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Woodbury, CT SDAT
October 2015
market
Woodbury Achievements
• Completed POCD• Created EDC & Ombudsman Program• Passed School Referendum• Town Facility Planning• Review Zoning Density Limits• Promote Community Events• Brought AIA Team to Town
Source: 2010 Plan of Conservation & Development
Residential Market• By 2025:
– 26% drop in under 20 population– 46% growth in 65+
• Changing Demand: – Need for 63 new rental units– Single story living options
• Within Main Street area: – 60% are renter occupied– Live/Work opportunities
15-24 Years, 58 25-34 Years,
261
35-44 Years, 612
45-54 Years, 989
55-64 Years, 598
65-74 Years, 484
75-84 Years, 570
85 and Better, 353
2025 Households
Source: 2013 Census, CT State Data Center
Workforce• 1,967 Daytime Employees
– 12% decline since 2007– 63% live w/in 10 miles– Retail, education & food services
• 4,308 Employed Residents– Average commute 26 minutes– 31% age 55 or over– Health care, education & manufacturing– 6.5% Work from home
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013
Business Mix• 631 local businesses
• Average 11 years in business
• 1,700 home based businesses– Retail, – Professional Services, – Arts, – Construction
Source: Economic Modeling Statistics International 2015, Department of Labor 2013
Retail• 142,000 customers in trade
area
• Retain 58% of local spending
• Retail Draws:– Antiques, Lawn & Garden
• Unmet demand for:– Home Goods– Health & Personal Care– Sporting Goods & Hobby– General Merchandise
Trade Area
Source: ESRI 2015
Visitors• Spending increase of 15%
since 2010• Overnight travelers spend twice
as much • Popular Tourist Activities:
– 18% Fine Dining– 12.3% Historic Sites/Homes– 10.5% Rural Sightseeing– 6.6% Museums– 5.5% Theater/Music– 6.4% Wildlife/Nature– 2.3% Art Galleries– 2.0% Hiking/Biking
Source: CT Department of Tourism 2013
Opportunities• Diversify Housing Options• Entrepreneur Support &
Networking• Co-Working Space• Shop Local• Joint Marketing• Recruit Complementary
Businesses• Additional Lodging• Visitor Packaging/Promotion
urban design
REGULATING FEATURES OF THE URBAN DESIGN PLAN
+ Physical Infrastructure
+ Arts and Artisans+ Programming+ Brand Identity
+ Connectivity
+ Formalize Civic Space
PUBLIC SPACE
+ Welcome Visitors+ Pedestrian Safety
+ More Informal Gathering and Activity Space
+ New Business Opportunities+ Support for Events, Arts, and Artisans
+ Coordinated Signage, Wayfinding, Branding
NORTH GREEN
POST OFFICE GREEN
TOWN HALL GREEN
CANNON GREEN-HOLLOW TRIANGLE
GATEWAY
GATEWAY
N
PUBLIC SPACE
NORTH GREEN
GATEWAY
GATEWAY
N
NORTH GREEN
GATEWAY
GATEWAY
N
MAIN STREET
NORTH GREEN
STAGING
SUMMERCAFE
SEATINGNEW WALKS
NORTH GREEN
NORTH GREEN
GATEWAY
GATEWAY
N
SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS:
+ Summer Cafe Seating
+ Food Service - food truck / stand
+ Re-arrange existing seating to to create gathering spaces
+ Programming more events
+ Interpretive / visitor info/signage
NORTH GREEN
GATEWAY
GATEWAY
N
LONG TERM RECOMMENDATIONS:
+ New sidewalk access and crosswalks
+ Low impact lighting
+ Coffee shop / gallery / soda fountain
+ Adaptive re-use of Adams store
+ Programming more events/activities
TOWN HALL GREEN
GATEWAY
GATEWAY
N
TOWN HALL GREEN
GATEWAY
GATEWAY
N
MAIN
ST R
EET LIBRARY/
ADMIN.
TOWN HALL
TOWN HALL GREEN
NEW CROSSWALK
UPGRADE LANDSCAPEAND WALKS
STRE
ET L
ANTE
RNS
GATHERING
GATHERINGGATHERING
VISITORWELCOME
CENTER ANDPARKING
SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS
EXTE
NSIO
N OF
GRE
EN
MAIN
STR
EET
EXPAND PARKING
TOWN HALL GREEN
TOWN HALL GREEN
TOWN HALL GREEN
GATEWAY
GATEWAY
SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS:
+ Create temporary plaza and kiosk as Visitor Welcome Center
+ Develop town map and brochure with trails information
+ Relocate Woodbury historic marker
+ Install bench seating
+ Sign visitor Parking and Info
TOWN HALL GREEN
GATEWAY
GATEWAY
N
LONG TERM RECOMMENDATIONS:
+ Expand green space and formalize edges
+ Permanent Information Kiosk - trailhead for history walk
+ New sidewalk connectors/crosswalk
+ Landscape upgrades around existing buildings - new Town Hall signage
ARTS and ARTISANS
ARTS and ARTISANSSHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS:
+ Form independent Arts Council (local or regional)
+ Develop arts events - could be important part of planned festivals - plein air festival
+ Organize list of local and regional artists to be partners
+ Integrate shows/openings into local restaurants and businesses
+ Public display of student art at local venue
ART and ARTISANSLONG TERM RECOMMENDATIONS:
+ Develop Woodbury Art Center - small business/artisan incubator space, space for classes and shared work space and pubic gallery space
+ Artisan trades education programs
+ Dedicated arts festival
+ Attract working artists and artisans to Woodbury
mobility & livability
Traffic Calming Main Street/Route 6
Traffic Calming• Physically change the street design• Slow or motor vehicle traffic• Improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists
Traffic Calming Measures
• Narrow lanes• Street trees• Landscaped buffers• On-street parking• Bulb-outs (corner
and mid-block)
Benefits include:
• Reduced speeding and noise• Fewer conflicts for pedestrians and cars• Awareness of non-motorized users • Less time to cross street• Space for bicycle and pedestrian facilities • Buffer from moving cars
Traffic Calming - Bulbouts
CORNER
MID-BLOCK
SHOULDER
SHOULDER
TRAVEL LANE
TRAVEL LANE
• Road crossings• Less time to cross
street• Awareness of
pedestrians• Landscaping
opportunity• Parking breaks
Traffic Calming - Bulbouts
Traffic Calming – On-street Parking
VEHICULAR LANES
SHOULDER SHOULDER
Main Street/Route 6 (existing)
VEHICULAR LANES
PARKING PARKING
Traffic Calming – On-street Parking
Main Street/Route 6 (reimagined)
Traffic Calming RecommendationsNorth Green to Cannon Green
• Narrow lanes to 11’• Replace shoulder with parking where possible• Add mid-block bulbouts at mid-block crosswalks• Add small street trees where possible• Bulbouts at major intersections
Trail System
• Link to places in town– schools, town nodes,
unique sites, parking businesses, homes, hotels, restaurants
• Link to places outside of town– Flanders Nature Center,
reservoir, regional trails, Ski Area
Trails as Economic Draw2% of people in CT participate in biking on vacation
Trail Improvements in Town
5’ walk
10’-14’multi-use trail
Link to Regional Trail System
WOODBURY
Trail Recommendations• Add safety features
– pedestrian lighting, crosswalks, bulb-outs, ADA ramps, etc.
• Incorporate amenities– bike racks, benches, water fountains, restrooms, bike share,
wayfinding
• Widen existing walk to accommodate multi-use– Bikes, rollerblades, scooters, wheelchairs
• Extend trail to destinations in town• Explore funding opportunities
– ConnDOT and Rails-to-Trails
• Trail master plan to link to regional system
Housing for Aging Seniors and Young Families• Affordable• Low-maintenance• Amenities • Daily services• Walkable• Accessible
Additional Possible Housing Types
• Infill houses• Auxillary buildings, mother-in-law suite• One-story townhomes• Multi-use buildings with apartments• Conservation subdivision
Why Conservation Subdivision?• Cluster development• Density neutral• Designed around
natural and cultural resources
• Preserves primary conservation areas and open space
Benefits to Woodbury• Preserves character, open
space, water recharge, floodplain, habitat and nature
• Different housing/lot product • Lower maintenance• Able to have septic• Walkable, connected• Can incorporate nature
trails
Housing Recommendations• Conduct a regional housing market study
o Determine type of housing needed
• Identify and prioritize properties appropriate for housing
• Review regulations to ensure compatibility with market analysis
• Work with developers to explore potential properties and development options
• Incentives to upgrade existing residential
placemaking
“What attracts people most, it
would appear, is other people”
– William H. Whyte
Woodbury as a place
What is a brand?
Ultimate in corporate branding: The Longaberger Basket Headquarters
This is a logo
This is a brand
Woodbury – An Artisan Community
Woodbury – A place to experience…• Nature • Antiques• Farm to table food • Fine crafters • Craft beer• Handcrafted spirits culture• Historic homes• Local agriculture • History tours, food tours• Skiing • Competitive fitness (races, etc.)• Low impact tourism destination
Embrace emerging and historic strengths
Identity & Storytelling
• Maps (print & digital)• Storytelling markers• Pub/restaurant crawls• Mailbox public art
project• Community events
calendar
Weekly activations
• Moveable furniture • Summer café • Small-scale vending• Fitness classes• Games for gathering
North Green – Incremental additions
Multi-week seasonal activation
• Build on the success of the Fall Festival• Embrace emerging restaurant culture• Nostalgia for farmer’s market • Uniquely Woodbury, not competing with
other adjacent communities’ farmers markets
• Close Hollow Road on weekends throughout season (summer, fall, etc.)
Foodbury – a food market
Foodbury – a food market
Foodbury – a food market
See each other more, invite friends.
• Expand holiday luminaries
• Harvest dinner – large scale dinner in public space
• Throwback game nights (kids & adults)
Good programming informs design.
Staging area Cannon Green
Hollow Park
Hollow Triangle
Cannon Green & Hollow Park
• Common green with staging space for parades, walks, runs
• Amphitheatre for concerts, plays, etc.
• Terraced viewing area• Seasonal ice rink
engagement
• “We don’t need any economic development.”• “Main Street needs to modernize.”• “Don’t change our historic downtown.”• “Our businesses need more signs.”• “There should be NO signs on Main Street.”• “We need a sewer system.”• “We can’t afford to install a sewer system.”• “We need to improve our community, but don’t
raise my taxes.”
What we heard………
-Helen Keller
Without vision, there is conflict
“Conflict cannot survive without
your participation.”- Wayne Dyer
Civic engagement is a community builderEngagement
involves conversations,
debates, deliberation, and
creating new relationships with
neighbors.
“Be open to outcome, not attached to outcome.”
-Angeles Arrien
Successful engagement• Improved understanding of the value of working
together to solve common problems. • Fully informed public that knows how its town
government works as well as its public policy process.• Increased Participation, representative of the town's’s
demographic diversity.• Public which regularly votes in elections and has
knowledge of their elected officials. • Active Leadership by community members in
organizing their community to shape broader goals for the town.
From: What’s Next Alexandria: Handbook for Civic Engagement
Successful engagement• Ownership: Members of the community endorse
decisions and actions by the town because decisions clearly reflect public participation in a transparent process.
• Consistency across town departments, Boards and Commissions in the application of Civic Engagement Principles and process.
• Confidence in the equity of the public decision making process.
• Mutual Trust between the community and its government.
From: What’s Next Alexandria: Handbook for Civic Engagement
An informed approach to sign regulation...• balances the needs and interests of local
businesses, local residents, and elected officials;• recognizes the dollars-and-cents value of signs to
businesses; • addresses signs in the overall design context of
the community and the immediate area in which they are placed;
• abides by the law, most importantly laws based on the First Amendment;
• addresses traffic and pedestrian safety issues
Recommendations
• Launch a community visioning process that is authentic, culturally relevant, meaningful
• Form a team of representatives from various Town Boards and civic organizations to convene, inform, lead, program, facilitate, partner, build capacity
• Let vision drive action. Build momentum for implementation by integrating projects in a community ‐driven process
• Change the Special Event Permit Process in order to allow more frequent gatherings.
• Formalize the role of the arts in the cultural life of Woodbury.
• Create mechanisms for businesses to connect and cross-market.
• Make Main Street more walkable and bikeable.• Convene a coordinating committee composed of
representatives from various governing agencies and community interests to improve internal communication.
• Be proud of Woodbury…tell people about your town!
Must-Do List
Thanks!To everyone who participated in the Woodbury SDAT.
Special thanks to Hiram Peck, Bill Butterly, Kathy Castagnetta & Kathy Doyle for all of their support.
www.aia.org/liv_sdat