Douglas Master Plan Committee Advances Open Space and Economic Development Action Items

DOUGLAS -- October 15, 2025, Douglas Master Plan Committee reviews economic development chapter and corrects Cubes figures. The 13-member committee, now 16 months into a 24-month planning process, heard Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission planners work through action items for the open space and economic development chapters at its October 15 meeting, with a June 2026 completion target. Bob Moran corrected three figures in the draft economic development chapter: the Cubes at Douglas warehouse is 1.8 million square feet, not 2.8 million, is projected to create 400 jobs rather than 250, and is already generating $1.8 million in annual tax revenue to Douglas from an empty building, without a Tax Increment Financing agreement. The committee reached informal consensus to explore a conceptual downtown streetscape plan, potentially through the town's existing Weston & Sampson engineering contract, and approved by consensus a public photo contest for master plan images. Right-to-farm bylaw proponents, whose citizen's petition appears on the November 17 special town meeting warrant, will present to the committee at its October 29 meeting, with members agreeing the session is appropriate regardless of the warrant's outcome.