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August 05. 2012 10:26PM

Londonderry turns to social media to get input on master plan

LONDONDERRY — Residents logging into their Facebook account can now view an early draft of the town’s latest master plan — all 185 pages of it.

The plan was completed by the Master Plan Steering Committee in late July, and the committee is now encouraging the public to offer their input both online and in person, Chairman Leitha Reilly said last week.

Reviews of the draft continued at the committee’s July 25 and Aug. 2 meetings. Hard copies of the document are also available for viewing at Town Hall and the Leach Library.

“There’s been a lot of discussion, as you can imagine,” Reilly said.

Reilly further noted that the committee was assisted in the process by the results of a citizen phone survey conducted last spring and during the recent “Planapalooza” series of public workshops

“We’re very pleased with the results we got from that,” she said. “It was definitely a good jump-off point.”

As of Sunday afternoon, the Londonderry Master Plan Facebook page had just 137 “likes,” though those who don’t spend much time online will still have plenty of other opportunities to check out the drafted plan.

As the Master Plan process continues, attendees at this month’s Old Home Day festivities on the Town Common will be further engaged in discussions, while a more polished version of the plan is anticipated for early September.

A public workshop to be held in conjunction with the staff of the municipal planning firm Town Planning and Urban Development Collaborative is scheduled for late October at Londonderry High School.

The final draft of the plan will head before public hearing sometime by year’s end. The town’s master plan was last updated in 2004.

Tentatively titled “Get It Right: Londonderry’s Plan for the Future,” the document tackles the topics of: regional impact, the public education system, community safety, population growth projections, economic development, citizen life, emergency planning, agriculture, housing and ways to preserve the town’s historical structures.

The document also includes conceptual designs and drawings and photographs of how Londonderry looks today, with detailed renderings of potential development on Pettengill Road.

During the citizen workshops held in early June, a number of residents said they would be comfortable with intense development in that area, committee member Mary Tetreau wrote on the plan’s Facebook page, and suggested plans for the site include light industrial facilities, offices, retail and plenty of recreational uses, while keeping in mind local workers’ desire to walk or bike to their jobs.

Another suggestion is to use areas surrounding access roads and parking lots for agricultural purposes.

The master plan’s vision statement reads, “Londonderry should remain a small, vibrant community in the heart of New Hampshire, dedicated to promoting family values and providing its residents with excellent education and efficient town services.”

Residents may view the drafted 2012 master plan on either the town’s municipal website or on the Londonderry Master Plan Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LondonderryMasterPlan.

aguilmet@newstote.com

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