HADLEY — An ongoing effort to modify town zoning, possibly along a section of Route 9, to encourage more affordable housing and possible mixed-use developments, will be the subject of a community forum Thursday.

From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hadley Senior Center, 46 Middle St., residents are invited to attend a presentation and workshop put on by the Smart Growth Steering Committee. The committee’s work under the state’s Chapter 40R zoning law is supported by a grant from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.

Thursday’s forum will be the second public event, following one held Saturday morning, as the town continues moving ahead with the concept of a smart growth district that could allow some residential development in the midst of the commercial corridor, if voters support the idea.

During the event, three stations will be set up, with one having PVPC planners explaining smart growth, the second with Mark Dunn, a member of the town’s Planning Board who chairs the Smart Growth Steering Committee, talking about possible housing types and styles in terms of scale and massing, and getting live feedback from residents, and the final station having Andrew Gnatek, also a member of the committee, discussing the built environment options, like tree-lined streets and alleys, pocket parks and bike access.

The hope is to get comments about what will and won’t work in Hadley and what residents want and don’t want, prior to any zoning changes that would come to Town Meeting.

Chapter 40R is a state program that “encourages communities to create dense residential or mixed-use smart growth zoning districts, including a high percentage of affordable housing units, to be located near transit stations, in areas of concentrated development such as existing city and town centers, and in other highly suitable locations.”

The study’s focus is on the stretch of the state highway from where the Norwottuck Rail Trail passes below the road, just west of Gardener’s Supply Co. at 285 Russell St., east to the Amherst town line, though any Chapter 40R zoning would likely be for a small portion of that. 

Light refreshments are expected to be available and people can RSVP in advance at www.surveymonkey.com/r/HadleySGForums. People can also send email to Kayla Loubriel at conservation@hadleyma.gov.