TOWN OF OXFORD, CT PLAN OF CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT Town of Oxford New Haven County, Connecticut Oxford Planning and Zoning Commission Effective Date: September 15, 2018 ACKNOWLEDGENTS Oxford Planning & Zoning Commission Jeffrey P. Luff, Chairman Arnold Jensen, Vice Chairman Patrick Cocchiarella Peter Zbras Tanya Carver John Kerwin Daniel Wall Harold Cosgrove Greg Wanamaker Robert Costigan Board of Selectmen Honorable George R. Temple, Esq., First Selectman Scott Flaherty, Selectman Jeffery J. Haney, Sr., Selectman Planning Consultant Brian J. Miller, AICP Technical assistance provided by the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments: Mark Nielsen – Director of Planning / Assistant Director Glenda Prentiss – GIS Program Coordinator Joanna Rogalski – Regional Planner i TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................... 1 A. PURPOSE OF POCD ....................................................................................................................................... 1 B. STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................................................................... 4 II. GOALS & POLICIES .............................................................................................................................. 6 A. PRINCIPLES OF THE PLAN AND COMMUNITY VISION ...................................................................................... 6 B. GENERAL PLANNING POLICIES ....................................................................................................................... 7 III. DEMOGRAPHICS & HOUSING ............................................................................................................ 8 A. DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................................................. 8 Population Trends .............................................................................................................................................. 10 Population Density ............................................................................................................................................. 11 Age of Population ............................................................................................................................................... 13 Household Size ................................................................................................................................................... 17 Educational Attainment ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Income ................................................................................................................................................................ 19 School Enrollment .............................................................................................................................................. 20 B HOUSING ....................................................................................................................................................... 21 Current Conditions ............................................................................................................................................. 21 Affordable Housing ............................................................................................................................................ 21 Housing Structure and Tenure ............................................................................................................................ 21 Housing Age ....................................................................................................................................................... 21 Housing Goal ...................................................................................................................................................... 22 Policies................................................................................................................................................................ 22 Strategies ........................................................................................................................................................... 22 IV. ENVIRONMENTAL & NATURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................. 24 A. EXISTING CONDITIONS .................................................................................................................................. 24 Topography ........................................................................................................................................................ 24 Inland Wetlands ................................................................................................................................................. 27 Waterbodies ....................................................................................................................................................... 29 Drainage Basins.................................................................................................................................................. 31 Floodplains ......................................................................................................................................................... 33 Groundwater Resources ..................................................................................................................................... 34 Soil Resources ..................................................................................................................................................... 36 Agricultural Land ................................................................................................................................................ 37 B. GOALS, POLICIES & RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................... 38 Environmental Preservation Goal ...................................................................................................................... 38 Policies................................................................................................................................................................ 38 Strategies ........................................................................................................................................................... 39 Open Space Goal ................................................................................................................................................ 40 Policy .................................................................................................................................................................. 40 Strategies ........................................................................................................................................................... 40 OPEN SPACE PLAN .............................................................................................................................................. 42 V. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT .............................................................................................................. 43 A. EXISTING CONDITIONS .................................................................................................................................. 43 B. GOALS, TARGETS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................................................................ 46 Economic Development Goals ............................................................................................................................ 46 ii Potential Key Industries for Oxford .................................................................................................................... 46 Policy .................................................................................................................................................................. 47 Strategies ........................................................................................................................................................... 47 VI. TRANSPORTATION & CIRCULATION ............................................................................................... 48 A. EXISTING CONDITIONS .................................................................................................................................. 48 Existing Road System & Jurisdiction ................................................................................................................... 48 Traffic Counts and Areas of Potential Congestion .............................................................................................. 50 Waterbury‐Oxford Airport .................................................................................................................................. 51 Railroad Commuter Service ................................................................................................................................ 51 Pedestrian Circulation ........................................................................................................................................ 52 Transportation Deficiencies...............................................................................................................................