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Concord climate panel urges MCI Concord plan to emphasize geothermal, microgrid and walkable mixed use
Summary
Committee members told the MCI Concord advisory effort they want the redevelopment planned as a mixed‑use, low‑car neighborhood with network geothermal, on‑site solar and battery storage, microgrid options, and strong pedestrian and bike connections to West Concord station.
Members of the Town of Concord Climate Action Committee discussed the redevelopment of the MCI Concord site at their April 22 meeting and urged planners to prioritize carbon‑free energy systems, stormwater‑sensitive open space and design that reduces automobile dependence.
Committee members said the site’s wastewater treatment plant and adjacent river could serve as thermal resources for a network geothermal (ground‑source) system, and asked the MCI advisory team to consider community‑scale heat networks. They also recommended including rooftop or canopy solar with battery storage sized to allow the development to export power to the local grid and to improve resiliency during outages.
Several members proposed exploring a microgrid design for the district — a system that can operate connected to the town grid or island itself in outages — and noted that a forward‑looking master plan could make the new neighborhood “better than net‑zero” by offsetting more energy than it consumes. Committee members emphasized integrating open space, native plantings and rain‑management features to reduce heat‑island effects and improve infiltration.
On transportation, the committee recommended designing the site to avoid increased vehicular throughput. Suggestions included minimal parking requirements, strong pedestrian and bicycle connections to West Concord station and the rail trail, and shuttle connections to nearby centers to reduce car trips. Members cautioned against any design choices that would encourage MassDOT to acquire the site for highway widening or large off‑ramp construction.
The committee agreed to provide a group response to the MCI advisory board and set an internal deadline to collect comments. Members asked each person to submit short paragraphs on topics they want to see addressed; two committee members volunteered to compile the input and finalize a draft for submission ahead of the advisory board’s April 30 drop‑in sessions. One committee member volunteered to serve as the single point of contact for assembling the committee’s response.
