Every city and town in Massachusetts is required by State law to develop a master plan. A master plan uses text, maps, illustrations and other forms of communication to create a basis for local policy makers to use when making decisions about the City’s long-term physical development. Master plans are typically considered to be valid for ten years and communities usually update their respective plans every decade.
Woburn is currently updating its 2005 master plan. When completed, the plan will contain policies, forecasts and standards on topics such as land use, housing, economic development, open space/recreation and transportation. The plan will also contain an implementation chapter that will define and schedule the specific actions needed to achieve the objectives of each element of the master plan.
The City of Woburn’s master plan is called Woburn’s Plan for Progress. It is being developed with assistance from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) under the direction of a ten-person steering committee. The steering committee is working closely with Woburn Mayor Scott Galvin and Planning Director Tina Cassidy to provide outreach in advance of public meetings and workshops, to assist in conducting neighborhood meetings and other public forums, and to provide feedback and direction to MAPC on analyses and work products.
Work on updating Woburn’s master plan started in December of 2014 and will take about a year to complete. At least four public forums have been or will be held during the year to share information and gather feedback on issues and ideas.
Information on the first three forums is provided below. The fourth public forum is scheduled for Wednesday evening, May 27, 2015, at Woburn Memorial High School.
In the meantime, residents and business and property owners are encouraged to participate in our on-going survey at www.mapc.org/woburnplanforprogress.
Thank you for visiting the Plan for Progress webpage, and check back often for updates.