SHUTESBURY — The Open Space Committee is finalizing an update to the town’s Open Space and Recreation Plan and is seeking input from residents. A virtual public forum will be held Thursday, Dec. 16, at 7 p.m.
According to a press release from Tamsin Flanders, a planner with the Land Use and Natural Resources Planning Program of the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG), residents will have a chance to review findings from the draft plan, review recreation and open space maps, and help prioritize which open space and recreation projects the town should act on immediately.
Having an up-to-date plan enables the town to apply for state grants for land conservation and recreation facility improvements, the release states. An Open Space and Recreation Plan contains an inventory of cultural, natural and recreational resources; identifies open space and recreation needs; and outlines goals and an action plan.
The Open Space Committee has been working on the update for the last year with assistance from FRCOG, the release explains. In, June the committee distributed a public survey on open space and recreation needs and goals that more than 180 Shutesbury residents filled out. Feedback from Thursday’s forum will be incorporated into the final plan, which will then be submitted to the state Division of Conservation Services for review and approval.
To register for the forum or to review the draft plan, go to shutesbury.org/OSRP-update.