Selectmen Endorse Master Plan

The Board of Selectmen Monday night unanimously backed the 2010 Master Plan.

Master Plan Committee Chairman Jim Lane presented the document to selectmen with a PowerPoint presentation that briefly explained each aspect of the plan.

"We held 30 stakeholder interviews throughout the process and any quasi-public government entity was asked to come in and provide input to see what the next 10 to 15 years should look like," said Lane. "It was nearly a two-year process."

Lane said the plan suggests investigating a train station should the state decide to construct a commuter rail or other line through the town.

"It would be a shame if we didn't at least research it," Lane said.

Lane said the plan aims to eliminate land use conflicts.

"We found we lack transitional zoning, for example, along Chelmsford Street (near) the Chelmsford Mall. There's commercial zoning and then residential zoning across the street and no landscape buffer mature in nature that would provde a buffer between commercial strip and residential strip," said Lane.

Lane will present the plan to the Planning Board Wednesday night and again at Town Meeting on Oct. 18. After that, an Implementation Committee will make sure the plan is followed through.

"You need to have accountability and this plan does that, we have not done that in the last ... master plans (the town has) done," he said. "We thought it was important if there are any changes in the next 10 to 15 years that we have a vehicle to (make changes). The steering committee would assist the Planning Board with any amendments that would be needed (to the master plan)."

Selectman Jon Kurland said he was impressed by the document.

"I think there's something for everybody who reads this. It's truly a very ambitious plan that you've established and I'd rather have it be more ambitious and for us to have something to work for than to say 'Things are OK,'" said Kurland. "I enjoyed balance the between preserving the charm, as you say in the plan, with the growth that's necessary to help make Chelmsford even better."

Selectman Matt Hanson agreed.

"I watched the process unfold for ... over a year. Your committee did a terrific job, a lot of great debate went on. I'm excited about the Implementation Committee, this document and what it's going do to help our town moving forward," he said.

Lane said the implementation committee's first task will be deciding which recommendations are most urgent for the town to follow through with.

The committee will consist of two Planning Board members, Town Manager Paul Cohen, one Zoning Board of Appeals member, one Conservation Commission member, one Community Preservation Committee member, one Town Meeting representative and one resident, Lane said. Cohen will appoint both the Town Meeting rep and the resident to serve on the board, and selectmen will confirm those appointments, Lane said.

"I think you did a great job," said Selectmen Chairman George Dixon.