Swampscott Master Plan: Take three

SWAMPSCOTT – Discussion on the town’s ambitious Master Plan has turned to transportation and recreation.The third of four forums, hosted by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, on the project was held Thursday at the senior center.The forums are set up to allow residents and business owners to have a say in what Swampscott will look like in 2025. At the fourth forum, the committee will present a draft of the plan to the public.While the turnout was slightly smaller than the first two forums, “we saw a lot of new faces,” said Swampscott Town Planner Peter Kane.The topics were transportation, public services and recreation or “open spaces.” The public was given a presentation and an overview of each topic and had the opportunity to visit three different interactive stations to learn more.Poster boards were set up at each station and dot stickers of different colors were handed out. People were asked to mark the changes they would most like to see in their town.The council will review the suggestions and choose to include implementation plans for the most prominent concerns in the master plan draft.”Within those topics we will be able to determine what our biggest priorities are,” Kane said.There was talk of developing a rail trail in the town, installing bike lanes and improving overall walkability. The community felt that Vinnin Square was a weak pedestrian area due to frequent car accidents.Other ideas included programs like the “Walking School Bus” for students – which would encourage children to walk together to school instead of taking the bus.The train station was another concern. Some would like to see improved parking and signage leading up to the train station.”The train service needs to be reconfigured,” said Swampscott resident Robert Benson, who takes the train regularly. “When I have to go into Boston I take the train. I wouldn’t go any other way.”The open space discussion addressed concerns about recreation in the town. The goals are to maintain, expand and improve open spaces and facilities, and to establish a green corridor network, said regional planner for the MAPC Christine Madore during her presentation.”You’re not only connecting open space but you’re connecting neighborhoods,” she said.Outdoor yoga, pop-up parking lot restaurants and sand castle contests were a few ideas to get the community more involved.”People come into the town for these things,” said Madore. “They’re not only spending money, they’re remembering how beautiful your town is.”The ideas being evaluated first originated at the Public Visioning Forum back in May.In addition to voting on the importance of ideas, citizens were also able to write comments and suggestions on large banners.People noted that they would like to see an in-town shuttle, a dog park, a rail trail, picnic friendly spaces and more playgrounds for small children.”The most important thing is that the plan reflects the community’s needs,” said Matt Smith, senior economic development planner and project manager of the Swampscott Master Plan. “It’s part of the public outreach.””There are all different types of goals. There are a lot of different strategies. It’s really about what’s important for the town,” he said.The open forums are important for “creating more of a process for how the town makes decisions in general,” said Marisha Bewtra, Senior Regional Planner at MAPC.Next the council will evaluate all of the findings and suggestions and come up with a draft for the Master Plan, which will be presented to the community at the fourth and final public forum meeting.”We’re likely to have smaller meetings before that where we present some of the goals,” said Kane.Once the draft becomes available, people will be able to recheck comments and discuss their thoughts at the Draft Plan Release forum, which is expected to be in late October or early November.The plan will then go to the planning board, said Kane.”We have to start with the small things. It’s almost always the small