ABOUT TOWN SAYS THE SECRET OF A GOOD PLAN IS THAT IT GETS IMPLEMENTED - 2021 IDEA FOR NEW SUBDIVISION STANDARDS?




CAN CT RECOVER?  Would you believe the critical point in the stone dust section is RIGHT FIELD OF NORTH HOUSE FIELD
Parks & Recreation discusses the draft plan for "Community Connectivity" -  https://richtercegan.egnyte.com/dl/77JHnIwVn0/


Planning & Zoning now meeting virtually.  And at its June 15, 2020 meeting, new Town Plan of C&D approved, effective July 1, 2020.



WILL THE TOWN PLAN NEED A RE-THINKING AFTER COVID-19 PANDEMIC IS OVER?  No, but how to implement it is an open  item!

     

-----------------------------

PROCESS BELOW FROM C
.G.S.
How close is About Town's vision to that of the P & Z Commission?  Latest column on Town Plan here.


PLANNING & ZONING ADOPTED DRAFT PLAN IN SPECIAL MEETING THURSDAY JANUARY 2, 2020.

Please read this section of Connecticut General Statutes for the specific parts of statute - the answer to "What's next?".

To quote statute broader purpose and why C.G.S. gets involved in Town Plans:  "Section 8-23 of the Connecticut General Statutes requires municipal planning commissions to prepare and adopt a plan of conservation and development once every 10 years." 

The State of Connecticut wants to be sure that every town is following some basic principles, setting goals, objectives and policies.  Such as describing current conditions to reflect "values" expressed by Westonites today,  and through all of this, be "TRANSPARENT."

The Weston P&Z and the Town of Weston together have clearly met the "transparency" goal.  IMO.  It is very clear that this Town Plan WILL BE IMPLEMENTED in a whole lot less than 10 years.  Why?  Because the process has been more like a "Community Development Action Plan" than one strictly devoted to land use. 

For example, for GOAL #5.  PLEASE NOTE THAT SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARINGS REQUIRED FOR ZONE CHANGES:





" C E N T R A L I T Y "    I S    G O A L    N U M B E R    O N E . 
At least, that's how I phrase it - the actual Town Plan 2020 - 2030 by consultants M&M, Inc. refers to it as THE MASTER PLAN FOR TOWN CENTER. 

IN THE DISTANCE ABOVE...

"Weston Center" came first - before zoning - @70 years ago.  Preceding any zoning ordinances, as such, Weston Center is a pre-existing, non-conforming use that is protected in law and has rights to continue indefinitely. 


AN INITIAL REVIEW:

For starters, P&Z decided that the original 1969 Town Plan's concept of a town center with municipal, commercial and education function clustered together fit perfectly with the Weston of 2020!

Over the next ten (10) years expansion of "center" definition in zoning regs:. 
The Plan for the Central Part of Town developed originally by a different consultant is repeated with variations in this new Plan.  Centralization has always been the name of the game since the 1987 Plan update. 

This town administration and P&Z have finally agreed that the Town of Weston indeed exempted itself from zoning on its own land.

      

Thus, the new Plan says nothing about future plans for schools or School Road.  Considering that the State of Connecticut plays a strong role here, it should take a decade for any changes.


     

Using Sidewalks (funded in large part by the State of Connecticut) - there having been none except for parts of School Road previously - the Town is chipping in mightily toward implementing the Center Plan.  P&Z's n
ew Plan is in lock-step with the Town of Weston in developing pedestrian connections in the Central Part of Town.



WHERE IS THE CENTER?

And finally, Weston Library becomes, perhaps, the new "community center" along with renovation (s) to Town Hall that brings all offices together (this proposal only a dream at this point...) - come to SPEAK UP 2020 on February 8, 2020 and ask about all of this!!!  Everyone who is involved with implementation of the new Plan should be there!
  Where is the NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN we suggested in our own vision for Weston? 

SCALE OF ANY WESTON TOWN PLAN:
At the bottom of all this is the need to recognize that the scale of Weston development - small - and the manner in which change takes place - incrementally - is limited by lack of infrastructure and relate water cycle issues.   What can the community afford? 

GOAL #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 and #6 - what they mean to me:

  1. TOWN CENTER PLAN. 
  2. Respecting the natural environment.  Protect groundwater supply for private wells and individual septic systems on each residential lot.
  3. 21ST CENTURY VERSION OF OUR PEDESTRIAN/BIKE FRIENDLY ORIGINAL IDEA - "CLUB WESTON."
  4. Sustainability and resiliency.    
  5. Alternative housing in the TOWN CENTER.
  6. Future think - you name it - good ideas including combining efforts with the Board of Ed - this is where the additional wing added to Town Hall might come in...

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN - HOW?  WHO DOES WHAT?   HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?



JUDGING A BOOK BY ITS COVER OVER TIME, BELOW: 2020 draft  (r.) approved by P&Z, sent to Board of Selectmen, read it here



2020 PLAN OF C&D PUBLIC HEARING APRIL 4th.  READ IT HERE
And for some instant implementation - thank you Governor for this!!!
Weston population growth static - historical data here.

The 1969 Plan was out of print before 1983...it had called for a 5 acre Shopping Center Zone, proposed purchase of open land by the Town (which instead got implemented by private developers who purchased it and constructed subdivisions).  This first Plan envisioned schools, shopping and municipal government - centrality - as the desired path of future development.

 After the Plan was adopted, it was followed in 1970 by a rewrite of the zoning regulations.  This exercise provided for Special Permit zoning for various uses including home offices, an in-house apartment regulation update (Weston had allowed in-house apartments since the mid-'60's).


ON JUDGING A BOOK BY ITS COVER...THE NEW PLAN

What does that mean?  In this case it says to me that indeed, Weston has changed.  Or has it?







WESTON'S PLACE IN THE REGION TODAY

It is perhaps coincidence, but the Council of Governments ("WestCOG") formerly SWRPA and HVCEO making a total of 18 towns, is doing its first Plan for the combined region at the very same time!

T
he Western Connecticut Council of Governments just closed public comment on its new Regional PlanBelow highlights we note on Weston...



PROTECTION OF PURITY OF WATER INTO LONG ISLAND SOUND
Who's the greenest of them all?  For "tree canopy coverage 50' from watercourse" the winner is...Weston!

IMPERVIOUS SURFACES - WE'RE ONE OF SIX TOWNS WITH NO LAND IN THE "ABOVE 25% COVERAGE" CLASS.
How about who's the most rural of them all?  As we used to define it, it would be % below 12 percent impervious cover.  But that was a few years ago...




About  Town
— December 5, 2019
by MARGARET WIRTENBERG

Are property values shrinking?  It seems to me that this is a possibility that should be considered during development of a new Town Plan that attempts to maintain Weston as the Weston we know today.

People are attracted to Weston by its education system, as much and perhaps more than by any other factor.  And maintaining the quality of that system is paramount in many ways.  Not only to provide Weston’s children with the best possible education, but also to continue to make the Town attractive to newcomers, thereby helping to support property values and keep everyone’s taxes in check.

A modest proposal:  Consider the value of land in Weston as being more significant than the value of the building(s) upon it.

But not all two-acre lots are the same, and depending on the neighborhood some may be worth more than others.

How many “neighborhoods” are there in Weston?  I would consider that there are four major ones.  Each has it special virtues.

The first is the “center of town.”

This area includes the existing shopping center district, the Town Hall-Library-Firehouse complex, and the schools campus.  As well as two churches.

The residences in this area are numerous and beautiful, as they are in just about every neighborhood in Weston.  With the exception of 28 homes near the former landfill, and a few on the Westport border, all are supported with private wells.  All have individual septic systems.

Much of the “center of town” is bounded by sidewalks and walking paths that are envisioned by the Town’s Sidewalk Committee, which is hard at work right now.

Neighborhood number two is what I refer to as “the ring,” as it basically surrounds the town center area.

Subdivisions funneling into major streets which in turn end up in the center of Weston form this part of town.  If this were New York City, perish the thought, this area might be thought of as the “West Side.”  Vibrant and energetic.  And the locale of intersections that are probably more prone to traffic accidents than elsewhere in Town, despite special focus they receive from local and State authorities in that regard.

Tranquil and relatively isolated is the third neighborhood, the Saugatuck River Valley area, occupying much of the East side of Town.

It is a village in itself.  It has a church, a firehouse, and a definite sense of “country” as opposed to “city.”  And easy access to Westport and Greens Farms.

Many subdivisions of formerly large estates are found here.  They mark its sub-neighborhoods.  Each of these is defined by its own Aspetuck Land Trust trails and parks.

And last but not least is neighborhood number four, what I refer to as the northern part of town.
 
It often seems that the temperature drops as you pass Godfrey Road heading north, that being the southern boundary of this area.

This part of town features the approximately 1600 acres of the Lucius Pond Ordway/Devil’s Den Nature Preserve that are in Weston.  The percentage of land with impervious surface is much lower here than anywhere else in town.  It is usually a bit colder here.

Take your pick.  Weston has neighborhoods.  It is not a uniform one-size fits all kind of place.  Of course, you have to live here to appreciate this in the first place!

---------




UPDATE:  IDEAS FOR IMPLEMENTING VIA ZONING


"Simplification" of zoning statutes coming in 2020?
  Weston is in the cross-hairs (see map immediately above).

We note that the map above left was presented at the Legislature's P&D Committee 2018 Public Hearing .
 
Zoning laws are intended to protect property value.  Be aware 2020 may well be the year that the hammer drops on zoning statutes as we have known them.  Or maybe next year? 

After 2019 November elections - towns v. cities?  Versus regional governance?

This does not mean anything by itself, as the previous Commissioner stated.  As she said then, towns, especially in red above, (as we heard it live on CT-N) should do the following:



So what Weston has to do in the new Town Plan is revise its existing regulation in the following way:

NEW
Greenwich new Town Plan, approved by P&Z but yet requiring approval by RTM, includes requirement for 2-year review of progress:  https://www.ctinsider.com/local/greenwichtime/article/Final-details-falling-into-place-for-14832750.php





BELOW ABOUT TOWN'S TOWN PLAN 2020 IDEAS BEFORE ANYONE ELSE GOT STARTED (i.e. P&Z, Selectmen).


Everything on this page is unofficial and the work of its ABOUT TOWN author.  Graphics, photos, original art work. and design 
#1-#4  graphics above our take on the subject;  #5 is example of aerial from SWRPA flight in 2015 from LWV of Weston. #6 from WestCOG 2019.
  
        
 Saugatuck River Valley - country living.  Resident of the NORTH.  The  RING - flowing to the CENTER OF TOWN.


DID WE MENTION THE BENEFIT TO THE PLAN OF G.I.S.?

    





TABLE OF CONTENTSSkip all of the explanations in the hot links below and go direct to our Plan! 
    
                   
How is the actual process progressing?
First we note our interest in MALLS or how to nurture centrality.
And let us not forget MS4 impact - which is all about control over STORM WATER in an environmentally friendly way


If you are using hand-held device, just scan to "chapter" - see below what we mean!




T A B L E    O F    C O N T E N T S

CHAPTER ONE:   ESTABLISH GOALS & OBJECTIVES
FIRST STEP: Establish goals after review of 2010 Plan
After goals you aim for objectives - and if your Plan become a community development action plan, you specify policies and programs for each objective.
Do we need a new LEGEND - here's one - a bit different?  I mean, if you don't have public water supply lines and sewers, you are limited in what you can achieve in a 10-year Plan such as this.
Begin work by developing a process


CHAPTER TWO:  THEN GATHER FACTS
DON'T FORGET LAND USE AND ITS IMPACTS ON ENVIRONMENT
(See Existing Land Use):

"Fact gathering made simple" - review "legend" for the land use map...

CHAPTER THREE:   THE HEART OF WESTON ("THE CENTRAL PART OF TOWN") MUST KEEP BEATING
THE TOWN OF WESTON HAS A CENTER THANKS TO ITS ORIGINAL PLAN;
Where terrific ideas (or not) floated, returned to earth...we are getting the feeling that circulation planning (including pedestrians in the center of town) will play a really big part in this new Plan.


CHAPTER FOUR:   NEIGHBORHOODS
Are there neighborhoods in Weston?  Where and how many? 
Implementation of neighborhood action plans

CHAPTER FIVE
:  THE DETAILS.
 SHOW  REMAINING LARGE PARCELS - HAVE WE REACHED "MANIFEST DESTINY" YET?
MAPS AND CHARTS WE CAN SHARE ON THE INTERNET - ORIGINAL GRAPHICS not necessary if NEW Town Website continues the GIS mapping via Assessor's link;  
#1 - CENTRAL PART OF TOWN.  THE HUB - no one can agree exactly where to draw its boundaries.  DETAIL, CENTRAL PART OF TOWN.  What's there?  A unified Schools Campus, the tertiary treatment plant servicing the schools, Town Hall/Library/Fire House #1, two churches, town swimming pond and oh yes, Weston Center.

#2 - SUBDIVIDED LANDS:  NORTHERN PART OF TOWN.  It is distinctly cooler north of Godfrey.



#3 - THE EAST SIDE OF WESTON
SAUGATUCK RIVER VALLEY
Seven (7) sub-areas or "neighborhoods" maps.   Design "walkability" patterns within sub-areas.


#4 - THE RING


COMING:  This will required work with traffic data to be obtained from Police Commission.
CONCEPTUALIZATION:  Weston has neighborhoods - they're not all alike, even though the artificial standard of uniform 2-acre zoning might make one think that...

CHAPTER SIX:
  What is our process? 

CHAPTER SEVEN:
  IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN

Timing is everything.  What is the first step to take in Implementation?  Be true to your process, always.  And respect the people of Weston.
SOURCES

Color coding:  Everything is white now representing our final product.  If some things remain in either yellow or red, it is for emphasis.








NOW G.I.S. MAPPINGThank you, WestCOG



All information on About Weston and this  webpage unofficial:  Color coded by About Town and changes are made as ideas develop into actual recommendations







CHAPTER ONE...

The engine of Weston democracy is volunteerism.

And why in extreme times we need our neighbors.  Among them the all volunteer Weston Fire Department and Weston E.M.S.







COMPARISON OF 2010 OFFICIAL PLAN AND ABOUT TOWN'S:

2010 OFFICIAL TOWN PLAN  Our previous thinking on a version of a TOWN PLAN 2010 HERE.




Announcement at LWV of Weston "Speak Up 2018" by P&Z Chair.

About Town presents our own version of the 2020PLAN for posting online - and one special feature will be to fulfill the D-O dream of linking open space...stay tuned!

ASSUMPTIONS: 

*DEFINITION OF "LARGE PROPERTIES (more than @25 acres in same ownership)" VACANT (not already subdivided).  Developers often own adjoining properties but in other names. 
**We note that there are two ways to approach "VACANT" land definition - from a planner's perspective, where land has not been subdivided, or from an Assessor's perspective, where "vacant" just means that subdivided lots do not have buildings or a use on them.  Since planners do not monitor property sales, and the Assessor does, you would be best served to use "snapshots" from the Assessor for some purposes and for a broader view, planner's data to know what might be re-subdivided or subject to zoning change requests.




Review of new concept from 2010 Plan of C&D.  It, the Plan, appears online here:  http://www.westonct.gov/media/file/TownPlanFinal%2808-20-10%29ssnewpagenumbersize.pdf

QUESTIONS:



A new Town Attorney (above) checking out inconsistencies with other parts of Town Code - can he look into adding subdivision reg language into zoning regs?




GOALS BY ANY OTHER NAME.  AND WHAT THIS PLAN MUST DO.

WHERE ARE THE GOALS?  WHERE IN THE 2010 PLAN ARE THEY?  Pardon my raised eyebrow, but did I miss something?  Perhaps I did, as the process used in developing "goals" was a "sample survey" of the community.
 
DO A FULL SURVEY THIS TIME
.   Please - no FOCUS GROUP propaganda.

Review of goals were described in the FORUM article (they assigned a reporter to P&Z then).  This article noted that Weston life revolved around the schools.  Another suggestion of a focus was related to centrality including necessary infrastructure.  Active recreation was also cited as a goal. 

But for the life of me, I can't find this expressed in the Plan itself!  What were the Goals?  Shouldn't they be prominently stated up front?  This is the closest thing I could find:  
    "...Weston is a unique community with extraordinary resources, but it also faces significant challenges. While the Plan is not a legally binding document, it is the Committee’s (Commission's?) hope that the Plan inspires ideas, provokes discussions and helps guide Weston’s development and conservation efforts in a manner that preserves and protects the things that make Weston a unique and remarkable place to live. It is also our hope that the Plan will assist Weston to meet its challenges, creatively and decisively."   From Appendix #1, pp35-36, summary of survey results.  (NOTE:  These words appear as well on page one.)
The 2010 Town Plan asks, as well, on page one:
"How can Weston better protect its water supply, natural resources and rural character?

"How can economic development help Weston control property taxes? 

"How can Weston better utilize its  facilities to the benefit of all Weston residents?"


CENSUS OF WESTON 2018

Apparently, P&Z considered, much as is being proposed now, that only a sample of the people of Weston be asked some questions (pp35-36 of the Appendix #1) to give them their ideas on goals.   We propose here in December 2017 doing a CENSUS OF WESTON households - every last one of us!!! 

Doing a sample is by definition not unbiased - and Weston is small enough to be able to reach everyone with ease. 

We note as well from our experience some years ago that "focus groups" are by definition not without definite purpose in ultimately persuading (usually in a commercial or political setting). 

From the Citizen Survey, an idea that seemed to be universally popular is creating a "walkable Weston" in the center of Town.

  

Please go to our reports on Survey Committee to follow the "Citizen Survey ongoing.
Although the Committee does not know exactly who you are by name, I wouldn't be surprised if there was not a way to tell what computer the replies came from.  Providing some "control."  QUESTION:  Will we know for example, how many were "incomplete" submissions?  YES, but those were included initially to boost the return count rate.  Since then, the number of full responses seems to be 2200 plus.  No more than 2 from same IP address counted we thought we heard...





CHAPTER TWO - Fact gathering - in 2018 WE HAVE A MAP OF TOWN WITH LOT LINES AND BUILDING LOCATION THANKS TO G.I.S. FROM WestCOG

HOT TIP:  TAX ASSESSOR HAS THE BEST RECORDS FOR INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES
Primary *and secondary**source material;  updated map of town (legend) with roads and property lines. 

Our Town Plan 2020 research page




Can you locate these?    Hint:  "Clubs" are in a speckled yellow-brown, Town in blue on this map (l). 
NEW
https://westcog.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=52e7d0895ce94129854cabc1dc63ee22# Unofficial Existing Land Use Map 2018 above - Town Parks in this shade of green
We note that "developed" or subdivided property may have changed hands - as the Plan process goes on, property does change ownership.
And we will be attempting to confirm the accuracy of 2018 map update above.  NOTE:  in the 1987 Plan update, a traffic study supplied a map of Town including all lot lines of subdivided property.
We will now use the new GIS maps linked to WestCOG online. 

Protecting privacy is a concept that goes with living in the woods.
We will design conceptual neighborhood maps in graphic format and not apply GIS to them.





MAPS ARE ESSENTIAL OR DID WE SAY THAT ALREADY?


21ST CENTURY   
In Weston "DOWNTOWN" - Weston High School now doubled in size, parks, fields, Morehouse Farm Park...plus new Intermediate School ("3-4-5"), other matters.

  1. After obtaining a base map with roads and lot lines on it., from a consultant, perhaps, bring on the Prismacolor pencils - and the yellow tracing paper (21st century incarnation)!!!  
  2. Since we brought up "21st Century" enabling of land use... planners:  If you had to, could you interpolate the most recent aerial photos of town figuring out which were vacant? 
  3. And then see if Google has street views of the busy part (s) of town? That would be a "NO" on Google street view.   The absence of which isn't exactly critical to our efforts.  
  4. We expect to enlarge upon the "residential" definition if the information is available and reliable regarding location of legal apartments, home-offices with and without Special Permit designation.
  5. Speaking of Google as information/communication source:  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/13/technology/google-education-chromebooks-schools.html

 
        
BREAKING NEWS:  WestCOG info...now available online.
The Tax Assessor GIS maps will be available for this online Plan purpose (we asked on Oct. 29, 2018 if we could use them for this "2020Plan") but only thru West COG.

Above, four types of maps used in support of the About Town effort above.  SOURCE:  Tax Assessor and then U.S. Census, previous P&Z application and our own sketch plan (c. 2005).



N E I G H B O R H O O D S :   This is a new concept in 2020 - Weston used to consider itself, for planning purposes, homogeneous.  With the advent of a new COMPREHENSIVE PLAN APPROACH in 2018, it is appropriate to reconsider this assumption.  However, it begs the question because Weston is one neighborhood when it comes to its schools.   

2020PLAN RECOMMENDATION HYPOTHESIS:  WITH THE INCREASE IN WEATHER EVENTS, WE NEED OUR NEIGHBORS MORE THAN EVER.  Yes or no?
The reason we propose "neighborhoods" for planning purposes is that each one picture above has its own personality and specific problems.  Which are described below (maps in progress).  In addition, the Central Part of Town is the HUB, the ANVIL or whatever a catchy title you would like to describe "DOWNTOWN" as being.



      
  

SPEAKING OF MAPS...WESTON CENTER EXISTING BEFORE ZONING, BEFORE MAPS!
WE OFFER "M
AP ONE" ABOVE LEFT (Source:  Assessor's Map).  A good community activity for P&Z would invite Westonites to the high school cafeteria to "fill in the blanks"

  1. Is there one at a "planning scale" of all roads in town with lot lines we can use and manipulate? 
  2. Do we want sidewalks in the Central Part of Town?  From O.L.R in 2015 - review of sidewalks/maintenance/liability by town:   https://www.cga.ct.gov/2015/rpt/pdf/2015-R-0213.pdf
  3. YES.  How to classify roads in 2020 as compared to 2010?  Any other infrastructure?  Condition of Town Roads ratings?
  4. Are "neighborhoods" the same as when we last mapped Weston at the turn of the century?  How do these hold up against census data/block group boarders?
  5. The central part of town ("ANVIL") hasn't changed in its importance to the rest of Weston!  In fact, the $79 million school-town construction project began after a Special Town Meeting in 2001. 
  6. From Silver/Petrocelli & Milone&MacBroom DRAFT report in full, Facilities Plan updated for schools.






FROM OUR TOWN plan exercise in 1999, updated BY ABOUT TOWN for development since...

WHY IS IT COOLER NORTH OF GODFREY ROAD? Ans.:  Percentage of impervious surface very very low, sun's rays absorbed and not reflected back up, JMO.   (Source:  Assessor's Map).  We would have to invite 4-legged Westonites to this Sketch Plan event.  Have you ever been to Devil's Den?

  1.  Why is everything (almost) white in Map Two?  
  2.  Because north of Godfrey Road is The Nature Conservancy's Devil's Den. 
  3.  And Aquarion's Saugatuck Reservoir.  Among other "undeveloped" lands.
  4.  Aspetuck Land Trust had significant open space parcels here.  As does the Town of Weston itself.   
  5.  What role does Eversource play? 
  6.  INFRASTRUCTURE:  In Weston, with no sewer lines or public water supply lines (with minor exception at two spots abutting Westport), this means:








DONE:  Maps of the seven (7) sub-areas on the East Side of Town including including Katherine Ordway Preserve...we have just received permission to use GIS maps here BUT NOT FOR REPRODUCTION.
We will use them only for checking on the accuracy of our recommendations...



Source:  Tax Assessor's Maps
THE SAUGATUCK RIVER VALLEY WAS UNIQUE A LONG TIME AGO.  It has its own church, firehouse, golf cOURSE and pre-zoning enclave
And it still is - even more so!  Why?  There might as well be a draw bridge or two or three across the main branch of the Saugatuck River just to get there.  For our Plan purposes, there are six (6) sub-neighborhoods in the Saugatuck River Valley.  Each of which will be shown in its own map soon...we note that the Lyons Plains Valley sits below the Samuel Senior Dam, holding back the waters of Aquarion's deep storage reservoir.  And the story of the construction of that reservoir appears here (although we believe that the Saugatuck Reservoir is part of the BRIDGEPORT service area as opposed to Norwalk):  http://www.westonhistoricalsociety.org/saugatuck-reservoir/
Tall Pines neighborhood

Pheasant Hill neighborhood





VALLEY FORGE MAP
Although this was not closed to traffic, it is the link to "ring" sub-neighborhoods including the upper part of Valley Forge Road that was closed to traffic by Parks & Rec for a "pop-up" bike-walk event.

Country Club

 Stonybrook

 Lyons Plains Valley - "both sides now"
Lower Lyons Plains 




 MAP FOUR (note that there are three [3] sub-areas - or a "'three ring circus").  This is a conceptual map because the main review here will be related to traffic counts and intersection studies...to come.


The RING about the Central Part of Town follows topography.  TRAFFIC funnels to schools, Center & town hall/library.  And we note that part of Wilton filters up hill to Weston Center for shopping and Lunch Box!!!

LOCAL TRAFFIC AUTHORITIES ARE IN CHARGE OF TRAFFIC CONTROLS ON LOCAL STREETS
Sometimes the traffic pattern stalls when school bus traffic, or more likely, drop-off by parents, gets intense twice a day, especially in the mornings with commuting volume of thru traffic. 

The major roads in the RING will show in the final version of this "neighborhood" map, and are:

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY
At the forefront of controlling what goes on in the RING, we think, is the Police Commission, whose job is to protect and preserve lives and property.



--------------


METHODOLOGY:  Our study from some years ago identified "neighborhoods."  Current maps from the Tax Assessor have better and more useful land/building information that can be included in definition of neighborhoods.







CHAPTER THREE - SCENARIOS



As we note below, now is the time for planning...quotation marks indicate such.

 

"HIGH LOW AND MEDIUM GROWTH - WHO KNOWS?"
"What is our Plan response to external forces/threats?"  At the time we wrote this, it was just a  good planning concept...
 

NEW - Right now, in late April 2020, they are finished for the Short Session thanks to COVID-19.  And  what is the C.G.A. up to

Check out 2020 population estimate below, U.S. Census data.  How will this change?  CENSUS 2020.

NEW
FACILITIES OPTIMIZATION COMMITTEE addressing this.

Board of Education projections here.

Previously NEW:  Board of Education enrollment report:  https://www.westonps.org/uploaded/documents/Central_Office/19_20Budget/MiloneMacbroomforOnline.pdf

Density is destiny?




NOT NEW IDEAS - but now perhaps worth a second look?

     
CAMPUS OF THE FUTURE?  UTILIZE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, REUSE FACILITIES, IN AN ENERGY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT?
"Feasibility Study" for Board of Ed long range:   http://www.westonps.org/uploaded/documents/Central_Office/Facilities/Weston_Schools_Facilities_Feasibility_Study_Draft_11.2.17.pdf








THREATS OR THE UNKNOWN OR GETTING THE RIGHT WORD OUT ON THE RIGHT PLATFORM (S)

       
ANSWER:   None of the above.  Inaccurate, according to C.E.R.C., decrease based upon CT assumptions as a whole.  Although massive increases unlikely (JMO).



Speaking of "threats"
What are the points of inflection on the way to our goals?  Goals, which as you may have noticed, are my own in this "version" of the Town Plan update. 






CHAPTER FOUR - Implementation exercises: 



THESE ARE THE STEPS TO TAKE IN DRAWING A PLAN - FIRST THE ALGORITHM,,,







CHAPTER FIVE - I D E A S   &   F A C T S   &   N E I G H B O R H O O D S


THE FIRST
Street closings (temporary) for social interaction in neighborhoods the next big thing?  More sidewalks?  I like the "Explore Weston" title used in 2018.

 
ORIGINAL MAPS:  Compare 1999 Weston to 2018We have been at this since the State of Connecticut mandates Plan updates every ten years.



We've developed a new legend for land use mapping in Weston with home occupation/business classification under the residential category. 

  1. So what is different from the unofficial picture on the left just above?  In 2017, only 2 of the large open properties are still vacant
  2. Check out northern part of town for remaining large empty parcels one of which above has been recently purchase by ALT. 
  3. Let's not forget what is underwater!  An entire community disappeared as a result of Saugatuck Reservoir/Samuel Senior Dam construction completed @1938.
  4. AND SPEAKING OF WATER:  What did Weston do for an encore after Dominski-Oadrock 1976 study?
  5. Or how about LACHAT TOWN FARM - a joint effort by the Town of Weston and The Nature Conservancy.  That's what you call a "public-private partnership."



YOU HAVE TO START ENVISIONING CHANGE BY DEVELOPING BROAD CONCEPTS



Scenarios - GOALS/ & OBJECTIVES related to growth.

Imagination at work, tempered by reason:  3 concepts require local changes/modification in zoning/circulation planning - not fully spelled out here.  

High Growth (more than 50% increase in population): 
  1. Can only take place by provision of public water supply and sewer lines.
  2. Tertiary treatment /private wells not adequate.
  3. Population growth supports second shopping center on East Side of town.
Medium (maintain present density): 
    1. Maintain "centrality" concept
    2. Maintain tertiary treatment in the central part of town, private wells everywhere else.
    3. Heavy emphasis on circulation planning including walkability and connecting open space, public safety
Low-build (small reduction in population as per C.E.R.C. projection):
  1. Schools regionalized (State of Connecticut mandate)
  2. Tertiary treatment abandoned, replaced by common septic for schools;
  3. All residences served by private wells, septic systems
SCHOOL ENROLLMENT:
Down, down, down in suburbs???  Check out Peter Prowda's numbers for Greenwich:
https://www.ctinsider.com/local/greenwichtime/article/Greenwich-Public-School-enrollment-dips-for-first-14836356.php?src=gthpcp&_ga=2.151957241.1102781080.1573941795-817986080.1555703357


IMPLEMENTATION 

And not to imply this is the last consideration, but where does public input fit in?  There should be a separate plan developed for public input.  One first step...



Everyone in town should be involved in implementation (i.e. recent Board of Selectman "objective" for house-numbering I.D. for best Fire Department/EMS response).  And if you have trouble keeping track of Boards and Commissions, here is the LWV of Weston's "Know Your Town Directory" online:  http://www.westonct.gov/media/file/KnowYourTownDirectory-2018rev.pdf







CHAPTER SIX
W H A T    I S    O U R    P R O C E S S  ?



"SEEK AND YOU WILL FIND DEPARTMENT" and if you can't find what you are looking for, just ask About Weston here

Why we named this website "ABOUT WESTON."   It contains all the work we've done over the years...as simplified for the web.  We are committed to academically pure forms of research, FWIW.

To begin with, we wanted to call it "About Town" the same as our weekly column in the Weston-Today.  But it should be no surprise to anyone that that original idea was not original.  "About Town" URL was taken back in 1998 when we began this online activity. 

Who is watching you online?  We know that lately we seem to be a source for activity on "Town Plan 2008-2018" (our observations of P&Z and related matters).

Previousy we had noted visits to our Strategic Planning page as well as the Selectmen 2017-2019 page. 

"MALL," which is new as well, attempts to discuss major issues confronting our town and external forces involved.   And another research page:  https://www.aboutweston.com/MILLENNIALS.html

Do we fit the description of a "New Town" or some other urban design approach to making Weston a home for "centrality?"  And now this page, "2020," continuing to develop data and reports about our original ideas for the new Town Plan.






CHAPTER SEVEN

LINK TO TOWN OF WESTON CITIZEN SURVEY:  http://www.westonct.gov/media/file/2018SurveyReportpresentedtoPZCon1-7-18.pdf





Were our questions answered in Town-wide survey?  Did they use our methodology?  No and not exactly.

A I M    F O R    1 0 0 %   A L W A Y S

"WHAT IF...THEN?" OR THINKING LIKE A COMPUTER ALGORITHM
Before you get started with the 2020 Plan, however, there are a few questions you might be interested in considering:

If we are talking Town Plan of Conservation & Development and a consultant, please check this report.  We would advise P&Z or the Board of Selectmen/Board of Education to send out a simple survey to every household in town on different colored paper/if online different font, asking them questions such as:  "In order to help our Planning & Zoning Commission in the preparation of the 2020 Plan of Conservation and Development, please answer the following questions"...
Are there children in your household, (Y-N)

How long have you lived in Weston (total years), (0-5, under 10, under 20, more than 20)?

Are your property taxes too high? (Y-N)

What you like best about Weston, in order (peace and quiet, schools, location, civility, other).


Are you registered with the Town of Weston for special services in emergencies?  We will have to check to see if this is the correct link to use.  "Signing up" for CODE RED after major series of storms something the Board of Selectmen noted - if we recall correctly, now about half the households have done so.


If history is any assurance, there will be an overwhelming response.   And 2020 implies that this planning tool might provide...vision?

ABOUT TOWN Town planning experience doing research goes back to the days before computers.  Primary data is where you find it. 
Working with primary data from official records of licensed junkyards, we developed techniques to analyze it.  Our topic was the secondary materials industry in NYC and impact on neighborhoods (a small section of the NYC Plan of C&D). 

WESTON CENSUS OF CHILDREN
In the Town of Weston, population 10,000+, not only can you reach every household (@3400) but assessor's records in the public domain and other sources can provide answers to corroborate actual responses.  It was About Town's pleasure to work on this project.  Three times the Town sent out such a "Census" before putting the $79 million proposition to the voters - the last undertaken by the IT department at Town Hall.  The first two were directed by the Board of Selectmen and assisted by the P.T.O.'s.

DOWNTOWN PEDESTRIAN MALLS
Having gone through the rigors of developing an original topic of research and completing a PhD dissertation on it, it is clear that how you frame your questions and limit your topic will provide the best data for analysis.  Here is a link to a published article from it:  https://books.google.com/books?id=pggsCvRaXJcC&pg=PA229&lpg=PA229&dq=downtown+pedestrian+malls+wirtenberg&source=bl&ots=IwmMNH3HdV&sig=cis53qsJ7cdey11OQbz0J2uJtpQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=6EWXVbnGLcP2-AGT54GgCQ&ved=0CDEQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=downtown%20pedestrian%20malls%20wirtenberg&f=false


NON-CONFORMITY IN THE C.G.S.


In Weston, CT



SOURCES:  Which are "primary" and which are "secondary?"  We are pretty strict - although some might want to consider U.S. Census "primary" we are more inclined to take it with a grain of salt.  As Mark Twin said...according to a source I find handy to use but don't believe all the time, and from my own statistical research training teachings, statistics don't lie...but misusing them is a favorite sport of those who would care to.


OTHER INFORMATION FOUND ON THE "ABOUT WESTON" WEBSITE (BESIDES JUST TYPING IN A WORD OR TITLE IN THE SEARCH BOX ON THE INDEX PAGE):

A map of town containing lot lines and structures:  http://weston.mapxpress.net/ags_map/

BREAKING NEWS:  WestCOG GIS Data: 
https://westcog.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=52e7d0895ce94129854cabc1dc63ee22#

NEW:  Sources added...
Who has a village district (report in The Day that it passed)?  https://eltownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Zoning-Commission-January-16-2020-Agenda.pdf
C.E.T.A. program in 1970's, we think, may have done for Weston then, what is being done here:  http://www.weston-today.com/articles/190709-road-assessment
O.L.R. report "village" districts v. "historic districts" https://www.cga.ct.gov/2003/rpt/2003-R-0921.htm

RUN OFF definition from the source:  https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/runoff-surface-and-overland-water-runoff?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects

NYTimes story on "starter homes" - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/20/business/economy/starter-homes-investors.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage
CT Bike-Ped report - http://www.ctbikepedboard.org/uploads/7/8/7/9/78791402/ctbpab_2016_ar_final_digital__1_.pdf

O.L.R. report on SIDEWALKS:  https://www.cga.ct.gov/2015/rpt/pdf/2015-R-0213.pdf

Storch Associates/Lionel Rodgers produced the first map of town (1986 Road Study) with lot lines and roads built as parts of subdivisions, on it.  This map was valued highly by Town Engineer until technology and aerial photos of region made it easy to do (thank you SWRPA)!


BEST FOR WESTON USE/OUR ORIGINAL SUSTAINABILITY STUDY 2012
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_of_concentration


E.P.A. (link above) Revised June  2018 NATIONAL STORMWATER CALCULATOR USER'S GUIDE/on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=18&v=ibZTm4_ZQxg
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-06/documents/swc_users_guide_desktop_v1.2.0.1_june_2018.pdf

U.S. Census of Population

http://www.aboutweston.com/censusmap.html

U.S. Census of Housing
http://www.aboutweston.com/cenhouses.html

CT Website
https://portal.ct.gov/

CT General Assembly
https://www.cga.ct.gov/

VILLAGE DISTRICTS CT STATUTES
https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_124.htm#sec_8-2j

Strategic Plan part one
http://www.aboutweston.com/CraftingaStrategicPlanForWeston%27sFuturePhaseI050715.pdf

Global Facilities Committee
http://www.aboutweston.com/GFC.html

State of Connecticut Municipal Fiscal Indicators
http://www.ct.gov/opm/cwp/view.asp?A=2984&Q=383170

UCONN MAP CENTER
http://magic.lib.uconn.edu/

TOWN OF WESTON MAP PORTAL
http://weston.mapxpress.net/portal.asp

LINK TO OTHER TOWN PLANS, UPDATES/PROCESSES

AVOID NEED FOR THIS:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=70&v=UvXjmke8B7Q

SOURCE RELATED TO IMPLEMENTING STORM WATER PLAN AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL LOT USE:   https://bmpstore.com/

Education Facilities Plan 2017 http://www.westonps.org/uploaded/documents/Central_Office/Facilities/Weston_Schools_Facilities_Feasibility_Study_Draft_11.2.17.pdf

2018 Wilton survey



2018 EASTON PLAN OF C&D PROPOSED:



Previously...and elections do have consequences.





The background below.



FULL OF DATA ON WESTON.  EASTON'S NEW PLAN OF C&D
http://www.eastonct.gov/sites/eastonct/files/u236/land_use_-_draft_easton_pocd_for_ph_072518_bl_rfs.pdf



S O M E T H I N G    I N    T H E    A I R. . .L A N D    B A N K I N G ?


CT Senate did not vote on HB6749 before midnight.

Long Session 2019: Majority adopts Venezuela model.  New thinking takes the helm! Only 35 years late...

EDUCATION ONE AREA FOR REGIONALIZATION?

We note that the bill HB5045 passed the House but with an amendment that rendered it pretty harmless.  It was not brought up in the Senate.
HOW THE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN LEANING LATELY...ELSEWHERE ON THE TOWN PLAN OF C&D FRONT

THE GOVERNOR'S BILL: 
HB5045 - a step along the way to removing zoning power (CT STATUTES) from towns.  No more "sticks" with this amendment...extraction on the floor of the House.
(These comments come from About Town...what impact related to outside agencies and their potential influence on the next Town Plan update...should not be ignored or minimized).

-----------------------



DIRECT FROM C.G.A. P&D PUBLIC HEARING MARCH 16, 2018:





UPDATE FOR LONG SESSION IN 2019:
As best we can figure, the version of the bill referred to below that was presented in 2019 had "teeth" in the sense that conditional language was strengthened if note mandated.  The 2019 bill - HB6747 -  was represented as a "simplification" of zoning statutes when presented in Committee and on the floor of the House,  It did not get a vote in the Senate when it was called on the last Session Day 2019.

We note that the map above was presented at P&D 2018 Public Hearing .  NOTE TO OUR P&Z ON PLAN UPDATE:  Weston is in the cross-hairs! 

What to do?  We should hire an environmental lawyer who will draft new zoning regs, rather than a planner, to assist with Plan rewrite.

Please be aware that this is the year that the hammer may very well drop on zoning as we have known it.  Or maybe next year, after the November elections - towns v. cities?

This does not mean anything by itself, because as the Commissioner stated, this bill will only require "checking the box" to get out from under, as the Commissioner of Housing said towns, especially in red, (as we heard it live on CT-N) should:



So what Weston has to do in the new Town Plan is revise its existing regulation in the following way: