Natick 2030+ Comprehensive Master Plan PHASE I COMMUNITY MEETING November 29, 2016
Tonight s Agenda Project Introduction Breakout group discussion of vision & goals: Land Use, Housing & Economic Development Open Space & Cultural/Historic Resources Transportation & Infrastructure Public Facilities, Public Services & Education Reconvene Report back next steps
The Consultant Team Crosby Schlessinger Smallridge RKG Associates WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff
Natick 1750
Natick 1877: Looking South
Natick 1899: Looking North
The Villages
Indian Village Development History Colonial Villages Industrialization The Great Depression - WWII Tract Housing Cluster Housing The Pike The Malls Natick Center Today
1949: Commercial Centers
Shoppers World: Opening Day 1951
The Golden Triangle
Today
What is Natick 2030+? Natick 2030+ is Both a public process and the resulting Document that will define a community-wide vision for the future development of Natick and guide the daily planning and policy efforts of the town. The Process and Plan will answer Where are we now? Where do we want to be? How do we get there?
What is Natick 2030+? We are planning now for what we want natick to be in twenty years for ourselves and future generations
What Are the Master Plan Components? Land use & Neighborhood Character housing Economic development Natural, cultural and historic resources Open space and recreation Public Services and facilities Transportation and circulation Implementation Natick specific Elements
Natick 2030+ Process Natick 2030+ will encompass four phases: Existing conditions report: December 2016 Community vision & goal statement: spring 2017 Recommendations and options analysis: summer 2017 plan development: summer - fall 2017 Plan endorsement: january 2018
Website, Twitter, Facebook Natick 2030+ in the Community May 3, 2016 town meeting display June 16, 2016 town common event July 21, 2016 natick artwalk Sep 10, 2016 Natick days Nov 3, 2016 town meeting update Nov 29, 2016 public meeting
Natick 2030+ Word Cloud from June 16, 2016 Event
Existing Conditions Analysis Review of previous plans/reports/studies Data gathering and analysis: GIS, census, field work, assessing data, other departmental data Outreach events Stakeholder interviews
Stakeholder Interviews September 28 & 29 at the Morse Institute library 25 interviews Questions: What s happening today? What do you think the Hot Button issues are/should be for the Master Plan? Interviewees Town Department Heads/Employees Board, committee & Commission chairs/members Property owners Developers Regional organization representatives (TCAN, chamber, etc.)
Existing Conditions Analysis: Demographics Natick grew by 10% between 1970 and 2014 The senior population accounts for 15% of total The foreign-born population accounts for 14% of total Median household income is $95,465 35,000 34,000 33,000 32,000 31,000 30,000 29,000 28,000 27,000 Natick Historical Population 34,230 32,170 33,006 31,057 30,510 29,461 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2014 Natick Population Source: American Community Survey 2010-2014, NHGIS, and RKG Associates Inc.
Existing Conditions Analysis: Economic Development Natick has a wide range of commercial and industrial businesses located throughout the town. Primary commercial nodes are located along Route 9, Speen Street, Downtown Natick, South Natick Center, and West Natick. As of early 2016, there were 1,495 individual business establishments located in Natick. These businesses employ close to 23,000 people. IN 2014, 11% of Natick residents held jobs located in Natick. Source: EOLWD ES-202, RKG Associates Inc.
Existing Conditions Analysis: Economic Development Natick s primary employment sectors include Retail, Professional and Technical Services, and Health Care and Social Assistance. Most Natick residents currently in the workforce are employed in Retail, Professional and Technical Services, Health Care and Social Assistance, and Educational Services industries. Employment 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 Employment Change in top 5 employment sectors: 2010-2016 6,157 5,614 2,755 2,947 44-45 - Retail Trade 54 - Professional and Technical Services 1,322 1,859 3,077 2,911 61 - Educational Services 62 - Health Care and Social Assistance Industry Sectors 1,849 2010 2016 1,935 72 - Accommodation and Food Services Source: EOLWD ES-202, 2016, RKG Associates Inc.
Existing Conditions Analysis: Economic Development Between 2006 and 2016, Natick s labor force grew by a total of 6%. Change in Labor Force: 2006-2016 20,500 Natick has one of the lowest unemployment rates of any surrounding towns at 2.7%. MA unemployment is 3.3%. Framingham NECTA Division is 2.3% Natick s location along major transportation routes, commuter rail access, commercial tax rate, excellent schools, open spaces, and housing stock are attractive to prospective employers and employees. Labor Force 20,000 19,500 19,000 18,500 18,000 17,500 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Year Source: EOLWD ES-202, 2016, RKG Associates Inc.
Existing Conditions Analysis: Public Facilities and Services Town of Natick provides a wide range of facilities and services for residents and businesses: Ice Skating, Golf, Beaches, Trails, Recreation Fields Community farm Trash, recycling, and composting Council on Aging with a new community-senior center Water and sewer service Housing authority Public library Full time police, fire, and EMTs Excellent schools Source: CSS and RKG Associates Inc.
Existing Conditions Analysis: Education Natick schools continue to grow. Enrollment increased 22% from 2006-2016. Natick K-12 Enrollment 2002-2016 Elementary and middle schools are generally at or over their built capacities. The annual appropriated school budget increased 50% from 2006-2016. Total Enrollment 5,600 5,400 5,200 5,000 4,800 4,600 4,400 4,360 4,441 4,430 4,418 4,372 4,495 4,588 4,655 4,665 4,737 4,858 4,974 5,182 5,266 5,329 The number of school and admin staff increased by 34.5 FTE between 2014 and 2016, a 6% increase. 4,200 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Source: Natick Public Schools. 2016, Interview with NPS Superintendent, RKG Associates, Inc.
Existing Conditions Analysis: Public Facilities & Services Natick is a leader in sustainability measures: Full time Sustainability Coordinator Most solar capacity in MetroWest Many town-owned buildings have had energy retrofits Over 1,000 homes in Natick have taken part in the Mass Save program for solar panels Over 500 households in Natick take part in a composting pilot project Town working on a textile recycling pilot program Source: Interview with Sustainability Coordinator
Existing Conditions Analysis: Historic & Cultural Resources Natick has over 390 resources (Buildings, other structures, monuments, districts) on the Ma Historic commission survey Natick Historic Commission plans to inventory the downtown neighborhood and south natick by the river 16.8% of resources are protected by MGL article 76 which requires review of changes to historic resources. Historic Commission goal to have all resources protected. historical society continues to become more active - 4 books in last few years natick center cultural district is home to more than 100 working artists
Existing Conditions Analysis: Land Use 7% 6% 9% 2% 10% 12% 0% 7% 47% Residential Commercial Industrial Transportation Agricultural Recreational Institutional Water& Wetland Open/Forest 47% of Natick s total land area is in residential use. In 1999, Multi family residential represented 25% of all residential land use. Today it represents only 17%. Agricultural land use fell by 55% between 1971 and 2016. Recreation land increased by 410% between 1971 and 2016
Existing Conditions Analysis: Transportation Studied 55 Intersections: 89% at acceptable levels of service Opportunities for access and congestion improvements 7 complete streets priority corridors Improvements include Route 9/Oak Street reconstruction and marion street Bridge Cochituate rail trail will connect natick center to mall and major employers Golden Triangle study to look at land use & Transportation
Existing open space Existing Conditions Analysis: Open Space Combined public and private open space accounts for approximately 21 percent of natick Publicly accessible open space accounts for approximately 15.8 percent of the town 89 percent of the land area of natick is within 1/4 mile of public open space Two major open space acquisitions: 16.3 acres in the Pegan hill reservation Acquired 21 acres of land for the Cochituate Rail Trail approved
To Stay Involved with Natick 2030+ www.natick2030.com www.natickma.gov/162/communityeconomic-development twitter: #natick2030 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natick2030/
Tonight s Agenda Breakout group discussion of vision & goals: Land Use, Housing & Economic Development Open Space & Cultural/Historic Resources Transportation & Infrastructure Public Facilities, Public Services & Education Breakout Group report Back: What idea from your group had the most consensus? What topic brought out the most passion or diverse responses?
To Stay Involved with Natick 2030+ www.natick2030.com www.natickma.gov/162/communityeconomic-development twitter: #natick2030 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natick2030/
Natick 2030+ Next Steps On-line posting of tonight s presentation & meeting notes along with survey soliciting feedback from people unable to attend Review of input Completion of draft existing conditions report More targeted topic-related meetings Draft community vision and goals statement