Clinton MP Second Printing 2012.Indb
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Town of Clinton Master Plan April 2009 Second Printing April 2012 Clinton Planning Board Clinton Master Plan Committee Community Opportunities Group, Inc. BSC Group, Inc. Dodson Associates Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. Community Planning Solutions Contributors. Clinton Master Plan Committee, Philip Duffy, chair, and Tony Fiorentino, Mary Gibbons, Jodi Briedel, Michael Ward, Donald Lowe; Community Opportunities Group, Inc., Judi Barrett, project manager, Patricia C. Kelleher, preservation planner; BSC Group, Inc., Sam Offei-Addo, PE, PTO; Dodson Associates, Harry Dodson, principal, and Sarah laCour, landscape architect; Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., Ralph Willmer, AICP; and Community Planning Solutions, Terry S. Szold, principal. Photography by Community Opportunities Group, Inc., and Dodson Associates, and courtesy of Philip Duffy and Ken MacGray. Table of Contents 1. MASTER PLAN GOALS .............................................................................................................1 2. CLINTON’S HERITAGE .............................................................................................................7 Setting & Context .............................................................................................................................9 Changing Times ..............................................................................................................................12 3. EXISTING CONDITIONS & TRENDS ....................................................................................15 Land Use .........................................................................................................................................17 Economic Development .................................................................................................................23 Housing ..........................................................................................................................................32 Cultural & Historic Resources .......................................................................................................38 Natural Resources ..........................................................................................................................47 Open Space .....................................................................................................................................55 Community Services & Facilities...................................................................................................57 Transportation & Circulation ........................................................................................................64 4. ISSUES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND CHALLENGES ................................................................71 Land Use .........................................................................................................................................73 Economic Development .................................................................................................................81 Housing ...........................................................................................................................................90 Cultural & Historic Resources .......................................................................................................91 Natural Resources ..........................................................................................................................94 Open Space ....................................................................................................................................98 Community Services & Facilities.................................................................................................100 Transportation ..............................................................................................................................104 5. RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................................................107 Land Use .......................................................................................................................................109 Economic Development ...............................................................................................................110 Housing ........................................................................................................................................112 Cultural & Historic Resources .....................................................................................................113 Natural Resources ........................................................................................................................114 Open Space ...................................................................................................................................115 Community Services & Facilities.................................................................................................115 Transportation ..............................................................................................................................117 6. IMPLEMENTATION ...............................................................................................................121 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................137 APPENDIX ..................................................................................................................................143 List of Tables Table 3.1. Class of Use by Number of Parcels and Total Acres. Table 3.2. Privately Owned Vacant Land. Table 3.3. Land Owned by Government Agencies and Non-Profi t Organizations. Table 3.4. Land Use Change, 1971-1999. Table 3.5. New Construction Building Permits and Demolition Permits, 2003-2006. Table 3.6. Population Growth in Clinton and Surrounding Towns. Table 3.7. Households and Families in Clinton and Surrounding Towns. Table 3.8. Race and Ethnicity in Clinton and Surrounding Towns. Table 3.9. Median Annual Earnings by Sex. Table 3.10. Highest Level of Education, Persons 25 Years and Older. Table 3.11. Location Quotients: Employment in Clinton Compared to State, County Employment. Table 3.12. Average Weekly Wages by Class of Industry. Table 3.13. Occupancy of Clinton Housing Units by Building Type. Table 3.14. Clinton Housing Units by Occupancy and Year Structure Built. Table 3.15. Affordability of Rental Housing in Clinton by Household Income. Table 3.16. Residential Property Sales in Clinton. Table 3.17. Subsidized Housing in Clinton. Table 3.18. Clinton Listings, National Register of Historic Places. Table 3.19. Municipal Services in Clinton. Table 3.20. Public School Spending in Clinton. Table 3.21. Functional Classifi cation of Roadways in Clinton. Table 3.22. Bridge Listing: Functionally Obsolete (FD) and Structurally Defi cient Bridges (SD). Table 3.23. Means of Transportation to Work. Table 3.24. Origins and Destinations of Persons Commuting to and from Clinton. Table 3.25. Crash History by Critical Intersection. Table 3.26. Average Weekday Daily Traffi c Volumes on Key Roadways in Clinton. Table 4.1. Estimated Future Development Potential of Vacant Land in Clinton. Table 4.2. Chapter 21E and AUL Sites in Clinton. Table 4.3. Elected Offi cials in Clinton. List of Maps Map 3.1: Land Use Patt ern Map 3.2: Existing Zoning Map 3.3: Bedrock Geology Map 3.4: Surfi cial Geology Map 3.5: Soils Map 3.6: Water Resources Map 3.7: Open Space CChapterhapter 1 MMasteraster PPlanlan GGoalsoals 1. Master Plan Goals Major “Cross-Cutting” Goals Strengthen Clinton’s role as a regional eco- nomic center by keeping existing industries and attracting new ones, providing a durable employment base, and capturing regional trade in Downtown Clinton. Restore town pride by improving Clinton’s ap- pearance and the quality of life for residents, and marshaling public and private resources to achieve these ends. Create a healthy, strong and cohesive commu- Clinton Master Plan Workshop, April 2007. Photo by nity by encouraging public participation in the Community Opportunities Group, Inc. civic life of the town, valuing land and water resources, and providing social, cultural, edu- cational and recreational services that benefi t people of all ages. Land Use Encourage commercial development of appropriate type, scale and appearance, consid- ering surrounding land uses, setting and context. Make fair, timely permitting decisions by publishing clear development standards and applying them consistently. Institute growth management policies that encourage infi ll development and reuse of existing buildings over new development in outlying areas of town. Protect the town’s historic architectural character by providing for creative ways to con- vert older residential and nonresidential buildings to new uses. Provide professional support to Clinton’s planning, development review, and permitting boards. Establish land use policies that recognize the importance of gateways for shaping the perception of a community. Page 3 CLINTON MASTER PLAN Economic Development Provide locally-oriented retail and servic- es to serve residents of Clinton and the sur- rounding small towns. Promote Clinton as a destination for shop- ping, dining, cultural activities, and recre- ation. Preserve the mills by providing regulatory, tax and other development incentives to make them marketable for a wide variety of uses. Maintain high standards of design