LONDONDERRY — A public park and civic center in the town’s retail zone, quaint shops and a farmers market lining the streets of the new “North Village,” and additions to the Town Common aimed at creating a true “heart of the community” are some of the 362 ideas featured in the latest draft of the town’s new master plan.

During Wednesday night’s Planning Board meeting, staff members from Town Planning and Urban Design Collaborative (TPUDC), the company contracted by the town to update the master plan, shared the fruits of their labor with residents, town officials and board members.

During the lengthy presentation, officials shared conceptual drawings and plans while encouraging input from audience members.

A final workshop held at Londonderry High School at 6 p.m. on Oct. 24 will wrap up the process. The goal is to have the plan completed before year’s end.

Leitha Reilly, chairman of the town’s Master Plan Steering Committee, said the committee received an initial draft of the plan in late July.

Subsequent meetings and workshops followed, where feedback and public input was encouraged.

Reilly said a total of 362 resident comments and suggestions were submitted, ranging from small scale to large scale.

“These guys really had their work cut out for them, but the end result incorporates so many interesting ideas,” she said. “It’s very readable.”

Residents interested in checking out the document for themselves have several options for doing so. The drafted plan is up for viewing on the town website, as well as on the Londonderry Master Plan Facebook page.

Hard copies of the documents are also available at Town Hall and the Londonderry Leach Library.

The town’s master plan was last updated in 2004.

This week, TPUDC planner Matt Noonkester said the team was about halfway through the process of presenting the final document.

“So any comments or questions we hear between now and the next workshop (on Oct. 24) can still influence the final document,” he said.

So far, the team has surveyed 500 citizens over the phone.

“We need growth, but it also needs to be controlled,” Planning Board Chairman Arthur Rugg said. “So that’s where the master plan will come in.”

A five-day “Planapalooza” event reached out to residents last summer.

Noonkester said that based on citizen input, some of the new plan’s major themes are an emphasis on staying green, the inclusion of public activity centers, the need for housing diversity, the availability of public transportation and walking paths, and furthered economic development.

“We heard the term ‘walkability’ over and over again,” said Noonkester.

For citizens concerned about maintaining their current way of life, he stressed that the majority of economic development projects suggested in the plan are limited to certain areas of town.

“Those who live in town now would be able to continue to live in their homes forever if they choose. We don’t have any plans here to change that,” he said.

Noonkester said the team has suggested a goal of bringing 200 new jobs to Londonderry annually.

“We’re trying to put jobs with people so they can have the ability to choose to live where they work,” he said.

“In the end, this isn’t our plan for Londonderry, this is your plan,” TPUDC Principal Brian Wright said. “We wanted to make sure Londonderry isn’t a one-size-fits-all town. In the end, the municipal advantage means that the more you can offer, all the better your position in the region.”

With the ambitious Woodmont Commons project looming, TPUDC said the new master plan won’t make provisions for Woodmont specifically, although Wright noted that the former orchard area has already been identified as a prime site for development.

“We didn’t want (Woodmont) to influence the final outcome,” he said. “Frankly, I haven’t reviewed the latest (Woodmont) plans to determine how they can apply.”

Keeping that in mind, Noonkester said a goal of the plan is to ensure any new development remains in character with surrounding areas and neighborhoods.

“The fact is, we don’t know for sure if (Woodmont) is going to happen at this point. But it would be easy enough to include in the future,” he said.

- - - - - - - -

April Guilmet may be reached at AGuilmet@newstote.com.