A Comprehensive Plan, often called a Master Plan, explains what a community is like today, where it wants to go in the future, and how it can get there.  The Plan includes: assessments of existing resources and issues, projections of future conditions and needs and consideration of collective goals and desires.  A Comprehensive Plan is a long-range policy document development to express a community's intentions and to establish guidelines for its future growth and redevelopment.  The Plan is an all-inclusive approach to communicate a community's vision, goals, objectives, and strategies to achieve that vision.  Westwood's previous Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2000.  Westwood began the update efforts in 2018 and the Comprehensive Plan 2020 was adopted in 2020. 

The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee took the lead in bringing forward an updated Comprehensive Plan.  The Board of Selectmen appointed an 18-member Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee on November 5, 2018.  The Committee had the first kick off meeting on November 19.  The Committee members will spearhead the process by writing a specific section of the plan, conduct research, public engagement, and outreach for each subject area.  Town Planner was the primary staff contact for this project.

• General Overall Work Plan for 2018-2019 Update
• Frequently Asked Questions for updating the Comprehensive Plan 
  
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State law requires specific subject areas for all Comprehensive Plans.  Westwood's Plan will include the following specific subject areas with a goals, objectives and implementation strategies for each specific subject area as well as an overall implementation section.  Below are the specific subject areas and the Steering Committee members assigned to that specific section.

1. Land Use - Jack Wiggin, Linda Walsh
2. Town Centers - Kate Wynne, John Rogers
3. Housing - Barbara Shea, Sheila Hanley Longval
4. Economic Development - Peter Neville
5. Natural and Cultural Resources - Nancy Donahue, Janica Midiri
6. Community Facilities - Tom Viti
7. Open Space and Recreation - Charles Donahue, Paula Jacobson
8. Transportation - Steve Olanoff, Trevor Laubenstein
9. Resilience and Sustainability - Peter Kane, Pam Kane
10. Implementation Program - Staff

Planning Board members will participate as liaisons to the Steering Committee.  Mr. Atkins for Implementation and Resilience and Sustainability, Mr. Pfaff for Land Use and Economic Development, Ms. Conant for Town Centers and Community Facilities, Mr. Gorman for Transportation and Open Space and Recreation, Mr. Delay for Natural and Cultural Resources and Housing.