ATHOL – Residents are urged to attend a visioning session to identify community priorities and goals for an updated master plan.
The town’s current master plan was adopted in 2015. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 6:30 p.m. in the Program Room at Athol Public Library.
A Master Plan Committee, coordinated by Assistant Planner Heidi Murphy, was formed in early 2024. Since that time, the panel has met regularly to update the existing master plan’s chapters, on topics that include housing, transportation, economic development, community facilities and services, open space and recreation, natural and cultural resources, land use and zoning, and public health. The first in a series of public visioning sessions took place in April 2024.
Murphy said Tuesday’s meeting will include the presentation of results of a community survey developed for the Master Plan Committee by BSC Group, the town’s consultants on the project. As of Friday, Feb. 6, the survey had been completed by 125 people.
Respondents answered questions on topics ranging from the condition of roads and sidewalks, the ease of getting around town, condition or availability of bike paths, and the availability of food and public transportation.
“There will be a brainstorming component that will happen after we go over the results of the survey,” said Murphy.
Following Tuesday’s meeting, BSC will start analyzing survey results and public comment and begin the process of creating the new master plan, said Murphy.
“We’re also going to have one more public outreach event the weekend of the River Rat Race,” she said.
The town website lists members of the Master Plan Committee as Mary Holtorf, Rebecca J. Bialecki, Kathryn Norton, Jean Shaughnessy and Jim Smith.