WRENTHAM — Town Administrator Kevin Sweet and Director of Planning & Economic Development Rachel Benson are pleased to announce that the Town of Wrentham was awarded a Housing Choice Grant to complete a Downtown Wastewater Master Plan to help shape the future of Wrentham’s Downtown.
The Town of Wrentham recently received a $70,000 Community One Stop for Growth Housing Choice Program Grant as part of $164 million in funds allocated via 338 grant awards that support local economic development projects in 161 communities across the state.
The Downtown Wastewater Master Plan will be used to address business needs that rely predominately on on-site wastewater disposal systems for treatment and to ensure future support for future mixed-use development.
As part of the Master Plan, the Town of Wrentham will partner with Fuss & O’Neill to identify a path to the installation and successful maintenance of a shared wastewater facility that, once installed, will be beneficial to small business expansion and bring a higher caliber of new development to the area resulting in more foot traffic, residents and businesses.
Wrentham currently has about 30 businesses existing in the Downtown area. Many of the Downtown-area properties are on legally non-conforming undersized lots and the cost to expand a septic system is unattainable for most. With this project, the Town of Wrentham will continue its proactive, comprehensive planning to help guide the
future of the community in the most effective, efficient and equitable way while simultaneously helping businesses expand if they choose.
Fuss & O’Neil will collect data on existing and future developments to determine wastewater facility sizing, identify the State permitting procedures that will need to be followed, and identify funding that will be required for the ongoing maintenance of the facility. This will include reviewing existing septic permit data, reviewing the allowable uses per Zoning Bylaws, and contacting business owners to determine any future development plans.
“The Wastewater Master Plan will not only address visions identified in our Master Plan 2030, but will also be a giant leap for the existing and future small businesses and residents in the heart of Town,” Director Benson said. “This project will support the creation of jobs, residences and new business locations via construction of the mixed-use development, which will benefit the overall community. I would like to thank the community for its support and those who contributed to the 2030 Town-wide Master Plan as this project was noted in multiple goals and strategies in that plan.”
As the process progresses, Fuss & O’Neill will conduct stakeholder engagement and will generate the final Wastewater Master Plan for the Town of Wrentham. For updates and information about Wrentham’s Downtown Wastewater Master Plan, click here.
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