Master Plan | Town of Maynard, Massachusetts

What is a Master Plan?

A master plan is a comprehensive long range plan intended to guide growth and development of a community. A key intent of the document is to ensure decision-making considers both the long-term effects of an action and is consistent with an over-all vision created by the community. It provides a foundation that can help protect a community from reactionary actions.

Based on public input, planning initiatives, existing development, demographics, physical characteristics, and social and economic conditions the plan includes analysis, recommendations, and proposals for the community’s population, economy, housing, transportation, preservation, energy, community facilities, and land use. The legal basis for master planning comes from MGL Chapter 41, Section 81 D:

“ A planning board established in any city or town under section 81 A shall make a master plan of such city or town or such part or parts thereof as said board may deem advisable and from time to time may extend or perfect such plan.”

Massachusetts General Laws requires that master plans at a minimum, address:

Natural Resources
Economic Development
Infrastructure
Transportation
Historic and Cultural Resources
Open Space and Recreation
Land Use
Housing
Implementation

The Maynard Master Plan was adopted by the Planning Board, endorsed by the Select Board in 2020 and accepted by the voters at the Town Meeting of October 3, 2020.

Maynard Master Plan (239 pages, pdf, final report)

A Master Plan Implementation Committee (MPIC) supports and monitors the Master Plan implementation by Town Departments and Committees.

Master Plan Informational Website

This separate website contains detailed information from the two-year Master Plan Drafting process: click here to visit the site.

2020 Master Plan Motivation

In 2017 Maynard’s plan was over 25 years old. Prepared in 1991, was designated as a 15 year plan. The town had changed in significant ways since the 1991 plan was adopted.

Typically, a municipal master plan serves as the Town’s primary policy statement on future development. The process of creating/updating one involved the assessment of current trends relative to the environment, natural and cultural resources, population, demographics, housing stock and economic opportunity. Besides the planning benefits to the town in having an updated master plan, requests, grants, or other resources involving Commonwealth of Massachusetts agencies might have been negatively impacted by lack of a master plan.

In the winter 2017, Maynard began its master planning process. While it was technically an update, due to the age of Maynard’s existing master plan, it was assumed to be a new product.

In March 2020, the new master plan draft was published by the MPSC.

Master Plan Steering Committee

The Select Board appointed an 11 member Master Plan Steering Committee (MPSC) for a two-year term beginning in December of 2017. The MPSC will work directly with the Town Planner and a consultant to conduct, guide, and document the effort. The MSPC is comprised of a diverse membership with representatives from Town departments, boards/committees and residents. The MPSC:

Works with master plan consultant and Town Staff.
Advises, guides, and oversees the planning process of the master plan.
Takes charge of public outreach effort.
Schedules and coordinates major community-wide planning events.
Provides support and feedback to the consultant.
Fosters openness and inclusion in the master planning process through dialogue and communication with internal and external stakeholders.
Potentially develops proposed land use and/or zoning changes consistent with master plan.

The completed master plan must be adopted by the Planning Board. Consequently, the Planning Board will be engaged with the MPSC throughout the process.

The MPSC consists of:

Brendon Chetwynd: Chair, At-Large Member
Adam Conn: Vice-Chair, At-Large Member
Andrew Snyder: Secretary, Conservation Commission Representative
Tim Houlihan: At-Large Member
Jason Kreil: At-Large Member
Melissa Levine-Piro: Select Board Representative
Armand Diarbekirian: Select Board Representative
Bill Nemser: Planning Director (Town Planner)
Greg Tuzzolo: Planning Board Representative
Michael Uttley: At-Large Member
Angie Flannery: Council on Aging Representative

Master Plan Steering Committee Meetings and Public Participation

The MPSC meets on a variety of dates and times. The MPSC encourage the public to attend our meetings. The master planning process is intended to be a community-based effort. A key part of this effort will be developing a vision for Maynard with goals, objectives and policies that will guide the town into the future. The intent is to have broad public participation opportunities and community awareness of the process.

The completed master plan should provide a blueprint for the future while creating an essential tool for the municipal decision-making process that reflects community values and vision.

Final Public Input Forum – Oct 30th

The Maynard Master Plan Steering Committee invites you to join us for our final public input forum for support of the Maynard Master Plan.

The meeting will be in an Open House format that will allow attendees to come and go at any time. Displays will be available for viewing. Members of the Consulting Team and Steering Committee will be present to receive your comments and answer questions.

The purpose of this meeting is to present the Draft Master Plan Goals and Recommendations. The community is asked to provide feedback on these goals and recommendations, focused on implementation prioritization.

Join us on October 30, 2019 anytime between 6:30PM – 8:30PM at Maynard Town Hall in the Soup Campbell Room (lower level).