The Patrick-Murray Administration’s Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (HED) today released its 495/MetroWest Development Compact Plan.
The plan is billed as a blueprint for job creation, economic development and preservation efforts along the Interstate 495 corridor.
"As we continue our economic recovery, the mix of business development and quality of life along the 495 corridor must be nurtured and preserved," said Gov. Deval Patrick in a statement. "This plan will help maintain that balance and continue to move this important region forward."
The plan, which was developed with input from residents, businesses and others, will help guide regional and state development and provide direction for public investments to preserve the intrinsic qualities of the region, HED said.
HED Secretary Greg Bialecki called MetroWest "a vibrant growth area that supports many companies in high-technology, life sciences and innovation, which are the backbone of our growing economy. This plan offers an outline to the region’s future, supporting long-term economic growth while also maintaining the region’s position as a great place to live."
The plan establishes a set of six fundamental principles for the region:
-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 Clean Energy and Climate Plan, the transportation re-organization statute and 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.
-Coordinated planning and implementation efforts are necessary, particularly where jurisdictions and boundaries intersect.
The 495/MetroWest Development Compact Plan included 37 communities which are located in five of the 13 Regional Planning Agencies in the state. The communities included in the region are: Acton, Ashland, Berlin, Bellingham, Bolton, Boxborough, Foxborough, Framingham, Franklin, Grafton, Harvard, Holliston, Hopedale, Hopkinton, Hudson, Littleton, Marlborough, Maynard, Medfield, Medway, Milford, Millis, Natick, Norfolk, Northborough, Plainville, Sherborn, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Stow, Sudbury, Upton, Wayland, Westborough, Westford, Worcester, and Wrentham.
