Master Plan Implementation Committee

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General Responsibilities and Duties

Implementation of the Master Plan is the process of periodically reviewing and prioritizing actions; deciding when to take them; and delegating responsibilities for advancing them. Implementing Southampton's Master Plan requires a dedicated, sustained and patient effort by elected and appointed officials, as well as Town employees. It will also require significant work by volunteers and dedicated citizens. MPIC undertook an extensive review of the Plan during 2020 and produced an updated status report and appendix. These are the documents that serve as the basis for future discussions regarding accomplishments related to the strategies outlines in each Chapter.

The Implementation Committee comprises one member each from the Select Board, Planning Board, Historical Commission, Housing Authority, Conservation Commission and the Parks Department. It also has 4 at-large positions. Members of these boards, committee, commissions serve as focal points during the bi-annual status update and also as intermediaries ensuring that the Master Plan goals and strategies are known and understood by their host group.

WHAT IS A MASTER PLAN?

A Master Plan, by its nature is a snap-shot of a community at a point in history. With community involvement, it answers basic questions that communities have wrestled with for decades: 'How do we want our town to grow? What are our most important resources and assets and how do we protect them? How do we create a better community for our children, for our future?' The original plan developed in 2013 was written to serve several functions:

Provide detailed historic and current information about key topics of important to the town;
Summarize the vision and goals for future development expressed by residents; and
Clearly state Southampton's priorities and strategies to achieve those goals.

The Master Plan is structured in conformance with the state requirements outlined in Chapter 41, Section 81D which describes a Master Plan as “a statement through text, maps, illustrations, or other forms of communication that is designed to provide a basis for decision-making regarding the long-term physical development of the municipality...” It is a statement of policy and aspirations to help manage growth and change and to foster more predictable development. It is comprised of specified elements:
• Land Use
• Housing
• Economic Development
• Historic and Cultural Resources
• Open Space and Natural Resources
• Public Services and Facilities
• Mobility

Master Plans are developed to guide a town’s policies and strategies over the next ten to twenty years. The Plan is a living document and often times is reviewed periodically and updated accordingly to be certain it reflects the ever-changing trends and evolving needs of the community. The Plan is not a bylaw, but instead a policy document, intended to be used to provide Town Boards and Commissions with a set of common goals and strategies which can be uniformly taken into consideration when making decisions.

Members of Committee

Select Board Liaison - Chris Fowles

Position	Name	Term
Select Board	Chris Fowles, Chair	2025
Historical Commission
Planning Board	Paul Furgal	2027
Housing Authority	Sierra Simmons	2026
Conservation Commission
Park Commission	Alice Badecker	2028
Citizen-at-Large	Kristine Madsen
Citizen-at-Large	Vacant
Citizen-at-Large	Vacant
Citizen-at-Large	Vacant