Vision for the Franklin center to start with the forum
FRANKLIN — Franklin For All, an initiative that aims to develop a vision for the city’s downtown and surrounding neighborhoods, is moving forward with a public forum next week.
The process will eventually include rezoning recommendations to help realize the vision that is being created.
But first comes the contribution of the community. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), which is helping with the process, is hosting a forum on Monday to start collecting everyone’s ideas for the downtown core. There will be in-person and remote options for participating in the forum, which begins at 7 p.m.
The forum will be held in person in the City Council Chambers of the Franklin Municipal Building, 355 Central Street East. To attend remotely, participants just have to click on the link they will get after registering.
According to MAPC’s Franklin For All page on its website – www.mapc.org/resource-library/franklin-for-all – “The intent of this work is to unlock development that will expand housing choices, support local businesses, take advantage of new infrastructure, provide community benefits and foster a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood.”
Residents will also have other opportunities to share their ideas and provide feedback on rezoning proposals.
The project began last fall with the analysis of the existing zoning. The schedule calls for “context and development scenario analysis” through the spring, with public engagement and review of zoning recommendations in the spring and summer, and rezoning in the summer and fall.
Why is the city center monitored? The MAPC notes on its website:
“Franklin is blessed with a compact downtown with an MBTA commuter rail station, museum, performing arts theatre, Dean College and a mix of restaurants and retailers. There are also events throughout the year, including the Strawberry Stroll and Harvest Festival, which draw large crowds to the area Much time and resources have been spent improving the area with a focus on improving traffic flow and vehicle safety, increasing emergency response time, improving the road surface, promoting a walkable environment, improving the overall appearance and boosting private sector investments.
Franklin For All seeks to build on Franklin Center’s existing strengths and overcome barriers that prevent the area from realizing its full potential as a vibrant mixed-use destination. More people living in a walkable downtown means more spending on local businesses, fewer car trips and greenhouse gas emissions, and more interactions between residents, which promotes a strong sense of belonging to the community. By rezoning, we can remove restrictions that can hold back high-quality projects and encourage development that directly meets the community’s vision for Franklin Center.”
For more information, visit the website. To register for the forum, visit https://www.tinyurl.com/franklin4allforumregistration
