Thank you for helping us develop a citywide plan with the lenses of Equity and Sustainability and using inclusion, integrity and innovation as core values guiding growth and change in the City.
Worcester Now | Next was a two-year long citywide planning process that engaged the Worcester community on important issues relating to land use, housing, economic opportunity, natural and cultural resources, open space and recreation, services and facilities and transportation and mobility, among others.
The project generated Worcester's first Citywide Long-range Plan (sometimes called a Comprehensive or Master Plan) in nearly 37 years. The Worcester Now | Next Plan knits together past, present and future initiatives covering the entire city, from downtown to its dozens of neighborhoods. The Plan provides a coordinated roadmap for the future development and evolution of the City, and establishes a framework for more detailed studies to come, but is not a granular study of every issue.
With the development momentum in the City of Worcester, there was an important opportunity to assess the City's overarching goals and vision, and provide a guide for long-term growth and municipal policy. Since Worcester's last comprehensive planning effort in 1987, the City and its partners have undertaken numerous topic-specific planning efforts, such as the City of Worcester Strategic Plan (2020), Green Worcester Plan (2021), a Regional Housing & Economic Study (2019), the Becoming Worcester Cultural Plan (2019), the Worcester Public Schools Strategic Plan (2018) and the Greater Worcester Community Health Improvement Plan (2016), among others. The Worcester Now | Next Citywide Plan capitalized on the moment to integrate all of the planning work done to date into a unified framework.
Worcester Now | Next built on past successes, connected current planning initiatives and integrated a present-day vision from the community into a comprehensive framework to guide growth and change in the City for the next 30 years.
In Worcester's fourth century, we envision a creative city of neighbors who value inclusion and celebrate diversity. We will uplift our city by investing equitably in our communities, connecting our neighborhoods to opportunity and prioritizing sustainable growth that supports improved quality of life for all.
In order to facilitate ease of understanding and implementation, the research, engagement, goals and recommendations of the plan are separated into a Growth Framework, with a guide of actions specific to "Development Norms," and a series of 6 Policy Guides, one for each of the following thematic topic areas:
Three plan headlines emerged from the extensive engagement and analysis conducted through this planning process. These headlines represent the core of what this plan is about, and what it positions the City to act on in the next few years.
Learn more about some of the work that is already underway as a result of Worcester Now | Next:
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Have a question or want to learn more? Email us at planning@worcesterma.gov or call 508-799-1400 x31440.
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