COMMUNITY VISIONING FORUM - SWOT RESULTS

The Chelmsford Vision Quest 2020 session held on March 24, 2009 at the Chelmsford Senior Center provided an opportunity for the public to learn more about the activities of the Chelmsford Master Plan Committee, and to provide input into “grass-roots” planning process for the Updated Chelmsford Master Plan. The Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG) was pleased to lead the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis portion of the program. The SWOT Analysis provided a forum for the approximately seventy (70) attendees to voice their opinions on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with the Town of Chelmsford, as well as to have this information shared with the general public through the local cable channel.

The opinions expressed by the participants at the Visioning Session have been summarized in the attached S.W.O.T. Session Notes. This document summarizes the ideas submitted by the participants and assigns point totals to each idea based upon the number and color of the dots attached to each idea. As outlined during the session, participants were asked to prioritize the ideas as follows: red (first), green (second), blue (third) and yellow (fourth) and points were assigned to each color – red (4), green (3), blue (2) and yellow (1). Based upon the point totals for each category, the top ten priorities, as outlined by those participating in this session, were as follows:

Strengths: High educational level of residents
Chelmsford Conservation Commission partnering with local groups
Education system
Open space and cultural resources
Excellent library program
Value town tradition and events
Neighborhood focus
Rail line (accommodate transportation infrastructure)
Respect for town history
Historic charm (due to presence of older homes)

Weaknesses: Divided state representation
Need more support for bicycles on roads
Three water districts affect aquifer and water resource protection
Lack of bike routes
Inadequate Chapter 70 funding for schools
No long term strategic vision for town-owned properties
Disconnect between North and South Chelmsford
State Representation redistricting
Traffic congestion at Drum Hill and in the town center
Funding cuts in music and arts programs in the schools

Opportunities: Train station in North Chelmsford
Embrace alternative energy – solar is cost-effective
Redistricting opportunities through 2010 Census
Redevelopment opportunities- UMass West campus, etc.
UMass Lowell nanotech – potential to partner with UML
Intermodal transportation through the LRTA
Mixed-use development
Open space and green space with trail connections
Great community, but not promoted
Establish regional haz-mat facility to pay for fire station

Threats: Inadequate economic development planning
Chapter 40B – uncontrolled growth
Neighborhoods threatened (40B, commercial and zoning changes)
Asphalt plant – truck traffic
Tax by fee
Overdevelopment a threat to open space
Lack of funding for transportation improvements
Eliminating commuter rail
Tolls on Rte 3
Losing talented people to other communities (40B excludes many)