The Community Survey is Live!
We need your input! This survey will be used to gather information from the community on current issues and future needs and wants.
What is a Master Plan?
A master plan reviews past planning efforts, existing conditions, and gathers public input. It then provides a vision of the community’s future and a roadmap on how to get there. Gardner will be focusing on four key planning areas in the development of this master plan: housing, economic development, land use, and transportation.
The Master Plan housing element will provide an assessment of population growth and demographics, household, and housing data sufficient for someone to understand Gardner's development history and to see how housing policies have influenced the size and make-up of the city's households.
This element will identify current and future housing needs in the City and programs and policies by which Gardner can meet those needs in a sustainable manner.
Economic development is about how people live and work and the opportunities they have to maintain or improve their quality of life. Jobs, wages, education and skills, access to employment choices, and availability of goods and services are all part of a community's economy.
This element will summarize the status of economic activity in Gardner and describe the City's efforts to further develop economic strategies consistent with residents' needs and the City's character.
Land use is the centerpiece of every master plan. It describes the long-term plan for conservation and development, designating critical natural resources and open space as ‘protection areas’ and developable land as ‘growth areas’ for residential, commercial, and industrial uses.
This element will form the basis for future zoning, sustainable development, and other regulatory changes to implement the master plan.
The Master Plan's transportation element focuses on the City's current and proposed transportation system of roadways, bike paths, sidewalks, and parking. This element will address current transportation issues and future challenges associated with growth and change, both locally and in the region.
It will identify strategies to improve multi-modal mobility and connectivity within the City and to key regional destinations.
Inventory & Assessment
Where are we?
The master planning process begins with a detailed inventory and trends analysis of existing conditions, compiled in an Inventory and Assessment report. This is a critical part of the planning process- we must know what exists before we can draw conclusions and set actions.
We begin by collecting data from a variety of sources including City staff, board and committee members, a community survey, and the U.S. Census Bureau. In the inventory, existing plans and policies that influence and impact the community are also considered. This data is then used to demonstrate trends, identify needs and gaps, and evaluate opportunities.
This section of the Master Plan will focus on what Gardner “has.” It will include a comprehensive inventory and assessment of all four of the Master Plan elements the City wants to update at this time— housing, land use, economic development, and transportation— and will include the following content:
- Existing conditions and trends;
- Assessment of local leadership, planning, and regulatory capacity;
- Status of implementing key recommendations of previous plans;
- Relationship to climate resilience; and
- Opportunities and challenges.
Vision & Goals
Where do we want to go?
The Master Plan process engages residents and stakeholder to develop a vision for the future. While community engagement can provide information for the existing conditions portion of the master plan, it will primarily drive the development of the vision, final recommendations, and implementation plan. In addition to the steering committee, community engagement will include a survey, focus groups, and community workshops. This visioning process informs the development of goals and later, recommendations.
A Master Plan Vision Statement articulates a better future by providing a clear picture of the value the community gives to everyone who lives, works, or plays in the city.
Master Plan Goals are the objectives that a community aims to achieve through implementation of a master plan. The goals are typically broad and long-term in nature, and they guide the implementation of policies and strategies that will help achieve them.
The goals and vision (what the community “wants”) will be used to create a foundation upon which the Master Plan’s recommendations will be built.
Key Issues & Recommendations
How are we going to get there?
Key Issues
What are the key challenges impacting Gardner's ability to realize its vision?
The Key Issues section of the Master Plan will identify the key challenges currently facing the City of Gardner. These key issues (and the related opportunities) are essential to understanding and framing Gardner's first city-wide Master Plan and preparing to develop its vision, goals, and strategies for the next ten to twenty years. Major deficits, challenges, and opportunities from the Inventory and Assessment report will be unpacked in this section of the Master Plan.
Recommendations
With a clear vision and well-defined goals, priority recommendations and actions that will help implement the plan and realize the vision can be drafted. A Master Plan typically provides recommendations and an action plan for a ten- to twenty-year implementation period. These recommendations will give direction to decision-makers and community leaders, providing guidance on handling key issues, prioritizing actions, and working together to achieve the community's goals.
In this section, the implementation plan will outline the steps necessary to take Gardner from where the city is in terms of existing resources (as described in the Inventory and Assessment) to where it wants to go as described in the vision and set of goals developed with stakeholder input.
