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Issue · Concord, MA

MCI Concord Master Plan and Composting Site Relocation

Walden Woods pressure to relocate composting site to MCI property for conservation restriction; board awaiting Select Board action.

Overview

The MCI Concord Master Plan is advancing through routine updates at town boards, focusing on redevelopment of the former prison site with attention to infrastructure and transit needs. A Design Charrette Week was scheduled shortly after the June 1 update, while the Planning Board incorporated the project into its 2026-2027 goals.

Background

The MCI Concord Master Plan addresses large-scale redevelopment of the former prison site, with direct implications for land use, infrastructure integration, and town-wide development.

On 2026-06-01 the Select Board received a status update from the Community Development Director on the master planning process, which highlighted site constraints such as wetlands, the impact of the Route 2 rotary redesign, and the need to incorporate public works facilities and wastewater treatment.

The update also covered the upcoming Design Charrette Week scheduled for June 8-11, consisting of public workshops and open studios, along with the necessity of preparing planning options both with and without public works elements.

On 2026-06-16 the Planning Board reviewed its 2026-2027 goals and projects, which explicitly list the MCI Concord master plan and associated zoning development as a key upcoming project.

At the same meeting the Board discussed transportation updates, noting that a proposed regional shuttle service would be critical for reducing car dependency at the MCI Concord site and that an MCI Concord survey process was underway.

The Planning Board further referenced the master plan in the context of subdivision rule updates that have not been revised since 2007.

No formal votes or decisions on the master plan itself occurred at either meeting, with the Select Board simply receiving the update and the Planning Board noting the project within its broader goals memo.

At the 2026-07-07 Planning Board meeting, discussion of the MCI planning exercise noted two options regarding CPW facilities and highlighted pressure from Walden Woods to relocate the town composting site to the MCI property, enabling a full conservation restriction on the existing site. The board was also informed of a housing density discrepancy, with DCAMM targeting 800-1,000 units but realistic capacity calculated at approximately 735 units after accounting for wastewater, CPW, and unbuildable land.

How it unfolded
The Community Development Director provided a status update on the MCI Concord master planning process, covering the upcoming Design Charrette Week, site constraints including wetlands and the Route 2 rotary, and the need to integrate public works facilities and wastewater treatment.
2026-06-01Select Board
The MCI Concord master plan and zoning development was listed among the Planning Board's 2026-2027 goals and projects; transportation discussion also highlighted the MCI Concord survey and the importance of transit connections to reduce car dependency at the site.
2026-06-16Planning Board
The MCI planning exercise was discussed as a major upcoming agenda item with two options regarding CPW; the board noted significant communication from Walden Woods requesting relocation of the composting site to the MCI property, though the Select Board has not yet taken up the request. Housing unit calculations showed a realistic capacity of 735 units versus DCAMM's 800-1,000 target.
2026-07-07Planning Board
What's next

Design Charrette Week is scheduled for June 8th through June 11th; a steering committee meeting is set for June 11th.

MCI Concordmaster plancomposting site