What's Inside:

Upcoming community events, an educational skill-builder, survey feedback, and a recap of Middleborough's Master Plan Discovery Workshop!

Help us shape your Master Plan

Skill Builder: What is a Master Plan?

What is a Master Plan? A Master Plan is a local policy guide designed to help towns make planning decisions about housing, economics, the environment, and more for many years. This plan will also tell Middleborough’s history and lay out a vision for the future. The last time a Master Plan in Middleborough was updated was in 2002!

Town Staff and SRPEDD will be hosting topic-based workshops to inform residents about what the planning process will be like and to collect input about the vision for the 2025-2035 plan. Our upcoming workshop will focus on Open Space and Recreation, Natural and Cultural Resources, and Sustainability.

Gathering and synthesizing data, community experiences and information from important stakeholders, SRPEDD will outline a strategy for public policy, zoning, land use, and more. SRPEDD’s goal is to learn from you, because your input is essential to shape the Master Plan and its “vision.” If you want to learn more about the Middleborough Master Plan & process, visit the SRPEDD website.

Take the survey

Thank you for your responses to the first Middleborough Master Plan survey!

Key Takeaways:

In total, the survey had 256 responses. 71% of respondents shared that they have lived in Middleborough for 10 or more years.

When asked about places in Town that make Middleborough special, respondents discussed outdoor spaces, like Oliver Mill Park and Pratt Farm and brought up community events like the Herring Run Festival, and public spaces, like the library, Town Hall, and downtown.

Respondents indicated the highest priority to be Open Space & Recreation and Natural & Cultural Resources giving them scores of 3.2 and 2.8 respectively (with 1 being top priority for the town and 10 being low priority)

Other top priorities were Land Use & Zoning (with 2.9 out of 10) and Housing (with 4.3 out of ).

You shared your vision for the future of Middleborough:

As SRPEDD and the Town of Middleborough engage with the community and create an updated Master Plan, we value your continued input. Below are some main themes* that came up:

Housing: Residents in Middleborough recognize the Town's role in providing housing options for seniors, veterans, and members of the community who need affordable options. Additionally, survey respondents want to balance housing opportunities with protecting open space and rural areas in Town.

Infrastructure, Safety, and Services: Maintenance of sidewalks, roads, bike lanes and more are priorities for residents to increase safety and walkability in Town. Additionally, residents would like to see improvements to water quality and schools.

Economic Development: Residents hope to see spaces in downtown revitalized, such as introducing entertainment, spaces to spend time with family, diverse businesses, and more to serve locals and attract visitors.

Community Engagement: The survey results showed that creating more opportunities for social events, youth and family-oriented activities, volunteering, and others would be beneficial to foster a sense of togetherness in Town.

Open Space and Recreation + Natural Cultural Resources: Increasing conservation land, providing more recreational amenities, protecting open spaces, and restoring/improving the quality of water in Town are priorities for many respondents.

*A summary of the over 200 responses was assisted by Chat GPT

Thank you to all who attended the Middleborough Master Plan Discovery Workshop!

Read about the event here

SRPEDD and the Town of Middleborough