Town of Haddam Plan of Conservation and Development

Town of Haddam Plan of Conservation and Development Adopted December 7, 2017 Effective January 23, 2018 Town of Haddam Plan of Conservation and Development Adopted December 7, 2017 Effective January 23, 2018 Prepared for: Town of Haddam, Connecticut Prepared by: Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Acknowledgements The Town would like to recognize the hard work and dedication of the volunteers who served on the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) Advisory Committee to create this plan. The Advisory Committee gave up many evenings to meet as a group and to host the public at two public workshops on the POCD. Their dedication, wit and experiences shaped a Plan that is original, creative and reflective of the collective interest to strengthen Haddam. Through dark winter days and humid summer evenings this group of volunteers persevered to create the 2018 POCD. POCD Advisory Committee Steve Bull, Chairman Lynne Cooper Raul deBrigard Jeremy deCarli Mike Fortuna, AIA Erik Jarboe, PE Lisa Malloy Nancy Meyers Patrick Pinnell, FAIA, AICP Gail Reynolds, MFS Carmelo Rosa, AIA Chris Smith, Esq, AICP Lizz Milardo, First Selectmen Liz Glidden, Town Planner Bunny Hall Batzner, Recording Clerk Planning and Zoning Commission Steve Bull Art Kohs Mike Lagace Jamin Laurenza Wayne LePard Carmelo Rosa Ed Wallor Bob Braren Raul de Brigard Chip Frey Plan Consultants Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Krista Moravec, AICP Jeff Davis, AICP Nathan Kelly, AICP Table of Contents Introduction 1 What Is the POCD & What Is It For? 1 Frequently Asked Questions 2 Heart & Soul of Haddam 3 The Connecticut River 3 Historic Villages, Buildings, & Sites 4 Small Town Character 5 Forests, Farms, & Open Space 6 Sensitive Environmental Resources 7 Places of Haddam 9 Higganum 10 Snapshot 10 Summary of Key Issues 15 Goals & Strategies 16 Tylerville 17 Snapshot 17 Summary of Key Issues 21 Goals & Strategies 22 Haddam Center 23 Snapshot 23 Summary of Key Issues 26 Goals & Strategies 26 Haddam Neck 27 Snapshot 27 Summary of Key Issues 30 Goals & Strategies 30 Industrial & Smaller Commercial Areas 30 Snapshot 30 Summary of Key Issues 32 Goals & Strategies 32 Rural Residential 33 Snapshot 33 Summary of Key Issues 34 Goals & Strategies 35 Connections 36 Getting Around 36 Haddam Plan of Conservation and Development • i Snapshot 36 Summary of Key Issues 39 Goals & Strategies 40 Greenways, Forests, & Wild Places 40 Snapshot 40 Summary of Key Issues 47 Goals & Strategies 49 Playtime, Exercise, & Relaxation 49 Snapshot 49 Summary of Key Issues 53 Goals & Strategies 53 An Emerging Destination 54 Snapshot 54 Summary of Key Issues 58 Goals & Strategies 58 Where We Live 60 Snapshot 60 Summary of Key Issues 62 Goals & Strategies 63 Energy 63 Summary of Key Issues 63 Goals & Strategies 64 Community Support 64 Town Systems 64 Social Supports 67 Summary of Key Issues 68 Goals & Strategies 68 Generalized Land Use Plan 69 Snapshot 69 Generalized Land Use Plan Map 69 Summary of Key Issues 77 Relationship to State, Regional, and Local POCDs 78 Implementation Framework and Action Agenda 81 Implementation Framework 81 Implementation of the POCD 81 Education 83 Goals and Strategies 83 Action Agenda 84 ii • Haddam Plan of Conservation and Development List of Tables Table 1. Connecticut Surface Water Classifications 43 Table 2. Recreational Resources 51 Table 3. Quick Facts: Economic Development (2014) 55 Table 4. Regional School District #17 Enrollment 66 List of Figures Figure 1. Number of Employers in Haddam 55 Figure 2. Number of Jobs in Haddam 55 Figure 3. Poverty Status 60 Figure 4. Population by Age 60 Figure 5. Owner vs. Renter Households 61 List of Maps Map 1. Places of Haddam 9 Map 2. Resources of Higganum 14 Map 3. Resources of Tylerville 20 Map 4. Resources of Haddam Center 26 Map 5. Transportation Connections 37 Map 6. Significant Natural Habitat 42 Map 7. Floodplain 44 Map 8. Water Resources 45 Map 9. Stratified Drift 48 Map 10. Open Space and Recreation Resources 50 Map 11. PA490 Open Space Eligible Lands 52 Map 12. Land Cover (2010) 70 Map 13. Zoning 71 Map 14. Generalized Land Use Map 72 Map 15. Generalized Land Use - Higganum 73 Map 16. Generalized Land Use - Haddam Center 74 Map 17. Generalized Land Use - Tylerville 75 Appendices Appendix A - Baseline Report Appendix B - Public Participation Summary Appendix C - Affordable Housing Plan Haddam Plan of Conservation and Development • iii Introduction Vision Statement The Town of Haddam is a distinctive place, comprised of its land with an abundance of natural resources, of the Connecticut River and tributaries, of its villages, and most importantly, of its people. Haddam strives to be a town that respects its history and is enriched by its heritage; invests wisely in its future; protects its natural resources and ensures they are well-used; sustains a healthy economy; and celebrates together as a community. Haddam is a good neighbor and recognizes that our shared future depends on communication and cooperative action with our fellow neighbor towns. Haddam residents today have access to history, nature, education and an excellent quality of life, and will carry the responsibility to make sure future generations have the same opportunities. What Is the POCD & What Is It For? What are some things the POCD is used for? Change in our community is inevitable, but it can be positive if properly managed. A The Town uses it to . good Plan of Conservation and Development • Help prioritize decisions (POCD) is used to plan for change, so that • it shapes our community toward the way Support funding and grant requests • we want it to be. The alternative is being Justify investments in facilities and open space unprepared for change, letting it take us • Place our decisions in historical context by surprise, and reacting to it. This plan • Be consistent with State-level plans assumes that we will provide the best The Board of Selectmen and Town Boards and community for everyone in Haddam if we Commissions use it to . work together to be proactive instead of reactive. • Serve as a strategic framework for decision making The POCD is one of our primary tools • Justify regulatory decisions and investment of for proactively planning for Haddam’s public funds future. The plan is required by Connecticut General Statute, calling on communities to Residents and Community Groups use it to . think about issues like land development, • Guide their volunteer activities so that transportation, economic development, everyone in Town is rowing in the same housing, environmental conservation, direction community facilities, and other issues that will affect everyone’s future. It gives us an The State uses it to . opportunity to put down in writing what • we care about most as a community, what Learn about Haddam’s priorities and respect things might threaten that future, and a them in State plans vision of what we want to protect and how Everyone should use it as a reminder that Haddam is we want to grow. a great place and as inspiration to work together to make it even better! Haddam Plan of Conservation and Development • 1 Frequently Asked Questions Depending on your interest, this document can be used in different ways. This section is a brief guide on how to read the POCD and find the information on particular issues. I love Haddam the way it is. Where do I find out what the Town is committed to protecting and preserving into the future? For that, take a look at Section II: Haddam’s Heart & Soul. This section lays out the characteristics and features of Haddam that are at the core of the town’s identity, and the things that residents have said they care about most. I have been an active civic booster for my neighborhood for years. Where can I find out how to use the POCD to keep improving my neighborhood? For information on specific areas in town, visit Section III: The Places of Haddam. Many Haddam residents strongly identify with their village centers or neighborhoods, and want to know how the POCD specifically addresses these places. This section looks at six geographic areas of Haddam and lays out issues, background information, goals, and strategies specific to each of them. I am an advocate for better bicycle facilities (or environmental protection, or access to parks, etc.) all across Haddam. Where can I find information on town-wide strategies? For specific issues that apply across all of Haddam, visit Section IV: Connections. This section lays out the strategies that connect and unite all of the places of Haddam, from transportation to energy use to town services. I’m generally supportive of the POCD strategies, but wonder how things actually get implemented. How does the town make sure that the POCD doesn’t collect dust on a shelf? For that, visit Section V: Implementation Framework and Action Agenda. The Implementation Framework section is a new part of the POCD that lays out how the plan is officially used by Town staff, elected officials, and volunteer board members. It also sets standards for monitoring and reporting on plan implementation progress. I just want to quickly look up the actions that are supposed to be taking place in my village. Where can I find that without sorting through the entire POCD? For that, visit Section V: Implementation Framework and Action Agenda. The Action Agenda part of this section is a matrix of all the tactical actions to be taken to implement the POCD, when they are expected to happen, and who is responsible. Isn’t the POCD supposed to be based on data and community input? I don’t see that anywhere. These topics can be found in two separate appendices, in order to keep the main body of the POCD more concise.

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