001representatives to the comprehensive plan committee. And as we were preparing to bring this comprehensive plan to the public before town meeting, we decided to have these forums where we are asking you, the public, to give us your input and thoughts on the strategies and goals that we've created to uh do this comprehensive plan. What is a comprehensive plan? It is a 10-year plan. Um, thank you. um a 10-year plan that for the town allows us to focus on specific goals and where we want our community to be in the next 10 years or by the next 10 years. Um it's going to be a little bit different tonight. Hold on one second. There we um in the last two forums I've been able to give someone a computer and they've been a able to allow
002people in from the waiting room. Um, unfortunately there was a mixup, so I'm using one computer to do both tonight, but that's okay. We know how to jump go with the flow. So again, this is theme two and whoops, different controls. So uh, this is some information that we've reviewed before. The comprehensive plan is a flexible roadmap that we as a community can mute it. unmute yourself, please. >> Okay. >> Um, okay. Thank you. That's odd. Can um raise your hand if you can now hear me. >> Where's my hand? >> Down at the bottom. And if you're um >> I can hear you. >> Okay. And then please mute yourself again. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Okay, that was interesting. Okay, so a comprehensive plan is a flexible roadmap that we as a town
003can use to decide what our goals and and how we want to do things. So um what we have uh as we were looking at the comprehensive plan, we looked at what were the forces that have shaped our community over time. We have also discussed what makes our town unique today and then how should our town move forward in the next 10 years. So that's what we're looking at here. What are these the the the goals that we have and then how are we going to get there. What I will let people know is these are the strategies and the goals. We have not discussed how this plan will be implemented yet. Uh there will be some type of implementation group, committee, working group that will take these this information if it passes at town
004meeting, which we hope it does because there's a lot of great stuff here. And then that group will work with different volunteers in town as well as staff as well as maybe outside organizations to bring some of these things to fruition. So, as we said, it's our flexible road map and we've if you've watched any of the other forums, we have seen this before. Hold on. Got to make sure I'm in the right thing. Um, inside our plan, we have our vision, priorities, and pathways. Whoops. Okay. It's amazing. With all the technology, I'm standing in a room that has four monitors, but one of the monitors is actually showing me what's going out via cable. And I know people watch via cable but there's a slight delay. So um again it it's interesting working with
005different technologies. So inside our plan are our vision, priorities and pathways and uh there is a requirement by the Massachusetts state um as to what Massachusetts general law what a comprehensive plan needs to have and it has seven essential elements and those are housing, economic development, natural historic and cultural resources, open space and recreation, public services in and facilities and transportation and circulation and land use. We as a community have decided to add sustainability not just as a separate thing but sustainability throughout all these other things. Sustainability in housing, sustainability in our natural resources, sustainability in our economic development. So that is what most of our focus is tonight is theme two. Um our five goals. You know what? I'm going to skip right there. Um, I'll go back to some of this other one.
006Thank you. Admit There you go. Welcome. Welcome to our newcomers. Um, as I said when we first started that it's a little different today. Um, I'm having to actually manage letting people into the Zoom as well as presenting. um uh the whole thing, but that's okay. I've learned to juggle over the years. Um so today, tonight we are discussing core theme two, which is promoting long-term Sustainability has something we've talked about in this community for many years since we became a green communities grant probably back in 2013, 2014, one of the first communities to do that. We've done a lot of work on our sustainability. We have a sustainability committee. We have a sustainability coordinator all tying together um to move Ashlin forward and be a sustainable community. But how can we keep doing that
007in the next 10 years as tied to our goals? There we go. So, as we started talking about a comprehensive plan, one of the things you want to do is to be able to measure success with your goals. So these are the eight things that we have identified as a comprehensive plan committee. There are 29 29 members of the comprehensive plan committee. We've been working for about two and a half years to get to this point. So how can we measure success as it relates to sustainability communitywide carbon footprint? So measuring that uh CO2 annually benchmarked. We're going to use glasses tonight. Waste diversion rate. Eg pound composted or diverted annually. Number of properties participating in composting program. Square footage of impermanmeable surface replaced with permeable surfaces or green infrastructure. Number of EV charging stations
008installed. Percentage of vehicles registered in Ashland that are EVs. Hold on. We got to move something out of the way. Number of trees planted annually and percentage increase. percentage increase in tree canopy coverage, a number of home and business decarbonization projects, eg heat pumps installed, gas water heaters replaced with electric, number of fuel gas hookups discontinued. So those are some potential ways how we could measure it and we will come back to that once we've reviewed the strategies. So starting with goal 2 a support carbon carbonneutral practices among residents and businesses. Now there's a lot of strategies here. So we're going to discuss half the page at a time so that you can give your input and we can take some good notes to find out are we on the right path? Should something be
009tweaked? And that's what tonight is the opportunity for you as the public to look at this and say, "Okay, maybe tweak this meaning or that word. We feel that the goals are pretty set and these, you know, the sub goals are also the themes and the goals are pretty set." So, we're looking at these strategies. How could they possibly be tweaked or did we get it right? So, let's start on the left hand side of your screen. And if this is difficult for you to read, you can go to ashlandmass.com and you can click on the actual draft of the plan. So you can be looking at that uh rather than trying to have to read along on the screen. So let's start. Strategy 2A1, facilitate bulk purchasing programs for renewable energy systems, eg solar,
010wind, and energy efficient technologies, eg LED lights, lights, and appliances to make these technologies more affordable for residents and businesses. Strategy 2A2, expand ongoing work by the Ashland Public Library and Sustainability Department on education campaigns, workshops, and online resources to inform residents and businesses about carbonneutral practices, energy saving techniques, and available incentives. Strategy 2A3, explore and advocate for developing a network of geothermal heating and cooling system for Ashland, offering a sustainable and long-term costefficient option for heating and cooling buildings. Strategy 2A4, collaborate with the sustainability committee, school district, educators, and parents to consider ways to expand existing initiatives to integrate sustainability into student activities and education. and strategy 2A5, assess and plan to meet staffing needs for installation and maintenance of existing and future townowned green infrastructure, including through volunteers and training opportunities for all
011who are involved. Okay, so now's your chance, the beginning of it. Think about those five strategies that I've just read. Do you have any input or any comments? Please raise your hand and I will identify you and ask you to unmute. Mark, go ahead. >> Okay. Thank you. I'm looking at um strategy 22 and wholeheartedly I'm agreeing with the whole paragraph think they can work that expand the ongoing work by the library and sustainability departments campaign because the more that people can hear and see and understand what it is then the res us regular residents can hopefully understand by word either word of mouth or go to the meetings committees and stuff like that and understand each other from it or go online with the carbon neutral practices and if you're technically savvy enough and
012and bit and um energy not knowledgeable it'd be worth knowing the techniques but strategy A2 from expand to the period after incentives definitely a keeper >> okay great thank you for that Mark. Anyone else have any comments or questions on these first five strategies for goal 2A? Uh, do we have the do we have the handheld, Connor? Yep. You can go back and get it, Kate. Hold on. We do have While you're getting that, Kate Florence, uh, go ahead and unmute yourself, please. Oh, you've lowered your hand. Nope, there you go. >> Okay. All right. Um, the thing that I'm looking for is um getting folks to make some changes. And so where are the incentives for businesses in town and residents in town? Well, I I we uh I don't know if it's further
013on. It might be further on in the goals. So, hold that thought and we'll see if we get to anything with incentives um uh later on in the goals. I have to admit I do not have all these memorized. So, >> okay. >> But hold that thought and uh if we don't have it by the end, then let's have that discussion and see if we want to add it to these goals and strategies. >> Okay. Kate, go ahead. >> Kate Jik 11 Roden mode. Um strategy 2 A5 assess and plan to meet staffing needs for installation maintenance of existing and future town on green infrastructure. So, I feel like that addresses maybe staffing, but it doesn't say, "Do we want more green infrastructure?" Like, it's it's just we worded I don't think clean enough to
014make it clear that I assume we also want more green infrastructure. >> So, you don't think the words and future town-owned green infrastructure? It says assess and plan to meet staffing for >> for installation and maintenance of existing and futureowned green infrastructure. >> Maybe I guess it just to me it it doesn't um what would make it more more specific for you? >> Um well I also was on the committee and I don't think that's well explained what that means anyway. um of that the green infrastructure. I feel like that needs to be kind of probably spelled out a little more. >> Um >> like what are we really talking about? Because I feel like >> so I think green infrastructure as I think about it I think about the geothermal pumps that are at
015the public safety building, the geothermal that's at the Mendes, the green roof that's at the Mendes. Um, I would think any of the solar arrays that we have as a town that we do maintain, I think most of them are um maintained by um the company we work with for those. But I would think that as if we go to build new schools and we have to and we decide to do more geothermal, right? So that I think green infrastructure covers that as well as um >> and okay and that may very well be to me I see green infrastructure and I think parks, fields, playgrounds. >> Oh interesting. >> So I do not again as a having been on the committee. Okay. >> I feel like we did not scrub what we really meant
016there. >> Okay. I think then that's a note that we can bring back to the committee and see what they say. >> Okay. Okay. Any other hands for the left side that we just went through? 2 A1 through to 2 A5. Okay. Seeing none, we're going to go Oh, Chuck Kate, can you >> I've been I'm both This is Chuck Lid's 150 Argon Road. I'm both on the sustainability committee and the representative to the comprehensive plan. Um, you know, I think well, I think the comprehensive plan has been really well done and well thought out. My only concern about this is we focus really heavily on what the town um owned properties are and so forth. And if we're going to get to net zero like we say we are, it's going to take a
017lot of work out of a lot of people in town. Uh, and in some ways that ties to what Kate said about incentives, but we need to keep our focus on what everybody in town is doing. It's not Yeah, it's not just what the town um, >> right? So I think as we go into the other fi the other five or six >> six six that are on the right side of this page we might see some of that and if not we'll look at the next one and if as as I said to Florence if we don't see enough about how we get the public to come along then we might need to look at that but let's go along to the other side starting with strategy 26 continue working to expand household hazardous
018waste disposal days in collaboration with surrounding municiple municipalities to establish a share reciprocal program maximizing participation and accessibility for residents. Strategy 2A7, adapt and share educational materials on the new specialized stretch code ahead of each update to ensure municipal staff, residents, and other stakeholders are aware of the details of the update. Strategy 2AB, expand the town's existing composting program and offer discounted curbside pickup rates for lowincome residents to equitably promote waste diversion and reduction. Strategy 2 A9 promote mass save and other programs for incentive homeowners, apartment owners and landlords and business owners to make sustainability and efficiency in program and improvements to their homes and businesses. Strategy 2 A10, continue to update and evolve the sustainability checklist for developments and retrofits to encourage business businesses and homeowners to adapt carbon neutral practices. This effort could
019go beyond required practices and be incorporated in development review development proposed bylaw changes or I'm sorry, develop proposed bylaw changes. Strategy 2A11, create a local certification program like the Massachusetts Sustainable Business Leader Program that recognizes businesses that adapt that adopt sustainable and carbonneutral practices encouraging peer-to-peer recognition and competition. Strategy 2A12 continue to the to expand the availability of electric vehicle charging stations in key locations throughout LA Ashland, including public spaces, commercial areas, rental properties, and higher density residential areas to support the growing adoption of electric vehicles and reduce carbon emissions. considering upgrading existing charges to require payment to determine long-term to deter long-term parking and offset required staffing expenses for maintenance. Okay, so we have six other strategies I think gearing a little more toward again no incentives per se, but certainly some other strategies
020that are related to what the town and the public can do. So again, raise your hand if you have comments um specifically to these six and okay Mark you need to unmute Mark. There you go. >> Something I'm going to forget. Okay. Strategy 287 adapt and shares educational material in the new specialized stress code. I know this is different from what the town bylaw has for a stress code, but this is for sustainability purposes and and and green houses and gases and everything else that goes with sustainability. But this if people can understand and be updated on the municipal staff especially they can to put out news of the town and detail the updates. It's got to be worth the time to have the fresh code be the A1 thing to go by by businesses
021and our residences they don't understand at the first time they read it. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you Mark. Anyone else from the public have any comments or questions on any of these strategies? Someone waiting to come in. Oh, Chuck, you just got in. >> Go ahead. have said um in the comments on this previously and I'll say it again um t emphasizing for people the new um building code is somewhat aside the point because it's a building code for new buildings. People who live in town are not likely to be building a new building. It's just a it's a it's you know it's somebody put that in because aren't we proud that we have a new the new sustainable um building code but it's irrelevant. Well, actually, I would say that there are people
022who are still coming in and building new homes, >> right? >> That has to do with the build. The builders need to know this, but the general public does not need to. We don't need to spend a lot of energy educating the general public. >> Okay. So, maybe this is one that either one gets checked as done or we look at another way of saying it that would make it more impactful. Go ahead, Roberto. Uh, >> just just a little push back on that. If it comes up as a bylaw, any revisions to the stretch code or the building code, it goes to town meeting, right? >> And people need to understand it. There you go. >> Before they can vote on it. >> Yep. That's a good point. Yep. Okay. Okay. Anyone else any
023feedback or thoughts on this uh strategy 2 A6 to 2 A12? Okay, seeing none, we're going to go to goal 2B. Not quite as many strategies, but we're still going to split these up. So, achieve triple net zero energy, water, waste for all town buildings, facilities, fleet, and infrastructure by 2040. So this is part of our sustainability plan already but these are now some strategies that as a part of the comprehensive plan we're looking to bring out. So strategy 2B1 adopt local policies that promote water efficient landscaping zercaping around municipal buildings and facilities incorporating native plants and rain gardens that reduce water use and increase natural water absorption. Strategy 2B2, move towards zero waste for municipal facilities and schools, which could include banning single-use plastics, reducing paper consumption, and encouraging composting and recycling programs for
024all staff and municipal events. Strategy 2B3, encourage coordination among town departments and with neighboring communities to develop municipal procurement guidelines that prioritize the use of recycled or reused materials in public projects to reduce the demand for B virgin resources. Strategy 2B4, install graywater recycling systems, rainwater harvesting infrastructure, and graywater vehicle wash bays at municipal properties to reduce the demand for portable water and reduce pollution impacts of mun municipal water use. Strategy 2B5, continue to deploy smart water meters in all municipal facilities to monitor water consumption in real time, detect leaks, and optimize water use. We're actually going to go to the other two and then we'll have a discussion about all of these. Strategy 2B6. Using the sustainability committee's net zero plan as a guide, audit and evaluate energy use at municipal facilities to better
025understand where energy retrofits such as lighting replacements, HVAC upgrades, and insulation improvements can be most beneficial. Based on the audit's findings, prioritize and implement retrofits to reduce energy consumption and support the town's long-term sustainability goals. Strategy 2B7, review, update, and ensure capacity to implement the existing retrofit plan related to green infrastructure prioritization at town-owned properties to plan for and identify key municipal properties and roadways that could incorporate green infrastructure to improve water quality. A lot of different things being talked about there. Um, but again, as you're looking at this, if you have questions or comments on these, and again, how can we potentially tweak these or are we on track? Are you seeing what you think um is going to help us move forward? Um, for those of you, Mark, go ahead. >> Thank you.
026Strategy 2B6 and 2B7 they should be kept and but they're both strong on the reasons why this both those paragraphs are what it is and understand what energy reprofit is and the most beneficial especially strategy 2B7 is review updates for those beneficial um basis on the finance and the HVAC upgrades. because all this all this is going to be for future down the road uh buildings and and um capacities of of what the sustainability actually means. So both 2B6 2B7 stand together as a strong document to work with the town. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Thank you. any other feedback or input on these seven goals? You know, for those of you who have maybe not been as involved in this process, we are really looking for you to say, "Oh, well, does that make
027sense? Is this something we can do? Is this something we shouldn't do?" Um, you'll have another opportunity as well. So, um, as you're listening, we are also going to be putting a survey out regarding this draft plan. I believe it's going to be coming out shortly. You can also respond as you have more time to look at this information. Uh go to the town website, look through the draft. If you see things, specifically say, "Okay, I think for strategy 2 B6, D and send that into us so we can look at it and use that information um as we move forward to finalize the the comprehensive plan. Um we have another meeting on September 18th where we're going to hopefully finalize the plan. It will then go to the planning board and select board for
028approval. And then the goal is to bring it to town meeting at the fall special town meeting in November for the town's approval. Okay, seeing no hands raised for this one, we're going to go on to the next one. And we have goal 2C. We'll start with that one. Give me a second to move some things around on my screen here. that there. Goal 2C, promote tree preservation and planting throughout Ashland to expand the tree canopy and promote carbon sequestration. Strategy 2C1, develop an equitable tree bylaw. Strategy 2C2, create a comprehensive urban urban forestry plan that establishes long-term goals for tree planting, maintenance, and protection throughout the town and includes an inventory and risk assessment of existing trees. Strategy 2C3, launch a communitywide urban tree planting initiative that incentivizes residents, businesses, and developers to implant
029native climate appropriate trees by establishing a tree giveaway program. providing guidance on species selection and planting T techniques and supporting programs like tree in every yard to increase carbon sequestration, improve air quality, cool urban areas, and enhance biodiversity through municipal subsidies and technical assistance. Strategy 2C4, expand the number and quantity of trees in town through preservation of existing mature trees and planting of new trees. So goal 2 C goal 2 C promote tree preservation and planting throughout Ashland to expense expand the tree canopy and promote carbon sequestration. Um any input or thoughts on any of these goals? Okay, seeing no hands raised. Oh, sorry. I was looking down. Go ahead, Kate. Strategy 2C2, create a comprehensive urban forestry plan. Does that only mean um town owned trees or is it assessing um a public tree
030that obviously I'm sorry, priv a tree on private property that obviously does influence the public. We all get to breathe better because of it. Um that's one question. And then the risk assessment, does that mean the risk that um like the condition and do they need uh maintenance or is the risk that they're going to get cut down because people don't like to rake leaves because we've actually heard that. I don't know what that means. That's all. So there two questions. I don't understand the details of that strategy. >> So you started with 2CB, right? I mean 2C2 My belief and this is you we were sitting in very similar meetings and we were reviewing these similarly. My understanding is that this comprehensive urban forestry plan is for townowned properties. That's my belief and understanding
031um only because as a town that's what we can control. We certainly have looked at other ways to control, you know, individual properties and we have different bylaws in place um that we're looking at. But my my belief and understanding and if there's anyone else from the comprehensive plan here who looks at it differently is that 2C2 relates to townowned property. Okay. And then your other one was 2C 3. It was the uh 2C2. What what is the risk assessment of existing? What what does that mean? Like is that the risk of the condition? Is that the risk that they're going to get cut down? >> My understanding of a risk assessment assessment is you look at all the trees like let's look at Stone Park, right? There's a lot of trees there, but some
032of those trees that at risk because they're older. We've had some fall over in storms. So, just like a community does any kind of risk assessment, the risk assessment would be of town of trees on town owned property, our town forest. They walk through the forest and if they see things at risk, they either trim them or they remove them. I would think similar thing happens at Warren Woods. They walk through Warren Woods and if there's trees that are at risk, either one, they let them fall naturally and then they cut them up or maybe they go in and say, "Okay, we don't want it to fall at an inopportune moment." So that is my understanding and again if someone else from the committee has a different thought to me in understanding risk assessment because
033we can only do town owned property that is what that means and that's common language for different organizations as they look at different things and specifically risk right does that answer your question okay great uh anyone else any comments on goal to see. Hey. Oh, Jean, go ahead and unmute yourself, please. And welcome. >> I um I actually Let's see. I actually was wondering a little bit um with strategy 2C3, is there going to be an educational comp? I mean, I read that as probably also sort of adding an educational component to the community as well. Um, in addition to incentivizing residents so that people aren't so quick to cut down trees, um, I don't see it in this strategy. It might be something we want to look at. I'm not offhand. Do you have
034an idea of how it could be incorporated into this? Right. We have a tree planting, you know, maybe it's a tree planting and education initiative. Well, yeah, that's maybe add sort of adding that component to it. Um, >> as far, you know, as far as educating people, too, because hopefully that will incentivize residents as well, >> right? >> Okay, that's great. We're we're getting all these notes and we'll be reviewing them as a committee. So, thank you for that. >> Thanks. >> Yep. Okay. Uh, just make sure There we go. Okay, we're going to move on to goal 2D because I don't see any other comments or hands. become a model for sustainable land use, waste reduction and green infrastructure. Uh, take your hand. There you go. Strategy 2D1 reduce imperous surf imperous surfaces in
035town by implementing projects on town owned land identified in the existing imperous area retrofit report and by evaluating zoning and other regulations to reduce imperous area in new private development. Strategy 2D2 explore changes to the town's storm water utility to promote green infrastructure, such as by reducing the enterprise fee for properties that meet certain guidelines, payback program for projects that incorporate green infrastructure and removing fees for properties that remain undeveloped and protected for conservation. Strategy 2D3, implement a plastic reduction bylaw to phase out the sale of single-use plastics in Ashland. Collaborate with local businesses to provide education on sustainable alternatives and ensure compliance through a phased approach. Strategy 2D4. Update the town's design standards within the zoning bylaw and other reent relevant regulations with the support of a professional consultant to include climate related considerations
036such as requiring the planting of native or climate resistant plant species or using reflective services surfaces to mitigate heat island effects. Okay. comments, questions, concerns in what you're hearing in any of those. Okay, it's a lot of information to take in. I understand that. So, we'll leave it here for a second. If you want to reread something, um, if you have a specific question, go ahead and raise your hand and let me know. Okay, seeing none, I believe we have one more page of goals. Oh, nope. That's it. Those are the goals and strategies for goal two, theme two. So, I'm going to go back. I'm going to go back specifically to this one. Now that we've heard all those strategies and I think Florence, now you might want to bring your discussion about other
037ways to incentivize. Um, right. Maybe one of our measurements is more of incentive than one of these other ones. Comments or questions on how we can measure success or any of the other goals related to theme two? Kate, go ahead. that goal uh measuring success number one communitywide carbon footprint CO2 annually benchmarked. How is that even really practical for us to do? I think there are ways that people are measuring these things. Do we have are we doing it right now? Not to my knowledge. But I would think that if if we thought of this as something we can do that we think is a good idea that somewhere someone is doing this right. someone is measuring their carbon footprints from somehow. Do I know what they are right now? No. Do we know exactly
038what they are? But again, this is a 10-year process and maybe it's something that we will look at in future years as we engage and do some of these other strategies. Okay, Mark, go ahead. I'm looking at uh number eight, the number of home businesses decarbon decarbonalization projects. >> Yep. How did this come down to the um what meant by discontinue? Does it mean by number of home businesses not using or percentages of fuel to gas ratios to homes or businesses? I don't know if it's a percentage per se, but um basically if a home currently has a gas stove and of course when you need to do that kind of work, you have to pull a permit. So the town would understand if someone is going from a gas stove to an electric stove
039or if they're changing their heating system from gas to electric or geothermal. Those are things and so that my understand you know from what I understand and from the discussions that I heard um is how we can I mean that's a way to measure it right if if you know all of a sudden we have a lot of homes going okay we're going to put in geothermal again there's a a permit that's required and we would be able to track that >> and who's be in charge of um in the town hall who's going to be in charge of >> so that's that's going to be an implementation um question mark and we have not determined yet how some of these things are going to be done. It's going to depend on what department could
040manage it, what department it relates to. Um, so that's part of the implementation process that we have not determined yet. So I can't tell you who's going to do it because we don't know yet. Okay, great. Florence, go ahead. Yeah, I was pleased to see some incentives for both businesses and maybe for families um in 2A1, 2 A9, 2C3 and 2D2 all were um offered some um little bit of um incentives to actually do something. I hope that these things are prioritized in the next few years. >> Great. Any other feedback? No. Okay, I have someone who is waving their hand. Hold on, Rob. Oh, Rob, go ahead. Unmute yourself. Rob, unmute. And Florence. Okay, Florence, you've muted. You're still muted, Rob. Down at the bottom. >> Okay. Okay. I just want to comment the
041communitywide carbon footprint CO2. We we did that before. There's a program that's provided by MCCAST that we can use and we we've done a whole footprint for the town already. We haven't kept it up but but it's it's it's very well prescribed that we could do that. >> Perfect. So we could go back and do it again and see how >> we can go back and do that again. We can do that every year and then you know if we can we can measure the progress. >> Okay. the the other my my general comment and I guess it's not really very constructive is that when I see all these things I think it sounds all very very great and and and everything is going to depend on on the implementation I mean if you look
042at some of these tasks we've tried to do these tasks before there isn't any money available there isn't any people support for things available I mean it's all nice and beautiful to make all these strategies and creative him and then but the implementation is where it's all going to depend on if we have no manpower and no support then we can't really do these things and it's it's it's it's not realistic and the tradeoffs I mean with all the other task and and that need to be done it's going to be very very difficult project and and and I agree that we're going to have to depend on all the residents to make a major achievements and even to instruct all the other residents and to explain why all this is important is a major
043task all by itself that probably needs to be done by volunteers. So, okay. So, that's my general comment, you know. >> Great. Well, well, thank you. >> I don't know. I'm not sure how we're going to reach, you know, net zero by 2040. That's that that's that's a nice goal, but it's going to be very complicated. >> Well, it it's interesting. I just heard, you know, someone I know is reading a book about goals and they said that the longer you give yourself, the longer it takes because for a lot of people, they put a goal five years out and they'll have it done in five years. But if they brought it in three years or two years, they'd probably still get it done as well. So I think for some of these and this
044is this will be a discussion with the implementation group and with the community. Which of these are priorities, right? And are there certain are there certain strategies here that we could put in place that would help us get to things a little bit faster? And what does that mean? Are we going to have to spend some resources in a different way than what we had originally planned? That's a discussion for the community. Um, right. >> Do the does the community really want to reach it by 2040 >> or not? So, >> right. Okay. I agree. Yeah. >> Great. Thank you. Thank you for your input, Rob. Appreciate that. >> Yeah. Go ahead, Chuck. >> Is it Is this on you? Yeah. >> I just wanted to say to Rob that there's this wonderful group called
045Energize Ashland that's trying to do this. He might want to think about >> I think he knows about them. cute. >> Great. [Music] >> Okay, good. Um, any other feedback from anybody? Again, this this comprehensive plan is for our community and if you are sitting and watching and participating tonight, we appreciate that. I do know that there are people watching via via WACA TV. So again, if you are watching this and you're, you know, you're not on the Zoom meeting, please reach out to via the town website, the sustaina the not the sustainability committee to the comprehensive plan committee and give us your feedback on this. Um, after our first forum, we did get a couple of emails that we were able to it helped us identify certain things that like, oh yeah, that actually
046is not what it meant to be. So, we need your eyes as well to ensure that we get to where we want to with this plan. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Um, how many people are on Zoom? Hold on a second. Let's see. One, two, three, four, five. should say at the bottom I have 10 participants. So, a little small tonight, but that's okay. It's a Thursday night and who knows, maybe there's something else more interesting going on. Um, [Laughter] okay. So, um, what we're going to do is because it's only quarter of eight, we're scheduled here till 8:30. Uh what happened on Tuesday was we did end at 8 because we had finished our conversation. But I'm seeing some new names and faces here. So I'm going to take us back try and take us
047back. Come on to the five goals, the five core themes. And I don't have all the detail for each of these, but for those of you who have not sat in on the other two, um here are the other core themes that we have identified and have goals and strategies for. The core theme one is building enhancing community. This we're talking today about core theme two, promoting long-term sustainability. Uh we had core theme three uh we're doing on Monday. Yep. On Monday, September 8th, we'll be talking about core theme 3, which is guiding development that honors open space and conservation. We talked about core theme 4 on this past Tuesday, enhancing town services and economic development. And core theme 5 was done with core theme 1 back uh before the holiday, creating a connected and
048accessible community. So, if you are interested in any of those and you didn't get to participate in the forum in person, I recommend you go back and watch them. Um, if you are very interested in the the development piece, which I have a feeling we're going to have a lot of people Monday night, um, again, make sure you show up Monday night, give us your thoughts, but the other thing I recommend is go to the town website, push the link for the draft of the plan and read through it. You don't have to read everything if you don't want, but go to the ones that interest you and give us some feedback. We are asking for feedback no later than next Monday or Tuesday which is the 9th or 10th actually that's Wednesday so that
049we as a committee can get them work with our consultant and that at our final meeting on Thursday September 18th we have information that we can compare and say this is what it was this is what we've heard from the committee how do we want to change or tweak or whatever with any of these strategies and goals which is about which is what these forums are about. So, uh, I'm going to put a call out. If you are watching and you have not watched any of the other ones or you have not been at the other ones, how do these five core themes sound to you? Are they things that you think are good for Ashland? Um, and again, go ahead. I'm going to let it sit there for a second. See if anyone has
050any input, and then I have some um other information that I'm going to share. Okay. Um, one thing I didn't do at tonight was um talk about was about reading our vision or our um Oh, maybe I didn't put it in this one. Oh, yeah. Our um our community vision statement and uh the comprehensive plan did this based on input from all the meetings in a box and the surveys. So, this is our our our vision for the community. Um, and by 2035, Ashland is a diverse, inclusive community that honors and preserves its small town charm, its rich history, and open space. The town features vibrant and sustainable neighborhoods with exceptional schools and aesthetically pleasing public and private spaces for living, learning, working, aging, shopping, and playing. Ashlin's reimagining of land use prioritizes the creation
051of safe, walkable, bikable, and mult multimodal transportation options to address the needs of its growing population, enhances community connectivity, and provides well-maintained accessible recreation amenities. Um, so if recreation amenities are interesting to you, we discussed those under themes one and five uh back on September 28th. So go ahead and watch that and give us your feedback. Um yeah. So any other feedback? Um so after just after our select board meeting last night, we had a discussion with the town manager and a couple of other residents and it was discussed that the last approved comprehensive plan was completed in 2003 and a lot of the things in that plan have been accomplished. But the themes that we heard in 2003, so 22 years ago, are still themes that we're hearing today. People move to Ashlin for
052its small town charm. People move to Ashland because it has an open space. People move to Ashlin because it's accessible to either Boston or or Worcester. So the the ideas haven't changed um or what people are looking for hasn't changed. Um but now we're looking at different strategies. And the bigger thing that I see for this strategic plan and the one that didn't quite get finished in I think 2015 or 2016 was that sustainability component and that's what we talked about tonight. So those sustainable goals and strategies that are going to help us help our planet and help our state and help help our our country. Uh so those are things and we can continue to do those here in Ashland if it's important enough to us. We can make those decisions. So again, take
053look through this, give us your feedback. Um, does anyone have any place else they'd like to go back and look at any of the strategies or goals? I can bring them back up. Uh, it's about 10 to 8. Um, I'll put these up. So these are goal 2A, support carbon neutral practices among residents and businesses. I'll give you a second to look at these or again you can go to the website and take a look at them there. And then we have goal 2B achieve triple net zero energy water waste for all town building facilities fleet and infrastructure by 2040. Um what what's interesting is you know I look at infrastructure and we've seen uh a lot of work done on our streets in the last through the summer. There's also been work done on
054some of our water pipes on some of our sewage pipes. Um so a little history maybe you know this maybe you don't. So our water we are currently in a stage two by the way and that means the level of the Hopkin reservoir is at such a state that we are not allowed we are not allowed to draw as much water because our wells there's four wells sitting on house street right next to the reservoir and those wells go fairly deep and they take from the aquafer that is fed by the reservoir. Um and so because the reservoir level is low, we need to watch how much we take. So that's why we are in a stage two. So um we've had some some good rain throughout the summer, but apparently not enough. Um so
055that's the thing. And then our sewage actually goes through Framingham out to Deer Island in Boston. Uh so when we were talking on Tuesday about infrastructure, there was discussion about wastewater treatment plant and um things like that. So, these are there's a lot of information behind the strategic plan that a lot, you know, not everyone knows, and that's understandable. Um, it's amazing what you learn when you're sitting in municipal as a as an elected official. Um, but if you ever have questions, don't hesitate to reach out not only to staff, but to anyone on the select board or if you have bylaw issues on planning, reach out to our planning board members. Just like if you are parents, you've reached out to your school committee if you have questions about school curriculum or issues that
056are going on in your schools. Okay, we're going to go back to uh 2 C and 2 D. 2C is promote preservation and planting throughout Ashlin to expand the tree canopy and promote carbon carbon sequestration and goal 2D is become a model for sustainable land use, waste reduction and green infrastructure. And I would say that Ashlin has done a lot of this already. Like I said, becoming one of the first green communities back in 12 or maybe 13, 14, I forget which. And then looking at our last two big major building projects, we did geothermal at both our both our public safety building and our Mendes school and the new Mindzes. So we are we are talking we're not only talking about this as a community, but we are doing it as a community. And
057then that's it. So it's about five of eight. Um I have I'm not seeing any more hands or any comments. Do you have any general comments about what we talked about tonight? Please feel free to raise your hand and comment. Um, again, it's I'm seeing some names that I'm not as familiar with and I'm seeing uh I really appreciate that participation. I know thanks to Mike Kaira and Jim Adams at our Ashlin public schools, they shared information about these forums to our the families that have kids in our school system. So, it's great that that is out there. Mark, you have uh one last one last comment. >> Yes, I do. And it's basically saying what I what I do and everybody at all committees inside town hall and out around the town is that
058I put myself out there for all the things I've been doing because if I don't say anything it doesn't the citizens doesn't hear but what I'm saying now is that there's got to be more in the citizens that know what's going on out there and people talking to me back and forth and I tell them what's going on as much as I know but I'm but I know that down the road the future families coming in but I'm I'm afraid they might not get any of this understanding and what this town is actually about and what the grow and what the growth going to be. So this is why I do this to get the word out and get the answers. I know the all the committees involved town hall inside and out and every
059place I I go to, they all know who I am. >> Right. Well, thank you. Thank you for that, Mark. >> I'm just going to finish this with saying I'd like to wrap up who I am. >> Now it's time for the rest of the population to get to know their own purposes. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Well, um, oh, Rob, go ahead. We got to teach you how to use the real hand. Rob, go ahead and unmute. >> It doesn't seem to work. I don't know. I don't seem to have a hand thing on my Zoom thing account. Anyhow, Florence wants me to make a plug for you for you for Energize Ashland, you know. I I don't know of of all everybody's is aware of Energize Ashland, but it's definitely an
060organization in Ashland that tries to promote sustainability and climate change awareness. We help with events. We we we give people information. We we try to get people to take action in their home. So, it all kind of fits right in with these sustainability things we've been talking about today. And we be we will be having a special event on October 8th in the community center on heat pumps. They're trying to get more people to sign up for heat pumps. It's going to be a pizza event, a free pizza. So if you come and listen to the presentations and make some take some action in your home. >> So if anybody can sign up for the on the website and you can get a a monthly newsletter that keeps you up to date what's going on
061in the in the area in the area of climate change. And what is the website, Rob? >> Energize.org. >> Energizesheland.org. Great. >> Um, we have two more minutes and I'm going to put one plug in for Ashland Day happening on October 4th. Uh at first thought we we everyone thought that uh Ashlin Day wasn't going to happen but due to a lot of residents coming up and businesses coming forward Ashlin Day is happening on Saturday October 4th. If you are interested in helping out they are having a meeting at Dolce DeLce this Saturday at 10 a.m. They are still looking for volunteers. They are also looking for vendors. If you have a committee or a community organization that wants to participate, you can reach out to the new Ashlin Day group and they will help
062set you up with a booth. Uh they are asking that if you attend and have a booth that you have some kind of activity that not just people walking by, but that someone can come in and uh actively participate. And at our last select board meeting, there was discussion that we're going to reach out to some other committees and potentially have the ability for people to buy tickets and use those tickets to buy pies to throw at various people. So, I'll leave it at that. Um, anyway, it is eight o'clock. Thank you all for being here. We appreciate your feedback. uh please plan on coming back for our last forum which will be on Monday September 8th. Same format we will be here in town hall live and then via Zoom as well. And then
063again please go to the website look at the whole draft. It is a lot of pages um but it has a lot of great information. So thank you for being here at this third public forum. We look forward to seeing you again maybe at the forum on Monday September 8th. Uh and definitely we hope you participate and come to town meeting as we bring it there for approval by the community. Thank you for watching this forum. Good night everybody.