Because Massachusetts is made up of 351 unique cities and towns, each facing unique land use and development choices, the Community Preservation Initiative has sought to create a set of unique tools, resources and information pertinent to each. The Community and Regional Resource Pages on this site are an attempt to disseminate this information to Massachusetts citizens in an efficient and organized format.

Community Resource Pages

To orient you what is included on the Community Resource Pages, the variety of tools, information, resources and links on the Town of Ashburnham's page are outlined below.

Community narrative description, collage and seal

A pictorial collage and narrative description of the demographic, historic, and geographic profile of each community is included on each page. This is accompanied by the community's seal and a locus map depicting the location of the community within the state.

Also included are icons in the upper right of each page indicating whether the community has chosen to participate in Community Development Planning (details), or to pass the Community Preservation Act (details).

Community buildout maps, project file, statistical profile, photo inventory and website links

A 5-map buildout map series (details) which illustrates what each community would look like is all of the remaining unprotected developable land were developed. A details page explains what each map show. For more information about the Buildout Map and Analysis Project, read the Buildout Book: Where Do You Want To Be at Buildout?.

The buildout map project file is also available for download for GIS software users. Please note that project files are large and may take some time to download. A download instruction page contains important information on how to download these products to your machine.

Each buildout analysis map set comes with an accompanying set of statistics outlining the demographic and service impacts that buildout would have on a community. Both an online and printable form of this Community Data Profile are available.

The Initiative has accumulated a vast photograph collection of every community in the state. These photos are searchable for each municipality, as well as categories and subcategories of their different subject types. These photos may be helpful to get a better understanding of a community's character, whether historic, environmental or business.

Lastly, each Community Page contains a variety of links pertinent to that town. Regional planning agency contact information is accessible. Commonwealth Communities information is provided by www.mass.gov, Community Profiles information is provided by the Department of Housing and Community Development, and Community Municipal and Demographic information pages are provided the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

Regional Resource Pages

Regional narrative description, collage, and hot linked map and community list

Similar in design and content to the site's Community Resource Pages, their Regional equivalents provide information to each of 10 regions in the state. Each Regional Resource Page contains a narrative description and collage. Also present are a clickable regional map and list of communities all hotlinked to Community Resource Pages.

Other content on Regional Resource Pages includes a Regional Data Profile of buildout impacts and short list of web resource links pertinent including regional planning agencies and nonprofit, environmental organizations.

Regional buildout statistical profile and website links

Lastly, PDF content of our recent release of the State of Our Environment Report, which focuses on the future is included. This regional chapter is part of a full report that outlines planning issues in each of the 10 regions of the state designated on this site.

Please consider the content on these Community and Region Resource Pages to be a work in progress - as the Initiative collects new resources it will make updates to these pages. Let us know if you have any ideas.