Community survey highlights housing and transportation concerns in Athol

ATHOL – Assistant Town Planner Heidi Murphy and Adam Duchesneau, senior planner for consulting firm BSC Group, met with the Selectboard and the Board of Planning and Community Development to provide updates on the town’s master plan.

BSC Group was hired to assist with putting the plan together. The mater plan was last updated in 2015.

“The master plan is intended to provide unified vision for the community, typically looking out 10 to 20 years,” said Duchesneau at the Selectboard meeting. “It includes land use, zoning, and development decisions. It ensures that land use is coordinated and predictable. It also coordinates public investment and services, supports regulatory and capital planning actions between zoning amendments and subdivision regulations and capital improvements. And it also strengthens legal and policy consistency, as an adopted master plan demonstrates that local land use decisions are grounded in a comprehensive planning framework.”

Duchesneau and Murphy presented the boards with results of a community survey conducted in January. A total of 135 people filled out the questionnaire, which asked about housing, transportation, economic development, public health, community services and facilities, and several other issues.

Prioritizing and improving the town’s infrastructure was a top priority for nearly two-thirds of respondents. Many also wanted additional walking infrastructure, greater public transportation options and more bicycle infrastructure.

“Housing affordability was another major concern,” said Duchesneau. “Around 76% of respondents believe housing costs will be the biggest issue facing Athol over the next 10 years.”

Many respondents added that population growth and increased demand for housing will determine land use policy over the next decade.

Survey results also indicated that, when it comes to economic development, most would like the emphasis to be on local and small-scale growth. Most respondents said they prefer to see more small, independently owned businesses.

Food affordability was another issue noted in the survey, with 86% of respondents citing the cost of nutritious food to be the biggest barrier to accessing it in Athol. Respondents, he said, want to see “more restaurants, jobs, businesses, stores, and retail outlets.”

Draft goals and objectives identified from the survey include improving and expanding housing, particularly in and around downtown; plans to promote economic development, including attracting small businesses; expanding community and cultural events; development of the Northern Tier Rail project; improvements to roadways and pedestrian infrastructure, repair of local bridges, and expansion of public transportation; promoting community facilities and services, including continued support for Athol Public Library, local schools, and the senior center, among others

Plans are in the works for more meetings to allow for public comment on the current draft of the master plan. Murphy said the Board of Planning and Community Development will likely consider final approval of the plan at its first meeting in June.