City of Methuen Master Plan

Methuen Master Plan 2007
analysis that, coincidentally, projected that Methuen would reach residential buildout in 2006. 1
While the City has not reached residential buildout, it has reached many of the benchmarks as predicted
in its nearly 10-year old growth projection: total population, number of housing units, and public school
students are all at levels remarkably close to where officials thought they would be. Discussed further
in the Land Use chapter, it would seem that Methuen has grown in a different manner and at a slower
rate than forecasted, for both residential and commercial/industrial uses. There appears to be a
correlation between the City’s action to implement the 1997 recommendations and its pattern of
development over the course of the past nine years.
In addition to the 1986 Master Plan and its 1997 Land Use element update, Methuen has prepared
several specialized studies that will be referenced herein. These include a 2005 Community
Development Plan (CDP), a 2004 Downtown Development Plan, and a 2001 Open Space and
Recreation Plan.
This Master Plan acknowledges and incorporates elements of these past plans as they relate to
Methuen’s future vision. In most instances, these limited-focus plans will contain greater detail on
particular issues than the Master Plan will. Likewise, the amount of detailed input we received during
the planning process is summarized herein – as a comprehensive look at all aspects of the City, the
Master Plan attempts to find consensus among multiple constituencies, and makes specific
recommendations with regard to priorities. While it can’t possibly contain the breadth of all the
comments made, we hope it has captured the essence of the conversations.
The Implementation Plan outlines tasks that will forward the vision of this Master Plan, and those most
directly responsible for carrying forward the recommendations of this Plan. In a broader sense,
however, all members of the Methuen community share in the responsibility in seeing this Plan realized.
Elected officials should use the plan to guide their policy-making; Boards and Commissions should
consider the Plan when making regulatory decisions; businesses should consult the plan (and be referred
to it) when choosing to locate or expand their operations; and neighbors should be informed by the Plan
when giving their input on land use decisions.
When responsibility for the Plan’s implementation is borne by many, the greater the likelihood this will
be a “living document,” and the greater the odds of success.
1 According to Methuen’s current assessing database, there are 453 developable acres of residential land remaining, and
530 acres of potentially developable residential land.
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