This is the final installment of Harvard by Design’s review of the town’s master plans, a series begun in the Sept. 25 issue of the Press. In the Sept. 25 and Oct. 2 issues we reviewed the master plans of 1969 and 1988, and the process, vision, and goals of Master Plan 2002. This week we look at Chapter 5 of the 2002 master plan, which enumerates 34 specific action proposals, including description, timeline, estimated cost, priority, and boards/committees responsible for the action. The full details of actions taken and actions planned, summarized below, have been posted on www.harvardpress.com, About Harvard, Harvard Wiki.
- Item 1―Master Plan Coordinating Committee. The Planning Board has created a Master Plan Implementation Committee (MPIC), chaired by Planning Board Chairman Joe Sudol, and including Christopher Tracey, Lucy Wallace, Al Combs, Lorin Johnson, and Sarah Tracey.
- Item 2―Conservation Cluster (Open Space Zoning) Bylaw. Completed with adoption of bylaw number 125-35 at the March 2003 Annual Town Meeting.
- Item 5―Agricultural-Retail Business. Zoning bylaw was adopted to allow farm stands to diversify their product lines beyond their locally grown produce, to help increase profitability.
- Item 6―Open Space and Recreation Plan. Updates were completed in 2003 and 2008, funded by Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds.
- Item 7―Conservation Fund and Land Acquisition Policy. Implemented with $100,000 per year transferred to the Conservation Fund, as requested by the Conservation Commission, recommended by the Community Preservation Committee (CPC), and voted by Annual Town Meeting.
- Item 8-A―Agricultural-Residential District Zoning Amendments. Completed with bylaw amendments in March 2006 allowing for conversion of single-family homes to multiple residences and accessory apartments.
- Item 8-B―Affordable Housing Strategy. Accomplished with an affordable housing plan approved by Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in January 2005.
- Items 15-A―Community Commercial Overlay District and 15-B―“C” District. Completed with adoption of Ayer Road Village Special Permit bylaw, March 2004.
- Item 15-E―Ayer Road Corridor Study. Begun with a draft Functional Design Report by consultants Camp, Dresser, and McKee issued in 2008.
- Item 16-A―Town Center Realm Plan. Completed in 2005.
- Item 16-C―Wastewater Feasibility Study. Grew into the town center sewer study, then action group, and finally the town center sewer project that was approved at the May 2009 Annual Town Meeting.
- Item 4-A―Historic Preservation Zoning: Demolition delay bylaw, special development regulations for historic preservation. Planning Board working with Historical Commission for bylaw amendments in 2010.
- Item 8-B―Affordable Housing Strategy. Planning Board to update Affordable Housing Plan to re-evaluate and update strategy developed in 2004. Submittal to DHCD by Jan 2010.
- Item 16-B―Town Center Overlay District. Planning Board to revisit zoning change started in 2007–2008, which was tabled pending addressing issues of town center sewer system and evaluation of parking in town center.
- Item 18―Bare Hill Pond Watershed. Pond Committee working with Planning Board to develop an overlay district.
Twenty of the 34 actions identified in the plan have had no activity reported, and none planned. A few may not have been reported back to the MPIC, and may be updated on the status list in the near future. The rest will be a starting point for the next master plan update.
A new master plan will be due in 2012. According to Sudol, there will probably be a warrant article at the 2010 Annual Town Meeting to fund its preparation.
Next in Harvard by Design: Affordable housing plan