town center master planning

Town Center Master Planning and Implementation

Alison LeFlore, AICP

Evan Belansky, Town of Chelmsford, MA

Ken Buckland, AICP, KJ Buckland Associates

Steve Sadwick, AICP, Town of Tewksbury, MA

Chelmsford Center Village

• Previous Plan – 1998

• 2010 Master Plan recommended master

plan for area with more focus, more

specificity, more details

• 1 year process

• December 2013 – Plan Complete

Chelmsford Vinal Square

• Previous Plan – 1981

• 2010 Master Plan recommended master

plan for area with more focus, more

specificity, more details

• 2 year process

• Completed in 2015

Tewksbury Town Center

• Rooted in 2003 Master Plan

• Long series of fits and starts until Town

Manager and Selectmen decide to focus on

Town Center

• 2 year process

• May 2016 – Final Town Center Master Plan

Indicators for Planning Need

• Is there a community interest?

• Do you wish your Town or Village Center were

different?

• Are there mismatches between existing land

uses, desired land uses, and current zoning?

• Are businesses struggling? Do you have

vacancies?

• Is your Town or Village Center attractive?

Funding a Plan

• Town Meeting

– Chelmsford Center Village: $30,000

– Tewksbury Town Center: $40,000

• Grants

– Chelmsford Vinal Square: $20,000 DLTA Grant

via NMCOG

Plan Development

• Staff, Consultant, RPA… or a combination?

– Chelmsford Center Village: Consultant

– Chelmsford Vinal Square: NMCOG, Town Staff

– Tewksbury Town Center: Consultant

• Committee composition and role

– Ownership is important

– Follow through / continuity important

Identifying the Vision

• Every area is unique and needs

individualized approach

• Community, market factors, and

development regulations will shape vision

• Be aspirational, but realistic

Commonalities

• Zoning and development regulation changes

• Phased Implementation

Chelmsford Center Village Vision

Key Features

• Brook Walk

• Walkability

• Wayfinding

• Connected

Parking

• Housing

Chelmsford Vinal Square Vision

Key Features

• Beautification

• Programming

• Economic Development

• Historic Preservation

Tewksbury Town Center Vision

Key Features

• Streetscape

• Traffic Pattern

• Green Space

• Economic

Development

• Town Lead by

Example

Refining the Vision

• Is the vision realistic?

• Does the vision support community desires?

• Iterative process

• Balancing competing needs, desires, and

reality

Implementing the Vision

• Clear implementation strategy should be

developed with plan

• Who? When? How?

• Private Investment: Winstanley Enterprises is

redeveloping a former industrial site into 54

units of market rate housing

• Public Investment: new parks, brick

sidewalks

• Implementation Committee Appointed

• Ongoing: Wayfinding Signage Project

Implementing the Vision:

Chelmsford Town Center


Chelmsford Town Center

• Public Investment: Sidewalk planters

• Quarterly Newsletter

• Advocacy for New Businesses

• Fundraising for new “Public Parking” sign


Chelmsford Vinal Square

• Committee sought additional funding for

Phase II study

• Plan to ask May 2017 Town Meeting to fund

public improvements


Tewksbury Town Center


Discussion and Questions

Thank you for coming!


Contact Information:

Alison LeFlore: [email protected]

Ken Buckland: [email protected]

Evan Belansky: [email protected]

Steve Sadwick: [email protected]

town center master planning

Government & Nonprofit