Holyoke to update comprehensive plan after 25 years

HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – The City of Holyoke plans to update its decades-old comprehensive plan.

Mayor Garcia told 22News how Holyoke is about to celebrate its 150th birthday, and why it’s valuable that the city come together to chart their future plans for the first time since 1999.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires cities and towns to maintain a Comprehensive Plan for their long-term physical development, and Holyoke hasn’t updated theirs in 25 years.

Mayor Garcia told 22News what he’s excited about as the Birthplace of Volleyball will now envision aspirational futures for itself and identify implementation pathways for achieving them, “We’re very much looking forward to engaging in the process, more than we are for the outcome cause connecting with the people and validating their thoughts about the city is reassuring to us about are we heading in the right direction and if we’re not that we’re pivoting and keeping up with what’s important to this community.”

The updated plan will include a comprehensive assessment of Holyoke today, an in-depth analysis of current zoning, and strategies for topics like industrial development, the housing crisis, and environmental sustainability.

The City aims to complete the project in the Summer of 2025.

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Heath Kalb is a reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2022. Follow Heath on X @HeathKalb and view his bio to see more of his work.

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