority, GREENwill indicate your 2nd priority, BLUEyour 3rd priority, and YELLOW will indicate your 4th priority. • NMCOG staff will take these flip chart sheets, tally the results, and make a presentation at the next public input session summarizing the findings.

20. WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS OF THE TOWN OF CHELMSFORD? • Overall • Land Use • Housing • Economic Development • Historical, Natural and Cultural Resources • Open Space and Recreation • Transportation

21. WHAT THE WEAKNESSES OF THE TOWN OF CHELMSFORD? • Overall • Land Use • Housing • Economic Development • Historical, Natural and Cultural Resources • Open Space and Recreation • Transportation

22. WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE TO THE TOWN OF CHELMSFORD? • Overall • Land Use • Housing • Economic Development • Historical, Natural and Cultural Resources • Open Space and Recreation • Transportation

23. WHAT THREATS ARE THERE TO THE TOWN OF CHELMSFORD? • Overall • Land Use • Housing • Economic Development • Historical, Natural and Cultural Resources • Open Space and Recreation • Transportation

24. PRIORITIZING YOUR INPUT USING COLOR CODING DOTS • 1st priority = RED • 2nd priority = GREEN • 3rd priority = BLUE • 4th priority = YELLOW