Elm Square Safety
Town Invites Community to Second Elm Square Safety Forum on Monday, August 7

The Town of Andover invites members of the community to attend a public forum on safety improvements at Elm Square on Monday, August 7 from 7:00-9:00 PM at the auditorium of West Middle School, 70 Shawsheen Road. The event represents the second in a series of community meetings hosted by the Town of Andover since the initiation of a comprehensive safety assessment of the Elm Square intersection in May.

The forum will include an overview of a recent Road Safety Audit (RSA) conducted as a component of the Town’s broader effort to address safety concerns at Elm Square. An RSA is defined by the Federal Highway Administration as the “formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team.”

Potential safety improvements identified through the RSA, including recommendations for immediate intersection changes and mid-to-long-term improvements under consideration, will be discussed during the forum on August 7.

The forum will also include a summary of public comments submitted to the Town throughout the ongoing assessment of Elm Square, and an overview of findings from TEC’s analysis of traffic data pertaining to the intersection. Attendees will have an opportunity to provide additional input on the information presented.

July 17 Select Board Meeting Brief

Select Board Discusses Strategic Goals and Objectives for

2023-2024, Receives Overview of Major Planning Documents 

The Andover Select Board met on Monday, July 17 in the School Committee Conference Room at the Andover Public Schools Administrative Offices. The meeting was focused on the development of strategic goals and objectives that will guide the Town Manager and Select Board’s work over the next year. The Board’s goal setting workshop began with presentations on three recently completed long-term planning documents – the Andover Comprehensive Plan, the Climate Action & Sustainability Plan, and the Andover Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). Each plan outlines major recommendations in priority areas that are reflected in the draft goals and objectives considered by the Board. 

Draft versions of all three documents have been released over the last week and are currently available online for public review. Each plan will be refined through public input before being released in their final form in the coming weeks.  

Prior to entering the goal setting workshop, the Select Board acted on several regular business items, including approval of the temporary taking of easements necessary for the Ledge Road Landfill capping project, and the approval of the appointment of five new officers in the Andover Police Department. 

Andover Recreation Teams Up With Special Olympics Massachusetts to Host Unified Pickleball Tournament

The first-ever Unified Pickleball Classic was held on Saturday, July 22 at Andover's Recreation Park at Pomps Pond. Organized by Andover Recreation in partnership with Special Olympics Massachusetts, the tournament paired 40 pickleball players with 40 Special Olympics athletes for round robin play. The excitement of the day-long tournament demonstrated why pickleball has become the fastest-growing sport in the United States.

Beyond the thrilling matches, the tournament also featured local food, beverage, and artisan vendors, creating a festive atmosphere for spectators and participants alike. All proceeds from the event will support Special Olympics Massachusetts. Through tournament registration and the generous support of community sponsors, the event reached ambitious fundraising goals.

From pickleball pros to first-time players, the Andover Unified Pickleball Classic offered a fun and rewarding experience for all participants.

Climate Action & Sustainability Plan
Town of Andover Releases Draft of Climate Action and Sustainability Plan

The Town of Andover has announced the release of a preliminary draft of the Town’s first Climate Action and Sustainability Plan (CAP). The comprehensive, 128-page document will serve as a roadmap for taking climate action and building resilience while aligning with regional and statewide efforts.

The CAP outlines a series of 37 recommended actions to advance the Town’s effort to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 in alignment with goals adopted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and to reach carbon reduction benchmarks in 2030 and 2040.

The process to develop the Plan was initiated in July 2021, and entailed extensive public input and engagement with stakeholders. The planning process had nearly 1,000 touchpoints with community and municipal stakeholders, amassed through four well-attended community forums and a survey conducted earlier this year.

The Plan is organized into six priority sectors that relate either to how Andover emits carbon, or solutions for dealing with greenhouse gases that are already in the atmosphere: buildings, energy, mobility, natural resources, public health and safety, and waste.

Residents are encouraged to review the document and provide feedback online. Public comments will be accepted until August 1.

Town of Andover Releases Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), Invites Community To Provide Comment

The Town of Andover is pleased to announce the release of its Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), a comprehensive strategic framework aimed at enhancing the health and well-being of the Andover community. Developed through a collaborative effort led by the Andover Health Division, the CHIP outlines priority health issues and strategies to drive positive health outcomes for the residents of Andover.

The development of the CHIP was initiated in 2022 when Andover forged a partnership with the North Andover Health Department to contract with Health Resources in Action, Inc. (HRiA) to conduct a shared Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). This partnership allowed the pooling of resources and collaboration between the two towns, leading to their first-ever community health improvement processes.

The CHIP identifies three crucial health priorities that emerged from the CHNA findings: mental health across the lifespan, affordable housing, and diversity, equity, and sense of community. The plan outlines strategies and objectives for achieving progress in these priority areas.

Members of the community are encouraged to review the plan and provide feedback and suggestions via e-mail to: cdphealth@andoverma.us. Comments must be submitted by Friday, August 11.

Charting Andover's Future: Town Unveils Draft of Comprehensive Plan 2023

The Andover Comprehensive Plan, also referred to informally as a Master Plan, is a planning tool that establishes a strategic vision and roadmap for the Town’s future. Both a comprehensive assessment of existing resources and a policy guide for future development, the plan establishes priorities around housing, economic development, open space and recreation, and a range of other topics. The Town’s most recent Master Plan was adopted in 2012, and has served as a guide for the Planning Board on special permit decisions and recommendations on Town Meeting warrant articles for the past decade.

In May of 2021, the Town of Andover initiated the process of developing an updated plan that accounts for significant changes in the community over the past decade with the appointment of a steering committee comprised of Andover residents with a diverse range of professional expertise. The development of the plan took place over two years, and was guided by input gathered from the community through surveys and several well-attended visioning sessions.

Following this community-driven process, a draft of the Comprehensive Plan was released this month, and is now available to view online. The Planning Board, which will ultimately be responsible for adopting the final plan, began its review of the document during its meeting on Tuesday, July 25.

Town Invites Residents to Community Forum on Haggetts Pond Rail Trail on August 16

The Town of Andover invites members of the community to attend a public forum on the Haggetts Pond Rail Trail project on Wednesday, August 16 from 7:00-9:00 PM at Memorial Hall Library. The event will provide an opportunity for residents to learn more about the Town’s plan to convert the existing railbed along the western edge of Haggetts Pond to a fully accessible, multi-use path and to provide input as design of the project nears completion.

The forum will include discussion of the MassTrails grant received by the Town of Andover to support the project, an overview of the plan for the trail, review of design images, and discussion of the next steps of the project. Representatives from the Town’s Department of Facilities and Department of Public Works will be on hand to answer questions from attendees related to the project. 

The Haggetts Pond Rail Trail project is intended to improve the existing trail at the pond to make it more welcoming and usable to all town residents. The 10 to 12-foot paved trail proposed at the site will be ADA accessible, providing opportunities for persons of all abilities to enjoy Haggetts Pond and the environment around it. Plans for the trail also include the construction of a new boardwalk offering a scenic vantage point of the pond.

Andover Center for History & Culture's Car Show to Take Place in Downtown Andover on Sunday, July 30

The Andover Center for History & Culture's Second Annual Classic New England Car Show will be held on Sunday, July 30 from 1:00 - 6:00 PM. Originally scheduled for Thursday, the event has been moved to the rain date due to forecasted thunderstorms.

The free event will take place on Main Street and surrounding portions of Downtown Andover, and will feature an exciting collection of 200 classic pre-1989 cars, raffles, and entertainment for the whole family. Proceeds from the show will support local history programming and the mission of the Andover Center for History & Culture. Visit the link below for more details.

Road closures will be in place on Main Street from Elm Square to Wheeler Street and other surrounding roads beginning at 12:00 PM. Please be alert to road closure signs and detours if traveling in the area of Downtown Andover on Sunday. 

Town of Andover Job Board

The Town of Andover is currently seeking qualified individuals to fill various positions within our organization. Learn more about exciting opportunities to join our team and grow your career at the links below, and apply online today. 

Behavioral Health Clinician - Police Department

Conservation Land Manager - Community Development and Planning

Maintenance Mechanic - HVAC & Mechanical - Facilities