Commission presses staff for clearer maps, glossary and appendix as part of Groton 2035 review

At the continuation of the Groton 2035 Plan public hearing, commissioners spent substantial time on the plan's maps, figures and appendices, requesting clearer legends, narrative captions and a consolidated repository for supporting data and public outreach materials.

Key technical requests: Commissioners asked staff to (1) clarify map legends so that PA 490 tax-status parcels are not conflated with generalized 'agriculture' land-use categories; (2) add a separate PA 490 parcel map or legend entry; (3) place figures closer to their related text and add cross-references for better readability; and (4) simplify transit-zone maps by focusing graphic emphasis inside transit bubbles and graying out less relevant outside layers.

Glossary, bibliography and appendices: Commissioners requested a glossary that defines terms used in the plan (for example, PA 490), and an appendix or online project file that links reports cited in the draft (such as prior housing studies and the consultant baseline report). Staff agreed to prepare a bibliography-style appendix with hyperlinks to source studies and to circulate the consolidated public-comment packet.

Implementation tracking: Commissioners also asked for an implementation matrix that lists responsible departments, timelines and follow-up tasks (for example, verifying playground access on Navy property and targeting neighborhoods for tree planting). Staff agreed to include items in the matrix and to identify follow-up contacts and deadlines.

Next steps: Staff will incorporate the requested map clarifications, glossary entries, an appendix with hyperlinks to supporting studies and an updated implementation matrix. The revised materials will be returned to the commission ahead of the next meeting for review.