Town of Cornish, New Hampshire Master Plan April 2, 2009 Prepared by: Town of Cornish Planning Board With assistance from: Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission 30 Bank Street Lebanon, NH 03766 Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION TO THE MASTER PLAN...................................................................................................1 Master Plan Adoption Statement......................................................................................................................1 Prelude ....................................................................................................................................................................2 Purpose of Master Plan.......................................................................................................................................2 Process to Update the Master Plan..................................................................................................................2 Accomplishments Since the Adoption of the 1989 Master Plan ..............................................................3 Priorities for Implementation.............................................................................................................................3 Acknowledgments................................................................................................................................................3 Photo Credits.........................................................................................................................................................4 II. VISION.................................................................................................................................................................5 III. LAND USE ..........................................................................................................................................................9 Introduction............................................................................................................................................................9 Vision for the Future ............................................................................................................................................9 Goals and Objectives...........................................................................................................................................9 Historic Demographic Trends .........................................................................................................................10 Recent Demographic Trends...........................................................................................................................11 Population by Age ..............................................................................................................................................11 Population Projections......................................................................................................................................12 Shrinking Household Size................................................................................................................................13 Housing Units ......................................................................................................................................................13 Land Use Trends.................................................................................................................................................15 Existing Land Use...............................................................................................................................................16 Land Use Change ...............................................................................................................................................18 Zoning Regulations............................................................................................................................................22 IV. OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES ......................................................................................................24 Centers of Activity..............................................................................................................................................24 Cornish Flat............................................................................................................................................................24 Cornish Mills/Cornish City....................................................................................................................................25 Transportation Corridors..................................................................................................................................26 Infrastructure & Utilities....................................................................................................................................27 Natural & Scenic Resources............................................................................................................................27 Topography and Geology ................................................................................................................................27 Geology ..............................................................................................................................................................28 Wetland (Hydric) Soils......................................................................................................................................29 Agricultural Soils ...............................................................................................................................................29 Slope...................................................................................................................................................................29 Water Resources ..............................................................................................................................................32 Groundwater ......................................................................................................................................................32 Floodplains.........................................................................................................................................................32 Conserved Lands & Forest..............................................................................................................................33 Wildlife & Rare or Endangered Species ........................................................................................................33 Scenic Resources.............................................................................................................................................33 V. DEVELOPMENT ISSUES ..............................................................................................................................34 Rural Community Character ............................................................................................................................34 Smart Growth.......................................................................................................................................................35 Growth Centers ...................................................................................................................................................35 Cornish Flat Expansion....................................................................................................................................37 Village Character.................................................................................................................................................39 Land Conservation & Protection ....................................................................................................................40 Tax Base................................................................................................................................................................40 VI. FUTURE LAND USE PLAN............................................................................................................................42 Projected Future Land Use Needs .................................................................................................................42 Rural Development Plan ...................................................................................................................................42 Residential Development Plan ........................................................................................................................43 Village Development Plan.................................................................................................................................43 Land Use Action Plan ........................................................................................................................................44 VII. COMMUNITY FACILITIES .............................................................................................................................48 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................................48 Vision .....................................................................................................................................................................48