HARVARD — The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the draft 2016 Harvard Master Plan on March 24.
The hearing will offer the first public look at the plan’s major findings, including key challenges facing the community, the unique issues and opportunities presented by Devens, and recommendations for maintaining the quality-of-life attributes voiced by residents across numerous surveys and roundtable discussions.
The hearing will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in Volunteers’ Hall in the Harvard Public Library, at 4 Pond Road in Harvard.
The presentation is open to the public. Admission is free.
The event will provide a preview of Master Plan findings on Harvard’s Town Center, Public Facilities, Housing, Conservation, Transportation, the Commercial District, Devens, and other topics of interest to the community. The findings and recommendations in the Master Plan were the product of research and analysis conducted by the Master Plan Steering Committee in collaboration with Harvard’s many volunteer boards and committees and Master Plan consulting firms RKG, Inc. and Burns & McDonnell.
Bill Scanlan, Harvard Town Planner, will present Master Plan findings. Kara Minar, Chair of the Planning Board, will moderate the Q&A session that follows. Members of the Master Plan Steering Committee will also be on hand to answer questions.
Under Massachusetts General Law, the Planning Board is charged with developing a Master Plan and implementation strategy every 10 years. The last Master Plan was completed in 2002. To support the master planning process, the Planning Board has charged the Master Plan Steering Committee — a working organization with representation from key boards and town committees — with developing a practical vision and future goals in order to set policy for the next decade.
