2 - Town of Colchester

Development Types
Village Business – small
scale businesses (such as
retail shops, small restaurant,
office, and personal service
uses) in buildings that
enhance the village centers.
General Business – larger
scale business uses (such as
shopping center, retail,
restaurant, office, light
industrial, and similar uses)
intended to serve community
and regional needs.
Business Park – larger scale
business uses (such as office,
warehouse,
light
manufacturing, assembly,
research and development,
and similar uses). Such uses
could be organized in a parktype
setting or occur in areas
of pre-existing uses. Retail
or other commercial uses
could be considered on and
near major roads by special
permit.
Transitional Area – areas
adjacent to business parks or
other commercial areas where
lower intensity uses (such as
lodging facilities, small scale
offices, day care centers,
institutional uses) would
provide for an orderly
transition to less intensive
residential uses.
Consider Other Areas For Future Business Development
As Colchester grows in the future, there may be additional demand for commercial uses. While this Plan anticipates that
the areas identified will be adequate to meet community needs for the potential buildout of the community, it also
recognizes that changes in office, retail, service, and industrial business trends may result in other needs that this Plan
cannot anticipate.
The primary locational determinants used in this Plan for business and industrial uses include:
• proximity to the Town Center or Westchester Center,
• adjacency to major regional and local travel routes, especially interchanges,
• availability of water and sewer utilities,
• reasonable transitions to adjacent residential uses,
• consolidated areas to meet community needs while avoiding “strip development”, and
• contribution to community character.
Other business zoning regulations or business zone locations may become desirable in the future and this Plan believes
that they could be appropriate if they are located in accordance with the above criteria.
Promote Appropriate Site Design
Efforts need to continue to ensure adequate transitions from businesses to adjacent residential uses. While Colchester has
already done a great deal in terms of promoting consolidated development (fewer curb cuts, more cross-connections),
these efforts need to be continued and expanded.
The Commission should continue to explore ways to provide for more flexible parking requirements in the Historic
Preservation Overlay Zone when sites are interconnected and/or parking is available nearby. This will help to promote
compatible development in the Center, recognize the multi-purpose nature of trips to the Center, and promote community
character. Shared parking like that behind Merchants Row could be a good example, although such parking could be
publicly or privately developed.
Continue to Allow Home Occupations
Home occupations (persons who work at home) are a growing trend in Colchester and elsewhere. Some such uses are
permitted at the present time in residential zones provided that approval is obtained from Planning & Zoning Staff. As
home occupations continue to evolve, additional provisions should be considered.
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