495/MetroWest Development Compact Meetings to be held in Framingham and Worcester
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For the last twenty years, the communities in the 495/MetroWest region of Massachusetts have undergone significant growth in employment and population. Looking forward, the region’s public and private sector leaders recognize the need for collaborative approaches to infrastructure and land use to ensure the vitality of the region’s economy and quality of life. The 495/MetroWest Development Compact, an initiative of the Patrick-Murray Administration through the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and regional agencies and organizations, is creating a shared framework for state, regional, and local strategies for priority development and land preservation as well as transportation and other infrastructure investments in the 37 municipalitiesin the region.
The Compact is guided by six fundamental principles:
- Continued new growth will likely require major transportation and other infrastructure upgrades, beyond what is needed to keep existing systems in good repair;
- New commercial and residential growth must occur in a manner that is respectful of open space resources, transportation networks, and water resources in the region;
- Land use and transportation decisions must take into account the principles established by the Global Warming Solutions Act, the transportation reorganization statute and the objectives of the Clean Energy and Climate Plan, and the GreenDOT initiative;
- Workforce housing must continue to be produced and preserved within the region at a scale that allows the number of workers living in the region to keep pace with the number of new jobs created in the region;
- Sustainable new growth will involve the creation and maintenance of an effective public transit system that will coordinate with existing transit; and
- Coordinated planning and implementation efforts between jurisdictions are necessary.
Through meetings with each city and town and regional forums, input was gathered on priorities for preservation and development. That input is the foundation for a regional vision intended to guide the investment of limited public sector resources in the future.
Join other interested residents and the 495 Compact staff and leaders for evening presentations about a regional vision for economic prosperity, preservation of open space, and improved transportation in the region. At either presentation, learn more about the vision for the 495/MetroWest region; see maps and other information to help us plan for the future; and hear perspectives from a panel of experts in conservation, transportation, local government, and private sector development.
Wednesday, November 9
Union Station, Worcester (parking available at Union Station Parking Garage, 225 Franklin St.)
Open House 6–7 p.m. Public Meeting 7–9 p.m.
Tuesday, November 15
Nevins Hall, Framingham Town Hall
150 Concord St., Framingham
Open House 6–7 p.m.
Public Meeting 7–9 p.m.
RSVP to info@495partnership.org
For parking information and other event details visit www.495partnership.org/compactmeetings