Prepared by Beals and Thomas, Inc.
Southborough, MA
January 2001
Executive Summary
Wellesley Master Plan
As part of the implementation of an initiative to study commercial areas identified in the 1994 Comprehensive Plan, the Town of Wellesley Planning Board asked Beals and Thomas, Inc. to focus study efforts on Linden Street. The purpose of the Linden Street Study is to identify community concerns and ideas for area improvements so that the Town of Wellesley Planning Board and Department of Public Works can implement a plan including streetscape design and construction. The study area encompasses properties along Linden Street from Kingsbury Street to Weston Road.
Existing Conditions
Linden Street is an area of thriving local businesses and residential properties. The street consists of a long commercial strip with residences on either end. It is bounded to the south by the railroad and to the east, west, and north by residential neighborhoods. The Linden Street area is in close proximity to Wellesley Middle School, the new Sprague School, Wellesley Square, and Wellesley Square Commuter Rail Station. Linden Street is currently zoned about one-third industrial, one-third business, and one-third residential though current land use is roughly half commercial and half residential.
Community Participation Process
The Linden Street vision results from a process focused on community input. A steering committee representing a cross-section of residents and business owners was chosen to lead the process. A series of meetings were conducted with Beals and Thomas, Inc., the Wellesley Planning Department, and the steering committee to identify key issues and plan a community forum. As part of the process, a survey was distributed to the members of the steering committee and mailed to 200 residents and business owners on Linden Street. The purpose of this survey was to further identify the assets and issues for Linden Street. A community meeting was held on October 26, 2000. Following a brief presentation, participants broke into discussion groups to talk about their perceptions of Linden Street, its assets and challenges for both long- and short-term
improvements to Linden Street.
Vision Statement
The Linden Street vision statement resulted from community input received from the steering committee, survey results, and discussion from the community forum. Linden Street is a compatible mix of neighborhood-friendly and regional businesses and residences. Most people like Linden Street the way it is and do not desire major changes. If changes are to occur, they should be made slowly and incrementally to support the present uses. Safety of pedestrians and the appearance of the street are important concerns. Thus, the vision for Linden Street can be summarized into the following series of goals:
§ Maintain the existing character of the street.
§ Enhance pedestrian safety.
§ Improve the pedestrian experience.
§ Enhance the appearance of the street.
§ Provide more long-term parking.
§ Enhance the residential areas of the street.
§ Tie Linden Street to Wellesley Square.
Phase II Recommendations
The recommendations for Phase II illustrate the goals of the vision statement. They include streetscape improvements to enhance the appearance on the street and pedestrian safety, enforcement of existing speed limits, the potential development of parking policies at the Tailby lot, and the investigation of several studies that explore decking the Tailby lot, parking at the Weston Road substation, the feasibility of a pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks to link Linden Street to Town Hall and the layout of existing parking. All of these suggestions are based on Linden Street retaining the existing zoning and street character.
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