On June 3, the Economic Development Committee hosted RKG Associates’ final presentation of Acton’s Strategic Economic Development Plan. This Plan is now available online on the Economic Development section of the Town web site and the consultants’ presentation is available here.
Although the meeting was lightly attended, it offered some spirited input to the Town’s evolving economic development strategy for the near and more distant future. Besides offering an impressive selection of Acton and area demographic, business, property, tax and other data, the consultants’ report includes wide-ranging survey and interview responses from the business community and residents.
The Plan presents key findings, initial recommendations and an actionable implementation matrix to support informed decision-making by the Town. The presentation provides a very helpful summary of seven goals and twenty-nine associated action Items as well as an overview of eight opportunity areas.
The seven goals are:
- Goal 1: Attract, retain and grow consumer and service-based businesses in the Town of Acton’s emerging Town Center districts (e.g. West Acton Village, Kelley’s Corner and South Acton).
- Goal 2: Leverage public-sector initiatives to encourage more retail, restaurant and small-scale office development.
- Goal 3: Expand opportunities for smaller-scale industrial, advanced manufacturing, and medical-related uses across the Town of Acton’s industrial and business parks.
- Goal 4: To increase and diversify the local housing stock, particularly in the areas of workforce and affordable housing options, to attract and retain the local workforce.
- Goal 5: Create a streamlined and predictable process for business development and expansion in the Town of Acton.
- Goal 6: Improve form, design, and aesthetics across Acton’s Town Districts.
- Goal 7: Continue to explore the potential/opportunities for the designation of a Cultural District(s).
The consultants’ report also covers eight opportunity (geographic) areas:
- Massachusetts Ave/Piper Road.
- Massachusetts Ave/Hosmer Street.
- Nagog Office Park.
- Powder Mill Road Corridor.
- Kelley’s Corner.
- Great Road Corridor.
- South Acton Village.
- Former W. R. Grace properties.
Agreement on the direction of the Town’s economic development will help determine what our town will look like in the future. Readers are encouraged to read the report and presentation and share their additional thoughts with the Economic Development Committee and Patricia Costa, the Town’s economic development director.
Adrian Hancock is a retired 40 plus year resident of Acton with a career background in government, consulting, high-tech marketing, and nonprofits. He is chair of the Acton Nursing Services Advisory Committee.