The community has chosen to use Eco-Industrial Networking (EIN) and sustainable community planning principles as the basis to pursue these goals throughout the residential, commercial and industrial community.

The objective of the Maplewood Project is to develop ideas and identify practical steps to integrate and enhance all aspects of the community, increase the sustainability of the entire community and help Maplewood realize its potential in a more sustainable fashion. This project is not intended to replace the Local Plan which will still remain as the key planning document.

Based on the results of stakeholder consultation; a review of existing reports, policies, and plans; and an assessment of resource use and needs in the industrial area, the consulting team will identify opportunities for EIN and develop ideas for implementing the objectives that were outlined in the Local Plan. The technical, environmental, and economic feasibility of these ideas will then be screened to see which ones are worth exploring further, either in the Design Charrette or through future projects with Maplewood partners.

The Design Charrette will be held May 22-25, 2003. This exercise will allow the interest of the residents, businesses and others to be addressed together to develop creative solutions to existing challenges and find new opportunities. Through the Charrette a series of plans will be produced illustrating what Maplewood could look like in the future under different land use scenarios which can be used as a guide for future development.