FY2022-FY26 Community Development Strategy

Introduction

The City of Gardner’s Community Development Strategy (CDS) summarizes the City’s various efforts to engage in community-based planning and priority setting, staying consistent with the Commonwealth’s Sustainable Development Principals, and outlines a plan of action intended to accomplish specific community development goals.  The current CDS will be used to direct resources from all sources toward projects that address the needs identified by the community as high priorities.  

Target Area

The City’s Urban Renewal Area (URA) received a ten-year Slum and Blight Designation from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Community (formerly the Department of Housing and Community Development) on July 1, 2016, allowing the city to carry out Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) projects in the areas using the national objective of prevention or elimination of slums or blight on an area basis. As a result, infrastructure and public facility projects located within the existing Urban Renewal Area boundaries will be prioritized for CDBG and other funds. Other neighborhoods with concentrations of low- and moderate-income residents will  also be prioritized for funding. 

Planning Documents

Complete Streets Prioritization Plan (2017)

Downtown Urban Renewal Plan (2011)

Mill Street Corridor Urban Renewal Plan (2012)

Open Space and Recreation Plan (2023)

 CDS Goals and Priorities

Economic Development  

There are two distinct economic development goals in the City of Gardner – to diversify the local economy and increase job opportunities by encouraging and facilitating retention and expansion of Gardner based businesses as well as attracting new businesses to Gardner while promoting reinvestment in older industrial and commercial properties.  To that end, the City will continue to coordinate economic development efforts by maintaining funding for the Economic Development & Finance Manager (EDFM) position.  The EDFM will continue to implement the approved urban renewal plans; identify and develop a new industrial business park; assist and expand training opportunities for the local workforce; provide support to new and existing businesses throughout Gardner by organizing company tours with potential partners; act as a conduit between the City and the Chamber of Commerce, Square Two, NewVue Communities and other organizations for marketing and technical support such as sign and façade improvements, marketing, business expansion efforts and networking with other business owners; and partner with local non-profit agencies to assist in challenges facing the local workforce such as job training, job-related transportation issues, job-related childcare, education and financial literacy and self-sufficiency programs.

Housing: Expansion and Retention

The City of Gardner is committed to expanding housing opportunities in appropriate locations to meet the needs of Gardner’s population.   Gardner has partnered with local and regional non-profit organizations to enhance and rehabilitate properties creating safe and affordable housing and repairing dilapidated buildings.  Many of the properties in the Downtown Urban Renewal Area are mixed use properties with retail or commercial endeavors on the first floor and apartments on the upper floors, which, due to a variety of reasons, remain mostly vacant.  In order to facilitate the redevelopment of these vacant properties, and others throughout the City, in addition to rehabilitation of homes to address lead/asbestos, code compliance and safety modernization, the City must increase the quantity and availability of parking, expedite the process for taking control of tax title properties, assess current zoning and promote smart growth districts, address storm water management practices, and partner with local agencies and developers to invest in the existing infrastructure.  The City must also continue to support residents by partnering with local banks and non-profit agencies to identify properties that are in pre-foreclosure, distribute information regarding the availability of foreclosure counseling, and assist with post-foreclosure issues.  Education for first time homebuyers is also crucial in foreclosure prevention.

Open Space and Recreation

The City of Gardner’s current Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) was developed in 2023 and runs through 2030. .  The overall purpose of the OSRP is to provide Gardner’s residents with a diverse system of interconnected open space areas and quality recreational opportunities that protect natural resources, promote public health, and enhance the quality of life.   Enhancing the quality of life in a community must maintain a careful balance between equity, environment and economy.  Overall goals of the OSRP include to protect and improve the quality of existing open spaces, parks, and recreational opportunities; implement selective expansion of open spaces, parks, and recreational opportunities; protect water resources and improve water quality; accommodate new growth where the environment can best support it; increase public awareness, use, and stewardship of the City’s water resources, forests, parks, conservation areas, and recreational opportunities; expand multimodal connectivity by improving bicycle and pedestrian paths, trails and sidewalks; sustain the recent focus on improved maintenance of existing recreational facilities; ensure parks and playgrounds are safe and family friendly; upgrade existing sidewalks and build connections between existing sidewalks;  and improve coordination of municipal efforts and better support volunteer initiatives. 

Transportation

The City’s goals include increasing access to transportation options and ensuring safe, accessible options for all travel modes – walking, biking, transit and vehicles – for people of all ages and abilities, including those with disabilities, allowing safe and convenient travel throughout the City.  To that end, the City continues to advocate for increased bus service to allow working parents and the underemployed better access to childcare facilities and employment opportunities; upgrading State Route 2 and improvements to the Community Rail System serving Northern Worcester County, to include the recent addition of the North Central Pathway Connector on Park Street; promote walking and biking opportunities within the City and advocate for bicycle racks on buses to allow travel between communities for recreational purposes; apply appropriate Smart Parking standards and strategies in the target areas and increase the availability of parking in the target areas; continue to upgrade the sidewalks to ADA/MAAB standards and repair deteriorated infrastructure which will include preparing and implementing a pavement management plan; provide better traffic control features such as line painting and cross walks; and increase the enforcement of traffic laws and ordinances.

The City has entered into a Community Compact with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and has created a Complete Streets Policy outlining its commitment in obtaining its transportation goals. The City has received three grants from MassDOT for the Complete Streets Project. The more recent grant will improve the Parker Street and Central Street intersection, while past grants constructed part of the North Central pathway Connector and upgraded sidewalk infrastructure and incorporated a bike lane connecting the city ends. 

Special Needs

It is important the residents of Gardner have equal access to municipal and regional services, activities and programs.  To the that end, the City will continue to evaluate its ADA Transition Plan and make recommendations where necessary; provide auxiliary aids and services that allow municipal communication improvement; increase the support available to persons having special needs, including, but not limited to, the elderly, the homeless, survivors of domestic violence, low and moderate income persons and people with disabilities; expand partnerships with local and regional health, social and human service providers; support efforts of private developers to create affordable and market rate senior housing; expand existing City efforts to rehabilitate substandard housing, particularly inaccessible, multi-family buildings; continue to upgrade the existing infrastructure with ADA compliant curbs and ramps to make travel more accessible; and provide support to address public health priorities including those dealing with addiction, mental health and physical disabilities.

Priority Projects