Priority Issues Identified June 14, 2003

Group 1:

• Housing Development
  Clarify the meaning of different housing alternatives (types)
  Use controlled development
  Reach a balance- look at each development and weigh the pros and cons
  Have a plan for development areas
  

• Economic Development
  Effective, balanced development of B3
  Community plan to support existing businesses
  Explore allowing more home based businesses/types of development with low impact on town
  

• Quality of Life
  Identify and plan for health care issues
  Accentuate historic properties
  Encourage community centric volunteerism involving all age groups, schools/colleges, churches
  

• Preserving Farms / Open land
  Commitment to central depository of info/skills to keep economically viable farms
  Collaboration with experts/external organizations
  Give incentives for working farms (zoning, special uses permits, town designation)
  

• Maintain Canaan as we know and love it.
  Retain and support volunteers (tax incentives)
  Encourage commercial development that is low impact, sustainable, locally focused, and offers jobs for teens and is not a negative for existing businesses
  

• Improve communication infrastructure (telephone, cable, etc.)
  

• Protect water and air quality
  

• Conserve open space
  

• Economic and cultural diversity
  Retain younger people in community,
  Promote home business opportunities
  

• Affordable/senior housing concerns- to resist or create opportunities
  

• Explore zoning strategies to achieve above goals
  

• Explore tax policy as a methodology to accomplish this
  

• Maintain the status quo- if it’s not broken, don’t fix it
  

• A central/community meeting place in the town for community gathering /news
  

• Encourage development of small businesses that conform to the existing character of the community including home based businesses
  

• Encourage commercial development under certain conditions, within character of existing community
  

• Water analysis- figure out what level of water capacity really exists
  

• Traffic/speed limits, noise and safety issues, consistency- reference to changes on 295 from 45 to 55 to 45 again
  

• Communication between community and town officials
  

• Website: Access to draft strategic plan as it is developed, or in the town hall
  

• Pressures of change: how do people who have lived on the land for generations stay on the land and provide the same opportunity for their children?
  

• Traffic and speed limits impact on quality of life and taxes. Monitor the effect of speed on road surfaces; Purchase or lease speed recording device(s); Review speed limits on town roads.
  

• Rural character: balance of preservation and development, conservation of resources
  

• Educate community re: existing zoning laws; discussion; explore alternative means of preserving open space & resources
  

• Encourage controlled commercial development including home occupations
  

• Building a sense of community through community-based activities; more meetings where residents are encouraged to come and talk
  

• Website a good idea for communication
  

• Define cluster housing and how taxed and put the concept before the public.
  

• Preservation and conservation of historical buildings and natural areas and farms
  

• Zoning to protect hilltops
  

• Seek designation and funding for historical districts/buildings
  

• Expand Historical Society
  

• Educate public about natural areas and wildlife in Town
  

• Favorable tax breaks for farms
  

• Tax Break for conservation easements
  for walking/hiking/nature trails
  

• Public Input (educate/discuss/vote)
  

• Referendum on strategic plan
  

• Make clear why strategic plan process got started
  

• Ensure adequate public input (summer meeting to involve weekenders)
  

• Commercial Zoning and Development
  Follow (enforce?) zoning laws, don’t expand commercial zones
  

• Provide essential Services- esp. Emergency Fire and Health (ie clinic)
  

• Tax breaks for homeowners who volunteer for fire co./EMS
  

• (Provide?) public transportation
  

• Consider the interaction between commercial and non-commercial uses and how zoning impacts that (creation of buffer areas)
  

• Define cluster housing, review impact on water, septic and zoning (density?). Zoning to accomplish this needs to be explored.
  

• All development needs to be reviewed in terms of the impact/interaction of that development on nature, "tread lightly upon the land" should be the philosophy. Development should preserve and encourage enjoyment of the rural character w/out destroying it.
  

• The community needs to continue to have the opportunity to discuss future development concerns in a civil manner. Recommend the creation of a local roundtable forum to meet regularly to continue this discussion.
  

• Planned Business Development concept, consider adding to the zoning law?
  

• Concern about development of B3, impact on neighbors along Route 22.
  

• Committee plans for draft plan distribution for public comment?
  

• Look at other similar communities?
  

• Timeline is short for public review once draft is prepared, can process be extended?
  

• Concerns about water quantity / quality: housing density impact on water.
  

• Concerns about health issues such as West Nile virus.
  

• Confusion in the community re: cluster housing, define it and talk about it.
  

• The need for an effective economic base to contribute to tax base.
  

• Natural resources- ie gravel needed, yet zoning limits access to this natural resource
  

• Balance land use - developed vs. undeveloped.
  

• The need to provide opportunities for further communication.
  

• Local sustainability- conservation of resources.
  

• The school tax subsidizes other towns if young people don’t stay in the community where they are educated.
  

• Commercial zones are treated like the enemy, additional zoning makes it harder for businesses to operate.
  

• Support ideas to encourage and support a local economy, look to other communities for a viable model.
  

• Identify sustainable economic development.
  

• Town lands west of town hall could be used for nature trails.
  

• The Schumacher Society is a local resource for information on sustainable communities
  

• The town should conduct a cost benefit analysis of commercial development proposals.
  

• The town with existing infrastructure is a good place for home-based businesses.
  

• The town should recognize the importance of volunteers in the delivery of local services and the cost savings to the town these services provide.
  

• Despite common perception, town tax rates are the lowest in the County, with the exception of Gallatin.
  

• Volunteers are difficult to find everywhere- the younger generation does not have a volunteer mindset, and the town may have to explore further incentives to avoid having to pay for local services currently provided by volunteers.
  

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