A city's long-range plan has the greatest value if the vision behind it is truly shaped in collaboration with the local community. Therefore, collecting feedback from local stakeholders is an essential component of a Master Planning/Sustainability Planning process. As part of Lowell's planning process in 2011-12, DPD conducted a survey, hosted a series of public visioning sessions, and launched an online participatory planning tool (Community PlanIt).

For more information on the outcomes of these processes, please see the 2011 Final Public Opinion Report.

Another integral part of a Master Planning process is the compilation of data about all aspects of city life, from housing to transportation, so as to provide a snapshot of Lowell today and highlight trends over time. Through collecting and analyzing this data, the City can best make determinations about what to prioritize moving forward.

For more information, please see the 2011 Final Existing Conditions Report.

For a summary of both reports, please see the presentation of public opinion and existing research that was made before the City Council on March 27th, 2012.

Click here to learn more about the Master/Sustainability Planning process.