Town provides forum for public input on economic development

Date: 2/17/2009

By Katelyn Gendron

Reminder Assistant Editor



AGAWAM -- For the past eight months town officials have been working with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) to develop an economic development plan that will ensure the longevity of the town's financial system.

The PVPC has 10 months to complete the study -- funded by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development -- and are now asking residents to become involved in the process.

Residents are asked to complete a 13-question Retail Preference Survey as well as attend public visualization sessions with the PVPC in March and September. The survey will allow residents to help the town determine what to do with Agawam's approximately 40 parcels of vacant commercial land and about 44 parcels of vacant industrial land.

Deborah Dachos, director of Planning and Community Development, said that residents' completed surveys are "a critical component in the economic development plan."

The survey asks residents about their retail spending habits in order to determine if residents are venturing outside town lines to spend their dollars. Questions also ask residents to indicate which retail venues they'd like to see more of in Agawam such as diners, coffee shops, sports bars or ethnic restaurants.

Dachos explained that the town is using a 2004 spending analysis to gauge the most prominent consumer needs. She noted that according to the 2004 study, 23 percent of Agawam households were gourmet cooking enthusiasts but that there was "no leakage" in the town's specialty food stores. Dachos said the "biggest leakage" of 31 percent is in the health and personal care stores.

"People are going outside of Agawam to purchase [31] percent of those services," she explained.

Jessica Allan, senior planner at the PVPC, said many other community's level of participation in this process ranges from five to 40 percent.

Dachos said she's hoping for a 10 percent return on the surveys.

Allan explained that the public will be invited to the first visualizing session in March to discuss the results of the survey and to pinpoint the public's "goals for commercial and industrial development for the town." She added that the second visualization session in September will identify potential sites for development.

Surveys can be obtained by visiting the town's Web site, www.agawam.ma.us. Residents are asked to mail their completed surveys to Dachos at the Office of Planning and Community Development, Agawam Town Hall, 36 Main St., Agawam, MA 01001. Deadline for submissions is March 20.

For more information about the economic development study or the survey call the Office of Planning and Community Development at 786-0400 ext. 283.