2 - Town of Colchester

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Single Family Development Patterns Conventional A parcel of land is divided into residential lots with little or no dedicated open space. Open Space A parcel of land is divided into roughly the same number of residential lots that are smaller in area than in a conventional development and the remaining area is preserved or dedicated as open space. Promote Open Space Development Patterns Colchester’s current zoning and subdivision regulations promote a pattern of residential development that, in the long run, will likely detract from the rural character that residents of the community have indicated is important to them. In other words, current regulations are creating the types of development patterns that residents see elsewhere and have indicated they do not want in Colchester. For example, many subdivisions result in homes strung out along existing roads or in conventional subdivisions with very little preserved open space or with undeveloped lands isolated away from the road. This pattern results from a “cookie cutter” approach to subdivision design that is determined more by the dimensional standards in the regulations than by the natural capabilities of the parcel being developed. There are several reasons for this. Colchester defines buildable land in the zoning regulations as “contiguous land exclusive of wetlands, watercourses, waterbodies, ledge outcrops, and slopes greater than 25 percent.” Each zoning district requires that each lot have a minimum lot area, each lot have a minimum buildable area, and that a square of a certain dimension in the lot contain the building site. For example, the R-60 District requires a minimum of 60,000 square feet of total lot area, a minimum of 45,000 square feet of buildable area, a 150 foot square building site, and a minimum of 200 feet of frontage on collector or arterial roads or 150 feet of frontage on local roads. While these regulations are designed to ensure that building lots contain adequate areas for the provision of septic systems and usable areas for home sites, they result in a mechanical approach to subdivision design. In addition, a corollary effect of this requirement has been for developers to “lot off” sites along existing roads in Colchester since it may not be cost-effective to build a new road to serve only a few lots in the interior of a parcel. In fact, examination of the land use map will reveal several locations where this type of development pattern has emerged. Colchester can do better. The Plan recommends that Colchester consider modifying local regulations to encourage what are known as open space development patterns. The graphic on the facing page illustrates the difference between “conventional” development patterns and “open space” development patterns. 60
Conventional Subdivision Design Open Space Subdivision Design 32 lots on 82 acre parcel (77 acres in lot areas) with 32 lots on 82 acre parcel (29 acres in lot areas) with 10% preserved open space (8 acre conservation easement) 65% preserved open space (50 acres preserved) Source: Conservation Design For Subdivisions: A Practical Guide To Creating Open Space Networks, Randall G. Arendt, Published by Island Press, Washington, DC. 61
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COLCHESTER
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2001 Colchester Plan of Conservatio
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2001 Colchester Plan of Conservatio
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Colchester Street Map
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Statutory Reference Section 8-23 of
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The Planning Process WHERE WE ARE W
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PRIORITY ISSUES Many issues that ar
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Congregational Church As population
Page 18 and 19: Reasons For Moving To Colchester At
Page 20 and 21: Migration Statistics Year Household
Page 22 and 23: Adults (ages 20-54) Adults (ages 20
Page 24 and 25: Use Versus Zoning The table on this
Page 26 and 27: Definitions Developed Land - land t
Page 28 and 29: Sampling & Variation The sample siz
Page 30 and 31: Tax Base Composition Percent Busine
Page 32 and 33: Telephone Survey What Makes Colches
Page 34 and 35: Implementation See the implementati
Page 36 and 37: Town Efforts At Protecting Natural
Page 38 and 39: Natural Diversity Database The Conn
Page 42 and 43: Open Space in Colchester Perceived
Page 44 and 45: Land Acquisition Fund Section 7-131
Page 46 and 47: Trails The Open Space Plan on page
Page 48: Implementation See the implementati
Page 51 and 52: For many years, Colchester has had
Page 53 and 54: Historic Resources Map 45
Page 55 and 56: ASSESSMENT For many years, Colchest
Page 57 and 58: COMMUNITY STRUCTURE 8 OVERVIEW Comm
Page 59 and 60: Map defining Centers 51
Page 61 and 62: During the planning period, detaile
Page 63 and 64: HOUSING & RESIDENTIAL AREAS 9 OVERV
Page 65 and 66: ASSESSMENT Issues related to reside
Page 67: Such developments can: • help mai
Page 72 and 73: Density Definition Residential dens
Page 74 and 75: Elderly Housing Options 1. Remain i
Page 78 and 79: Encourage Housing Diversity 11. Con
Page 80 and 81: Employment Trends Employment 1960 9
Page 82 and 83: Establish Economic Development Foca
Page 84 and 85: Development Types Village Business
Page 88 and 89: Promote Appropriate Site Design 14.
Page 90 and 91: INVENTORY & ASSESSMENT Town Hall Mo
Page 92 and 93: Public Works Public Works Garage -
Page 94 and 95: Telephone Survey Should the Town Bu
Page 96 and 97: Education Facilities Colchester has
Page 98 and 99: School Enrollment Ratios Year Town
Page 100 and 101: Map of Community Facilities 92
Page 102 and 103: TRANSPORTATION 1 OVERVIEW The trans
Page 104 and 105: Colchester Road Classes Class Throu
Page 106 and 107: Telephone Survey The Town Should Bu
Page 108 and 109: Landscape Center Islands While road
Page 112 and 113: Improve Transit Services 13. Increa
Page 114 and 115: Wired Utilities Wired utilities in
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15 FUTURE LAND USE PLAN OVERVIEW Th
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Future Land Use Plan Center Detail
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PLAN CONSISTENCY This Plan was comp
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Plan of Conservation & Development
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Legend ID ZPC CC BOS Town Other BOE
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17 CONCLUSION The Plan of Conservat
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2 - Town of Colchester

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