Overview:
Results from a recent community survey were presented to residents during a public meeting for an updated master plan in Athol on Tuesday, Feb. 10. The survey identified housing affordability, infrastructure, transportation, and public health as top priorities for residents. Economic development, including more local businesses, restaurants, and job opportunities, was also a key area of interest. Participants were given a voting exercise to help prioritize the goals, and feedback from the survey, interviews, and voting exercise will be used as the town moves into drafting the updated plan.
ATHOL – Results from a recent community survey were presented to residents during Tuesday’s public meeting for an updated master plan, followed by a voting exercise designed to help shape the next phase of the process.
The presentation was led by Adam Duchesneau, a senior planner with BSC Group, a consulting firm assisting the town with the master plan update. Duchesneau reviewed survey findings, outlined the scope of the process, and explained how public input will guide development of the updated plan.
“Master plans provide a unified vision for a community’s future, typically looking 10 to 20 years out,” Duchesneau said at the Feb. 10 meeting held at the Athol Public Library.
He said work on the update began in early December with a kickoff meeting involving town staff, including Assistant Town Planner Heidi Murphy and Planning and Community Development Director Eric Smith, followed by meetings with the Master Plan Committee in December and January. The consulting team also spoke with town departments and school officials to better understand their needs.
“It was really helpful to dig in and learn about their needs, what their department needs, what the shortfalls are, and a lot of the great work that they’re doing,” Duchesneau said.
The community survey, which ran from Jan. 5 to Jan. 26, received around 130 responses. Duchesneau said about 93% of respondents live in Athol year-round, and 56% have lived in town for 20 years or more. He said older residents were well represented, with roughly 57% of respondents age 55 or older.
Identifying plan priorities
Housing affordability stood out as a top concern, with 76% of respondents saying cost would be the biggest issue facing Athol over the next 10 years. Infrastructure was another priority, with about 64% wanting the town to improve its framework, such as roads.
Transportation was another recurring theme. Around 94% of respondents said they rely on personal vehicles, though many expressed interest in expanded walking infrastructure, public transportation and bicycle options. Public health concerns centered on food access, with 86% of respondents identifying cost as the greatest barrier to accessing healthy food.
Duchesneau said survey responses also pointed to economic development as an area of interest, with residents expressing a desire for more local businesses, restaurants and job opportunities in town.
Following the presentation of survey findings, residents participated in a voting exercise to help prioritize the goals.
Draft goals were displayed on boards set up around the library’s Program Room, representing several master plan topics, including housing, land use, transportation, economic development, community services and facilities, public health, open space and recreation, natural and cultural resources, and climate resiliency.
Participants were given sheets with 24 colored dots and asked to place them next to goals they supported, with the option to place multiple dots on a single goal or spread them across categories. The boards also included space for residents to add written comments and suggestions.
Duchesneau said feedback from the previous community survey, department and school interviews, and the voting exercise will be used as the town moves into drafting the updated plan.
“This is where the rubber is really going to meet the road,” he said.
Housing and land use drew some of the strongest responses, with dots placed next to goals focused on affordability, expanding housing options, and meeting the needs of older residents.
Transportation saw interest around goals tied to the Northern Tier Rail Project and improving pedestrian and bicycle connections throughout town.
On another board, dots clustered around goals focused on protecting working forests and farmland, preserving historic resources, improving access to the Millers River, town-wide cultural and community events, and strengthening climate resiliency efforts.
Economic development saw a great deal of interest, with dots concentrated around supporting small, locally-owned businesses, strengthening downtown activity, and expanding restaurant and retail options.
Duchesneau said a second public outreach meeting is planned for April, with continued review by the Master Plan Committee and town boards to follow.
“I think the most valuable part of a master plan process is what we’re doing tonight,” Duchesneau said. “It’s bringing people together.”