Land use agent helps prepare town for future
By Caitlyn Kelleher Journal Staff Reporter

Land Use Agent Andrew Leonard is preparing to help the town fix its financial burdens through some long-term land use planning.

The goals should be to bring in businesses, such as bed and breakfasts and restaurants, for the tourist population that uses the recreation areas in town, Leonard said.

A state survey shows that less than 25 percent of those who hike Mt. Watitic and the Blood Hill trails are residents of town.

"There are a lot of people coming to Ashby," he said.

It is important to control the expansion of town and to use the fact that commercial and industrial businesses are revenue producers for the town, he said. He said the goal would not be to change the character of town but that would allow businesses to succeed in town.

"The reality is the Ashby is a bedroom community," he said.

The residential aspect of town - 97 percent of the land use - is a negative impact on the town's r e s o u r c e s . This is not unexpe c t ed, said Leonard, because it is that way in most towns.

"But, it doesn't change the fact that we are dealing with expense control," he said. "We really need to create a master plan."

Leonard said as a part-time employee he doesn't have the time to create the plan himself, but that he will be laying out the system that will need to be followed. This spring Leonard said he will create an outline for the town on the approach that needs to be followed to create the plan and a list of items that need to be included in the plan.

Before he takes those steps, this winter, he will be trying to create a digital photo collection of the town and streamline the permitting process.

"We have a lot of starts and stops in our permitting process," he said.

The goal is to create a process, which is easier for the applicant and allows for a better communication between town officials.

"It will allow the boards to talk to each other through the process," he said.

Leonard will also be updating the open space plan this spring.

He is hoping to get residents to read the different plans so that they provide informed feedback and input on the future of the town.

The position is slightly different then it was before Leonard was hired in August. He said it is moving more towards long-range planning and away from an administrative role.

"The board members are going to do a lot of their own administration."