West Concord Advisory Committee Re-Elects Leadership, Debates Public Outreach Strategy

CARLISLE — July 1, 2026 — West Concord Advisory Committee re-seats leadership and debates how to reach residents on MCI and housing. The committee unanimously confirmed Anna Feldwick and Lindsey Wolf as co-chairs and retained Barbara Morse as clerk at its July 1 meeting, then spent the majority of the session examining why many West Concord residents remain unaware of major development decisions affecting the village. Member Beth Chrome reported that half of a neighborhood parent group she belongs to had not heard of the MCI Concord planning process, prompting discussion of whether community forums, a Concord Bridge column, or personal outreach networks could close the gap. Elizabeth Hughes of the town's planning division disclosed that building permits for 438 units under two 40B developments are expected in July, groundbreaking in August, after which Concord will exceed 16 percent affordable housing — well above the 10 percent threshold under Chapter 40B — and would need to construct more than 4,000 additional units to fall back below it. The committee's emerging priority list for the coming year includes MCI integration with West Concord village, traffic and transportation impacts, equitable burden-sharing, and the activation of Duro Park and the pond.