Meetings/Public Input

 

The following is a summary of the first three Master Plan public meetings.  Input from these meetings was instrumental in the creation of the Master Plan. Information on the January and March 2003 public meetings can be found in Section 9 of the Master Plan report. 

 

(Jump to: May 23 | July 18 | October 3)

May 23, 2002 Public Meeting

At the May 23 public meeting, the attendees were first asked to mark on a map their place of residence or their place of business.  A review of the map shows that residents and businesspeople from almost every section of town were in attendance.  The meeting began with a brief presentation (download, 1.7 MB) highlighting recent trends and issues in Westborough.  Participants were then randomly divided into smaller groups to discuss what they like about Westborough today and how they would like to see the town evolve in the future.  Discussion questions included:

1. Westborough has seen a lot of change in the past 20 years, and change will continue in years to come.

• What elements do you feel create the quality of life in Westborough?

• Which would you most like to preserve or nurture?

2. As Westborough gets more built up, redevelopment of already developed areas will become more common.

• How might redevelopment help achieve the future you’d like for Westborough?

• What worries you about redevelopment? 

3. The Town Center is a distinctive part of Westborough.

• What do you like and not like about the Town Center now?

• What would you like to see the Town Center be in the future? 

Highlights and common points of agreement from the discussion groups were documented and will serve as the basis of the Vision and Goals Statement for the Westborough Master Plan.   

July 18, 2002 Public Meeting

The July 18 meeting began by reviewing the draft Vision and Goals Statements with the 100 or so residents who attended the meeting. Participants agreed that the statements provide a good framework for moving ahead with the Master Plan.

The consultant team then gave a presentation (download, 2.5 MB) on options that the Town could pursue to help achieve its vision and goals in seven different opportunity areas. Following the presentation, participants had the chance to circulate to different stations where poster boards and members of the Master Plan Advisory Committee answered questions and explained the opportunities in each area. (The boards are now available for public viewing in the Planning Department office, 45 West Main St.) Participants noted their preferences for each opportunity area on a feedback form. To read the results from each opportunity area, click on the links below (or here for a .pdf file).

• Otis Street/MBTA Station - What types of land uses should the Town encourage on the vacant land here (e.g., warehouses and light manufacturing, a "village center" near the train station, or mixed housing types)? Results

• State Hospital - What would the Town like to see here if some or all of the site becomes available for redevelopment or municipal use in the future? Results

• Milk Street - How should the Town address the future of this area, which now contains a mix of uses and aesthetics? Results

• East Main Street - Should the Town allow more office and retail uses in this area, or try to keep its character as-is - with some residences? Should the roadway be widened or improved? Results

• Bay State Abrasives Site - What would the Town like to see here in the future if the site is redeveloped? Results

• Conservation and Recreation - Where should the Town focus future land acquisitions? Where should new recreation facilities be located? Results

• Mixed Housing Types - Which areas of the Town would be appropriate for mixed housing types including affordable housing (e.g., duplexes, garden apartments)? Results

October 3, 2002 Public Meeeting

At the October 3 Public Meeting, members of the Master Plan Advisory Committee presented possible strategies for helping Westborough meet its goals for the future (download presentation, 1.1 MB). The topics covered and some examples of the strategies presented included:

• Growth Management - Adopt a scenic roads bylaw, prohibit overly large buildings downtown, use Town funds to purchase open space, adopt a local wetlands protection bylaw.

• Housing - Allow multi-family housing for seniors and young individuals/couples in appropriate areas.

• Public Facilities & Services - Build a centrally located community park, provide additional facility space for police, fire, library, and senior center.

• Transportation - Use "traffic calming" strategies to limit speeding and cut-through traffic, improve bicycle, pedestrian and transit options.

• Area Near MBTA Station - Allow small businesses and multi-family housing near the train station.

• East Main Street - Implement a comprehensive zoning strategy that encourages redevelopment of vacant/underutilized sites west of Water Street while protecting the character of the corridor east of Water Street.

After the presentation on each topic, participants had a chance to ask questions before recording on a feedback form whether or not they supported each strategy. Click here to read the tabulated results from the feedback forms.