2 - Town of Colchester

Use Versus Zoning
The table on this page and
the map on the facing page
show land uses within
Colchester, not zoning. In
other words, the map shows
which properties were being
used for which purposes in
1998 when the land use
survey was done.
1970 Land Use Data
For comparison, the 1972
Plan estimated that about
6,500 acres of land were
occupied for or dedicated to
the following uses in 1970:
Use
Acres
Residential 1,291
Open Space 3,754
Business 186
Pub/Inst. 110
Transp/Other 1,174
Total 6,515
In other words, about 8,000
acres of land have been
developed or committed in
28 years.
LAND USE IN COLCHESTER
Colchester contains approximately 31,500 acres. The 1998 land use survey found that about 46 percent of the community
(14,507 acres) is occupied for residential, commercial, or institutional use or is dedicated to a specific purpose such as
public land or protected open space.
Conversely, about 54 percent of the land in town (16,975 acres) is vacant or uncommitted to a specific use. The amount
of uncommitted land helps explain the rural character that people perceive in Colchester.
Use
1998 COLCHESTER LAND USE SUMMARY
Acres
Percent of
Developed Land
Percent of
Total Land
Residential 7,011 48% 22%
Single-family 6,669
Multi-family 342
Open Space 4,801 33% 15%
Land Dedicated For Open Space Uses 3,541
Land Managed For Open Space Purposes 1,280
Business 407 3% 1%
Commercial 312
Industrial 53
Mixed Use 42
Public & Institutional Uses 482 3% 2%
Transportation / Other 1,806 12% 6%
Transportation 1,750
Public Utility 56
Developed / Committed 14,507 100% 46%
Vacant/Potentially Developable 16,975 54%
Total Land Area 31,482 100%
Source: Planimetrics. Totals may not add due to rounding.
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