Wayland Real Asset Planning Committee

Establishment:

On June 1, 2015, the Board of Selectmen asked the Planning Board, Finance Committee and the Public Buildings Director to work collaboratively to create a process to develop a comprehensive long-range facilities plan, siting strategy and capital funding plan to assist the Town with making informed decisions regarding major capital projects (defined as $500,000 and above) related to future uses of municipal (Town and School) land and buildings. The plan will consider how best to use land and buildings to best serve the varied interests of the Town. This planning effort was envisioned in the original Master Plan in 2004 and in the 2011 update. It is anticipated that this effort will support the annual Capital Improvement Process (CIP) conducted in preparing the capital budget.

To begin this work, the Planning Board appointed a committee, the Wayland Real Asset Planning Committee (WRAP), to serve in an advisory capacity. Because of the collaborative nature of this work and the many entities involved, WRAP will report through the Planning Board to all boards, commissions and committees that hold responsibility for and are stewards of municipal property as well as the community as a whole.

With input from the aforementioned committees, WRAP will develop a long-range plan recommending the most appropriate uses for municipal-owned land and buildings to meet future needs, as well as to connect identified projects with suitable locations and parcels. The Committee may recommend the purchase or sale of properties that may be needed to effectuate the long-range plan.

Tasks:

In preparation for the 2016 Annual Town Meeting, it is anticipated that WRAP will produce a strategic long-range plan preceded by the following tasks:

• Developing an accurate GIS inventory of all Town-owned parcels identifying custodial entity, size, deed and/or land restrictions, current  uses and other critical information;
• Cataloging identified and foreseeable capital facilities needs, including a needs assessment supported by empirical data and created with the Public Buildings Director and primary capital project proponent;
• Compiling the research and analyses of the planning processes of all Town boards, commissions and committees seeking a future major land or building capital expenditure (defined as $500,000 and above); and
• Recommending evaluation criteria to establish projects' priorities and sequencing.

Following the completion of these steps, WRAP will hold a community-wide forum to discuss the committee's work and findings.

Finally, the committee will produce a report recommending the sequencing of projects and making specific recommendations for future uses of municipal land and buildings. The Public Buildings Director will incorporate capital projects and items (non-vehicle) below the $500,000 threshold. This plan will then advise the Finance Committee for annual budgeting purposes beginning with the FY2017 budget, as well as Town Meeting when it considers capital requests related to town owned property and buildings.

An initial list of tools needed and some considerations to be applied in development of the long­ range plan is linked below.  The Committee will be sensitive to the demands placed on staff time to complete its charge and will coordinate staff efforts through the Town Administrator.

Membership:

The Committee shall be composed of five (5) voting members - two to be appointed by the Planning Board, two to be appointed by the Finance Committee, and one to be appointed by the Community Preservation Committee. The Town Administrator, Public Buildings Director, Finance Director and Town Planner shall serve as ex officio members without the right to vote. WRAP shall not champion any specific capital investment project  All terms will expire upon the final recommendation and report of the strategic long-range plan, but no later than June 30, 2017.

To maintain neutrality, members shall not serve on any other boards, commissions or committees that control parcels of town-owned land nor those that could propose major capital projects. Appointments are to be based on related professional or vocational expertise with preference given to residents possessing experience in any one of the following areas:  municipal planning, real estate development, structural or civil engineering, project management, environmental issues, municipal finance, building construction/renovations.