The Metropolitan Area Planning Council guided the town of North Reading, located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, through a new master planning process.

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) recently prepared a master plan for the town of North Reading to chart a path of the city's growth until 2028.
"The vision statement endorses working toward steady progress on five main fronts," according to an article on the MAPC website:
- protecting and celebrating natural areas
- improving and expanding the walking and biking trail system
- improving the aesthetics of the built environment, transforming Route 28 into a traditional Main Street
- strengthening the town’s community and economic development, making investments to allow greater residential choices throughout town and mixed-use development along Route 28
- Leaving a legacy for future generations
The article includes more details on the process by which the MAPC developed the master plan, as well as more details of how the plan would achieve those goals.
FULL STORY: A Comprehensive Master Plan for North Reading

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