Master plan

Andover’s Master Plan

Kris has shared with the Board of Selectmen two examples of master plans.  Below is the summary introduction to the 2012 Andover master plan and the above link is the whole master plan.  This is the link to the Norwell master plan.  It would serve Medfield well to go through both the rigors and process of creating a master plan.  –

What is the purpose of the Master Plan?
As citizens of Andover, we believe that our town is an exceptionally good place to live and to raise a family. At the same time, we recognize powerful trends in changing land use, resource availability, evolving responsibilities and expectations, and new technology that could dramatically alter our town. We have a choice. We can simply accept how the town evolves or we can creatively manage change.
To manage change, we need to understand ourselves and what is important to us — our values, our aspirations and the goals that we share for our community. The Master Plan provides a framework for decision-making that elevates the importance of these shared elements and desires. It is a policy guide and a framework for future land use and development. It includes assessments of existing resources and issues, as well as projections of future conditions and needs in consideration of community goals and desires. In sum, a Master Plan describes what the community is like today and what direction it should go in the future.
The Master Plan can play an important role in the ongoing work of Town Officials and Town Departments as a consistent point of reference for evaluating and prioritizing potential actions.
The data and analysis contained in the plan can be used for documentation in funding applications as well as for monitoring change over time.
Under Massachusetts Law, Section 81-D, it is the responsibility of the Planning Board to adopt and amend the Master Plan, but it is essential that the Board of Selectmen, the Town Manager, the
Finance Committee and Town Departments work together to ensure that the policies and actions are consistent with the Master Plan.

What is included in the 2012 Master Plan?
 Section 1 includes:
 The Vision which identifies the core values that bind Andover residents together. Shared values become critical guidelines for our elected officials and town staff as they make decisions on our behalf. The Vision was crafted over a two and a half-year period by the Vision 21 Committee, a Committee created by the Board of Selectmen, the Finance Committee and the School Committee. The Vision 21 Committee debated how to create a truly useful Vision, reviewed similar efforts by other communities, held open public input meetings and focus groups, conducted a survey at Town Meeting, and held roundtable discussions with town leaders. It invited experts on issues related to community and regional planning and the task of building a Vision. With this information, the Committee developed lists of shared values and potential strategies and used them to write this Vision.

 Main Goals are stated to provide direction on how to best implement the community Vision. The main goals for all seven elements of the plan are provided in Section 1 for easy reference.

 Sections 2 through 8 includes:
A reiteration of the Goals with specific and detailed Objectives and Information for each of the following:
Section 2 Land Use
Section 3 Housing
Section 4 Economic Development
Section 5 Open Space and Recreation
Section 6 Natural, Historic, and Cultural Resources
Section 7 Transportation and Circulation
Section 8 Municipal Facilities and Town Services
The Goals and Objectives are based on community input and are meant to reflect Andover’s residents’ broad desires for the Town’s future. If possible, indicators have been identified.
Indicators can be used to measure the effectiveness of policies and progress toward the Master Plan goals. Please note that Sections 2 through 8 provide detailed Objectives for each Goal.

 Section 9 outlines a plan for Implementation, which includes a variety of options, the assignment of responsibilities and target timeframes.

 The Appendices provide supporting documentation for the census charts, surveys, referenced plans and other relevant information that support the 2011 Master Plan.  The 2012 Master Plan was officially adopted by the Andover Planning Board per Massachusetts General Laws, Section 81-D on February 14, 2012.