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