This week the Norwich Planning Commission is hosting two public forums on future development south of the village. The commission is hoping residents will turn out to one of two sessions Tuesday, May 5 to discuss the potential for sustainable development along Route 5 South and River Road.
The forums are designed to garner public opinion on the findings and recommendations in the Route 5 South – River Road Draft Study, prior to its final consideration by the Planning Commission. Discussion topics will include:
- Demographic and market trends
- Sustainable development – housing diversity, transportation choices and compact development
- Community input
- Natural resource assessment
- Current zoning analysis
- Recommendations
The draft report states the study is in response to Norwich's 2011 Town Plan, which calls for the town to “identify areas easily accessible to good roads, town services, schools, and public transportation to be considered for higher density energy efficient development.”
The plan summary goes on to state:
The Route 5 South and River Road corridors were selected as the study area because they are easily accessible from major transportation corridors, Norwich Village and downtown Hanover, and because they are served by public transit. The study area encompasses 726 acres or approximately 2.5% of the town’s total land area.
The plan focuses on sustainable development practices including:
- Offering a range of housing options and choices that fit people’s needs at different life stages and that are affordable to those at different income levels.
- Supporting a variety of transportation choices and creating walkable neighborhoods.
- Mixing land uses so that opportunities for people to live, work, shop and play are located within close proximity to another.
- Designing green, compact buildings and neighborhoods that use land, energy and other resources efficiently.
- Designing a distinctive and attractive built environment that contributes to the town’s character and sense of place.
- Preserving open space and protecting sensitive resources.
The draft plan's recommendations include:
- Maintain the town’s current site plan standards for reviewing development proposals, which have worked well in recent years to ensure that proposed development is high quality, pedestrian friendly and compatible with its surroundings.
- Maintain the town’s current natural resource protection standards, which provide substantial protection for natural resources.
- Establish a new Mixed Use zoning district that would:
a. Allow for a broader range of housing and nonresidential uses, and multiple principal uses within a building or site as a by right use.
b. Allow for a somewhat higher density of housing and smaller lots than is allowed within the study area under current zoning.
c. Include appropriate standards to ensure compatibility with surrounding land uses.
d. Offer bonuses and incentives for affordable, workforce and senior housing, as well as for mixed use, compact, efficient building and site designs.
e. Require sidewalks, bike lanes, internal walkways and connections to nearby paths, trails or development sites as appropriate to the site. - Continue efforts to promote alternative wastewater solutions within the study area. If the town pursues an option to provide wastewater capacity, it should adopt a wastewater policy that would allocate:
a. A percentage of the available capacity for affordable, workforce and/or senior housing to ensure that any investment in public infrastructure serves to further this priority planning goal.
b. The available capacity between residential, commercial, industrial and/or public uses in order to ensure that as any development proceeds over time, a mix of uses would emerge.
Two forum sessions are being held Tuesday, May 5, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and from 7p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the downstairs meeting room in Tracy Hall.
