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Templeton opens 14-day public review for updated hazard mitigation plan; MRPC outlines 20+ actions
Summary
Montachusett Regional Planning Commission presented an updated hazard mitigation plan for Templeton, emphasizing severe winter storms and flooding risks; a 14-day public comment period begins the next day and comments should be sent to Emergency Management Director Rich Curtis.
The Town of Templeton opened a public forum on Dec. 8 to review an updated Hazard Mitigation Plan prepared with the Montachusett Regional Planning Commission (MRPC). MRPC senior planner Jeff Boudreau said the plan — required to be updated every five years — documents local hazards, vulnerabilities and a mitigation strategy with approximately 20 actions and recommended priorities.
Boudreau described the planning process, stakeholder input, survey results and the primary hazards identified for Templeton. He said the survey (conducted Oct. 2023–Mar. 2024) showed a majority of respondents are long‑term residents and listed severe winter storms, extreme cold and flooding as top concerns. Boudreau explained that keeping the plan on file with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and FEMA is necessary for eligibility for federal and state disaster mitigation and recovery funding.
He outlined hazards scored by the working group (winter storms ranked highest, with flooding and river ice jams significant along the Millers River and Lower Otter River) and said the mitigation strategy includes both carried‑forward and new actions, with green highlighting indicating new items in the draft.
MRPC announced a public review period of 14 days beginning the day after the meeting; written comments should be emailed to Emergency Management Director Rich Curtis at rcurtis@templetonma.gov and will be incorporated before submission to MEMA and FEMA. Boudreau said the MRPC will finalize the draft and expects FEMA’s “notice to adopt” to arrive in about a month, after which the select board would hold a short meeting to adopt the final plan.
Members of the select board and residents thanked the working group and noted the plan’s importance for eligibility for mitigation funding and for community preparedness. The public forum was closed after public comment from residents and town officials.
