Unified Planning Committee sends draft vision back for member rewrites

WESTON — January 9, 2025 — Weston's Unified Planning Committee tells consultants the draft Unified Plan vision is too aspirational to feel authentic. At the Jan. 9 meeting, Select Board Chair Laurie Bent called the three-paragraph draft "Weston in our dreams, but not Weston the way it really is," and challenged language crediting "careful planning and protective land development policies" for the town's built character. Council on Aging Chair Danielle Black said the draft "struck me as being very inauthentic" and objected to sweeping references to "all" residents and to businesses on a committee with no business member. Finance Committee representative Jon Harris said the plan must analyze housing under Section 3A and Chapter 40B, capital projects, financial sustainability and climate adaptation as distinct tracks. Members will submit individual markups by Jan. 17 and reconvene Jan. 22 ahead of a Jan. 29 public visioning presentation.