Town contemplates future in latest master plan update

One week from today at the Canton Public Library, local residents will be invited to share and discuss their vision for the future of Canton as part of a public workshop hosted by the town’s Master Plan Steering Committee.

The soon to be completed Revere Heritage Site is arguably the most dramatic symbol of change in Canton over the past decade and a half. (Jay Turner photo)

Scheduled to run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and open to all ages, Thursday’s workshop is the first in what will be a series of public input opportunities over the next several months that will be used to guide the development of an updated master plan, which has been dubbed “Canton Master Plan 2035.”

“This is really not up to us; it’s up to the town,” said David McCarthy, Master Plan Steering Committee chairman and Canton Planning Board member. “We’ve been getting data for the [steering] committee to review, read, comment on, and give feedback on so that we can then present to the townspeople and say, ‘Look, this is our first public forum. Give us your input as to what you think the town should look like. What is it that should be added to the town? What should be taken away? What should be changed? What are we missing?’”

The Canton Master Plan, according to a press release issued by the steering committee, is a community-driven plan that articulates Canton’s long-range vision for its future and lays out the steps to reach that vision.

“It is comprehensive,” the press release adds, “addressing all aspects of life in Canton — our neighborhoods, where we shop, parks and playgrounds, public services, historic sites and buildings, local employers, and even how we get around town.”

The current iteration of the master plan was completed in 2004 and has been used to guide both policy and development decisions in Canton over the past 15 years. Town Planner Laura Smead, having conducted an extensive review of the existing plan, estimates that roughly two-thirds of the items listed within the action plan portion of the document have either already been implemented or are in the process of being implemented.

Of the remaining third of items, Smead said some are no longer applicable while others have not been implemented for a variety of reasons. In either case, she said the 2004 document is nearing the end of its useful life, adding that there has been enough change within the town to necessitate a more substantial rewrite.

Smead said the new master plan will be divided into three sections, or volumes. The first and largest volume will contain baseline data and offer a “snapshot in time” of where Canton is now. It will contain many of the same chapter headings as the 2004 plan — such as housing, economic development, open space and recreation, and land use and zoning — while also adding two new chapters on public health and energy.

The second volume will focus on where the town wants to be in the future (10 to 20 years out), while the final volume will articulate the specific action steps needed to achieve that long-range vision. Both of these volumes will rely heavily on resident input, said Smead.

“The idea is that you’re engaging [the public] multiple times in multiple ways,” she said. “You’re trying to get as many perspectives as you can … and then it’s a combination of what does the data say, what do the people say, and what are the best planning practices that we know about and you kind of come to a path.”

The role of the steering committee is to oversee and guide the process, working in conjunction with the Horsley Witten Group, a private consulting firm. Krista Moravec, senior planner for Horsley Witten, said their job is both to assist the steering committee while also doing some of the “heavy lifting” in terms of compiling data and preparing drafts, but stressed that it is very much a “group effort.” She added that the town is also working with a few other firms, including McMahon Associates on transportation issues and Camoin Associates on matters of economic development.

Smead said the entire process, which is already well underway, is expected to take approximately two years. The goal is to have the documents themselves completed by the end of the summer of 2019 so that it can be presented at annual town meeting in 2020.

As for next week’s initial public workshop, the schedule calls for a short presentation followed by a period of group discussion. Participants will be asked to share their vision for the town in the future, how they can make that vision take shape, and what potential opportunities and barriers exist to seeing that vision through. The workshop will also offer supervised activities for kids and light snacks will be provided.

Both McCarthy and Smead stressed the importance of gathering as much public input as possible and they urged residents to mark the date of October 25 on their calendars.

“This is a chance for residents to talk about where they see Canton in 10 to 20 years and how we get there,” said McCarthy. “It’s important that everyone have their voices heard.”

For more information about the master plan update process, contact Laura Smead at lsmead@town.canton.ma.us or 781-575-6575, or visit the master plan website at cantonmasterplan.com.

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=43116

Posted by Jay Turner on Oct 20 2018. Filed under News, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.