When two simultaneous projects are in play related to the same general geographic area, confusion may ensue. So when a resident confounded the commercial corridor vision plan project with the Ayer Road Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), I thought it would be important to distinguish clearly between the two.
The Ayer Road TIP Project
The Town through the Department of Public Works (DPW) is working with the transportation engineering consulting firm TEC to guide a local road reconstruction project through the gauntlet of the Transportation Improvement Program or TIP process. This federal funding program is administered by the state and managed by regional MPOs or Metropolitan Planning Organizations which in the case of Harvard is the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission or MRPC. If you haven't already been bedazzled by the sheer volume of acronyms, keep reading. A complete description of the TIP process is available HERE but in short, it's the way federal highway and transit dollars are allocated to individual states and must operate within the guidelines established by the feds and the state.
The Town, through the DPW, has prioritized the reconstruction of Ayer Road between the approximate area where Dunkin Donuts is up to the Ayer town line. Specifics related to the condition of the road precipitating this project can be found in the Project Need Form which details the "Identification of Problem, Need, or Opportunity" and describes the condition of the road. The project is currently at the 25% design stage which elicits a state review of the detailed plans. The Land Use Boards office will be working with the DPW to get the word out when the Public Hearing is scheduled. For citizens interested in this project, we also recommend attending the next Transportation Advisory Committee meeting where the item will be on the agenda.
Commercial District Vision Planning Project
Another Ayer Road-related project currently underway is the effort to secure funding from CPIC to conduct a three-phase initiative to create a model zoning bylaw for the Ayer Road Commercial Corridor. A wealth of information about the project is located on THIS WEBSITE but I will summarize here. Previous efforts to find a solution to the haphazard development of Ayer Road in the Commercial (C) district have not nearly been bold enough nor effective. The Planning Board thus has developed an interconnected three-step process to get us over the finish line regarding an effective vision and regulatory framework for the area. The first step will involve a professional market analysis and related fiscal impact analysis. This step is intended to assess what the market could support in the corridor and what the tax and other revenues generated by this could be. The next step is to conduct a citizen-driven vision plan for the corridor looking at building layouts and concentrations, design, conservation, recreation amenities, transportation issues, and infrastructure. It will result in sketches and renderings of what Harvard citizens envision for the area. Finally, an innovative zoning model called form-based codes would be created for the area to translate the citizen vision to a reality. The Planning Board encourages you to visit the project website (link above) and learn more. Hopefully you will support this at Town Meeting and change the future direction of this critical area.
No comments:
Post a Comment