SAUGUS — Saugus will hold a second public visioning forum Wednesday to continue the process of updating the town’s master plan.
Residents are encouraged to attend the virtual event, hosted by Town Manager Scott Crabtree, the Board of Selectmen, the Saugus Planning and Economic Development Department, and the Planning Board, to give their input on the plan, called Saugus United 2035, which will determine the town’s vision and goals through 2035.
After initial presentations are completed, breakout sessions will be held to facilitate discussion.
“We hope residents will join us on March 24 to learn more about and share their input on this developing town-wide master plan, which will include updates on the economic development, transportation and public facilities elements,” Crabtree said.
This is the second public visioning forum the town has held regarding the development of its master plan.
In September, residents and officials attended a master plan kick-off virtual forum. After the event, residents were encouraged to share their feedback and input through the end of 2020. That feedback has since been incorporated into the development of Saugus United 2035.
Last completed in 1988, Crabtree said the updated master plan will build on the community’s vision and recent planning studies to propose strategies and recommend implementation actions to guide the town in investing in its future.
“Community engagement is vital to ensure everyone’s voice is heard during this process,” said Selectman Debra Panetta. “The information received will help develop the goals and strategies which will shape our town for the next 15 years.”
Town Meeting previously approved the allocation of $150,000 to update the plan from an article submitted by Crabtree for a special Town Meeting warrant.
In a statement released this week, Crabtree said he felt the town should pursue what he called “smart growth” in order to sustain a full-service community and balance the impact of development, while taking into account strategies to manage future growth in development, protect environmental resources, set priorities for developing and maintaining infrastructure, create a framework for future policy decisions, and provide guidance to land owners and developers as well as permitting authorities.
“It’s important that we receive feedback from many stakeholders in order to create the best possible master plan, which will include suggested input from the Planning Board, town officials, and the community,” Crabtree said. “We hope to hear from residents about their vision for Saugus, and this forum will provide ample opportunity to provide that input and learn more about specific elements of this project.”
The meeting begins at 5 p.m. and will be held via Zoom.
Questions about the event can be directed to Chris Reilly, director of planning and community development, at [email protected]. Additional information and pre-registration is available at http://www.mapc.org/resource-library/saugus-united/.
Elyse Carmosino can be reached at ecarmosino@itemliv
