North Reading Master Plan 2020-2030
About the Project
In 2018 and 2019, MAPC prepared a master plan for the town of North Reading. The Town of North Reading Master Plan for 2020-2030 provides a roadmap based on community consensus ideas to help the Town achieve its long term quality-of-life goals.
During the master planning process, a community evaluates its assets and envisions how to shape or preserve certain parts of Town. In addition to serving as a reference document to inform decision-making at local boards, committees and Town Meeting, the Master Plan also provides a sense of mutual certainty for existing and prospective residents and businesses about what type of community North Reading would like to be in the future. Ideally, future zoning amendments, Town policies and/or investments will be in harmony with the goals and recommendations and create conditions that will get the Town closer to its long term vision.
Overarching Consensus Goals
Some of the goals and strategies that received the most interest and support and informed the plan's recommendations, goals, and strategies.
Attract private investment and redevelopment with desired uses and traditional walkable Main Street streetscape form.
Make desired leisure-retail and needed condos/apartments viable by investing in and/or supporting wastewater infrastructure.
Create a shopping district with leisure-retail uses along an inviting streetscape with outdoor seating areas and upper-story homes and offices that reinforce ground-floor retail uses.
Address housing demand by allowing more options, including market-rate small lots/dwellings, that also enliven mixed-use/retail development.
Create attractive roadway and new robust town center to attract private investment and desired development type.
Make zoning clearer to allow desired and/or needed uses, as well as compact, vertically-integrated mixed-use that can eventually help support goals such as local mass transit, affordable housing, and leisure retail
Support water and wastewater infrastructure to in turn support desired physical landscape and uses along Route 28.
Protect drinking water quality by preventing runoff and contamination
Encourage economic development by attracting more retail, commercial/office and light industrial development in order to ease the residential tax base.
MORE INFORMATION
Danielle McKnight, AICP
North Reading Town Planner/Community Planning Administrator
[email protected]
Carlos Javier Montañez
MAPC Principal Planner
[email protected]
First Advisory Group Meeting
Draft Materials for First Public Workshop
September 2018
