Silas Deane Silas Deane Highway Advisory Highway Advisory

CommitteeCommittee

Preliminary Report Preliminary Report

Wethersfield Town CouncilWethersfield Town Council

Monday, October 4, 2004Monday, October 4, 2004

MISSION: Review 1987 MISSION: Review 1987 Master PlanMaster Plan

• Committee Met Regularly Since June Committee Met Regularly Since June • Reviewed Background Information: Reviewed Background Information: 1987 1987

Master Plan, 2001 Econ Dev Strategic Plan, 2000 POCD, Beaver Master Plan, 2001 Econ Dev Strategic Plan, 2000 POCD, Beaver Brook Master Plan.Brook Master Plan.

• Identified 77 Initial RecommendationsIdentified 77 Initial Recommendations• Reviewed Development Activity Since Mid Reviewed Development Activity Since Mid

80’s. 80’s. 38 Significant Projects - Mixed Results. (See Attached List)38 Significant Projects - Mixed Results. (See Attached List)

• Photographed, Video and Mapped CorridorPhotographed, Video and Mapped Corridor• Identified Potential Development Identified Potential Development

OpportunitiesOpportunities

• Reviewed Present Status of all RecommendationsReviewed Present Status of all Recommendations• Eliminated Those That Have Been AccomplishedEliminated Those That Have Been Accomplished• Eliminated Those That Were No Longer RelevantEliminated Those That Were No Longer Relevant• Modified Several Based on Today’s RealityModified Several Based on Today’s Reality• Created Goals and Objectives For The Created Goals and Objectives For The

Revitalization of the HighwayRevitalization of the Highway• Met with DOT representativesMet with DOT representatives• Created Preliminary List of Recommendations Created Preliminary List of Recommendations

(46)(46)

GoalGoal

• Establish the Silas Deane Highway as a Establish the Silas Deane Highway as a destination for a diverse mixture of destination for a diverse mixture of quality land use development and quality land use development and adaptive reuse opportunities, implement adaptive reuse opportunities, implement a series of vehicular and pedestrian, a series of vehicular and pedestrian, transportation and streetscape transportation and streetscape improvements for the purpose of improvements for the purpose of increasing the tax base, improving increasing the tax base, improving employment opportunities the image of employment opportunities the image of the Highway, and the quality of life.the Highway, and the quality of life.

ObjectivesObjectives• Land Use/Development Opportunities Land Use/Development Opportunities - Improve economic - Improve economic

development opportunities along the Highway for the business development opportunities along the Highway for the business community.community.

• DesignDesign - Designate Design Districts and Development Project - Designate Design Districts and Development Project areas along the Silas Deane Highway to bring order and areas along the Silas Deane Highway to bring order and cohesiveness which will enhance visual improvements and a cohesiveness which will enhance visual improvements and a sense of place for the Highway.sense of place for the Highway.

• ZoningZoning - Continue to promote and monitor changes to land use - Continue to promote and monitor changes to land use regulations and procedures.regulations and procedures.

• Traffic/Street ImprovementsTraffic/Street Improvements - Implement a series of - Implement a series of vehicular and pedestrian transportation improvements that vehicular and pedestrian transportation improvements that maximize safety and ensure access to the business community.maximize safety and ensure access to the business community.

• Streetscape Streetscape – Through a public and private– Through a public and private partnership with partnership with various stakeholders develop a landscape/beautification plan various stakeholders develop a landscape/beautification plan and implement improvements.and implement improvements.

• AdministrativeAdministrative - Support the development of mechanisms that - Support the development of mechanisms that administer, sustain, maintain and promote the revitalization of administer, sustain, maintain and promote the revitalization of the Highway.the Highway.

Land Use and Development Land Use and Development OpportunitiesOpportunities

• NorthNorth– Large Scale Office/RetailLarge Scale Office/Retail– NeighborhoodsNeighborhoods– Commercial DevelopmentCommercial Development

• CentralCentral– Mixed UsesMixed Uses– Town CenterTown Center– Housing – Active AdultHousing – Active Adult

• SouthSouth– Office ParkOffice Park– Large Scale Retail and OfficeLarge Scale Retail and Office

• Beaver Brook Green SpaceBeaver Brook Green Space

DesignDesign

• Designate Design DistrictsDesignate Design Districts• Create Design GuidelinesCreate Design Guidelines• Develop Design Concept Plans For Develop Design Concept Plans For

Key Properties and Land Use Key Properties and Land Use RecommendationsRecommendations

• Uniform Public Signage Program Uniform Public Signage Program

i.e. Wayfinding, Street signs etc…i.e. Wayfinding, Street signs etc…

ZoningZoning

• Adopt New Zones and RegulationsAdopt New Zones and Regulations• Implement Design ReviewImplement Design Review

Traffic/Street Traffic/Street Improvements Improvements

• Pedestrian ImprovementsPedestrian Improvements• Traffic CalmingTraffic Calming• Key Intersection ImprovementsKey Intersection Improvements

– Cumberland and Maple Streets should Cumberland and Maple Streets should be the most simple, be the most simple,

– Nott and Wells Road more elaborate, Nott and Wells Road more elaborate, andand

– The Town Center intersection at Church The Town Center intersection at Church Street should be the most extensively Street should be the most extensively improved.improved.

StreetscapeStreetscape

• Need comprehensive Streetscape Need comprehensive Streetscape planplan

• Key street tree plantingsKey street tree plantings• North Gate Island PlantingNorth Gate Island Planting• Continue uniform stone wall Continue uniform stone wall

treatmentstreatments

AdministrativeAdministrative

• Create Merchants OrganizationCreate Merchants Organization• Designate Coordinator For Designate Coordinator For

ImplementationImplementation• Marketing EffortsMarketing Efforts• Facade ProgramFacade Program• Market AnalysisMarket Analysis• Annual BudgetAnnual Budget• MaintenanceMaintenance• Develop Cost EstimatesDevelop Cost Estimates

Next StepsNext Steps• Adopt New Zoning RegulationsAdopt New Zoning Regulations• Implement Design ReviewImplement Design Review• Request DOT Delay SDH paving project for one yearRequest DOT Delay SDH paving project for one year• Pursue Additional funding for key intersection improvementsPursue Additional funding for key intersection improvements• Market AnalysisMarket Analysis• Development PlansDevelopment Plans• Retain Technical AssistanceRetain Technical Assistance• Continue SDHACContinue SDHAC

– Expand Membership – Merchants and Property OwnersExpand Membership – Merchants and Property Owners– Additional Fact FindingAdditional Fact Finding– Public ParticipationPublic Participation– Develop Final Plan and ReportDevelop Final Plan and Report

• Use STEAP FundsUse STEAP Funds– Loan ProgramLoan Program– Key IntersectionsKey Intersections– StreetscapeStreetscape– Tree PlantingsTree Plantings

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements• Chair, Bev PierzChair, Bev Pierz• Vice Chair, Bernadine FrancoVice Chair, Bernadine Franco• Betty RosaniaBetty Rosania• Carmela MooreCarmela Moore• Stephen FooteStephen Foote• Dave EdwardsDave Edwards• Julie Montinieri, Town CouncilJulie Montinieri, Town Council• Andy Adil, Town CouncilAndy Adil, Town Council• Bonnie Therrien, Town ManagerBonnie Therrien, Town Manager• John LepperJohn Lepper• Mike Turner, Director of Physical ServicesMike Turner, Director of Physical Services• Peter Gillespie, Town Planner/Economic Peter Gillespie, Town Planner/Economic

Development ManagerDevelopment Manager