CHICOPEE — The city of Chicopee announced that its first-ever comprehensive plan, “Envision Our Chicopee: 2040,” has been awarded the Comprehensive Planning Award by the American Planning Assoc. Massachusetts Chapter (APA-MA). The honor was presented on Dec. 5, recognizing the plan’s exceptional quality, innovation, and impact.
The APA-MA Comprehensive Planning Award is given annually to a plan, program, or process of unusually high merit. Eligible projects include comprehensive and master plans, housing and capital improvement plans, environmental and resource conservation plans, recreational and transportation plans, redevelopment strategies, economic development plans, and rails-to-trails initiatives.
Mayor John Vieau highlighted the significance of the award and the plan’s role in guiding Chicopee’s continued growth, saying, “receiving recognition of Chicopee’s plan, and the Planning Department’s efforts to ensure our development is conducted in a manner which will improve the quality of life in our community and keep us affordable, is gratifying.”
“Envision Our Chicopee: 2040” represents a historic milestone for the city. Launched in 2019, the planning process unfolded during a period marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, social change, and unprecedented challenges for public engagement.
“‘Envision Our Chicopee: 2040’ is the result of years of work with a volunteer steering committee, residents and stakeholders, and city staff and officials,” said Lee Pouliot, director of Planning & Development. “As much of the planning work occurred during the pandemic, the planning team implemented a number of unique participation efforts to ensure all members of the community could participate. Today, with the adoption of ‘Envision Our Chicopee: 2040,’ Chicopee now has a vision for its future and a roadmap of priority projects to ensure that vision is realized.
“I am proud of the work our planning team, led by Horsley Witten Group, accomplished under trying circumstances, and honored to have watched the Planning Board adopt and the City Council endorse this plan, along with our team in the Planning Department,” Pouliot added. “We look forward to working with all stakeholders to see the priorities noted in the plan implemented.”
“Envision Our Chicopee: 2040” provides a framework for long-term decision making, investment, and policy development. It outlines the city’s vision for sustainable growth, economic opportunity, equity, and quality of life, while capturing the context of the historic moment in which it was created. The city of Chicopee extends its appreciation to all residents, volunteers, staff, and partners who contributed to the development of this award-winning plan.
