[Massplanners] [EXTERNAL] Dynamic Master Plan

[Ryan, Christopher]

Hi Katrina

The idea of a dynamic versus static plan has been something that I've thought about for a few years now. Most places I've been either do not have a standing master plan committee or any committee at all, but I think that's at least one element that must be in place.

Other things I've thought about include:


  1.  Having the plan reside exclusively on the web rather than a printed version. I know that will stick in the craw of traditionalists and those who think we do too much electronically and leave out those who are not online, but there are ways to compensate.



  1.  Have a short-term work program that annually shifts one year forward so that every year you have a new set of action items added in a year 3 or 5. This could be part of an annual master plan workshop open to the public.



  1.  Conduct a major facelift in year 5 including all of the narrative and background.


Since I haven't actually had the opportunity to implement anything like this, I am sure there are challenges and obstacles that I haven't even thought of. But it sure makes sense to find a way to reinvent and refresh the old model.

Best of luck,

Chris R.
Town of Belmont

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Do any communities update their Master Plan more regularly than every 10 -20 years?  My Master Plan committee chair is wonderful - and creative.  He proposed updating new chapters of the Master Plan every couple of years so it is always "current."  I see many problems with this, mostly due to the fact that the citizen engagement for each of these regular updates wouldn't be as robust as a Master Plan update done every decade or more.   There would also be a lack of the overall "vision" that is so important to focus on while updating your plan.

I told him I'd post the question on the listserv to see if any communities had experience with more dynamic Master Plans.

Do any communities update their Master Plan piece by piece on a regular basis?  Has it worked for you?

Katrina O'Leary, AICP
Middleton Town Planner
195 North Main Street     Middleton, MA   01949     PH: (978)777-8917
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