MAYNARD — Town Administrator Greg Johnson announces that a virtual public meeting will be held next week regarding planning for the Powder Mill Road Corridor.
WHEN:
Thursday, Dec. 3 at 6 p.m.
WHERE:
Those planning on attending must register here: http://mapc.ma/powdermill. Information on how to join the virtual meeting will be provided upon registration.
WHAT:
Acton and Maynard residents are invited to attend a virtual meeting next week regarding planning efforts for the future of the Powder Mill Road Corridor.
The Towns of Maynard and Acton were awarded an $80,000 grant in January from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The funds provide technical assistance towards the creation of a community vision and redevelopment strategy for the Powder Mill Road Corridor overseen by a team made up of MAPC representatives, Acton and Maynard staff. The 1.5-mile study area runs from Powder Mill Road’s intersections with Waltham Street in Maynard, to High Street in Acton.
“One way or another, over the next few years there will be new development on the Corridor; it is clearly in both towns’ best interest to take a proactive approach to ensure the area develops in a way that is as beneficial to the community as possible,” Maynard Planning Director Bill Nemser. “The ‘Apartments at Powder Mill Place’ and the Beijing Royal School projects are already underway, and this activity will most likely attract new investment with a variety of projects.”
To date, a market study and a zoning analysis have been completed along with one-on-one listening sessions with a variety of stakeholders on the corridor. Project materials can be found on the Maynard and Acton Town websites.
Interim Acton Planning Director Kristen Guichard said that the next steps involve “extensive community engagement with residents and businesses on the Powder Mill Corridor to collect input and discuss potential infrastructure improvements that would improve pedestrian and cyclist safety. We also would like to highlight how increasing river access can create recreational opportunities and contribute to the overall quality of life in the area”.
Structured collaboration between municipalities and a regional planning agency is always is an advantage, and, in this case, the whole is certainly greater than the sum of the parts said MAPC Economic Planner Jennifer Kaplan.
“At the workshop we will present the study team’s findings and share some new information,” Kaplan said. “But most importantly, we want to hear what the community’s vision is and how we can help guide new development in a sustainable and systematic manner”.
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