Town of Westford, MA

The Westford Historical Commission is developing a Historical Preservation Plan. As part of this process, the Commission solicited the community's opinion about what they feel is important with regard to historic preservation in Westford. This survey was conducted from May 2003 through September 2003. The survey was made available during Annual Town Meeting and at most of Westford's town Buildings, namely, the Town Hall, the Westford Museum, the Parish Center for the Arts, J.V. Fletcher Library, the Water Department, Roudenbush, the Parks & Recreation Department and the Cameron Senior Center. The survey was also available as an on-line survey. We placed notices in the Westford Eagle, the Lowell Sun, and posted a notice on the Channel 8 bulletin board of this survey's existence.

We found the results to be quite interesting and useful. There were a total of 177 responses to the survey. We wish to thank our editors, who helped to make this survey as readable as possible, to the Town Boards and Departments, as well as the Historical Society, who helped to make this survey available to the town, to the Council on Aging and the Westford Conservation Trust for distributing the survey with their newsletter, to Anne Marie Janeczek, for providing the on-line version, and lastly, to the public, who took the time to complete and return the survey. The results are presented here for your review.

Question 1: Town-owned Buildings preservation - Library, Museum, Town Hall, Town Farm Building

Agree159 (90%)

Disagree 9 (5%)

No Opinion 9 (5%)

Question 2: Encouraging the alternative usage of our Mill buildings

Agree162 (92%)

Disagree 3 (2%)

No Opinion 12 (7%)

Question 3: Records & Archives preservation/storage

Agree145 (82%)

Disagree 5 (3%)

No Opinion 27 (15%)

Question 4: Education & awareness training

Agree104 (59%)

Disagree 20 (11%)

No Opinion 53 (30%)

Question 5: Evaluating & developing alternative solutions to the demolition of historically significant buildings

Agree151 (86%)

Disagree 11 (6%)

No Opinion 15 (8%)

Question 6: Increasing our inventory of Scenic Roads

Agree110 (62%)

Disagree 27 (15%)

No Opinion 40 (23%)

Question 7: Placing individual properties, not currently in an Historic District, on the National Historic Register

Agree106 (60%)

Disagree 28 (16%)

No Opinion 43 (24%)

Question 8: Assist owners of Historic property by developing funding opportunities, I.e. favorable bank loans, State and/or Federal Grant programs, etc.

Agree120 (68%)

Disagree 25 (14%)

No Opinion 32 (18%)

Question 9: If an historically significant property became available for purchase, I would like to see it used as:

Town/Community116

Private 64

Affordable 44

Other 14

Summary Table listed in Priority Order for Questions 1 thru 8 Questions with the greatest approval rating are toward the top
Question Number	Survey Question	Agree	Disagree	No Opinion
2	Alternative usage of our Mill buildings	162 (92%)	3 (2%)	12 (7%)
1	Town-owned Buildings preservation - Library, Museum, Town Hall, Town Farm Building	159 (90%)	9 (5%)	9 (5%)
5	Evaluating & developing alternative solutions to the demolition of historically significant buildings	151 (86%)	11 (6%)	15 (8%)
3	Records & Archives preservation/storage	145 (82%)	5 (3%)	27 (15%)
8	Assist owners of Historic property by developing funding opportunities, I.e. favorable bank loans, State and/or Federal Grant programs, etc.	120 (68%)	25 (14%)	32 (18%)
6	Increasing our inventory of Scenic Roads	110 (62%)	27 (15%)	40 (23%)
7	Placing individual properties, not currently in an Historic District, on the National Historic Register	106 (60%)	28 (16%)	43 (24%)
4	Education & awareness training	104 (59%)	20 (11%)	53 (30%)

Question 10: Other projects that I would like to see the Historical Commission undertake include:

Question 11: Any additional comments:

Question No.	Category	Comments	Total similar repsonses	Total Replies	%
11	Alt Use	Alternate usage of a historically significant property would depend upon the property in question: private home, affordable housing, town/community use, other	9	153	6%
10	Alt Use	Public use in Mills: restaurants	4	153	3%
10	Alt Use	Public use in Mills: shops	4	153	3%
10	Alt Use	Public use: shopping	4	153	3%
10	Alt Use	Public use: Town/Community	4	153	3%
11	Alt Use	Mills: support use of Condos	3	153	2%
11	Alt Use	1st priority to be given for affordable housing. 2nd priority to be given to Town/Community Usage. For affordable housing projects, consider working with Habitat for Humanity for high quallity, community-based rehabilitation.	2	153	1%
10	Alt Use	Public use: Town Farm to Town/Community	2	153	1%
10	Alt Use	Public use: Museum	2	153	1%
10	Alt Use	Old Highway Barn: Exhibit space - see above	1	153	1%
10	Alt Use	Old Office Space: Exhibit Rooms; Apart from historical properties, there are lother large items of historical interest that would be a problem to house. For example, old hay rakes, orchard equipment, etc. from the town's farming days, antique fire and road equipment and so on. Perhaps this could b a use for the old highway barn. It would be a non-invasive use of the property and the building is perfect for large exhibits. The old office space would be good for smaller exhibits and/or meeting space.	1	153	1%
10	Alt Use	Public use: recreation	1	153	1%
10	Alt Use	Develop historical sites to encourage public use. Incorporate recreation, historical, shopping opportunities to integrate their use into everyday life without altering their historical or asthetic appearance. Encourage tourism like Lexington and Concord.	1	153	1%
10	Alt Use	Using the museum as a way to raise funds for these worthwhile projects. May Westford Museum sponsored festival where monies could be raised. Maybe around patriotic holidays. Use of PCA (historic building) has been great. Great community involvement.	1	153	1%
10	Alt Use	Please use the mill houses as places to live rather than building more developments. The mills would be much nicer homes than something by Ranchero de los Amigos. Converting the mills would help preserve older architecture and serve as historical reminders of the town's roots.	1	153	1%
11	Alt Use	Mills: support use for office space	1	153	1%
11	Alt Use	Move the Reed Barn from current location	1	153	1%

	Alt Use Total		42	153	27%
10	Archeology	I would like to see more reminders of the Native American people who lived here before the settlers came over. I know I have ancestors that lived here but I know nothing about them. I look at the oldest trees and imagine that they once looked at the same tree. Ifind no other connection.	1	153	1%

	Archeology Total		1	153	1%
11	Architecture	Provide design guideline input to Planning Dept/Board to help influence character of town.	1	153	1%
11	Architecture	Preserve the mill buildings and use for homes. This will help to preserve our town's past as well as preserve the architecture	1	153	1%

	Architecture Total		2	153	1%
11	Character	I have never seen so many ugly homes being built in town over the last few years. Too many people want to live in a castle, which undermines the character of my town.	1	153	1%
11	Character	Westford is a beautiful town. Let's keep it that way.	1	153	1%

	Character Total