Interview with Bill Voelker

Bill Voelker is the town planner for Cheshire, Connecticut who has also been a guest lecturer in an upper level planning class at CCSU in the Spring semester, 2010. The following questions and answers were a follow-up to that lecture--with questions composed by Michael D'Amato.

Question: Do towns typically have design standards for their Industrial Zones, --things such as road width and building height?

Answer: Street widths are common for all zones. They usually vary according to type of road, not zoning district. Local roads have classifications according to function. These include local, collector, or arterial streets. These are sometimes related to the development density created by the zoning district, but collector and arterial roads are constructed and maintained in order to facilitate nodal distribution throughout the community and to access the state highway system.

Local roads are just that. They are designed for neighborhood travel and to access collector and arterial roads.

Building height, setback, and similar standards are usually contained within local zoning regulations. Other design criteria related to architectural detail and building appearance are usually contained with design guidelines. The town of Simsbury has a pretty good set online and you might also want to look at the ones I recently looked at from Jamestown, Rhode Island, also available online.

A Capitol Plan: An Important first Municipal Plan for an American City

by Justin Reich
Known now as the Noble Plan, the basic plan for Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States was devised by Pierre-Charles L’Enfant, a French-born American engineer, architect, and urban designer. L’Enfant was a Major under the direction of George Washington during the Revolutionary War. When Washington became President he asked the Frenchman to construct a new capital for a new nation. Washington wanted a European feel like that of the 17th century French in Italian architecture, “The primary influence, as suggested, was the late French Baroque, with its tradition of broad axial relationships, symmetrical balance, and superimposed on a grand scale”(Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design By Roger Trancik p. 157).

Pierre-Charles L'Enfant's 1791 plan for the city of Washington is one of the great landmarks in city planning. It was, designed from its inception to serve as the framework for the capital city of the new nation beginning in the year 1800. The proposal of broad radiating avenues connecting significant focal points, its open spaces, and its grid pattern of streets oriented north, south, east, and west is still the plan against which all modern land use proposals for the Nation's Capital are considered.

Interview with Francis Pickering of CCRPA

by John Boren

The lack of funding or statutory requirement for linking regional and local planning in Connecticut results in scant involvement by regional planners in the process of drafting town Plans of Conservation and Development. This comes out in the following interview with Francis Pickering, from the Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency (CCPRA).

Question: What coordination is required between the CCPRA and New Britain (or any town in the region for that matter) when the city is drafting a new Plan of Conservation and Development?
Answer: No coordination is required. The region voluntarily strives to take local POCDs into account when drawing up its regional POCD. CCRPA has not reviewed the New Britain POCD. We expect that New Britain’s planner will present the plan for discussion to our Comprehensive Plan Committee (CPC). Please note that this discussion will be informative only—we have no authority to compel alterations to any plan or ordinance.

Question: What is the level of involvement of the CCRPA with New Britain and its drafting of a new POCD?
Answer: CCRPA has not been involved in New Britain’s POCD process.

Question: How would you describe the role of the CCRPA in this process, i.e. mostly advisory, major decision-making entity, etc.?
Answer: Not applicable—we have not been involved in this process. Given state budget cuts, CCRPA does not have the resources to engage in such a complex and lengthy process as the adoption of a new POCD. There is simply no funding provided for such work.

Question:How does the regional planning agency's specific plan of development differ from that of its member towns?
Answer: Comparing our regional plan with our municipalities’ POCDs would be an extremely time-intensive task. We do not have the resources to do this. All I can suggest is that you compare the documents yourself.

Final remarks:
I am sorry I cannot be of more help, but the lack of financial support and statutory authority in Connecticut for the regions undercuts our ability to work change. We simply do not have the power of other states’ counties or regional governance such as Portland’s Metro.

Interview with a Planner

A DISCUSSION WITH JIM VENTRES, Land Use Administrator of East Haddam
by Shiloh Dodge

Question: Why did you decide to go into planning?
Answer: I actually didn't plan to go into town planning, my background is in wildlife and fisheries. For years I was watching staff turnover constantly nobody wanted to stay involved. My background in the environment ties into East Haddam very well, though, being such a rural area.

Question: The recreation section of the plan says that the survey of scenic views and vistas needs to be updated and could be put into a guide book- do you think that this will promote tourism in East Haddam?
Answer: Absolutely- we have sort of a "Where's Waldo" effect in town. We might do a letter boxing things where you have a list and check off the things you have seen. There are 77 scenic views and pictures and they need to go into a format on the web. The problem is of those 77 views, how many are left? We need to find out what resources we still have and what we have lost.

Questions: Is the East Haddam Walking Trails booklet aimed towards residents, visitors, or both?
Answer: It is geared more towards tourists because there is a lot to do here and they could make a good weekend out if it if they know about it. It is not online but hopefully will be by next fall. It is currently only available in the Town Clerk's office.

Question: The plan mentions the possibility of a Farm Market for local farmers- has this idea been explored and is it a possibility?
Answer: We dabbled with it and there is a small market sometimes at the library but it isn't really the farmers. What really needs to happen is a boardwalk by the Goodspeed parking lot and farmers could sell there. The agriculture is growing- there are farmers in town trying to crops and growing grapes for wine, but there is just no local place for them to sell.

Who Reads the Comprehensive Plan?

by Michael D'Amato

Comprehensive plans are read by many people including developers, citizens, and commission members. A citizen might read the plan to see where the town looks to go in the future. This is important if they are looking at a piece of property with a large vacant parcel nearby. It can also be important to examine a town’s policy for conserving it’s natural features and water resources.
In the case of a developer, showing that their project is in keeping with the plan (POCD) will increase the likelihood of approval.
The commission members of the town-- Planning and Zoning (P&Z) , Zoning Board of Appeals, Water Control Commission and the Town Council are just a few groups that need to be especially well acquainted with content of this document. When the Planning and Zoning Commission receives an application for development they are going to want to reference this to see if it parallels the plan and what they want to ultimately achieve. The P&Z should only make decisions based on this plan and what is best for the town. Escaping the impression that it is their own personal preference in the decision making process, the plan allows them to have ground to stand on with their decision.

What is a Town Comprehensive Plan?

by Jacqueline Rubin Kelly

A comprehensive plan goes by many different names. In Connecticut, it is called a “Plan of Conservation and Development.” The idea behind the Plan of Conservation and Development (PoCD) is a simple one; A PoCD is a tangible representation of what a community wants to be in the future. The PoCD allows members of village, town, or city to have an active role in how their community will progress into the coming years.
In the state of Connecticut the acceptance of a PoCD entitles that town to the distribution of state funding. For the plan to be adopted, the state has specific rules and regulations on what the PoCD needs to contain. Below is a short list of topics that must be included within the chapters of a Plan of Conservation and Development according to Connecticut State Statutes:
• A statement of policies, goals and standards for the physical and economic development of the municipality
• Transportation – parkways, bridges, streets, sidewalks, etc
• Housing – zoning, affordable housing options
• Land use – development (residential, recreational, commercial, industrial)
• Conservation – land, cultural/historical elements
For the full list of state regulations on adopting or amending a PoCD, visit the link below:
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/act/Pa/2005PA-00205-R00HB-06570-PA.htm
So, how does a Plan of Conservation and Development affect you and your community? Each plan is different and is supposed to represent the voices of the townspeople. The members of the community can attend their town meetings to give their opinions on zoning laws, lands they want to protect, or even building a new park with a playground for the children of the community. The committee that oversees the plan takes all requests from the community into consideration when writing and approving their PoCD.
To find out about town meetings and to become involved in the future of your community, visit your town website or call your town hall.

What is a Town Comprehensive Plan?

by David Marella

A Comprehensive Plan, or a Plan of Conservation and Development (PoCD) as known in the state of Connecticut, is an attempt set by commission members to plan out goals and objectives for a town for the future growth potential of that community. A comprehensive plan is the final documentation for what the overall product will be turned out after it is implemented. The document is official in nature and should be used as a policy guide for direction the community in the right direction.
There are six key principles that should follow a Comprehensive Plan, according to William I. Goodman, a well-known author on Comprehensive Planning. The concept of the Comprehensive Plan is that it is an instrument used by leaders in the community to help establish policies and make decisions regarding their physical environment. The six key principles are:
1.The plan should be comprehensive
2.The plan should be long-range.
3.The plan should be general.
4.The plan should focus on physical development.
5.The plan should relate to physical design proposals to community goals and social and economic policies.
6.The plan should first be a policy instrument, and second a technical instrument

COMPREHENSIVE PLANS ACROSS THE U.S.

Map of U.S. States Which Require Every Municipality (towns and cities) To File a Comprehensive Plan.



Exceptions
Hawaii: Only requires the four major counties to have comprehensive plans. Those counties may or may not require the towns in their jurisdiction to have one.
Minnesota: Only required in 7 metro counties
*States that require a Comprehensive Plan if the municipality wants zoning is included under the not required category.

The Search--Two students set out to discover which states required their towns and cities to maintain comprehensive plans. The challenge to that task is related by each below:
Kristin Hadjstylianos--- I used the American Planning Association websites for each state to find numbers for the chapter’s presidents and state planners. . . At least one source sent me to the source legislation--the state planner from Maine was a professor at a college who thought having me search through Maine’s state statutes would be a better learning experience . . . I was surprised at how many people I called were unsure of their answer; several times I was directed to another person to double check. . . While I the APA’s (American Planning Association) websites for each state were generally helpful, some of them hadn’t been updated in years.
. . . My conversation with a regional planner from Minnesota was probably the most interesting. Only their 7 metro counties (the bigger cities) have requirements while their smaller towns have no requirements and few of them have plans. I found that different areas in the country refer to their plans with various names including General Plans, Master Plans, but Comprehensive Plan was the most widely used. I think this map shows how planning in general is not a united concept throughout the nation.

Katherine Galezowski--- The project began with a question in class no one knew the answer to: "Which U.S. states require a Comprehensive Plan?”
. . . I gathered information by individually contacting twenty five states while my project team member (Kristin) gathered the other half and created a map from the data. . . I began my search by looking for a single source online--quickly realizing this information has not been assembled in one place. Next, I attempted to call and e-mail planning departments of randomly selected towns of my assigned states. I asked them if the state required their city or town to have a Comprehensive Plan. I noticed that if I worded this question using the word legally in it, some employees reacted as if they were intimidated or thought they were going to get into trouble for not having one.
. . . To my surprise, many city planners and their secretaries or staff did not have this information at their finger tips. Because of this, I feel the data collected needs further verification.
. . . I found it easiest to call members of the American Planning Association (APA) because someone with planning experience was more than often available.
. . . Among other things, I learned that some states do not require a Comprehensive Plan because the city or town follows the County’s plan. Other states only require a plan if the city wants to obtain funding or a grant.

POCD and Zoning: How are they Related?

by John Boren


In order to have a broad understanding of how comprehensive planning is performed and implemented in Connecticut, the relationship between the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) and zoning must be examined. In the state of Connecticut, each town is required to create a comprehensive plan every ten years. The town is then to adopt zoning regulations that enable land uses that conform to the vision laid forth in the comprehensive plan. To be effective, the POCD must be supported by good zoning regulations, and these regulations are not appropriate if they do not directly relate to the POCD.

Per General Statute 8-23, each of Connecticut’s 169 towns is required to create a Plan of Conservation and Development. This plan is to be comprehensive in that it lays out guidelines for development and growth management, as well as to preserve and protect existing natural or cultural resources. The plan charts a course for how the town intends to grow for the following decade however it must not be so restrictive as to allow for changing conditions. The comprehensive plan is generated and approved by the local planning committee with input from the public and in coordination with related regional and state agencies.

Once the POCD has been enacted, zoning rules must be changed or modified as necessary to promote the desired outcomes of the plan. Any goals laid out by the POCD should be supported by zoning that enables them to be met. For instance, a community that desires more mixed use development must zone land with this designation so that is possible for this activity to occur. The comprehensive plan and zoning regulations go hand in hand and must be coordinated for a community to best realize its goals.

Learning More About Planning in New Britain

Excerpts of student essays on what was learned about our city--Based on a visit with the head of the New Britain Department of Municipal Development, Mr. Kenneth Malinowski---
On March 31, our class had the opportunity to do a brief walking tour of downtown New Britain with Kenneth Malinowski, the Director of the Department of Municipal Development. During this walk, Mr. Malinowski highlighted efforts to revitalize the downtown through increased historic preservation, bringing in new downtown residents, as well as a commitment to creating more attractive gateways into the city.
(John Boren)

Just like in many cities across the United States, New Britain has been influenced by suburbanization and sprawl. This has taken [much] of the downtown life away.
(Philip Hinks)

Urban renewal [also played a role in] destroying downtown according to Mr. Malinowski. He noted that New Britain’s government didn’t help matters by destroying most of downtown housing as people moved outwards . . . It is similar to the chicken vs. egg dilemma. How do you get businesses to move to a place where there are no people on the streets and how do you get people on the streets in a place where there is nothing to do, and nowhere to live? (Jackie Rubin)

This POCD has explicitly outlined new urbanism ideals which will hopefully preserve historic buildings downtown yet also incorporate them in future design of the urban fabric. (Melissa Pierce)

New Britain's Planning Department directly caters to developers with the hope that it will help facilitate and encourage development. [Ken Malinowski] informed us that if a builder comes in with inquiries on a particular parcel or land or with questions regarding the renovation of an existing building downtown, [his office] will do everything in their power to devote their time to that project. (Michael D’Amato)

INTERVIEW WITH A PLANNER

A DISCUSSION WITH LINDA FARMER, AICP, Tolland Town Planner
by Melissa Pierce
Question: In most towns and at the state level, the POCD is mostly focused on development, rather than conservation/preservation. Do you believe that your town is similar?
Answer: Planimetrics designed Tolland’s most recent POCD which was adopted in November 2009. In Tolland’s case, the focus isn’t on development but conservation. One of the three main points of the POCD are environmental sustainability, economic responsibility, and contextual integrity. Tolland has drafted a separate Conservation Plan that was attached to previous POCD’s but is now a free standing document.
. . . There are maps that outline the “visual resources” in town such as scenic views and historic buildings. . . . .As the plan is new not all of these initiatives have been implemented but there are committees and societies (such as the Historic District Commission which regulates the town green and a separate Historic Society) have made these goals a priority.

Question: How do the state POCD and the General Statutes affect planning in Tolland and at the local level in general? What are the affects on regional planning? Do you feel that state regulations are overarching and sometimes overshadow town initiatives?
Answer: There are actually few planners at the state level despite how much unanticipated authority the state has. “The state has imposed a ‘one size fits all’ mentality on communities when life is not so black and white.” . . . . State regulations don’t often incorporate regional planning . . . resulting in little to no regional government or planning authority. This is unfortunate as there is little connectivity between towns and regions of Connecticut. . . . There are more options for planners in other states that have the mentality of working together and seeing a larger picture.
Question: What advice can you give to young planners?
Answer: Do research on better ways to do things because today planning is changing constantly. This was not always the case but we have learned from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s how to not mess things up anymore. We know how to make our spaces better. We know where to put higher densities but also know that this doesn’t work in every place. It’s important to look at examples outside of the United State of America. Places in Asia and Europe and others are way ahead of planners in the US. In Germany for example, there were PUD’s in the early 1990s that worked and worked well. Stay connected and educated and look to other planners and other organizations to continue learning. Regional planning groups like CRCOG are great resources as they gather information and send it to planner through various forums.

Smart Growth and Technology

by Pete Burke

Smart Growth is the use of urban policy and design in cities, towns, subdivisions and existing suburbs to promote more sustainable communities. There is no consensus on an exact definition for smart growth, rather most organizations measure smart growth through principles. One of the leading websites on smart growth, which receives funding from organizations like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is Smartgrowth.org. The ten principles of smart growth, as designated by www.smartgrowth.org are:

• Create Range of Housing Opportunities and Choices
• Create Walkable Neighborhoods
• Encourage Community and Stakeholder Collaboration
• Foster Distinctive, Attractive Communities with a Strong Sense of Place
• Make Development Decisions Predictable, Fair and Cost Effective
• Mix Land Uses
• Preserve Open Space, Farmland, Natural Beauty and Critical Environmental Areas
• Provide a Variety of Transportation Choices
• Strengthen and Direct Development Towards Existing Communities
• Take Advantage of Compact Building Design

Technology for a Sustainable Future

While the concept of smart growth has been around since the 1990's, new technology in the 21st Century will be vital to the development of the field. Some of these technologies are the different types of spatial software now available. Two of these softwares being developed are Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and 3-D rendering.

The first of these, the GIS software, is mainly made by ESRI. ESRI's software, like ARCMap, are seen as "planning support systems" and can be used to present alternative build-out scenarios. An example of this is presented on ESRI's website about Bowen Island in British Columbia. The planners in this small rural community used an extension for ARCMap called CommunityViz, which can create multiple scenarios using different zoning parameters. For example, in Bowen Island they created layers representing the current zoning pattern and all environmental constraints on development like wetlands, slopes over 25 degrees, farming soil and forested lands. When the current zoning pattern is activated, viewers can see how much land is devoted to conservation, housing, commercial and industrial. Next, the constraint layers can be activated and automatically the number of housing units and land available for commercial or conservation adjusts. So if all layers of constraints are turned on, obviously there will be more conserved land and less for development. But an added advantage of extensions like CommunityViz on software like ARCMap is the amount of detail a GIS analyst can put into the map. A specific type of animal species can be tied to certain parcels of land, so if a town or city wants to preserve a particular type of species they select that species and the parcels of land that need to be preserved in order to save the species will be highlighted in CommunityViz. Another type of example for CommunityViz can be seen in this video.

The second type of software defining the future capability of smart growth is 3-D rendering software. 3-D software will help planners visually see how smart growth codes impact the built and natural environment. This software is the same software being used in many new video games, and also search engines like Google's SketchUp. 3-D software helps a viewer better understand visually how a new development will look, while GIS software is more technical and is usually just used by the planning staff internally. While 3-D software does not have the technical aspects of how the redevelopment will be in terms of exact size of buildings, or even the exact look of the buildings it does do a good job of helping the viewer understand what the architects and planners are visualizing. A video example is available here, which shows the 3-D rendering of a harbor by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore.

A Subject in the POCD deliberations of Newington, Ct.: CEDAR MOUNTAIN RIDGELINE

TIMELINE FOR CEDAR MOUNTAIN SINCE 2000
by Justin Reich

Cedar Mountain is part of the Metacomet Trail (New Hampshire through Branford, CT). It is one of 7 trap rock ridges in CT. The blue stone is very valuable and is a high priority for conservation. Cedar Mountain has approximately 680 acres of undeveloped land with several owners: State of CT (approximately 50 acres), Balf Quarry (Tilcon Tomasso) (approximately 600 acres) and Marcap Industries (28 acres).

2000 A proposal came before the Town Planning & Zoning Commission to develop as a commercial site. The plan included removing tons of the trap rock from the mountain to prepare for development. The TPZ turned down the application.

2002 The first grant was applied for $500,000.00. At that time the grant was for 59 acres (30 acres of Balf property and 29 acres of Hartford Hospital property). Balf pulled out after the grant was awarded and at that time the dealings fell apart.


2007 DEP approves grant on the 28 acre parcel for $500,000.00. The 28 acre parcel owned by Hartford Hospital was negotiating with the Town of Newington. The Town was working with Humane Society to purchase property. As negotiations were taking place, Marcap Industries swooped in and bought for 1.2 million without an appraisal in April, 2007.One of the principals of Marcap Industries (Stanley Cohen) was on the Board of Directors of Hartford Hospital.

In July two appraisals were done by Marcap Ind. One of the appraisals came in at 2.8 million, the other at 1.8 million. The appraisals stated they were based on the extraordinary assumption that the town would change the zoning from Commercial to residential.

2008 In August, Stanley Cohen writes letter to Town of Newington stating Marcap Industries would sell 7.5 acres of land (extremely steep slopes) for 3 million dollars ($250,000 cash and the balance will be recognized as a charitable contribution to the Town of Newington). Town turns down offer.


2009 In September, Toll Bros. requests zone change from TPZ for 28 acres from commercial development to residential. Sale of land from Marcap Industries to Toll Bros.
contingent on zone change. Toll Brothers withdraws application after public outcry. I’ve received information that Toll Bros. had contacted Tilcon Tomasso (Balf property) to purchase property from them as well. Tilcon property is already zoned residential.


In August, the 10 year Town Plan or Plan of Conservation and Development is in process of being approved by the TPZ. Because of public input, all high density housing references are eliminated and high priority is placed on conservation.

2010 Open Space Committee formed in January to look into all undeveloped properties in Newington with the focus on Cedar Mountain. This committee can only make recommendations to the Town Council but can research grants and land trusts.

Explaining the "History" Element in a POCD

by Evan J. Reich

The Plan of Conservation and Development often has a section dedicated to the history of the city. This section highlights how the city was formed and how it got to be where it is today. The purpose of the history section is to give the rest of the plan context. It helps readers understand why the city is the way it is today and how it got to be there.

Most plans include preserving history as a goal so it is necessary to highlight which positive aspects of a city’s history are worth saving. In Connecticut, POCDs usually use the history section to describe the early settlement as well as the growth of the city over the decades and how this came to be. This is important to several types of readers. People who move to a city use the section to learn the identity of the place they are moving to as will a prospective developer to gauge the character of its people and likelihood of a successful development. Town planners and commissioners also benefit as they often are charged with the duty of preserving the history of the city. It only makes sense that they fully understand what is important historically and what is not.

Master Plan or Comprehensive Plan?

A useful definition from Answers.com summarizes the meaning of "master plan" as . . . "A document that describes, in narrative and with maps, an overall development concept. The master plan is used to coordinate the preparation of more detailed plans or may be a collection of detailed plans. The plan may be prepared by a local government to guide private and public development or by a Developer on a specific project."

Central Connecticut State University's designs for an extension of their campus in the Town of Newington amount to a "Master Plan," currently overseen by Dr. Richard Bachoo, chief administrative officer of the University.

On the other hand, some government bodies use the term "Master Plan" synonymously with "Comprehensive Plan"--called Plans of Conservation and Development in Connecticut. These are more of a blueprint for town or city growth which also play a role in justifying zoning ordinances and illustrate trends in the evolution of a place.

ZONING TUTORIAL

Zoning laws for any town are based--at least loosely-- on the Euclidean scheme of Residential, Industrial, and Commercial divisions. Here are examples from Newington:

Industrial Zones

Newington’s master plan suggests an Industrial Zone is an area of mixed use, industry based business. Buildings in this zone focus more on function than aesthetics and design. Usually these areas consist of large, warehouse-style buildings to house types of uses that would be frowned upon in a city center.

Open Space

The town of Newington, CT has no zone called “open space." However, it has several land uses entitled as such, allowing for recreational activitiy to occur in private land or residential zones. There is limited open space in Newington as it is a highly developed and relatively dense town, especially compared to its suburban neighbors.

Without open space zones, Newington can skirt certain regulations that may require the protection of open space, as technically, they have none, which could lead to environmental protection issues. There are locations of “passive” open space (most of which are in residential zones) and it should be noted that these are disjointed and have small lot sizes.

If the purpose of creating passive open space in Newington is to hinder development, then open space could be located anywhere, not where it is most needed or in the most sensitive areas. There are few, if any open space uses along the 100 year flood planes in Newington, for example, in fact most are zoned or used as industrial or residential.

Melissa Pierce
Renee DuMouchel
John Boren
Dave Marella

Commerical Zones in Newington

Commercial Zone: An area designated for commercial activity (office, retail stores, restaurants, ect.) by a city plan(Plan of Conservation and Development).