Wayland EDC approves Route 20 surveys for release next week

WAYLAND — November 15, 2024 — Wayland EDC unanimously clears Route 20 surveys for release as soon as next week. The Economic Development Committee, chaired by Rebecca M. Stanizzi, signed off Nov. 15 on a three-minute resident survey and a five-minute survey for commercial property owners covering Wayland Center and Town Center, after rewriting the lead question to ask whether respondents are "concerned about the number of empty storefronts on Route 20." Member Katie Noble Harris said the polls are designed to gauge "what does the community have an appetite for" rather than test specific zoning. Members are aiming to match a prior Dave Watkins survey that drew 672 responses. Town Planner Robert Hummel said a draft zoning article defining a "pre-order pickup window" use will return to the Planning Board before a January public hearing, and Stanizzi urged advocacy to protect a $600,000-to-$700,000 Route 20 engineering study that was stripped from the budget in 2024 and 2025 and could leverage $12 million to $13 million in federal funds.