Here’s your opportunity to help define what Acton will look like in the coming decades.
At their final Public Workshop at the Acton Memorial Library and online on February 26, RKG Associates, working for the Town of Acton Economic Development Department and Planning Department, alongside the Economic Development Committee, presented their findings of the real estate indicators, labor market trends, and target industry clusters at the core of Acton’s future economic development.
The workshop also reviewed maps of location and zoning details of seven possible development sites; Massachusetts Avenue Corridor (south of Route 2, near Hosmer Street), Nagog Office Park, Powder Mill Road Corridor, Kelley’s Corner, Former W.R. Grace Properties, South Acton Village and Great Road Corridor.
In concluding the workshop, Kristen Guichard, AICP, Acton’s Planning Director and Zoning Enforcement Officer said, “As we approach the last phase of the public engagement effort for the Acton Strategic Economic Development Plan, we are asking community members to provide feedback on strategies that could help the Town achieve its goals. We are also asking for feedback on potential opportunity areas that Acton could evaluate further for future development or rezoning to achieve the goals of the plan.”
The ball’s now in your court. A survey covering each of the five major Sector Initiatives in the Economic Development Strategy can be found here.
These Sector Initiative proposals, including goals and specific actions, cover:
- Retail/Service/Office Sector:
- Goal 1: Attract, retain and grow consumer and service-based businesses in the Town of Acton’s emerging Town Center districts.
- Goal 2: Leverage public sector initiatives to encourage more retail, restaurant, small-scale office development in the Town of Acton.
- Industrial/Business Park – Goal 1: Expand opportunities for smaller scale industrial, advanced-manufacturing and medical-related uses across the town’s industrial and business parks.
- Housing – Goal 1: Increase and diversify the local housing stock, particularly in the areas of workforce/affordable housing, to attract and retain the local workforce.
- Regulatory and Staffing – Goal 1: Create a streamlined and predictable process for business development and expansion in Acton.
- Planning and Community Development – Goal 1: Improve form, design, and aesthetics across Acton’s town districts.
The survey asks respondents whether they agree or disagree with specific actions in each of the five sectors and offers plenty of room for comment. It also includes an opportunity to comment on beneficial or unsuitable uses for the proposed development sites.
For background, the Jan. 22 and Feb. 26 workshop slide decks, overview maps, and presentation boards are available at the Economic Development page of Acton’s website.
The survey closes on Monday, March 17th.
Adrian Hancock is a long-time Acton resident interested in the evolution of our town as a great place to live. He is the chair of the Acton Nursing Services Advisory Committee (ANSAC) and past vice chair of the Acton Democratic Town Committee.
