Brian Foulds
The Harvey Wheeler Center is a shelter for the elderly when a heat emergency or storm hits Concord. Utility scale batteries should be installed there to ensure the building has power when a during one of these unfortunate events. These batteries can also be used to lower the cost of electricity when operated by Concord Light.

Tanya Gailus
and we need at least one more shelter - not just for the elderly, but for unexpected emergencies in this era of severe climate activity and political unrest

Tanya Gailus
We can do a lot better with regards to acknowledging the Native American history in the region, and do it honestly.

Tanya Gailus
CLRPC should take charge: The CLRPC needs to run its own public hearings as required by its charge and should not substitute consultant- led gatherings in their place. The CLRPC, not consultant, should formulate initial draft plan. Otherwise change the committee's charge to at least factually reflect what is happening . More public attendance at committee meetings is encouraged.

Bob Andrews
I very much enjoy the diverse conservation land and town forest that exists in Concord. I walk frequently in these areas. I also enjoy the Beede Center, especially in cold weather when I prefer not to walk outside. I enjoy going to the playgrounds with my grandchildren, especially Rideout. I have enjoyed riding my bike on the Bruce Freeman Trail where it has been completed and am looking forward to its completion in Concord. Although I am in my eighties I still like both walking and riding my bike. I do not need to see a lot of expansion of what exists for recreational areas. I just want reassurance that they will remain available and will be maintained, leaving in place as much of the natural ecosystems as possible.

Joe Stein
Am I the only one who finds this pro-development question "Where does farming fit in Concord's future" offensive? Concord has a rich tradition of agriculture and I believe the Town should do everything it can to ensure it remains so for the next several generations.

Tanya Gailus
When consultant keeps saying "change is going to happen whether we want it or not" or something to that effect, one wonders: Is anyone claiming otherwise? (Doubtful.) The question that then comes to mind is: Is consultant trying to pre-advocate for certain preferences, specifically: not just for conceivably appropriate development, but also for pre-arranged , pre-determined reduction policies in conservation measures, to smooth the road for any not-necessary development. Not dissimilar to some of the policies of the current national administration. Ideas perhaps especially based on closed door meetings with for-profit interests and with town management personnel some of whom have expressed resistance (per draft report) to natural preservation initiatives. This "baking- in implementation" approach raises concerns, especially when meetings with developers have taken place behind closed doors, and also since consultant has resisted similar meetings with conservation groups. Whatever improved transparency the CLRPC decides to provide from now on will not change this initial rigging of the field. Yes, change will of course happen, as transformation, as evolution. The way to go about is to tackle needs one by one, not to write off or reduce natural preservation measures from the start. In addition, we do not know what exactly might change in two or three years - demographically, ecologically, politically. So it is dangerous to establish pre-set policies. We can only identify immediate needs and future potential needs.

Lori Pazaris
As we look at questions of whether or not additional facilities are need for recreation, we must first consider how to expand use of existing facilities and especially the schools which the Concord community has supported through our tax dollars.

Lori Pazaris
Beautifully stated. Thanks Bob.

Tanya Gailus
We need at least one more designated emergency shelter in the eastern portion of the town, for serious emergencies - potential climate related and even military emergencies. Having only Harvey Wheeler (for overly hot days etc) in West Concord is not enough for today's potential hazards.

Lisa Ricci
It's important... Gaining Ground is an important part of this.

Stephanie Chrobak
Farming, local goods, art...

Aimee Christian
More fully adaptive and accessible playground (like the one in Sudbury) would enable all of our children to play together, regardless of need and ability.

Aimee Christian
More opportunities for recycling and reducing use of plastic. Encourage businesses to use recyclable materials in takeout packaging and reduce use of napkins/utensils/straws/bags unless requested.

Lori Pazaris
Given predictions of increasing temperatures and climate instability, Concord’s next Comprehensive Long Range Plan should be guided by actions consistent with adapting to and mitigating climate change and keeping the town as cool as possible. Water is, also, a large issue; our land is drying out. Stopping emissions (from fossil fuel and development, etc.) and using healthy practices to maintain and further sequester CO2 in soil and vegetation are important. Currently 1/3 of Concord’s land is protected, but we should be aiming for 50%. According to a recent article,” In order to stop the accumulation of heat, we would have to eliminate not just carbon dioxide emissions, but all greenhouse gases……. We’d also need to reverse deforestation and other land uses ….. . We would have to radically change our agriculture.” Link: http://theconversation.com/if-we-stopped-emitting-greenhouse-gases-right-now-would-we-stop-climate-change-78882. The article goes on to point out that “if we stop emitting carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels today….” there will be “a delay in air-temperature increase”… and “After maybe 40 more years, scientists hypothesize the climate will stabilize at a temperature higher than what was normal for previous generations.” It is believed that lawns are the largest agricultural sector, so solutions start with us and our communities.

Tanya Gailus
Thank you. However, I think one may be needed near Concord Center or East Concord as well. What I have in mind is not 'hot weather' type of emergencies, but unexpected and more urgent emergencies - hurricanes, tornadoes, and even military emergencies.. In any case, we may need one for other parts of town as well.

Tanya Gailus
Does Concord have an emergency shelter for natural or other emergencies?

Brian Foulds
Concord Light should work with Emerson Hospital to install utility scale energy storage. This system can be used to lower CL rates and ensure the hospital continues to operate during a natural disaster. State incentives are available.
https://www.mass.gov/energy-storage-initiative

Jessica Harvey
Give building owners in the downtown and depot areas incentives to lower their rents to allow boutiques to survive. Small retail shops cannot compete with online shopping due to the high rents. Otherwise our once boutique laced downtown areas will be filled with only banks and restaurants...is that what we want?

Tanya Gailus
Hello Susan. However, the tensions you offer to solve are not to that extent. There aren't many "silos" in this town. The elders and the young may have slightly different "first" priorities per town's earlier survey, but they usually support each others' needs and an overall majority supports treesy neighborhoods, climate related sustainability, and schools. There may be disagreements at town meeting when a development proposal has evaded correct process, but discussions are rigorous and many-sided. Silos may be some development interests who, you mentioned at 9/8 CLRPC meeting, do not want to speak in public. It is wrong for CivicMoxie to hold closed door meetings with selected interest groups, - two with business partnerships who also invite CivicMoxie consultant to private function. Ideas you presented on September 22 are based on feedback from these for profit groups. (Where else was data from?) Also, you will not hold any conservation gatherings; after May 31 event, on June 9, you stated that views which supported conservation would be given lesser consideration. Now you suggest less environmental protection. Environmental protection benefits all ages. Alleged young/old tensions often are excuse for development interests. Town Management Team preferences from "planapalooza" meeting should not influence plan. Their function is implementation. "[T]he whole purpose of this comprehensive long range planning process" is for Concord's people to define, led by CLRPC, a public entity. CivicMoxie is hired with public money, to assist, not to "lead." Survey Q22 misleads. Survey's closed doors preparation and pre-full-review release violated OML.

Tanya Gailus
Ms. Silberberg mentioned during her presentation to the Comprehensive Long Range Plan Committee today (Sept.22) that they observed a tension between needs of the elderly and needs of youth. Anyone who has been in a "sandwich generation" situation knows that caring for the needs of the aging and the needs of the young can be taxing on time, energy, and resources. A helpful perspective is that generations need and benefit each other, for practical help, for guidance, and for emotional well-being to name a few ways. Approaching our priorities with this perspective may help come up with decisions that ultimately benefit everyone.

Elissa Brown
More restaurants/pubs. I know it doesn't always fit with existing parking requirements, but that seems to be the ways vibrant towns are going now that retail is fading away.

Tanya Gailus
more outdoor cafes would be nice

Elissa Brown
Co-housing within walking distance of town centers.

Elissa Brown
The libraries! They are beautiful, peaceful, warm in winter and cool in summer, and full of interesting reading and listening material and programs.

Bob Andrews
I think that Concord needs to view sustainability not just as having more solar panels and heat pumps but as a critical facet of almost everything we decide as a town. What we do about managing public water and waterways, supporting local and organic agriculture, introducing carbon sequestration practices into out use and care of land, what kind of housing we have. Just about anything we plan as a town either adds a lot of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere or does not. Our actions remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere or do not. Proper use of sustainability principles means that every decision is analyzed to pinpoint as closely as possible how it impacts climate change, which is our most critical threat as a community and a planet.

Tanya Gailus
Thank you, Bob. I do not know what instance you have in mind with regards to natural preservation conflicting with historic character issues, but one thing for sure: natural preservation is important for everyone's well-being, all ages, all abilities, rich or poor - so thank you for your post.

Bob Andrews
I think that one of the best ways for Concord to honor its history and culture is to follow in the steps of the transcendentalist writers and activists who were among its earliest community leaders. People like Thoreau and Emerson were students of the environment and nature; and they honored and respected it. They believed and preached that God was in nature. If they were alive today they would undoubtedly be advocates for applying the Town's four sustainability principles and in the APA sustainability standards which inspire this planning process to everything we do. Alongside of embracing technical sustainability measures such as solar energy, we need to put more emphasis on preserving nature. We need to put a halt to a relentless extinction of biological species that accompanies exploitation of nature. We need to return the soil beneath our feet to its natural state so that it will sequester carbon and grow good, nutritious food .We are doing some of this but sometimes preservation of nature calls for putting up something in a historical district that is not what is considered consistent with the historical monuments and houses. If we are to honor our past, we cannot just copy the past. We must act in the spirit of our forebears & do what they would do if they were alive today.

Tanya Gailus
East Concord could use a bulletin board for neighbors to communicate

Tanya Gailus
It seems my comment here about survey problem Q 22 has been removed. Check: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/concord/conversations/messages/54304 I also wrote about the consultant agreeing with me on dismantling the term "town character" but then re-appropriating it to eventually "redefine" it. A contradiction. Either it is an elusive term, or not.

Tanya Gailus
to support team: Thank you for re-instating my comment above, which you indicated to me was reviewed because of "sentiment value." As I wrote in response, sentiment is an important part of public dialogue, as long as there is no offensive language. Thank you again.

Tanya Gailus
Closed door meetings with private interests and with town management staff have inappropriately derailed this public process, which the CLRPC, a public body, not consultant, is supposed to "lead." Please also read my response to consultant under general comments: https://courbanize.com/projects/envisionconcord/comments?ordering=-created&prompt=8.%20Sustainability&tag=General

Tanya Gailus
The consultant mentioned this idea of dismantling the term "town character" at the CLRPC's Sept. 22 meeting. However, she proposed to re-appropriate it to defining a different town character- to which I objected.
You can't first non-validate a term and then re-define and apply it for your own purposes. Her land use recommendations are along the lines of business and development interests, based on closed doors focus groups. Caution with survey: Question 22 on the survey has misleading phrasing, which equates land conservation with "town character" in option a, and groups acquisition of land with protection , and "housing needs" with tax-base developments in option b. People who wish to express a 'balanced' view of land use, perhaps for affordable housing support, will thus also be supporting less environmental protection and "tax base" related development. People who want conservation will thus be assumed to be doing so for "town character" (ie rather than the many concrete benefits of natural preservation.) Option c is there is enough open space land. You can't leave it blank, and there is no write in option.
I urge caution with the survey, which did not get the full final review by the Comprehensive Long Range Plan Committee before release - a process mistake on the part of the committee.

Tanya Gailus
Joseph: The term "town character", so widely used in surveys , town meeting, etc, is a misnomer in my opinion. It is a term that can easily be dismissed as subjective and vague. I have encouraged that more specific terms be used instead: Does one mean trees in neighborhoods, small houses, sidewalks, bike paths, historical sites? These are all distinct factors. My personal opinion is that when people complain about 'developments', they are often referring to tree loss (but that's just my opinion.)
As for limiting purchases by 'developers', I don't think that would be legally possible. A buyer is a buyer. Measures like a tree bylaw, however, may help, a little, perhaps...:-)

Joseph Stein
Place a annual cap on the number of properties purchased by developers. Developers are slowly eating away at town character with outsized McMansions - all in the name of profit.

Joan Kennedy
Healthy watershed and water quality supported with town leadership and budget for future generations.

Jeffrey Kerr
Protect neighborhood integrity by limiting tear-downs, enforcing house-size to lot size limitations and requiring clear disclosure of buyers identity.