What will Andover look like in 10 years? Here’s what city’s draft comprehensive plan says
Andover officials are looking to finish up the city’s new 10-year comprehensive plan soon, and residents and stakeholders have the opportunity to weigh in.
The “Activate Andover” plan is set to begin in 2024 and go through 2034. The plan outlines future land uses and desired growth the city wants to accomplish over the span of the next decade. It is “one of the most important guiding documents the City utilizes,” according to a summary of the current comprehensive plan from an October 2021 city council workshop.
Andover’s current 10-year comprehensive plan, which began in 2014, expires this year. That document guided the building of a corridor along U.S. 54, used for housing and business and led to the building of Redler Institute of Culinary Arts, which added more local educational opportunities, among other development achievements, according to previous Eagle reporting.
The new plan will help guide future development and possibly redevelopment, as well. Last April, Andover was hit by an EF-3 tornado that caused severe damage to neighborhoods and businesses.
The new plan has officially been in the works since April 2022. It was developed through several pop-up events, youth and business workshops, stakeholder planning meetings, surveys and more. The city created the plan with consultation from engineering firm Olsson.
The final draft is live on Activate Andover’s website, where the public can leave comments on the draft until midnight Wednesday, March 22.
According to the city, the budget for the development over the next 10 years is not to exceed $124,500, while the city budget allocated a total of $125,000 for the comprehensive plan.
More about the comprehensive plan
Activate Andover highlights six values the city wants to focus on over the course of the next decade. Those values include growing the economy, accessible housing, efficient transportation, a distinct identity, sustainability and public participation in the government.
Here’s a breakdown of what the plan includes and how you can let the city know what you think.
The plan gives guidance on future land use, and identifies 12 types of places for the city to focus on over the next decade. Those place types are:
- Natural preservation asset
- Parks and recreation asset
- Neighborhood corridor
- City corridor
- Trail-oriented corridor
- Neighborhood center
- City center
- Business and employment center
- Education center
- Industrial center
- Traditional neighborhood
- Mixed-residential neighborhood
Every type is outlined in the plan with a description, imagery and guidelines for the city to possibly follow.
Another section of the plan provides guidance on the next decade of transportation in the city. This section covers multiple walkways and bikeways, crossings and more to elevate transportation and safety in Andover, according to the document.
Section five, the last section of the draft plan, focuses on the aesthetics of the city. Prioritized improvements include new primary and secondary gateways, which are intended to welcome visitors and “clearly identify entry points to the city.”
There are also primary intersection enhancements, which is marked as second in importance right after the gateways, to make the intersection design match the aesthetics of the gateways.
Other aesthetic upgrades include a regional park intersection enhancement and a primary streetscape and freeway enhancement.
How to let the city know what you think
You have until midnight March 22 to submit comments on Activate Andover’s website. To comment, simply click on whatever you wish to comment on. From there, it will allow you to type in your feedback. You can also view comments from others.
If the deadline has passed, you can fill out a contact form on the same website and still provide feedback to the city and consultants.
