Setting important standards for town policy and planning, the 1996 Master Plan created a vision of Chelmsford for the next decade.  PCF is committed to this vision and cites the following excerpts from the Plan:

Community Design

· Strengthen neighborhood planning.

· Prevent the urbanization of Chelmsford. Recognize that larger and more concentrated development of the industrial, commercial and residential areas of the town contributes to a poorer quality of life.

· Be cautious of the type of growth that will:

    1) erode the remaining rural characteristics of the town,

    2) increase traffic,

    3) increase parking requirements,

    4) dramatically change the nature of the town.

Neighborhoods

· Preserve and strengthen the appearance of the town's neighborhoods and protect them from adverse influences.

Means for Attaining the Vision:

· Encourage more citizen participation and involvement within the neighborhoods in matters concerning individual neighborhoods and the town as a whole.

· Encourage decentralization of town facilities such as schools, libraries, playfields, community centers, etc., where cost effective, so as to increase the sense of neighborhood solidarity and cohesion.

· Carefully integrate new or expanded housing into existing districts and neighborhoods so it is not physically or environmentally disruptive to the existing style or scale.

Citizen Participation

· Encourage a high level of citizen participation in town activities including planning, environmental issues, Town facilities and services, Town committees and Town government.