The Dublin Planning Board’s vision for the town’s future includes prioritizing the “scenic beauty” of the town, an increase in participation in town government, and the reversal in the slight declining trend in the town’s vitality.
The board has completed the second draft of a vision statement for the town, a document that will shape the evolution of the town’s master plan update.
“We hope to have the master plan update completed by the end of the year, or by the spring of 2017,” said Planning Board chair Bruce Simpson. “State law recommends that the master plan is updated every 10 years, but it’s not an absolute.”
Simpson said Dublin last updated its master plan in 2007, putting the town within the state’s recommendation. The vision statement, according to Simpson, is the first step in the process, a document that will shape the rest of the plan moving forward.
Simpson said a public hearing will be held on Sept. 17 at 10 a.m. at the Town Hall. The meeting will offer residents a chance to provide input on the vision statement, as well as what other chapters and ideas should be considered in the master plan.
“We can always have more public input,” said Simpson. “We wanted to have a Saturday meeting to attract some people who might not be able to make a weeknight meeting.”
In addition to public hearings, the board recently sent out and had a survey completed, a survey that garnered 200 responses.
“The survey was very helpful to us,” said Simpson. “We had a great response, several times what we have seen some towns receive.”
The draft of the vision statement can be found on the town website under the Planning Board meeting minutes, as well as the section Planning/Other Documents.
Nicholas Handy can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 235 or nhandy@ledgertranscript.com.