1. Public & Town Council Input to Date
In accordance with scope of the study, an initial public input workshop was held on February 25th, 2014. Three different long-term possible future development scenarios were presented. Scenario #1 illustrated the most intensive commercial development. Scenarios #2 and #3 were less intensive meaning less future commercial square footage was proposed.
The sole purpose of drafting the development scenarios was to understand the traffic implications of the uses and density illustrated. Such maps are essential given the inter-dependence of traffic and land use. As a practical matter, they are "tests" designed to make informed decisions. In the event that the Town chooses to change to more commercially-inclusive zoning along this section of Rt. 26, a thorough understanding of the resulting traffic is essential.
Only the Town Council, with input from residents as they deem appropriate, has the authority to change zoning. Even if the Rt. 26 Corridor Study is accepted by the Town Council once it is completed this summer, any adoption of new zoning is a completely separate matter. Changes to zoning require multiple hearings by the Town Council and Planning Board that is, procedurally, a series of several steps that cannot even be practically discussed at least until the corridor study is complete.
In response to the concerns raised on 2/25/14, scenario #4 was developed which attempted to further respect the integrity of the existing residential area just north of the Libby Hill Road intersection. Scenario #5 is intended to address those residents that advocate virtually no additional commercial development in the study area. As of April 2014, the present vision is that the consultant will be reviewing the traffic implications ("modeling") of a total of four future development scenarios. Scenarios 1 and 2 are not intended to be modeled given the extensive traffic implications. Scenarios 3, 4, and 5 will be modeled as well as a "no-build" scenario which assumes no further development of any type and merely takes anticipated annual traffic volume increases into account.