WGM Group Preliminary Planning Study
Excerpts from the
The WGM Group Town of Plains Preliminary Planning Study (October 2021)
The people of Plains are a critical resource. We recommend an ongoing and transparent dialogue between the Town and the residents to determine common ground elements that a Growth Policy can be developed around (p. 10).
Proactive planning for the future can stabilize the existing fabric of the Town while allowing flexibility to support critical growth required to support the community (p. 13).
The next step would be to continue the public involvement and develop a Community Visioning Process that can establish a vision statement, goals, and strategies for the community to determine how to move growth forward in a collective manner (p. 13).
The Town is poised for positive change, and by connecting people and place through a community-led effort, you can provide an avenue for successful and sustainable transformation (p. 13).
In this brief report, there are three general action items for the Town government and three action items for Plains community members.
Suggestions for the Town of Plains Government
• Expand and continue the Town Planning Board
• Develop a Growth Policy (infrastructure and housing)
• Develop a Downtown Master Plan or a Town Center Master Plan (local businesses)
Suggestions for the Community Members of Plains
• Develop a community-led effort
• Develop a Community Visioning Process
• Develop a transparent dialogue between the town government and the community
Growth is inevitable and desirable, but the destruction of community character is not. The question is not whether your part of the world will change. The question is how. Edward T. McMahon (p. 13).
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