Town of Charlton Comprehensive Plan

1
Town of Charlton Comprehensive Plan

• Project Status and Presentation of Vision and
  Goals

2
Summary of Planning Process To Date

• Data Collection and Public Input
• Geographic Information System and Mapping
• Key Town data gathered and examined
• Asset and resource inventory
• Census Data/Demographic trends
• Build Out Analysis
• Public Input
• Planning/Visioning Workshop
• Resident Survey
• Community Image Survey
• Four focus groups
• Development of Vision and Goals

3
Geographic Information System
4
Demographic Trends
Population has decreased .75
Households have increased 9.9
Housing Units have increased 9.3
5
Planning/Visioning Workshop

• 70 people attended
• Small groups worked to identify () and (-) and
  future vision for Town
• Negatives Loss of farmland, traffic speed, lack
  of identity, high taxes, lack of recreational
  facilities, lack of communication with elected
  officials, politics and animosity, lack of
  facilities for seniors, lack of community spirit.
• Positives Rural environment, open space, scenic
  beauty, quality of life, town park, seeing
  working farms, safety, good emergency services,
  historic preservation and character, no town tax.

6
Build-Out Analysis
Apply Current Zoning Regulations
Identify Environmental Constraints
Potential New Residences
Identify Developable Area of Town
Identify Existing Residential Uses
Identify Buildable Lots
7
Build-Out Analysis

• Potential New Homes 3,662(5,105 including
  current households)
• Potential Additional Population 10,034(13,988
  including current population)
• Potential Additional School Age Population
  2,190
• Assuming a class size of 20 students 101 New
  Teachers

8
Resident Survey

• Important/Very Important quality of life issues
• Crime rate, environmental quality, property
  taxes, sense of community, roads and highways,
  support for senior citizens.
• Most want to see town population remain about
  where it is today.
• Most showed some level of concern over water
  quality, quantity and cost.
• Town Services Most feel satisfied or very
  satisfied some not satisfied with Board of
  Assessors, Town Board, Planning Board, and Senior
  Services (less than 25).

9
Resident Survey

• Most were satisfied or very satisfied with access
  to Charlton Town Government.
• Most were satisfied with roadway and traffic
  safety aspects of town.
• Most felt it important or very important to
  review impact of development on the environment
  (especially aquifers and recharge areas,
  population density, and air quality.)
• Mixed feelings about spending more tax dollars to
  protect farms, open spaces, scenic landscapes,
  etc. (More favorable to do if spending grant
  money).

10
Resident Survey

• 63 not interested in commercial development.
• Most strongly opposed apartments, mobile home
  parks, subsidized housing and some (36 to 40)
  had some interest in in-law apartments, senior
  housing, and single family residences on large
  lots where environmental limitations exist.
• 40 had strong interest in large lot residential
  development.
• Most opposed big box stores, junkyard, adult
  entertainment, and over 50 showed some or strong
  interest in Bed/Breakfast Inns, family owned
  restaurants, farmers market, home based
  businesses, bakery, and wind farms.

11
Community Image Survey

• 56 people attended
• Results allow us to evaluate peoples preference
  for commercial buildings, streets, residential
  developments, signs, and general landscapes.
• Positive images narrow tree-lined streets, long
  views showing active farms and woodlands, images
  of Charlton hamlet, commercial buildings that
  look residential, ample landscaping, traditional
  buildings, peaked roofs.
• Negative images strip style shopping malls,
  flat-roofed buildings, highly visible parking
  lots, trademarked buildings, no landscaping,
  multi-family dwellings, uniform looking
  subdivisions.

12
Focus Groups

• Four Focus Groups
• Senior Citizens
• Teens
• Businesses
• Farmers
• Resulted in further insight into issues, needs,
  concerns, and solutions to problems affecting
  these specific groups.

13
Vision for Charlton

• Major Themes That Are Part of Vision
• Management of Growth
• Community Character
• Environmental Quality
• Sense of Community
• Infrastructure Capacity and Public Services
• Agriculture
• Recreation
• Housing
• The draft Vision Statement describes the
  expectations, offers a direction for future
  expectations, and provides a benchmark used to
  measure success.

14
Goals to Accomplish Vision

• 15 goals have been drafted to cover the range of
  major themes identified.
• Each is a broad statement that reflect ideal
  future conditions desired by the Town.
• Offer more direction consistent with vision.
• Will be further refined with specific objectives
  and strategies.

15
What Do You Think About the Vision and Goals?

• Please review the draft vision statement and
  goals.
• Work individually and fill out Vision/Goal
  worksheet. Offer comments, changes or additions.
• Identify which goals are a priority to you.
• Use the worksheets at your table.

16
How Do We Realize the Goals?

• Work with those at your table to brainstorm ideas
  on what we can do to realize each goal.
• Brainstorming - how to do it
• Ideas could include
• Programs
• Policies
• Regulatory methods
• Non-regulatory methods
• Incentives
• Education
• Funding

17
What is Next in the Planning Process?

• Finalize draft vision and goals.
• Start discussions on strategies and steps to
  realize each goal.
• Keep community informed on progress and obtain
  input.
• When fully drafted, hold a public hearing on plan
  prior to submitting to Town Board for their
  consideration.

18
Thank you for taking the time to participate!