By Scott Calzolaio

The Town of Milford is pressing forward with its 2024 Comprehensive Plan, as town officials and the Ad Hoc Comprehensive Plan Committee work to shape the town’s future while honoring its past. 

At a Nov. 5 meeting, the focus was on community engagement, historical preservation, and strategies for addressing Milford’s most pressing challenges.

Over the fall, Milford collaborated with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) to host outreach events aimed at gathering resident input. Sessions with youth councils, adult ESL programs, and senior groups highlighted priorities like expanding cultural events downtown, addressing traffic congestion, and improving access to affordable housing. 

“We’re continuing to hear an awful lot about traffic congestion around town, so we’ll be focusing with our transportation team on that,” said Josh Fiala, manager of the General Land Use division for MAPC. “We also heard from a population at the Senior Center who have had to move out of Milford because they could no longer afford to live here.”

Feedback also emphasized the importance of new recreation spaces, such as parks and skate parks, and simplifying solar panel installations.

Milford’s history was another focal point, with the town boasting nearly 600 documented historic properties. Officials highlighted its transformation from an agricultural base to an industrial hub, with granite quarrying and immigrant labor shaping the town’s character. Goals include integrating preservation into zoning laws, strengthening cultural diversity, and enhancing public art and events to foster community pride.

Officials highlighted Milford’s transformation

from an agricultural base to an industrial hub, with granite quarrying

and immigrant labor shaping the town’s character.

“We want to be able to tell the whole story [of Milford], being able to expand the historic resources to categorize these different historic themes in town,” said Sarah Scott, Senior Regional Land Use and Historic Preservation Planner for MAPC. “This is also about seeing arts and culture as assets, not something that’s nice to have, but foundational to the work that the town is doing.”

Infrastructure challenges remain significant, including aging sewer systems, outdated public facilities, and space limitations at Town Hall. Additional pressing concerns include rising costs to maintain services and increasing language accessibility demands in schools.

Looking ahead, officials plan to refine draft goals and strategies, drawing on continued public feedback through community meetings and surveys. 

With the final plan scheduled for adoption in Spring 2025, Milford aims to balance growth with preservation, creating a vision for the town that reflects its values and diverse community. The current plan can be found at bit.ly/MilfordCompPlan2025. 

For residents, opportunities to engage in shaping the town’s future will be available through public forums, surveys, and meetings. To take the latest survey, visit tinyurl.com/Milford-Comp-Plan-Survey.