BACKGROUND: Concord’s last Town Plan was adopted in September of 2009. A community survey undertaken in 2007 had informed the direction of the Town Plan. [Insert image of front page of In early 2014 the Concord 2009 Town Plan] Planning Commission embarked on the process of updating the Town Plan. The first step taken by the Planning Commission was to design a new survey, aimed at gathering community input on a variety of issues in Town.
WHAT WE DID: Surveys were distributed in hard copy to residents and also made available online. • 168 responses received • 18% response rate 98% of respondents named • Concord as their primary place of residence. Gathered information on : Household size and makeup • • Shopping habits • Place of work Asked residents to assess : • Services and facilities in Town Types of businesses/services • needed • Level of importance of planning issues in Village and Town
WHO RESPONDED Concord TO THE SURVEY? Demographics* 90% of respondents owned their • • 71% of housing is owner- home, 10% rented their home occupied, 29% is renter-occupied 19% of respondents had school- • • 27% of households have school- aged children at home aged children • 55% of respondents had at least • 30% of households have one or one member of their household more people 65 years and over over the age of 60 • 35% of population 16 years and 45% of respondents were retired • older not in labor force • 51% of respondents were from 2- Average household size: 2.3 • person households * as per the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2008 -2012 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
WHAT WE LEARNED… St. Johnsbury and Littleton are the main shopping areas for residents, although Concord provides shopping opportunities for “convenience” items. Where e do you usual ally ly shop p for: 300 250 Concord St. Johnsbury 200 Lyndonville 150 Lancaster Littleton 100 Woodsville Online 50 0 Convenience Items Groceries/Perishable Goods Non-Perishable Goods
Residents rated 15 different facilities and services in Concord: 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 avail Pleas 0 ease ailabl Roads able e rate e in the Solid Waste/Recycling Facility e the adequacy Emergency Services e Town of Concord: Walkability equacy of serv Childcare Providers Law Enforcement Recreational Facilities ord: rvices ices and fac Cell Phone Service High Speed Internet Hours / Access to Town Offices acil ilities Libraries es Access to Utilities (water, electric, etc.) Quality Education for Grades Pre K - 8 Quality Education for Grades 9 - 12 Availability of Senior Housing Excellent Good Adequate Needs Improvement Needs Significant Improvement
The top 2 areas identified as needing improvement were: Cell Phone Service Availability of Senior Housing Excellent, 1 Excellent, 7 Needs Significant Needs Good, 15 Improve- Significant ment, 26 Improve- ment, 26 Good, 40 Adequate, 30 Needs Improve- Needs ment, 49 Adequate, 32 Improve- ment, 46
The next highest areas identified as needing improvement: Recreational Facilities Quality education for Grades 9 – 12 High speed internet
Village Center Planning Residents rated by level of importance 10 different planning issues in Concord Village: Past communit unity surv rvey eys in Concord ord have e indic dicated ated that at "speci pecial al planni nning ng attent ention" ion" shoul uld d be given en to vil illage lage cent nters ers. P Pleas ease e rate e the e level el of import ortanc ance e of the e foll llow owing ing aspec pects of plann nning ing for r Concord ord Vill llage: age: 90 80 70 60 50 No Opinion 40 Not Important 30 20 Least Important 10 Moderately Important 0 indicate entrance to the… Ensuring Walkability Reducing Vehicular Ensuring Affordability of Ensuring New Commercial Promoting Business in Providing Planned Parking Regulating Signage Establishing Public Establishing "Gateways" Encouraging Preservation Uses Are Compatible With Most Important and Reuse of Historic (visual markers that Spaces/Parks Concord Village Speeds Existing Ones Structures Housing Areas
Although ALL issues were identified as important, the top 4 were: #2 #1 Reducing Vehicular Speeds in Promoting Business in Concord Village Concord Village Most Important Moderately Important Least Important Not Important No Opinion #3 #4 Encouraging Preservation and Reuse of Historic Structures in Ensuring Walkability in Concord Concord Village Village
When asked to identify the value of five approaches to local business development, respondents found that all approaches had value. They were ranked as follows: #1 Property tax relief #2 Local organization that supports and promotes local businesses #3 Availability of tax credits for restoration of older buildings #4 Technical assistance #5 Micro-lending sources, such as a local revolving loan fund How valuabl able e would d the follow owing ing be to encour ourage age the improv ovem ement ent of an existing ting or developm lopment ent of a n new local busines ness? 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 Very Valuable 20 0 Moderately Valuable Availability of Technical "Micro-lending" Local Property Tax Least Valuable Tax Credits for Assistance Sources, such Organization Relief Restoration of as a Local that Supports Not Valuable Older Buildings Revolving Loan and Promotes in Village Fund Local No Opinion Centers Businesses
Out of a choice of 14 potential businesses and services that could locate in Concord Village, residents identified the most desirable uses: Regarding arding potent ential ial uses es in Concord ord Vill llage, age, pleas ease e rate e the e desirabil rability of the foll llow owin ing g types pes of busines inesses es or serv rvices es: 180 160 140 120 Most Important 100 Moderately Important 80 60 Least Important 40 Not Important 20 No Opinion 0 Sporting Goods Lodging Community Center (Municipal WiFi Cafe/Zones Clothing Stores Books,Music,Video Restaurants, Home Furniture/Appliances Small-scale Discount Store Offices, Meeting Places, etc.) Hardware/Building Supplies Food, Supermarkets or Groceries Department Store Bank/Financial Services Drug Store/Pharmacy
The top 3 were: #2 Community Center #1 Restaurants (Municipal Offices, Meeting Places, etc.) No No Opinion, 9 Opinion, 8 Not Not Most Important, Important, Important, 20 Most 20 43 Least Important, 51 Least Important, Important, 21 17 Moderately Moderately Important, Important, 54 65 #3 Food, Supermarkets or Groceries No Opinion, 11 Not Most Important, Important, 38 27 Least Important, 27 Moderately Important, 53
Scenic and Historic Resources Respondents identified the top three ways to preserve scenic and historic resources as: • Limit the clear cutting of trees • Maintain buffers around bodies of water • Establish historical integrity guidelines Ninet ety-four our perc rcent ent of surv rvey ey respondents pondents in the e firs rst Municipal icipal Plan n stat ated ed that at Concord ord shoul ould d preserv erve e its scenic enic spot ots and histori oric struc ructures. res. Pleas ase e rate e how you u think ink preserv eservat ation ion of sceni enic and historic oric resourc ources es should ould occur ur: 100% 90% Very Useful 80% 70% Somewhat Useful 60% 50% Not Useful 40% 30% Counter Productive 20% No Opinion 10% 0% Instead of Large Lot… Limit Heights of Building Limit Lighting Use Subdued Colors Require Large Minimum Limit Clear Cutting of Require Screening of Place Development Maintain Buffers around Integrity Guidelines Use "Clustering" for Establish Historical New Development New Development Down Slope of Lot Sizes for New and Structures in Bodies of Water Ridgelines Development Viewsheds Trees
Respondents were given a choice of 7 types of affordable housing and 5 locations in Town, and asked to identify appropriate places for various types. • Senior housing was the affordable housing category with the greatest response rate. • Concord Village was the preferred location for most types of affordable housing. Past surv rvey eys of Town n resident idents have e indic dicat ated ed the e need ed for afford ordable able hous using ing for r young ung famil ilies es and d seniors niors. Pleas ease e indic dicat ate e where re affordabl ordable e housing ng should ould be encouraged: ouraged: Along Route 2 Cross Road Oregon Road North Concord Concord Village 10 53 62 53 79 96 46 78 57 37 30 44 44 27 38 24 20 26 15 52 16 17 10 26 26 10 16 8 45 35 66 40 46 47 21 Single-family Homes Duplexes (2-Family Homes) Rental Housing Housing Above Commercial Multi-family Housing with 3 or Senior Housing Mobile Home Parks Establishments More Units
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