In April 2021, the Town of Carlisle hired Barrett Planning Group to help the Master Plan Steering Committee (MPSC) finish the Carlisle Master Plan. The planning process had launched in 2019 with another consultant, but COVID-19 put the entire project on hold. Eventually the MPSC charted a course for reviving the Master Plan and brought us on to help them reach the finish line. For a year, we worked closely with the MPSC to:
- Update the existing conditions reports that had been prepared pre- COVID-19
- Work closely with a subcommittee to develop and refine a GIS database with existing land uses and a buildout analysis
- Finish a vision statement and overarching goals based on five community- identified values
- Conduct two community forums and a community survey
- Develop implementation strategies to achieve the plan’s goals
- Conduct focus groups with key community partners to verify the feasibility and appropriateness of the draft strategies
- Develop case studies of master plan implementation in similar towns
- Draft the plan around Carlisle’s five community values, linking them to the master plan elements required by state law (G.L. c. 41, § 81D)
- Develop an implementation framework for the Town
After publishing the draft Master Plan, the MPSC sponsored a one-month public comment period. We worked with the MPSC to address comments and revise the draft. The Carlisle Planning Board unanimously adopted the final Master Plan in May 2022.