https://www.srevilak.net/wiki/index.php?title=CPTC:_Master_Plans&feed=atom&action=historyCPTC: Master Plans - Revision history2024-03-28T17:37:00ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.41.0https://www.srevilak.net/wiki/index.php?title=CPTC:_Master_Plans&diff=1586&oldid=prevSteveR at 00:09, 6 November 20222022-11-06T00:09:43Z<p></p>
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</table>SteveRhttps://www.srevilak.net/wiki/index.php?title=CPTC:_Master_Plans&diff=1585&oldid=prevSteveR: initial revision2022-11-06T00:09:21Z<p>initial revision</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>Training course on Master Plans, given by the Citizen Planner Training<br />
Collaborative. Presented by Alexis Lanzillotta of Barrett Planning<br />
Group.<br />
<br />
What is a master plan? The goal of a master plan is to show a<br />
community's vision for the future. Many of the elements focus on land<br />
use, but master plans can address additional topics. They often<br />
include demographic information, an analysis of existing conditions,<br />
and implementation strategies and actions. The plan should align with<br />
the community's vision for preservation, growth, and change. It<br />
should also provide guidance for monitoring progress in the<br />
implementation of these goals, and for making amendments.<br />
<br />
Why should communities have master plans? Master plans help<br />
communities figure out how to achieve their goals. They require<br />
balance, having members of the community work together, and working<br />
through competing interests. The plan helps set priorities and<br />
provide a policy framework for implementing new bylaws, rules, and<br />
regulations. Master plans also help private developers understand<br />
community goals. The master planning process also provides residents<br />
with an opportunity to learn about their community.<br />
<br />
The basic steps of creating a master plan include visioning and goal<br />
setting, data collection and analysis, evaluating conservation and<br />
development opportunities, and implementation, monitoring, and<br />
amendments.<br />
<br />
Visioning and goals. Develop a vision statement for the community.<br />
Public engagement is an important part of this process. Engagements<br />
can be broad, or tied to specific plan areas.<br />
<br />
Data collection involves reports and analyses of existing conditions,<br />
and usually a lot of mapping. Proprietary data has a cost, but can be<br />
helpful in these efforts. Listen to the questions people are asking,<br />
and collect data to answer them.<br />
<br />
Data analysis looks at gaps, trends, and may make comparisons with<br />
similar communities. Regional planning associations may have already<br />
done some of this work. Analysis also looks at the performance of<br />
existing policies.<br />
<br />
The next step involves evaluating opportunities. For example, is<br />
there conservation land the community would like to preserve,<br />
under-performing commercial districts to improve, or desirable greenway<br />
connections to make.<br />
<br />
Selection involves setting policies, developing strategies, and<br />
resolving tensions. Identify areas for growth and preservation and<br />
ask "who benefits". Examine both short- and long-term goals.<br />
<br />
Implementation should be considered from the onset. Consider what is<br />
feasible and who the responsible parties are. Also consider funding,<br />
staff, the need for outside assistance, and timelines. Establish<br />
plans to monitor and review the implementation process.<br />
<br />
Master plans should be treated as living documents, and there should<br />
be a process for amending them. For example, new issues can arise,<br />
which weren't present when the plan was written.<br />
<br />
MGL Chapter 41 Sec 81D contains the statutory description of a master<br />
plan.<br />
<br />
Question: Can you explain the difference between a vision statement<br />
and a mission statement?<br />
<br />
Answer: Master plans usually have vision statements; mission<br />
statements are more tied to actions. The statute talks about a value<br />
statement, but a mission statement can clarify some actions and goals.<br />
<br />
Question: Many master plans focus on land use. Can a community<br />
include other topics, like education and health?<br />
<br />
Answer: The primary intent is for the master plan to address land use,<br />
but it can address other topics. For example, the facilities and<br />
services section could talk about education.<br />
<br />
Chapter 41 Sec 81D lists the elements that a master plan is required<br />
to have. These are:<br />
* Goals and policies.<br />
* Land use. This section generally focuses on zoning.<br />
* Housing. This includes existing housing, and a forecast for future needs.<br />
* Economic development. This might include the expansion or stabilization of a community's economic base.<br />
* Natural and Cultural resources. This section often includes plans for resource preservation. <br />
* Open space and Recreation. This section typically ties in with an Open Space and Recreation plan.<br />
* Services and Facilities. Includes public benefit resources.<br />
* Circulation. This section addresses roads, transportation, and mobility.<br />
<br />
<br />
Master plans are not limited to this required set of topics. Common<br />
optional elements include (but are not limited to)<br />
* Governance.<br />
* Sustainability.<br />
* Energy.<br />
* Climate Change. This may include information about extreme weather risks and municipal vulnerability planning.<br />
* Downtown areas.<br />
* Villages and neighborhoods.<br />
* Smart growth.<br />
* Community health.<br />
* Arts and culture.<br />
<br />
The text of master plans are generally organized around these topics.<br />
It's also possible to take a thematic approach, where each theme<br />
speaks to one or more topic areas.<br />
<br />
Question: Is there a difference between a master plan and a<br />
comprehensive plan.<br />
<br />
Answer: No, there's not a recognized difference.<br />
<br />
Questions: Are master plans strictly focused on the municipal level?<br />
Can they look beyond municipal borders to issues that affect the<br />
region or state?<br />
<br />
Answer: Some things at the state level are worth considering. MBTA<br />
Community requirements for example, or access to grants and state<br />
resources. Regional approaches are important for infrastructure.<br />
Vision and values tend to focus on an individual community.<br />
<br />
The next section of the presentation provides guidelines for the main<br />
(required) elements of a master plan.<br />
<br />
The Vision section talks about a community's long term goals. It also<br />
recommends policies to achieve these goals.<br />
<br />
The Land use section usually contains a lot of maps: existing uses,<br />
zoning districts, open space, and environmentally sensitive areas, for<br />
example. MassGIS has data and shape files that can help with this.<br />
See MassMapper at<br />
url{https://maps.massgis.digital.mass.gov/MassMapper/MassMapper.html}.<br />
Look at places where existing uses don't match what's desired.<br />
Consider transportation and infrastructure for desired land uses, and<br />
the community's capacity to manage change.<br />
<br />
The housing section generally contains an inventory. Assessors data<br />
can be helpful here, and be sure to consider the local housing<br />
authority's portfolio. Include demographic data; MassDOT is a good<br />
source for this information, along with the census and American<br />
Community Surveys. Consider discrepancies between the cost of housing<br />
and income. Consider subsidized housing, and what kinds of housing<br />
are allowed by zoning. Look at neighborhoods under stress, as well as<br />
those experiencing rapid change. On the policy side, consider current<br />
and future needs, compliance with 40B thresholds, policies for<br />
neighborhood stabilization, and state programs and incentives that can<br />
help. It's often necessary to educate residents about housing needs,<br />
barriers, and challenges.<br />
<br />
The Economic Development section includes an inventory of businesses<br />
and commercial uses, along with characteristics of the labor force.<br />
Who are the largest employers and taxpayers is town? Do most people<br />
work outside of the community? Does the set of goods and services<br />
offered match what people want? How is the local economy related to<br />
the regional one? Policies can include labor training, strategies for<br />
attracting and retaining businesses, business district revitalization,<br />
transportation and infrastructure support, and permitting. It can be<br />
useful to case study successes that other communities have had.<br />
<br />
Question: Section 81D mentions an "economic supplement" to the<br />
master plan. What is the economic supplement, and what is it used<br />
for?<br />
<br />
Answer: The presenter says she's asked this question of more<br />
experience planners, and has never gotten a good answer. She's never<br />
seen an economic supplement used.<br />
<br />
The Natural and Cultural resources section contains an inventory of<br />
such resources in the community. MassMapper and Macris are good<br />
sources of data. Communities could map areas that are at risk of sea<br />
level rise, along with descriptions of these areas and preservation<br />
goals. On the policy side, look at tools that are available for<br />
preservation, connections between resources, public education, and<br />
available state and federal resources.<br />
<br />
The Open Space and Recreation assessment contains maps of the land<br />
and facilities. Understand who owns the land, and look at demographic<br />
trends that might affect recreational needs. Think about<br />
accessibility, and the need to manage and maintain these spaces.<br />
Policies can include things like targeted land acquisition.<br />
<br />
The Service and Facilities section typically looks at public safety,<br />
public works, waste management, water and sewer system capacity, along<br />
with compliance and capacity issues. Annual town reports are good<br />
source for this data. Are there underutilized facilities? Are service<br />
upgrades necessary? Are any of the facilities at risk of extreme<br />
weather events?<br />
<br />
The Circulation section maps the transportation network and<br />
facilities. It documents problem areas, like high crash sites. This<br />
section could list programs for street and sidewalk maintenance,<br />
policies related to complete streets, areas that might benefit from<br />
traffic calming, a discussion of pedestrian and bicycle<br />
accommodations, and parking regulations.<br />
<br />
On the implementation side, the best plans are those that have<br />
tangible outcomes that can be tracked. Connect elements of the<br />
implementation plan to the goals that motivated them. Form a Master<br />
Plan Implementation Committee. Include specific actions, time-frames,<br />
and list responsible parties. Note any needs for expansion or<br />
replacement of public facilities. Propose a schedule for bringing<br />
zoning amendments to town meeting or the city council.<br />
<br />
In addition to having a strategy for doing the implementation,<br />
communities should have a strategy for tracking the implementation --<br />
you don't want your master plan to be a document that just sits on a<br />
shelf. Bring town staff, departments, boards, and committees along.<br />
<br />
Maps in the master plan should have clear titles, legends, scales,<br />
citations of what data was used, and a date. Once the maps are<br />
produced, it's useful to keep the shape files.<br />
<br />
Master plans typically cost $75--150k to produce; there's<br />
considerable variation in the cost, depending on the community, the<br />
amount of data collection and analysis required, and the amount of<br />
public engagement. The local planning board, executive branch,<br />
and finance committee should buy into the process. The planning board<br />
doesn't need to directly oversee development of the master plan, but<br />
they should be aware of what's going on. Master plan work must be<br />
conducted according to open meeting laws.<br />
<br />
In order for the master plan to be adopted, there's a statutory<br />
requirement for the planning board to approve it. Approval by town<br />
meeting (or a city council) is optional. Once the plan has been<br />
approved locally, it must be submitted to DHCD for state approval.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Notes]]</div>SteveR