Consultants: With Proper Regulations, ‘Significant Development’ Could Come to West Street

There are over 700 acres of land available for development along the northwest corridor and with proper planning and changes to zoning regulations, the land could provide significant economic development for the town of Southington in the years to come, consultants told the Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday night.

Proper development of this land is critical in developing high property values and attracting positive growth in the community, with the first step lying in the creating a set of design standards by initiating a visioning process, Senior Planner Rebecca Augur with the development firm of Milone and MacBroom said Tuesday.

“One of the first goals we were charged with doing was to see how much land was available for development,” Augur said. “In all, the total is over 700 acres of land for development along the corridor. With proper planning, there is significant potential.”

The town entered into a study of the corridor on Aug. 3 when Auger and Associate-Senior Planner Michael Looney were tapped with preparing a recommendation for how to proceed with development in the northwest corridor, said Town Councilwoman Stephanie Urillo, a member of the committee.

Over the course of the next month and a half, representatives of Milone and MacBroom were charged with reviewing all activity in the corridor, which is located along West Street between Interstate 84 and the Bristol line, said Urillo.

In the course of the study, Augur said, they developed a detailed plan that would help the town maximize space while developing higher-end retail and workplace living establishments along the corridor.

The recommendations presented Tuesday included changing the southernmost part of the corridor, near the and plaza, to be an I-2 or Business zone in order to increase interest, creating a mixed-use zone toward the center of the corridor with higher residential density, and extending the business overlay zone in the northern section near the Bristol line.

In recent years, heavy residential use applications have been met with disdain from members of the public, however, and board members asked why it would be recommended within the corridor.

“There are opportunities that come from having more bodies in corridor, and it will make more people want to come through this area,” Looney said. “With the expansion at ESPN, it may be an untapped resource … the residential zone creates a better market for businesses and not only the ones that are there now but those may be considering the area.”

Looney said investing resources in creating this type of residential zone would also provide more of a “24-7 feel” that would enhance property values and serve to reduce crime if paired with a set of specific design regulations.

The proposed recommendations also include the development of a very specific set of “access management regulations” designed to minimize the effect of traffic in the area and in some cases, even improve it.

The changes suggested will not happen overnight, said PZC Chairman Michael DelSanto, but both DelSanto and board member Zaya Oshana said they would like to see the town being moving forward with plans to make adjustments to zoning regulations and design regulations within the corridor.

The process would involve the need for public input, hearings, board discussions and approvals.

Urillo said Tuesday’s presentation was the first step in a process that will allow Southington to shine.

“It’s a vision — it’s a long-term vision so we can properly plan for development of the northwest corridor. I have it said before but we don’t want this to turn into another Queen Street,” Urillo said. “This is an opportunity for our town to shine and truly become a destination town. Doing this will create jobs, not just construction, but for the people already in business in the area.”