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Date: 10/19/2022
SOUTHWICK — The Master Plan Advisory Committee hosted two Community Visioning Sessions recently to give residents a chance to give direct input into what the town’s strengths, weaknesses and needs are.
A couple dozen Southwick residents were separated into two groups Oct. 13 and 15 at Town Hall to discuss what Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Consultant Ken Comia called a “SWOT analysis” of the town. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and Comia said it is a way to organize what works and does not work about a town as they try to come up with a 20-year Master Plan.
Some of the strengths listed by residents included Southwick’s small-town charm and rural character, which were listed as a priority to maintain by many residents. The regional school system, Lake Congamond and having its own aquifer were also listed as strengths.
When it came to weaknesses, many listed “unplanned growth” and the lack of a cohesive “downtown area.” One listed weakness that has been brought up countless times in the last decade was Southwick’s aging population. Looking into what may be the near future for Southwick and much of the United States, a weakness that was listed was the lack of electric vehicle infrastructure, like charging stations, as electric vehicles continue to grow in popularity.
For future opportunities, meaning directions the town can take for future growth, many people prioritized “mixed-use” development over larger projects. Many ideas for the future of Southwick were listed, including municipal internet, a public pool and recreation facility, and cannabis growth and possibly allowing recreational cannabis sales.
Asked about threats to Southwick, most participants generally listed things that could develop over time to threaten the health or wellbeing of the town as a whole. Climate change, storms and droughts were near the top of the list, as were the loss of farms, industrial development and the opioid epidemic.
Ken Comia said at the end of the Oct. 13 session that the information gathered from both sessions, along with the data from 970 respondents to a Master Plan survey, will be used to create an initial report, which will be the basis for focus group meetings some time later this year.
Master Plan Advisory Committee Chair Marcus Phelps said that the focus groups will feature experts in specific areas relevant to the Master Plan like housing, infrastructure and public works.
Phelps said the first draft chapters of the Master Plan itself should also be put together as soon as December or January.
“The committee will look them over and add to them or take away from them,” said Phelps. “We are moving along pretty well.”