Published in the May 12, 2016 edition

NORTH READING — The Metropolitan Area Planning Commission will be delivering its final presentation with recommendations to the Community Planning Commission for the Route 28/Main Street economic development/land use study on May 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Town Hall, 235 North St., Room 14.

The purpose of the study is short–term economic development planning for the commercial corridor along Route 28/Main Street. The plan will consist of build-out analysis focusing on a group of underutilized parcels at the two intersections of Routes 28 and 62, as well as a market analysis for retail, housing and office uses that could be supported.

The MAPC is providing district local technical assistance to the town for a short term economic development plan of its main commercial corridor along Route 28. Currently, the development potential for the study area is limited due to environmental constraints and the absence of sewer infrastructure. The Town is investigating the feasibility of a sewer system in the long term. The economic development plan will include a set of regulatory and policy recommendations as well as development build-out analysis for the parcels within the study area. That economic development plan will be developed with the Town and the community through a community planning process and will be informed by this retail, office and housing market analysis. The funding for this study comes from DLTA funding that helps promote regional collaboration, economic development, better land use and zoning and environmental protection across the Commonwealth. The funds are administered each year through a competitive process managed by MAPC.