20142024PlanofConservation&Development

STRATEGICPLAN
PlanningandZoningCommission

TABLEOFCONTENTS

Preface

FundamentalValues

1. Introduction................................................................................1

2. CommunityCharacter..................................................................9

3. NaturalResources......................................................................19

4. OpenSpace................................................................................25

5. Agriculture.................................................................................31

6. EconomicDevelopment.............................................................35

7. ResidentialDevelopment...........................................................49

8. CommunityFacilities&Services................................................55

9. Transportation...........................................................................67

10. Utilities.......................................................................................75

11. Districts......................................................................................79

12. FutureLandUsePlan.................................................................99

13. NextSteps................................................................................107

Acknowledgments

EffectiveDate:May19,2014

PREFACE

ThePlanofConservationandDevelopment

The Plan of Conservation and Development (hereinafter POCD) is an im

portantpartofhowCantonplansitsfuture.ThePOCDisanadvisorydocument
intended to assess current conditions, anticipate important issues, and provide
Cantonwithaframeworkfordecisionmakingregardingvariousaspectsofplan
ning for land use, infrastructure, and community facilities and services. The
POCDrepresentsaguidefor:
NurturingandpromotingtheimageandidentityofCanton;
EnhancingandsustainingthevitalityofCanton;and,
SecuringagoodqualityoflifeforCanton.

Bystatute,theTownisdirectedtoupdateitsPOCDdecennially.Thisdocument
representsthe2014updateofCantonsPOCD.

ProtectingImportantResources
(CommunityCharacter)
GuidingGrowthandChange
(EconomicDevelopment)

(CherryBrookFarm) (Route44)

POCDPreparation

For this update, the Board of Selectmen assembled a committee composed of

representatives of selected Town boards and commissions, community organi
zations, and interested residents. By design, the Committees membership re
flectedavarietyofperspectivesonthetopicscoveredinthePOCD.Manyhours
were spent by the Committee members and Town Staff gathering information,
attending meetings, discussing strategies, and writing and reviewing multiple
drafts of each chapter. The Board of Selectmen and members of the public
closely monitored the progress of the update. The Committee appreciates the
valuableinterestandinputfromallwhocontributed.

Thisupdaterepresentsthecooperationofthesememberstoreachaconsensus
onwhatisthebestplanforCanton.TheCommitteestructuredthisupdateto:
Be convenient, useful, and effective in guiding local decisions and the
implementationofPOCDobjectives.
Readilyaccommodatetheassessmentandevaluationoftheprogressof
POCDimplementationandeffectiveness.
Remainalivingdocumentthat,throughregularassessmentsandevalu
ationandresultingupdates,canbeasrelevantin2024asitisin2014.

AddressingCommunityNeeds
(CommunityFacilities)
MakingThingsHappen
(Implementation)

(CantonIntermediateSchool) (Groundbreaking) Canton Patch

POCDInterpretation

Keeping in mind that there are many other important themes and topics pre
sented in this POCD, two prominent themes of recurring significance emerged
as a result of the public input process, the Committee deliberations, and the
POCDdocumentitself:
Preservingcommunitycharacter,and
BuildingandsustainingtheeconomicvitalityofCanton.

These two themes may pull in different directions, but are not incompatible.
With a commitment to coordinated and balanced planning and management,
boththemeswillworktogethertoenhancetheoverallqualityoflifeinCanton.

Consequently, balance is the paramount theme of the POCD. The Update

Committee endeavored to integrate balance in every aspect of the POCD. Ap
plying vision to stitch together competing interests and limitations is the chal
lenge of good planning. Hence, every interpretation of any part of this POCD
shouldlookforandconsiderthepotentialbalancingelementswithinthePOCD.

The sequencing of POCD elements from the chapters and subtopics to the
presentation of the individual implementation measures was organized to
bestpresentthenarrativeoftheCommunitysvision,andisnotintendedtoes
tablishprecedenceunlessspecificallyindicated.

Conclusion

The temporary Plan of Conservation and Development Update Committee was

honored by the opportunity to serve the community to accomplish this im
portanttask.Wetriedtoapproachourdutieswiththediligencetheydeserved;
andweareproudoftheresultingPOCD.WehopethisPOCDupdatewillserve
Cantonwell.

Interpretation of privately
heldproperty

This plan supports the rights

ofprivatepropertyowners.

In any portion of this plan

where there may be a dis
cussion of an improvement
or facility pertaining to pri
vately owned property, this
plan does not endorse nor
recommend the taking or
condemnation of private
property. Any such discus
sionisprovidedontheantic
ipation that such a property
ownermayonedaydesireto
pursuesuchinterests.

FUNDAMENTALVALUES

During the process of preparing this POCD, the following fundamental values
emergedasthefoundationforthisPlanofConservationandDevelopment.

ThingsWeWantToProtect

Community
Character
Our town is rich in physical and social character. While the
physicalelementsofcharacterareoftenthemainfocusofa
PlanofConservationandDevelopment,wearealsoproudof
its social character which consists of many styles, personali
ties and tastes, all of which contribute to its independent,
artsy, smalltown character. Preserving and enhancing both
typesofcharacterisimportanttous.
Natural
Resources
Naturalresourcesareanintegralcomponentofwhatmakes
ourtownuniqueandattractive.Wewillencouragethepro
tection and preservation of important natural resources,
whilebalancingtherightsofpropertyowners.
OpenSpace We have long recognized the value of open space to the
community. While we are proud of our past accomplish
ments, we also seek to acquire or preserve additional open
space in the future while honoring and respecting private
propertyrights.
Agriculture Farms and farmland are important to Canton and the com
munityhasbenefitedfromathrivingagriculturalcommunity
sinceitsearliestdays.Wewillstrivetoensurethatagricul
ture remains an important part of our rural character,
charm,andeconomy.

HowWeWantToGrow

Economic
Development
Economic growth and development is fundamental to our
communitys future and quality of life. Business develop
ment in suitable locations must happen in a manner that
enhances the character of the community and reinforces
strongpropertyvalues.
Residential
Development
It is important that we maintain the neighborhoods that
make our town a great place to live, raise our children, and
provide a sense of community. We will seek to create new
neighborhoods that enhance our community identity and
historic rural character and respect the environmental land
scapeinwhichtheyareproposed.

ServicesWeWantToHave

Community
FacilitiesAnd
Services
Wewillstrivetoprovideandmaintainnecessary,functional,
and attractive community facilities and services to meet the
needs of residents and ensure our town continues as a de
sirableplacetoliveandwork.
Transportation Transportationisintegraltodailylifeanditisimportantthat
facilities and services are provided to serve the transporta
tion needs and desires of our community with accommoda
tionsforvehicles,pedestrians,bicycles,andpublictransit.
Utilities Utilitiessuchasdrinkingwater,wastewatertreatment,elec
tricity, and communications are essential to our way of life.
Wewillstrivetousetheseutilityservicestomeetcommuni
tyneedsandsupportdesireddevelopmentpatterns.

OrganizationOfThisPOCD

ThePlanofConservationandDevelopment(POCD)fortheTownofCantoncon
sistsof:
aStrategicPlan,and
anImplementationPlan.

This part known as the Strategic Plan is a

statement of strategic directions considered im
portant for preserving and enhancing those things
integraltothevitality,livability,andqualityoflifein
the community. It is big picture in nature; and is
intended to be used by Canton residents, agencies,
staff, and other community stakeholders to discuss
andrefinethemajordirectionsofthecommunity.

It is envisioned the Strategic Plan will be reviewed

periodicallytoensuretheoverallstrategiesforCan


ton are appropriate for addressing issues facing the community and guiding
Cantons future. The Strategic Plan is also intended to fulfill the POCD re
quirementsunderCGSSection823forCanton.

The companion part the Implementation Plan
is principally a compilation of implementation
measures (i.e. tasks and active guiding principles)
determined to help accomplish the overall strate
gies of the POCD. The implementation measures
are presented in a series of tables organized ac
cording to the primary topic themes presented in
theStrategicPlanthatidentifywhoisresponsi


blefordoingwhatandthetimeframe(when)overwhichthemeasureisin
tended to be implemented. The tables also allow for tracking implementation
progress. As measures are implemented and results evaluated, it is intended
that the Implementation Plan will be updated on a regular, ongoing basis to
remaincurrent.

INTRODUCTION

1
Overview

This document is the 2014 2024 Plan of Conservation and Development for
Canton, Connecticut. This POCD was prepared by a dedicated group of resi
dentsworkingwithTownboardsinorderto:
PromotediscussionaboutdesirablefutureoutcomesforCanton.
Directfuturegrowthandchangeinthecommunity.
Guidelocalboardsandcommissions.
ComplywiththerequirementsoftheConnecticutGeneralStatutes.

ProtectingImportantResources GuidingGrowthandChange

(EastHillRoad) (TheShoppesatFarmingtonValley)

AddressingCommunityNeeds MakingThingsHappen

(TownBridge) (PhaseIIIFarmingtonRiverRailTrail)

StatutoryProvisions(CGSSection823)

TheCommissionshall:
prepare,adoptandamendaplanofconservationanddevelopment...
reviewtheplanofconservationanddevelopmentatleastonceeverytenyears...

TheCommissionmay:
adoptsuchgeographical,functionalorotheramendmentsasitdeemsnecessary.
prepare,amendandadoptplansfortheredevelopmentandimprovementofdistrictsor
neighborhoodswhichcontainspecialproblemsoropportunities

ThePlanshall:
beastatementofpolicies,goalsandstandardsforthephysicalandeconomicdevelop
mentofthemunicipality...
bedesignedtopromotethecoordinateddevelopmentofthemunicipality
recommend the most desirable use of land within the municipality for residential, rec
reational,commercial,industrial,conservationandotherpurposes
recommendthemostdesirabledensityofpopulationinthemunicipality
noteanyinconsistencieswiththefollowinggrowthmanagementprinciples:
o redevelopmentandrevitalizationofcommercialcenters
o expansionofhousingopportunitiesanddesignchoices
o concentrationofdevelopmentaroundtransportationnodes
o conservation and restoration of the natural environment, cultural and histo
sourcesandexistingfarmlands
o protectionofenvironmentalassetscriticaltopublichealthandsafety
o integrationofplanningacrossalllevelsofgovernment
make provision for the development of housing opportunities and promote housing
choiceandeconomicdiversityinhousing

ThePlanshallconsiderthefollowing:
thecommunitydevelopmentactionplanofthemunicipality
theneedforaffordablehousing
theneedforprotectionofexistingandpotentialdrinkingwatersupplies
theuseofclusterdevelopmentandotherdevelopment
thestateplanofconservationanddevelopment
theregionalplanofdevelopment
physical,social,economicandgovernmentalconditionsandtrends
theobjectivesofenergyefficientpatternsofdevelopment
protectionandpreservationofagriculture.

ThePlanmay:
showthecommission'srecommendationfor
conservationandpreservationoftraprockandotherridgelines
airports,parks,playgroundsandotherpublicgrounds
thegenerallocation,relocationandimprovementofschools
the general location and extent of public utilitiesfor water, sewerage, light, power,
transitandotherpurposes
theextentandlocationofpublichousingprojects
programsfortheimplementationoftheplan
proposedpriorityfundingareas

ConditionsandTrends

ExaminingtheconditionsandtrendswhichaffectCantonisimportanttounder
standingtheplanningstrategiesandrecommendations.

CantonIsGrowing

According to the Census, Canton had a population of 10,292 people in 2010.

Since 1950, Cantons population has grown as a result of the automobile and
the overall trend of suburbanization. Given recent economic conditions, the
rateofgrowthhasslowedbutgrowthisexpectedtocontinueinthefuture.

PopulationGrowthandProjections(18102030)
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
1810 1880 1950 2020

Over the years, growth has been fueled by both natural increase (more births
thandeaths)andbynetmigration(morepeoplemovinginthanmovingout).

196070 1970 80 1980 90 1990 00 2000 10

TotalPopulationChange 2,085 767 633 572 1,452

CalculatedNaturalIncrease 864 536 585 525 352

Births 1,352 1,028 1,110 1,119 1,002

Deaths 458 492 525 644 650

EstimatedNetMigration 1,221 231 48 47 1,100

USCensus/CTDept.ofPublicHealth/Planimetrics

TheAgeCompositionOfCantonIsChanging

Over the last several decades, Canton has been experiencing a shift in its age
composition.ThisisnotuniquetoCantonitreflectsdemographicchangesin
thestateandthenation.Peoplearelivinglongerandsotherearemorepeople
in the older age groups than previously. At the same time, the people of the
babyboomgeneration(peoplebornbetween1946and1964)aremovinginto
theolderagegroups.

Asaresult,andforthefirsttimeinhistory,itisanticipatedthatpeopleaged55
and older will become the largest age group in Canton. This change in the age
compositionofCantonwillaffectthetypesofservicesdesiredbyresidents.

AgeCompositionOfCanton(19702030)

19702010Census
ProjectionsbyCTDataCenter(2007)

DESCRIPTION AGERANGE NEEDS

Infants 0to4 Childcare
Childactivities/programs

SchoolAge 5to19
Schoolfacilities Recreationprograms

Young
Adults
20to34
Rentalhousing
Starterhomes
Socialdestinations

Middle
Age
35to54 Familyprograms Tradeuphousing

Mature
Adults
55to64 Housingoptions Secondhomes

Retirement
Age
65and
over
Housingoptions
Elderlyprograms
Taxrelief
Medicalcare
Inhomeservices

Projections

OurCurrentHousingMixMayNotMeetOurFutureNeeds

Cantonisexperiencingsomekeyhousingtrends:
Householdsizes(thenumberofpeopleperhousingunit)arebecoming
smaller and this may require more housing units to house the same
numberofpeople,
Anagingpopulationmaydesiredifferenttypesofhousingunitstomeet
theirhousingneeds,and
New housing construction will occur to accommodate the projected
populationgrowthanddemand.

ThecostofhousinginCantonhasincreasedsignificantlyandatapacethathas
exceeded inflation and the growth in income. While about seven percent of
CantonshousingstockmeetsoneStatedefinitionofaffordability(government
assisted,CHFAfinanced,ordeedrestricted),thedemandforaffordablehousing
ofalltypesisexpectedtogrowinthefutureasoldergenerationsmaylivelong
eronlimitedincomesandyoungergenerationsmaybesaddledwitheducation
aldebt.

EconomicConsiderationsAreImportant

Canton has more residents working than jobs in the community as a result,
Cantonisanetexporterofworkerstoothercommunities.MostjobsinCanton
are involved in retail trade and services. Typical household incomes of Canton
residentsarehigherthantheStateortheregion.

Intermsoflocalgovernment,percapitaexpendituresarelower than the State

averageandtypicalfortownsofCantonssize.Abouttwothirdsoflocalspend
ing goes to educational services the remainder goes to general government,
publicworks,publicsafety,recreation,andotherservices.

Cantongeneratesabout81percentofitsrevenuefrompropertytaxes.Canton
is more dependent on local property taxes to support local programs and ser
vices since it receives less state aid than similar communities or the statewide
average. This is important because Cantons tax base is more dependent on
residentialpropertythantheStateaverage.

ThereIsDevelopmentPotentialRemaining

Canton has a land area of about 16,086 acres. Most of the land in Canton is
zonedforresidentialdevelopmentononetotwoacrelots.

Thereispresentlymoredevelopmentpotentialremainingforresidentialhomes
than for business uses. This means that the business portion of the tax base
maydecreaseinthefutureresultinginagreatertaxburdenonresidentialprop
ertiesunlessthereisagrowthintheamountofbusinessproperty.

ResidentsCareAboutCharacterAndCommunity

At one of the public meetings, residents were asked to identify the things in
Canton which made them proud of their community. Responses concentrated
aroundthefollowingthemes:

Physical Character Things that contribute to the overall physical character

ofCanton(e.g.,undevelopedareas,naturalbeauty).
Collinsville
o Communityfocalpoint/communityevents
o Quaint/senseofplace
o Attractspeoplefromallover/meetingplace
o Hasagreatmixofpeople,artists,museums
Waterways
o FarmingtonRiver/CherryBrook/NepaugReservoir
o Providerecreationalandeconomicbenefits
HistoricAreas
o CantonCenter/reflectionofthetownspast
RuralAreas
o Farms/agriculture
o Ruralness/openspace
o Scenicvistas

Community Facilities and services that contribute to the quality of life for
residents (e.g., community center, library, community events,
schools)orthathelppeoplefeeltheyarepartofalargercommunity.
TownFacilities
o Schoolsystem
o Communitycenter/library
o Recreationarea
OtherAmenities
o Railtrail/landtrusttrails
o CantonMuseum
o NatureCenter
o GalleryontheGreen
SenseofCommunity
o Smalltownfeeling/charm
o Economicdiversity

ResidentsWantToAddressIssuesandConcerns

ResidentswerealsoaskedtoidentifythethingsinCantonwhichtheyweresor
ryaboutorwishedtheycouldchange.Responsesconcentratedaroundthefol
lowingthemes:

Deficienciesthingspeoplewantwhichcouldenhancethecommunity
BusinessDevelopment
o Attractmore/betterbusinessdevelopment
o Needamorecoherentprogram/seemsreactive
o Seemsrestrictiveandantibusiness
o MakeRoute44moreattractive
Collinsville
o Improvedstreets/streetscape
o Bettermaintainedbuildings
CommunityFacilities
o Needmoreathleticfieldsandplaygrounds
o Towngarage
Roadways
o Moreroadmaintenance/repair
o Bikeways/walkwaysRoute179andelsewhere

Irritantsthingsthatresidentsfeeldetractfromthecommunityoritsquality
oflife
CantonVillagePlaza
o Notpedestrianfriendlyordrivingfriendly
o Couldbemoreattractive/hasincrediblepotential
TownFacilities
o Sewagetreatmentplantinthewrongplace
CollinsCompany
o Seemstobeneglected/deteriorating
o Itissuchanasset/needtoredevelop/reuse

Losses/Threatsthingsthatchangedorthreatentochangewhatresidents
perceiveastheexistingordesiredcharacterofCanton
LossofOpenSpace
o Conversiontoresidentialsubdivisions
o Lossofgolfcoursetocommercialdevelopment
o Failuretopurchasedevelopmentrights/openspace
AppearanceofDevelopment
o Repetitivedevelopmentpatterns/styles
o Lossofhistorichomes

ResidentsIdentifiedTheFollowingPriorities

At one of the public meetings, residents were asked to identify issues (from a
predefined list) which they felt were most important to them as part of the
planningprocess:

ThingsWe
Want
ToProtect
HowWe
Want
ToGrow
ServicesWe
Want
ToHave
TopTierIssues
BusinessDevelopment
OpenSpace
NaturalResources
CommunityFacilities
MiddleTierIssues
CommunityCharacter
HistoricResources
TrafficandCirculation
Walking/Biking/Transit
LowerTierIssues
CommunityStructure
Water/Sewer/Utilities
ResidentialDevelopment
HousingNeeds

PublicMeeting ChoosingImportantIssues

PhotosbyJohnFitts,CantonPatch

COMMUNITYCHARACTER

2
Overview

Canton is a town of many styles, landscapes, and personalities contributing to

its independent, artsy, smalltown character. Prominent hills and ridgelines di
vided by the fertile valleys of brooks flowing to the scenic Farmington River,
thousandsofacresofopenspace,farms,andforest,scenicroadwaysandfield
stonewalls,abustlingcommercialcorridor,andhistoriccompactvillagecenters
helpdefinethephysicalattributesofCantonsappeal.

AwealthofsocialattributesarelikewiseessentialtoCantonsdistinctivecharac
ter. The community relishes the diversity in its neighborhoods, backgrounds,
andbusinesses,alongwithitscontinuedlegacyofindividualthinking,creativity,
energy,andeducation.Cantonremainsacloseknitcommunitythatalsorelish
es its eclectic events and gatherings, and its compassionate support of others
whenneeded.

WHYTHISISIMPORTANTTOUS

Community character is a common thread running throughout this POCD. It is

importanttousbecausepreservingandenhancingitwillcontinueto:

Support our community pride and spirit The people of Canton enjoy a
strong sense of place and an abundance of pride in our community. We
firmlybelieveCantonisaspecialplacetolive,work,andvisit.

Enhance our image and identity Canton endeavors to project a positive

and welcoming image to others, which helps to attract businesses, visitors,
andconsumerstoourtown.

ExtendthelegacygiftedbypriorgenerationsCantonhasarichhistoryof
carefulstewardship,innovationandindustry,responsibility,hardwork,and
communityinvolvementandsupport.Theseattributesformthefoundation
onwhichthetownisworkingtobuilditsfuture.

Cantonisacohesive
communitythat:
relishesitsdiffer
encesinneigh
borhoods,back
grounds,anddi
versity,and
fostersandfavors
individualthinking
andcreativity.

10

StrategicDirections

A.
Preserve,conserve,andenhanceCantonsruralcharacter.

Canton residents have long valued the rural character of our Town (see the
conceptual example on the facing page). Input from community workshops
and similar exercises conducted for this POCD update as well as the previous
POCD update in 2003 emphasized the importance of rural aspects to the
community.

The importance of rural character to the community is such that many of the
strategies presented in this chapter and throughout the POCD are intended to
perpetuatetheseruralpatternsofdevelopmentmovingforward.

WhatIsRuralCharacter?

Whileaconcisedefinitionofruralcharacterisdifficulttocomeby,thefollowing
descriptionsbegintooutlinewhattheconceptmeansforCanton.

Fromaphysicalstandpoint,ruralcharacterinCantonisviewedasthatcombina
tion of space, scale, and ambience that differentiates us from an urban or sub
urbanenvironment:
Abuiltenvironmentthatissmallerinscale.
Adensityofdevelopmentthatisconsiderablylowerthanurban.
Developmentismuchlessuniformthansuburban.
Historically development was clustered in village centers, business
pockets,andfarmsteadswithsignificantopenspaceinbetween.
Roadwaycorridorsarenarrower.
Commercialbuildingshavesmallerfootprints.
Abuiltenvironmentthatisexperiencedmoreatahumanscale(e.g.pe
destrianandbicyclefriendly)thananautomobilescale(e.g.wideroads
designedtomoveautotrafficrapidly.)
Anoverallambienceincorporating,respecting,and existingin harmony
withthenaturalenvironment.

Onthesocialside,ruralcharactercanbedescribedasabalanceof(quotingMs.
Perryfromthesidebaronthefacingpage)respectforindividualhumandignity
and independence and communityoriented compromise. The ability to value
thediversity ofindividualityyetcometogetherasawholecommunity,notjust
asneighborhoodsorinterestgroups.

RuralCharacter

Rural character is more

thanjustfarms,openspaces,
andsinglefamilyhomes.

In 1994, Randall Arendt (a

popular lecturer in the plan
ning community) wrote a
book entitled Rural by De
sign. The book has become
animportantresourcetothe
planningofnonurbantowns
notwishingtobesuburbia.

Inthebook,Mr.Arendthigh
lights that town/village cen
ters, commercial develop
ment along highway corri
dors, and multifamily hous
ingareallverymuchintegral
to the modern rural land
scape. And he illustrates
that, if designed correctly,
they can work to enhance,
ratherthandetractfrom,the
character of a rural commu
nity.

11

CONCEPTUALEXAMPLE

TheValueOfRuralLiving

In June of 1951, Canton resident Margaret Perry wrote a letter to the Hartford
Courant in response to a Courant editorial on the virtues of zoning. The letter
showcases that preserving rural character has been important in Canton for
sometime.

SomeQuotes

[The Courant] states that

zoning [guards] against
theintrusionofnuisances.I
moved here from the sub
urbs because I want these
nuisances. I felt that [Can
ton] was a better place to
live and raise a family than
thesuburbs.

In a mixed community like

[Canton] a real honestto
goodness rural American
town the young have the
opportunitytolearnnotonly
atrade,butalsoarespectfor
human dignity and inde
pendence.

adecisionwillbemadeas
towhattypeoftownCanton
willbecome.Willitremaina
rural community with a life
ofitsown,orwillitsspiritbe
destroyed, as other towns
before it , and made over
intoanothereating,sleeping,
and drinking zone for the
Hartfordsuburbanites.

12

B.
Supportandenhanceuniquenessanddiversity.
Cantons diversity is one of its primary strengths as a community. Its eclectic
natureisrepresented,andshouldcontinuetobeembraced,inmanyaspectsof
thetownscharacter,includingbusinessdevelopmentandestablishments,resi
dential housing options, the relationships between business and residential us
es,thedistributionofvariouslanduses,andthevarioustypesofevents,artistic
endeavors,andactivitiesembracedandsupportedwithinthecommunity.

Cantonalsohasarchitecturaluniquenessanddiversitywhich(forthemostpart)
addstothecharacterofthetown.Architectureandsitedesignarealsokeyto
theruralcharacterofCanton.Itisimportantthatnewdevelopmentandreno
vationsintownaredesignedtoembraceandenhanceCantonshistoryandru
ralcharacterinconcertwithitsdiversity.Thereareanumberofgreatbuildings
with distinctive architectural elements in the town which can serve as design
reference points to guide future architectural and site design. These build
ings/elements should be incorporated into the design standards for Canton to
codify and reinforce the importance of appropriate character in the design of
futuredevelopmenttothecommunity.

CONCEPTUALEXAMPLE

Shareholders

Weareallshareholdersinourcommunityandsometimesthisisexpressedin
uniqueways.Inthelate1950s,Cantonneededabaseballfieldandatownwide
call for help was made. People of all ages responded and built what is now
called Bowdoin Field on Simonds Avenue. Funds for materials and services the
townspeople could not provide themselves were raised by selling 1foot
squareparcelsofthefield.(Seethedeedbelow)

OriginalDeed BowdoinFieldMarker

PreservingCharacter:
FormBasedCodes

Formbased codes represent

a growing regulatory answer
to the erosion of community
character associated with
usebased zoning and its
inability to deter automobile
centric development. Form
based zoning recognizes that
theneighborhoodsandvilla
ges that remain most desir
able are those, like Collins
ville, that have resisted the
conversiontotraditionalzon
ing; and have maintained a
mixedusepatternwherethe
look of development re
mains more important than
the particular uses. Form
based codes place emphasis
onthepublicrealmwhat
can be viewed and experi
enced from public spaces,
such as streets. The result is
neighborhoods and villages
that are more accom
modating to people outside
of their cars more livable
communities.

13

CowChipRaffleFundraiser SummerConcertatMillsPond

SummerStroll CantonCenterChurch

RaftingUp

PreservingCharacter:
VillageDistricts

The principles of formbased

codes (see sidebar on the
previous page) are most
readily applied to individual
neighborhoods or villages.
Connecticut has adopted vil
lage district zoning which
permits the implementation
offormbasedcodesinareas
ofdistinctivecharacter,land
scape or historic value. Vil
lagedistricts,whenappropri
ately implemented, provide
the most powerful and flexi
ble means for a community
to preserve and enhance the
desired character of such an
areawhilealso providingthe
predictability and timeliness
for the regulatory process
that is important to existing
business owners and devel
opers. It is important to rec
ognize, however, that village
districts can also provide a
means of overregulation to
the detriment of the com
munityanditscharacter.The
regulations must incorporate
the balance that is stressed
by this POCD; and need to
recognize the importance of
uniqueness and diversity to
the character of Canton.
They should be developed
through a very open process
thatencouragesdirectpublic
participation; and need to
provide for numerous, flexi
ble design options that are
acceptablebyright.

14

C.
Identifyandprotectscenicresources.
Canton has a number of scenic areas and scenic resources which contribute
greatly to the character of Canton in varied locations, manners, and scales.
Whethergrandinscale(ridgelines,coreforests,FarmingtonRiver,etc.)ormore
localized (roadside buffers of trees and shrubs, wetlands, smaller streams, and
meadows),allcontributetothecommunityspositiveimageandidentity.

Identifying our important scenic resources, including the public locations from
whichtheycanbeviewed,anddevelopingcreativewaystopreserve,conserve,
maintain, and reestablish them while respecting individual property rights and
otherprioritiesofthePOCDisagoalofthisPOCD.

FarmingtonRiver ViewFromMorganRoad

ViewofSweetheartMountain StoneWallonLawtonRoad

^_
New
Hartford
Simsbury
Avon
Burlington
Barkhamsted
F
a
r
m
i
n
g
t
o
n

R
i
v
e
r
Nepaug
Reservoir

44

44

202
202
UV
179
UV
179
UV
179
UV
565
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^_^_
Character Resources
Canton, CT
$
3,000
Feet
Legend
Open Space
Historic Di sti rct - Local
Historic Di strict - Nati onal
^_
Historic Place - National
^_
Historic Place - State
Scenic Vi ews
Canton Active Farmland
Existing Scenic Road
Possible Future Scenic Road
Scenic Roads
Archaeological Resources

16

D.
Restoreandnurturehistoryandheritage.

Cantonhasarichhistoryreflectedinitsbuildingsandsettlementpatterns.This
includeshousesandbarnsfromthe1700s,industrialbuildingsandvillagesfrom
the1800s,andresidentialneighborhoodsfromthe1900s.Thesebuildingsand
settlementpatternsenhancecommunitycharacterandshouldbepreserved.

CantonalsohastwodistrictslistedontheNationalRegisterofHistoricPlaces
Collinsville and Canton Center. These areas, and other historic buildings and
placesinCanton,makeasignificantcontributiontocommunitycharacter.

Canton needs to remain mindful of its history and heritage and incorporate it
intoitsplanninganddevelopmentforthefuture.

AgriculturalHeritage ResidentialHeritage

RestoringHeritageBefore RestoringHeritageAfter

17

E.
Encourageandbuildsenseofcommunity.

Cantonhasastrongsenseofcommunity,witharichlegacyofvolunteerismand
inclusive events that bring the community together and further a hometown
spirit. Many of these events are run by community organizations and volun
teers.Someofthesecommunityassetsarelistedinthesidebar.Cantonis,and
wantstoremain,acloseknitcommunitywherepeoplehelponeanotheroutin
sharedactsofsupport.

Cantons citizens, although diverse in personalities, interest and family roots in

town, are a most cooperative group. This POCD encourages the traditions of
bandingtogetherandhelpingoneanothertoaccomplishagoalforthecommon
good.Examplesofthisgoodwilltowardoneanotherinclude:
Supporting the Memorial Day ceremony to honor local war veterans
andotherspecialevents,
FormingtheCantonLandPreservationTrusttohelppurchaseandmain
tainundevelopedlandthroughouttown,
Collecting funds to build a ball field (see Conceptual Example on page
12)andawadingpool(SeeConceptualExampleonpage19),
Students collecting canned goods, and making it a math competition,
forthetownsfoodbank,and
Servinghotmealstothosewithoutelectricityandwaterduringbadwin
terstorms(2011)andothertimesofneed.

MemorialDayParade CantonHighSchoolPlay

EmergencyShelter SamCollinsDay

SpecialEvents

Canton has a number of val

ued traditions for fun, and
entertainment:
SamCollinsDay,
MemorialDayparade,
FiremensCarnival,
Lobsterfest,
LobsterLoop5Krace,
Church strawberry festi
vals,
Craftfairs,
Suppers and other
events at various town
placesofworship,
Farmersmarket,
Collinsville Halloween
show and costume pa
rade,
Christmas in Collinsville
with horse rides and
luminaries,and
Other Christmas season
events.

CivicOrganizations

Canton also has a number of

civicminded organizations,
including:
Roaring Brook Nature
Center,
CantonLandTrust,
Canton Historical Socie
ty,
FAVARH,
themanyplacesofwor
ship.

OtherCommunityAssets

Canton also has a number of

communityassets,including:
the burgeoning arts and
musiccommunity,
the Farmington River
Trail,
a topnotch school sys
tem,
the Mills Pond Park and
Poolcomplex,
the Public Library and
CommunityCenter.

18

CONCEPTUALEXAMPLE

CommunitySpirit

In the late 1980s, Mills Pond Recreation Center only had a pool for older chil
dren and adults. There was no wading pool where parents of young children
couldintroducethemtowaterinasafeenvironment.

A Canton mothertobe felt that a wading pool was important for a growing
community with young families and children. She approached the Selectmen
andwasencouragedtoraisefundstohaveanewwadingpoolbuiltbesidethe
largeringroundpoolatMillsPond.

Several parents got together, created a nonprofit organization called Friends

of Canton Parks & Recreation, and began raising the $50,000 needed to con
struct a wading pool. They held many fundraising events, including fairs, an
EasterEggHuntandOscarNight,solicitedbusinessesintownandappliedfora
Stategrantwhichwouldpayfor40%oftheprojectoncetheyraisedtheseed
money.

FriendsofCantonParks&Recreationsucceededinraisingthefunds,obtaining
approvalfortheStateofCTmatchinggrant,andworkedwiththeTowntode
sign, build, and open the pool. The ribboncutting was in 1993, and the pool
has been open for young children ever since. Once the Canton wading pool
wasinfulloperation,thenonprofitorganizationpassedalongexcessfundsto
helpbeautifytheFarmingtonRiverRailTrailinCollinsville.

Initiativeslikethis,undertakenbymotivatedtownspeoplehelpmakeCantona
specialplaceinwhichtolive.

19

NATURALRESOURCES

3
Overview

Natural resources are an integral component of what makes Canton a unique

andattractiveplacetoliveandwewillencouragetheprotectionandpreserva
tion of natural resources, while balancing the rights of property owners to be
abletomakereasonableuseoftheirproperty.

WHYTHISISIMPORTANTTOUS

Protectingandpreservingnaturalresourcesisimportanttousbecausedoingso
willcontinueto:

Preserve town character As discussed in the Community Character chap

ter,Cantonsnaturalenvironmentcontributestothecharacterofthetown.
Ourstreams,ponds,forests,wetlands,andwildlifeareintegraltothescenic
beauty,openness,andruralcharmofCantonthatissoimportanttoourres
identsandvisitors.

Provide environmental benefits Our natural resources provide significant

environmental benefits. Wetlands, woodlands, and meadows help to re
ducepollutionofstreamsandriversfromstormwaterrunofffirstbyreduc
ing the amounts and rates of the runoff, and then by providing filtering to
therunoffbeforeitreachesthestreams.Inaddition,reducingrunoffrates
helps reduce damage from floods and erosion. Vegetation also has a cool
ingeffectonwater,soil,andair.

CreaterecreationalandeconomicvalueCantonsnaturalresourcesallow
for,andenhance,manytypesofactiveandpassiverecreationinasmallge
ographic area. Fishing, hunting, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, bicycling, and
birdingareallpopularintown,andbringvisitorstoCanton.Propertyvalues
areconsistentlyhigherwheninproximitytonaturalresources.

Wewillcontinueef
fortstoprotectand
preserveprioritynat
uralresource.

20

StrategicDirections

A.
Inventoryimportantnaturalresources.

In order to protect local natural resources, the resources must first be located
and identified. Once inventoried they may be preserved, conserved, or given
special consideration in relation to future planning and development activities,
regulatory changes, potential acquisitions or other town decision making. Ru
dimentary efforts have been made to initiate the documentation of such re
sources.

Itisnottheintentthateveryresourceinventoriedbepreserved.Aclearpicture
of where resources are located, whether they are significant and why, allows
the Town to understand and value its natural resources and can guide future
decisionmaking.

B.
Maintain the quality of the Farmington River, primary feeder
streamsandcontributingwatercoursesasnaturalresources.

The Farmington River is a prime example of a true riparian resource. It is im

portant for its ecology, environmental management, soil conservation, flood
zones, fauna, aquatic ecosystems, environmental engineering, flood control,
industrial/ power generation, scenic, wide ranging passive and active recrea
tional opportunities, and present economic value and future potential. Future
activitiesderivedfromandaffectingtheFarmingtonRiverwillrequireabalance
ofeconomicandconservationpriorities.

The Farmington River affects and is affected by changes within its watershed.
Changesnearprimaryfeedersand contributingwatercourseswillhave contrib
utingeffectsontheenvironmentalqualityofthewatershedasawhole.

FarmingtonRiverView KayakingandFishing

NaturalResourcesInventory

ANaturalResourcesInventory
(NRI) identifies, describes, and
compilesdataofexistingnatu
ral resources and presents it
through a comprehensive
index that lists and locates
important naturally occurring
resources within the town
using maps, photos, data, and
descriptivetext.

HavingaworkingNRIwillpro
vide a better understanding
and appreciation of the com
munitys natural resources
andcanestablishapriorityfor
conservation or preservation
to be considered in future
public and private decision
makingandactivities.

A natural resources inventory

can also facilitate and stream
line development activities
sinceitcanidentifyissuesthat
need to be considered as part
of the development process
and exclude things which are
unlikelytoarise.

21

C.
Minimize pollutants in stormwater runoff and promote other natu
ralresourceobjectivesofthePOCD.

Stormwater runoff from rainfall and snow melt represents one of the largest
sources responsible for water quality impairments in rivers, lakes, ponds,
streamsandotherwaterbodiesandwetlands.Impervioussurfacesfromdevel
opment increase the amount and rate of stormwater runoff. If not properly
managed, this increased stormwater runoff may cause erosion, alter natural
drainage features, reduce groundwater recharge to wetlands and streams, and
increasethedischargeofpollutantstowetlandsandwaterbodies.Stormwater
runoffcanalsonegativelyaffectwildlifeandpropertyvalues.

Stormwatermanagementregulationscanaddresswaterquality(pollutants)and
waterquantity(flooding,lowbaseflowandrecharge)byestablishingstandards
that require the implementation of a wide variety of stormwater management
strategies. These strategies include environmentally sensitive site design, bio
retentionandotherLowImpactDevelopment (LID)techniquestominimizeim
pervioussurfaceandlanddisturbance,sourcecontrolandpollutionprevention,
structural Best Management Practices (BMPs), construction erosion and sedi
mentation control, and the longterm operation and maintenance of storm
watermanagementsystems.

StormwaterRunoff LIDRainGarden

PriorityNaturalResources

Watercourses
FarmingtonRiver
CherryBrook
BarbourBrook
RattlesnakeBrook
RatlumBrook
JimBrook
SawMillBrook

WaterBodies
MillPonds
BondPond
SecretLake

CoreForestAreas

Wildlife species, corridors

andcriticalhabitats

VernalPools

AgriculturalSoils

Geology/Ridgelines
RatlumMountain
OnionMountain
AreaeastofCaseStreet
MountHorr
SweetheartMountain

22

D.
Protect environmental and scenic values of our remaining core for
estareas.

ForestareasareanimportantaspectofCantonslandscape.Theyprovidescen
ery, wildlife habitat, erosion protection, seclusion, and contribute much to the
ruralcharacterofourcommunity.
Core forests are an important part of the forest ecosystem. Core forests are
large contiguous forest areas which are remote from roadways or developed
areasandprovidewildlifehabitatandotherenvironmentalbenefits.

As Cantons future build out continues its core forest areas will continue to di
minish.Thefragmentationofourcoreforestareasnegativelyaffectsthenatu
ral environment, disrupts the natural landscape, existing natural greenway and
wildlifecorridors,degradessurfacewaterquality,andstresseshabitats.

It is a goal of this POCD to manage development and preservation within our

coreforestareasinsuchamannerastoretaintheirnaturalresourcefunctions.

ThisPOCDrecommendsretainingminimumforestareasizeof500acreswhere
tracts of forest of that size currently exist. Wherever possible, this should be
accomplished through conservation focused development patterns or acts of
preservation(throughfairmarketacquisition).

Smallercoreforestareasarevaluablefromforestryandotherperspectives.

BarredOwl CoreForestArea

Farmington River Wild and

Scenic Designation and the
Farmington River Coordinat
ingCommittee(FRCC)

In 1994, 14 miles of the West

BranchFarmingtonRiverwere
added by the U.S. Congress to
the National Wild and Scenic
Rivers System. The river re
ceived this honor due to its
outstandingly remarkable
values (ORVs) including high
quality water, cold water fish
eries, wildlife habitat, recrea
tional opportunities, and his
toric resources. The Farming
tonRiverisaPartnershipWild
and Scenic River which
means that local, state, and
federal governments as well
as other stakeholders in the
river community are partners
in river management and
stewardship. This is a model
that other eastern rivers have
followed as they have put
togethermanagementplans.

The FRCC is mandated by the

U.S. Congress to coordinate
activitiesonthe14mileupper
river and particularly to pro
vide for the protection and
enhancement of the ORVs for
which the river was designat
ed. It is guided by the Upper
Farmington River Manage
ment Plan referred to in its
designation.TheCommitteeis
comprisedofappointedrepre
sentatives from the five river
front towns (Barkhamsted,
Canton, Colebrook, Hartland
and New Hartford), state of
Connecticut DEEP, MDC, NPS,
FRWA,andFRAA.

This designation may offer

future opportunities for the
Towns benefit. The FRCC
receives annual funding from
Congresstofulfillitsmandate.
The FRCC offers grants, schol
arships, and land protection
assistance for applicable pro
jects.

24

E.
Continuegoodhousekeepingpractices.

Commonhumanactivitiescanbeverydetrimentaltonaturalresources.Exces
sive use of pesticides and herbicides can result in the chemicals being carried
awaywithstormwatercausingtowetlandsandwaterbodies.Theintroduction
ormismanagementofinvasivespeciescansignificantlyharm,oreveneradicate,
nativespecies.Thedumpingofanykindofforeignsubstanceoritemintostorm
drainagesystemsordirectlyintooradjacenttowatercoursesorwetlandsusual
ly detrimental to the receiving wetland or watercourse. Dumping leaves into
watercoursescancauseunwantedfloodingandsedimentation.

Good housekeeping starts at home. Therefore it is important that the policies

andpracticesoftheTownadministrationandstaffaresuchastominimizeneg
ative effects on our environmental resources and work to educate and set
goodhousekeepingexamplesforourresidents.

InvasiveSpecies EffectOfPesticides?

NativeSpeciesOsprey NativeSpeciesBoxTurtle

UpperMillPondStrategies

Increase the water

depth in the impound
ment.

Develop public access

(i.e. a pocket park) and
a designated fishing ar
ea on the 45 Bridge
Street parcel (just north
ofthebridge).

Relocate the Town Gar

age facilities away from
theriver.

Redevelop the Garage

parcelintoapublicpark
area with a boat ramp
(nonmotorized).

Formalizepublicparking
alongTownBridgeRoad
nearthebridge.

Pursue possible beach

access improvements
near the Town Bridge
Road bridge when op
portunities arise to
work with private prop
ertyowners.

Develop a mainte
nance/management
plan to control non
native vegetation along
theriver.

Thinoutthetallvegeta
tionontheMDCowned
stripoflandnorthalong
River Road to enhance
viewsoftheriver.

25

OPENSPACE

4
Overview

Cantonresidentshavelongrecognizedthevalueofopenspacetothecommuni
ty.Over20percentofCantonslandareaiscurrentlypreservedasopenspace
duetotheeffortsandgenerosityofanumberofpeopleandorganizations.

While Canton is justifiably proud of its past accomplishments, we also seek to

acquireorpreserveadditionalopenspaceinthefuture,whilerespectingprivate
propertyrights.

WHYTHISISIMPORTANTTOUS

Protecting and preserving open space is important to us because doing so will

continueto:

PreservetowncharacterNaturalresource,greenway,ridgeline,farmland,
andnondevelopedpropertiesareessentialtomaintainingtheruralcharac
terofCantonandcreatingareasforlocalrecreationandcommunityinterac
tion.

Provide recreational opportunities As Canton grows in the future, addi

tionalopenspaceandrecreationalopportunitieswillbeneededtoservethe
needsofourgrowingpopulationwithoutoverburdeningexistingfacilities.

Provide economic benefits Open space enhances the value of nearby

propertiesandcanreducethecostofinstallinginfrastructureandproviding
services.Openspacepreservationcanavertresidentialdevelopmentwhich
usually requires more in service costs than it provides in tax revenue. Pur
chaseofdevelopmentrightscanpreservelandcosteffectivelywhileallow
ing farmers to continue farming the land. Open space donations or ease
ments can also be used to reduce the estate tax burden or property tax
burdentoowners.

Weseektopreserve
additionalopenspace
inthefuture.

26

StrategicDirections

A.
Encourage cooperation and communication in preserving open
space.

When open space issues are considered, the Town can and should play an im
portant role in identifying and facilitating communication among all stakehold
ersinvolved.Theinterestsoftheownerofthelandbeingconsideredforopen
space,nearbypropertyownersandresidents,andthoseoftheorganizationex
pected to be tasked with maintaining the open space must be considered. For
meaningfulpreservationofopenspace tooccur, cooperationamongall parties
isessential.

The Town recognizes that many land owners are passionate about their lands.
Insomecasessubstantialparcelsoflandhavebeenheldbyfamiliesforgenera
tions dating back to the founding of the country. Regardless of whether land
hasbeeninafamilyfortwocenturiesortwoyears,themostbenigndiscussion
involvingacquisitionofprivatepropertyforapublicpurpose(eveniftheintent
istoprotectit)canbeasensitiveone.Suchdiscussionsmustalwaysbeinitiated
and conducted with respect for the private property owners perspective and
interests. In all cases, once a property has been identified as having value as
potentialopenspace,thesubjectpropertyownershouldbeengagedasearlyas
possible. The acquisition of property for open space purposes by eminent do
mainisnotinanywaycontemplatedorencouragedbythisPOCD.

Open space creation and management is a communitywide endeavor. The

Town is fortunate to have many dedicated and responsible partners in this en
deavor,includingtheCantonLandConservationTrust(LandTrust),theStateof
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the Metro
politanDistrictCommission(MDC),aswellasotherstakeholders.

Cooperation, communication, and coordination between the Town and these

partnersintheplanning,acquisition,andmanagementofopenspacecanprove
to have many benefits mutually to the Town and its partners, as well as to the
community as a whole. This is especially true, and vitally important, with re
specttotheLandTrust,whichisbyfarthelargeststewardofopenspacewithin
thecommunity.

CreateAMeaningfulSystem

The Town should strive to

create a meaningful system
of open spaces. Although
the acquisition of isolated
parcels may have individual
merit in specific cases, the
Town should carefully ana
lyze how each parcel relates
to the overall open space
strategyfortheTown.

Through subdivision the

Town may accept a feein
lieu of open space. A feein
lieu of allows the Town to
accumulate funds for the
eventual purchase of open
space directly related to
town interests. The use fee
inlieu of is preferred by this
plan for the purpose of sup
porting meaningful acquisi
tionsinthefuture.

27

B.
Proactivelyplantoacquiremoreopenspace.

Cantonneedstocontinueeffortstoidentifydesirableopenspace.

PlanningforopenspaceallowstheTowntomakethemostoflimitedavailable
open space resources. It allows the community to direct resources and oppor
tunities towards lands that furthers the open space priorities and objectives of
Canton,asopposedtoopenspaceacquisitionbeingmerelyaresidualofdevel
opment or a take whatever we can get proposition. This is not to ignore the
fact that opportunity is frequently a significant driving force in open space ac
quisition. Rather, it enables the coordination and pooling of efforts and re
sourcestoputthecommunityinapositiontoworktowardsandtakeadvantage
ofkeyopportunitieswhentheyarise.

Fortunately, the Canton community has shown the civic foresight, generosity,
andwherewithaltosteadilyincreaseitsopenspaceinventory.In1990,about8
percent of Cantons land area was set aside as dedicated or managed open
space.Asof2012,dedicatedandmanagedopenspacemakeupabout17per
centofthetown,withidentifiedrestrictivecovenantopenspaceaddinganad
ditional3percentorso.TheCantonLandConservationTrustcontrolsapproxi
mately60percentofthisopenspace,theTowncontrolsapproximately15per
cent with the State, the MDC, and various private organizations owning the re
mainingland.

Thecreationofadditionalopenspaceisdesirableforthebenefitsandfunctions
presentedinthesidebar.Consideringtheadmirableamountofopenspaceland
thathasalreadybeenpreservedbyourcommunity,thesuccessoffutureopen
spaceplanningwillnotbedeterminedbytheacquisitionofsomearbitraryper
centage of the area of our Town, but rather through the ability of the created
openspacetomeetthesebenefitsandfunctionsandenhancethequalityoflife
inCanton.Thiscanbestbeaccomplishedthroughatopdownopenspaceplan
ningapproach:
identifyingtheopenspaceattributesandprioritiesthataremostdesir
ableforthecommunity,and
pursuinglandsthatmovethecommunitytowardstheseobjectives.

Such an approach also places a premium on having means available to be able

totakeadvantageofkeyopportunitieswhentheyarise.

OpenSpacePurposes

1. NaturalResourcePro
tectionAreas.Includes
animalandvegetative
habitat,streamand
wildlifecorridors,envi
ronmentallysensitive
areas,ridgelines,etc.

2. OutdoorRecreation.
Activerecreationsuch
asballfields,courts,
playgrounds,andother
facilitiesforstructured
recreationalactivities.
Also,passiverecreation
suchasfishing,bird
watching,hiking,canoe
ing,picnicking,andre
laxinginnature.

3. ResourceManagement.
Suchasactivelyused
forestlandandfarm
land.

4. ProtectionofPublic
HealthandSafety.
Floodplains,highquality
aquifers,wetlands,high
groundwater,steep
slopes,etc.

5. HistoricorArcheologi
calSites.Historicdis
tricts,towngreens,his
toricallysignificant
structuresorgrounds.

6. AreasthatShapeCom
munityCharacteror
Design.Greenways,
buffers,villageplazas,
neighborhoodopen
space,scenicroadsand
viewscapes,cemeteries,
etc.

7. Linkages.Manyofthe
benefitsareenhanced
whenopenspacepar
celscanbelinkedto
gether.

UniversityofConnecticut
CenterforLandUse
EducationandResearch

28

C.
Maintainandpublicizeanuptodateinventoryofopenspaces.

In order for open space efforts to be carried out efficiently and effectively, the
Townneedstodocumentandmaintainacurrent,accurateinventoryofallopen
space lands within and adjacent to its borders. Identifying the location, func
tion, and primary characteristics of existing open space parcels is fundamental
to the planning for acquisition of new open space. An accurate inventory will
enable locations to be identified (and then prioritized) which may provide im
portantconnectionsorotherattributesdesiredinthecommunitysopenspace
portfolio. An accurate GIS map of existing open space will also be very helpful
tolandusecommissionsastheyconsideropenspacemattersasrelatedtoland
useapplications.

A publicly available and easytounderstand mapped inventory of existing open

spacelandswillincreasepublicawarenessofopenspacewithinthecommunity
and help to educate residents of the value of additional open space in certain
locations.

DedicatedOpenSpace ManagedOpenSpace(NepaugReservoir)

TypesOfOpenSpace

DedicatedOpenSpace.Land
which has been permanently
preserved to serve one or
more of the functional pur
poses identified previously.
Such land may be owned by
theTown,State,CantonLand
Trust, or other similar entity
or may have a conservation
restriction. Public access is
typicallyallowed.

Managed Open Space. Land

which may have another
purpose but provides open
spacebenefits(e.g.ClassIor
II public water supply lands,
cemeteries, golf courses,
etc.). Such land may be
owned by a quasipublic or
other entity. Such land may
or may not have a reasona
ble assurance of providing
theopenspacebenefitsfora
verylongtime.

Protective Covenant Open

Space. Privately owned land
which is preserved from
future development through
protective covenants record
edintheTownLandRecords
such as conservation ease
ments, appropriately held
developmentrights,etc.

Open space typically does

notinclude:
Undeveloped or agricul
tural land that is not
preserved;
land submitted for re
duced tax assessments
underPublicAct490;
land which serves one
or more of the func
tional purposes identi
fied previously but has
not been preserved for
such purposes; (e.g. un
preserved wetlands,
etc.)

New
Hartford
Simsbury
Avon
Burlington
Barkhamsted
F
a
r
m
i
n
g
t
o
n

R
i
v
e
r
Nepaug
Reservoir

44

44

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202
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Open Space
Canton, CT
$
3,000
Feet
Legend
Dedicated Open Space
CT DEEP
Canton Land Conservation Trust
Managed Open Space
Town of Canton
MDC
Development Rights Acquired
Other - Private Open Space
Canton Land Trust Trails
Farmington River Bike Trail
This map is not intended to indicate
parcel ownership in all cases. Due to
ongoing open space acquisition and the
establishment of conservation easements,
be sure to check with Town Hall for the
most current information.

30

D.
Maintainandmanageopenspaceareas.

In order for benefits and functions of an open space to be sustained, the land
mustbeproperlymanaged(includingactivitycontrol,propertymonitoring,and
maintenance). The methods and degrees employed in such management will
varydependinguponthenatureoftheopenspace.

Thequestionsofwhowillberesponsibleforthemanagementofanopenspace
area and what resources are expected to be available (in the short and long
term)needtobeconsiderationsintheplanningforopenspace.

When the Town is involved in the process of acquiring open space, it should
take what steps are prudent to best assure proper management. All Town
ownedopenspaceparcels(orwheretheTownistheholderorbeneficiaryofa
restrictivecovenant)shouldbeincludedinanopenspacemanagementmanual.

TrailMaintenance OpenSpaceGuide

PrioritiesandFlexibility

Open space acquisition deci

sions require evaluating
competing priorities and
benefits. Good open space
planning is not a straight
forward endeavor and re
quires consideration of a
numberofissues:.

Priority consider open

space funding within the
context of the full range of
municipal spending priorities
while recognizing that land,
once developed, may never
becomeopenspace.

Balance to achieve a well

roundedopenspaceinvento
ry that benefits the broadest
spectrumofourpopulation.

Flexibility to adapt to the

variability of lands and fund
ingavailability.

31

AGRICULTURE

5
Overview

Farms and farmland are important to Canton they link the past to the future
through a landscape of fields and pastures, stone walls and weathered barns
shaped by generations of hardworking farm families. Canton has benefited
fromathrivingagriculturalcommunitysinceitsearliestdays.

With nearly 500 acres of active farmland remaining, agriculture remains an im

portant part of the community. We will strive to ensure that agriculture re
mainsanimportantpartofCantonsruralcharacterandcharmandeconomy.

WHYTHISISIMPORTANTTOUS

Protectingandpreservingfarmsandfarmlandisimportanttousbecausedoing
sowillcontinueto:

PreservetowncharacterActivefarmlandisasignificantfactorintherural
characterofCanton.Itprovidesthecommunitywithasenseoflegacy,rural
sensibility, open space, and scenery all of which contribute to the excep
tionalqualityoflifeinCanton.

ProvidelocallyproducedproductsLocalfarmsproducelocalproductsfor
local consumption. Local food and nursery products are fresher with less
opportunityfordamageduetotime,travel,andhandling.Localagriculture
also supports an increasing trend of environmentally conscious consumers
who seek to live more sustainably by reducing the amount of greenhouse
gasemissionsassociatedwiththeproductstheypurchase/consume.

Support local businesses Farms and other agricultural enterprises are

businessescontributingtothelocaleconomy.Likeanyotherbusiness,they
providejobs,directlyandindirectly,locallyandregionally,andbringincon
sumerdollarsfromoutsideofthecommunity.Also,aswithotherbusiness
es, agricultural properties are typically tax positive bringing in more local
taxdollarsthanthecostoflocalgovernmentalservicesrequired.

Westrivetoensure
thatagriculturere
mainsapartofour
character,charm,and
economy

32

StrategicDirections

A.
Takestepstoprotectactivefarmsandfarmland.

Duetooveralldevelopmentandfinancialpressures,activefarmlandisavulner
ableresourceinCanton.Approximately500acresoflandinCanton(roughly3
percentoftheTownstotallandarea)isconsideredactivefarmland.Evenifthe
community wished to preserve all of this land, it is unclear whether this could
beaccomplishedduetocostandotherconsiderations.Nevertheless,thesear
eas are important to the community and efforts should be devoted to preserv
ingasmuchofthislandasispracticalforagriculturaluses.

Theprimarymeansofprotectingactivefarmlandoutrightisthroughlandacqui
sitionwhichcanbeaccomplishedby:
Purchasefromtheexistingownerandsubsequentlyleasingthelandfor
agriculturalpurposes,or
Purchase of development rights to the land and retaining the existing
farmertoworktheland(thepreferredapproach).

Whenaworkingfarmisconvertedtodevelopment,thereisvirtuallynochance
offarmingreturningtothesite,asthetopsoilwillhavebeenremoved.Because
oftheirlocation,farms,ifdeveloped,arelikelytobeconverted totaxnegative
singlefamilyuse.

The steps for protecting active farmland are similar to those recommended for
preserving open space and other resources that the community desires to pro
tectandconserve:
identifyandinventorytheresourceaspects;
prioritization;
identifyinganddevelopingfundingsources;
identifyinganddevelopingopportunitiesforacquisition;and
putting an appropriate organizational structure in place to oversee and
managetheseprocesses.

OlsonFarm BristolFarm

LocalAgriculture

Canton is part of a larger

region and this is true for
farmsandfarmers.

Local farms and farmers will

benefit the residents of Can
ton and the larger region
with local farm products,
local jobs, scenic views, and
other benefits. Similarly,
strongerregionalsupportfor
farming and farm products
willalsohelpCanton.

34

B.
Supportandencouragethebusinessofagriculture.

Anotherprimarymeansofprotectingfarmlandandfarming,andotherformsof
agriculture,istotakestepstoassistthemtoremainviableassmallbusinesses.
Suchstepsshouldbedesignedto:
Allow agricultural businesses to operate and flourish within residential
(and other) neighborhoods, while respecting the historical character of
theneighborhood.
Afford agricultural businesses the flexibility to adapt to changes and
volatilityinproductionandmarketfactors.
Support and encourage a local consumer base for locally produced
products.

Althoughfarmstandscanbethoughtofasretailenterpriseslocatedinresiden
tial zones, they are incredibly valuable to the people who use them and the
farmerswhoprovidethem.Allowingfarmstandsinappropriatelocationswith
tolerant and flexible business accommodations should be encouraged. The
FarmersMarketandcommunitysupportedagriculture(ameansforfarmersto
presell their crops to share the risks and bounty of farming with people
and families that purchase farm shares) are also ways to help support local
farmsandfarmersandshouldbecontinuedandencouraged.

CommunitySupportedAgriculture FarmersMarket

HappyCarrot FarmersBounty

35

ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT

6
Overview

Economic growth and development in Canton, and the sound management of

public policy towards businesses, is fundamental to Cantons future and the
quality of life in town. In the face of flat or decreasing revenues from other
sources, and slowly rising housing values, the financial health of the Town will
improvethroughdiversifyingthetaxbaseandbecominglessdependentonthe
residentialsector.

Business development in suitable locations must happen in a manner that en

hances the character of the community and reenforce strong property values.
The Town understands that local businesses are an important part of our local
economyandkeymembersofourcommunity.

WHYTHISISIMPORTANTTOUS

Promoting and achieving economic development is important to us because

doingsowillcontinueto:

EnhancequalityoflifeThequalityoflifeenjoyedbythecommunityisen
hanced by businesses that provide valuable services and economic vitality
tothecommunity.

ProvidetaxrevenueIfthecommercialcomponentofourgrandlistfailsto
grow, the burden of increasing costs of services will ultimately be shoul
deredbytheresidentialcomponentoftheTownstaxbase.Arobustcom
mercial sector provides much needed property tax revenue to the Town
thatcanreducetherelativetaxburdenonresidentialhomeowners.

Provide jobs, goods and services A thriving business community provides

needed goods and services for consumption in the community; it also pro
vides income to the wider community in the form of employment and
commerce.Astronganddiversebusinesscommunityhelpsthetownadapt
tomarketchangesandwithstandeconomicfluctuations.

Economicgrowthand
developmentandthe
soundmanagement
ofpublicpolicyto
wardsbusinessesis
fundamentaltoCan
tonsfutureandthe
qualityoflifeintown.

36

StrategicDirections

A.
Increasebusinesstoresidentialtaxbaseproportion.

InCanton,thereisaneedtoincreasetheamountoflandavailableforcommer
cialdevelopmentandtoincreasetheassessedvalueofexistingcommercialpar
cels.Increasingtheproportionofthepropertytaxbasethatiscommercialwill
decreasetherelativetaxburdenonexistinghomesandbusinessesinCanton.It
isagoalofthisPOCDtomitigateourhistoricrelianceonresidentialtaxproperty
taxesbyaffordingmoreopportunitiesforbusinesswithinbusinesszones,creat
ing more businessfriendly zones, and perhaps finding new sites to convert for
potentialbusinessdevelopment.

This is likely to be increasingly important in the future for Canton, as the town
has only about 50 acres of undeveloped land zoned for business and approxi
mately 4,500 acres of undeveloped residential land. Managing the business to
residential tax proportion will be key to keeping the Towns tax rates competi
tiveandkeepingCantonadesiredplacetoliveandrunabusiness.

Theissueoflimitedinventoryoflandavailableforbusinessandindustrialuseis
exacerbatedbythelimitedavailabilityofpublicutilities(especiallysanitarysew
er) to some of these properties (which is an impediment to business develop
ment). At the same time, the town has a privately owned industrial park and
theprivatelyownedCollinsCompanysite,bothofwhicharesignificantlyunder
performingfromaneconomicstandpoint.

ThePOCDrecommendsmixedusedevelopmentasanimportanttooltohelpus
achieve our economic development goals. Mixed use development has long
beenanimportantbuildingblockofCantonseconomicbaseandisincreasingly
beingconstructedaroundthecountry.Whilethetownhasnotseenmixeduse
development in recent decades, it is a positive economic strategy which can
help address the limited inventory of land for business in town and the im
portanceofinfillandredevelopmenttoreachoureconomicdevelopmentgoals.

MixedUseInCollinsville MixedUseInCollinsville

BenefitsofMixedUse

Mixed use development is

proven to yield higher tax
revenues than traditional
standalone commercial and
residentialdevelopments.

Mixed use was a historic

component of the towns
economictaxbaseandthriv
ing development prior to
zoninglaws.

Mixed use also helps func

tion as a transition in chal
lenging locations between
areas of business and single
familyneighborhoods.

MixedUseForCanton

The map on the facing page

identifies areas historically
associated with mixed use
and areas where mixed use
potential should be consid
ered. The following catego
riesexplaindifferingtypesof
mixed use that presently
exist or are recommended
forconsideration:
Village Center/ Com
mercial MixedUse: This
generally allows the
mostintenseandwidest
rangeofdevelopment.
Transitional MixedUse:
single family, multi
family, and commercial
similar/complimentary,
but less intense, as ad
jacent commercial are
as.
LowIntensity Mixed
Use: single family, low
unit multifamily, pro
fessional office and oth
er lowintensity/low
traffic generating com
mercialuses.

Individual zone locations

may/will have different
use/developmentstandards.

Avon
Burlington
F
a
r
m
i
n
g
t
o
n

R
i
v
e
r
Nepaug
Reservoir

44

44

202
202
UV
179
UV
179
UV
565
UV
177
UV
179
C
h
e
r
r
y

B
r
o
o
k

R
d
.
L
a
w
t
o
n

R
d
.
M
a
p
l
e

A
v
e
.
R
i
v
e
r

R
d
.
West M
oun
ta
in
Rd.
E
a
s
t
H
i
l
l
R
d
.
G
r
a
c
e
y
R
d
.
N
orth
M
o
u
n
t
ain Rd.
Existing Business Zones
Canton, CT
$
2,500
Feet
Legend
B-Business
ATG2-Albany
Turnpike Gateway
District
I-Industrial
IP-Industrial Park
IH-Industrial
Heritage
Non-Business Zones
Concept areas (not property line specific)
Avon
Burlington
F
a
r
m
i
n
g
t
o
n

R
i
v
e
r
Nepaug
Reservoir

44

44

202
202
UV
179
UV
179
UV
565
UV
177
UV
179
C
h
e
r
r
y

B
r
o
o
k

R
d
.
L
a
w
t
o
n

R
d
.
M
a
p
l
e

A
v
e
.
R
i
v
e
r

R
d
.
West M
oun
ta
in
Rd.
E
a
s
t
H
i
l
l
R
d
.
G
r
a
c
e
y
R
d
.
N
orth
M
o
u
n
t
ain Rd.
Potential/Historical
Mixed Use Areas
$
2,500
Feet
Legend
(See side bar on facing page)
Low-Intensity Mixed Use
Transitional Mixed Use
Village Center /
Commercial Mixed Use
Industrial Park Mixed Use
Concept areas (not property line specific)

38

B.
Develop a coordinated economic plan (i.e. a Comprehensive Eco
nomicDevelopmentStrategy).

Economicdevelopmentdoesnotoccurinavacuumanditneedstobeholistical
lyintegratedintocommunityplanninganddecisionmaking.Acoordinatedstra
tegicapproachisrecommended.

A clear economic development vision will reduce friction in the development

reviewprocess.Currentbusinessdevelopmentregulationisthebyproductofa
seriesofunrelated decisionsmadeonacasebycasebasis.Thishasledto un
coordinated development that can, and in some cases has, eroded value and
uniqueidentitywithinthecommunity.

This vision should evaluate the business environment and develop marketing
opportunities (e.g., targeted industry study marketing) that capitalize on the
communitysassetsandrespectsthecharacterofthetown.

Consensus about the vision and commitment to its implementation is key. If

there is inadequate communication, local boards or commissions could end up
workingagainsteachotherandpreventingthevisionfrombeingimplemented.
Ontheotherhand,multipleagenciesworkingtogethertoaccomplishthesame
thingswillpaysignificantdividendstothecommunity.

C.
Helpexistingbusinessesgrowandsucceed.

RetentionandsupportofcommunitybusinessesisahighpriorityofthisPOCD.
Existing businesses are an important part of our community and the backbone
ofourlocaleconomy.

However, there is a perception among existing business owners that Town

boardsandcommissionsaregenerallyunfriendlytotheireffortstogroworim
prove their businesses and that the regulatory process is expensive and intimi
dating for small businesses which have been in our community for years. We
shouldseektosimplifythisprocess.

Some businesses are located in residential zones and are treated as non
conforming uses (a special zoning categorization which can complicate busi
nessoperations).Weshouldinvestigatehowwemightbettermanagethistype
of situation to find an appropriate balance. One approach might be to allow a
nonconforming use to expand through a special permit process so that issues
ofcompatibilitycanbeconsideredduringthereviewprocess.

OpportunityLocations

Within the POCD, the term

opportunity locations is
usedtoidentify:
Sites of significant eco
nomicpotential;or,
Sites where there is an
expectation of a mean
ingful/taxpositivecon
tribution to the tax
base.
Sites where there are
known development in
terests.

These sites may or may not

be zoned for business use
todayorinthefuture.

These sites may or may not

be developed today. If de
veloped today, these sites
may or may not be devel
opedtotheirfullpotential.

The map on the facing page

identifies some possible op
portunity locations in Can
ton.

E
H
i
l
l
R
d
U
S
H
w
y
4
4

S
t
a
t
e

H
w
y

1
7
9




M
organ Rd
In
d
ia
n
H
ill R
d
W Moun
tain
Rd
B
r
e
e
z
y
H
ill
R
d
E
M
o
u
n
t
a
in
R
d
O
lso
n
R
d

B
a
h
r
e
C
o
r
n
e
r
R
d
G
a
r
rett R
d
M
o
h
a
w
k
Dr
Spauldin
g
R
d
H
o
f
f
m
a
n
R
d
O
l
d
M
i
l
l
D
r
S
t
e
r
l
i
n
g

D
r


Tanglew
o
o
d
D
r
H
i
g
h
H
i
l
l
R
d
H
illto
p
D
r
Gracey Rd
Frey
R
d
P
o
w
d
e
r
M
i
l
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R
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W
ild
e
rs
P
a
s
s
W
e
s
t
v
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w

D
r


Shingle Mill D
r
Potential Opportunity Locations
Canton, CT
$
2,000
Feet
E
H
ill
R
d
M
organ R
d
U
S

H
w
y

4
4




S
t
a
t
e
H
w
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1
7
9
P
o
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M
i
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R
d
US Hwy
2
02
R
a
m
p

R
d


V
illa
ge Ln
D
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r

A
v
e


S
t
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in
g

D
r


B
r
i
stol D
r
C
olony
R
d
Woodla
n
d
D
r
D
y
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te
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R
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S
ilv
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M
in
e
A
cres
W
in
t
e
rbourne Ln
S
poon
w
o
o
d
D
r
B
r
o
o
k
D
r

US Hwy 44
D
y
e
r

A
v
e


Dowd Ave
M
a
p
le
A
v
e
A
t
w
a
t
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r
R
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Bart Dr
L
a
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R
d
S
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a
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H
w
y
1
7
9
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H
i
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R
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Simonds Ave
H
i
g
h
S
t
S
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i
s
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D
r
F
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s
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S
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w
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W
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h
b
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d
O
ld
C
a
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to
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Rd
P
o
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d
V
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D
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r
o
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P
t
A
lle
n
P
l
Queens Peak
C
om
m
e
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e
D
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G
ild
ers
le
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A
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a
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p
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P
on
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y
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w
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L
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D
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t
m
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uth Dr
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M
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c
h
a
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D
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B
r
i
s
t
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l
D
r
B
oulder Rdg
Birch Rd
R
idge
D
r
C
a
n
to
n
H
o
l
w M
ills

L
n


T
im
b
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r
L
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J eff Ln Livingston R
d
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a
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C
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R
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C
obb R
d
D
rake Ln

44

44
UV
179

44

44

44

44
1,000
Feet
1,600
Feet
Concept Areas (not property line specific)

40

D.
Encourageinfillandredevelopment.

Withalimitedamountoflandavailablefornewbusinessdevelopment,Canton
needstoseekadditionalopportunitiesforeconomicgrowth.Infillandredevel
opment,whichcanincreasetheeconomicproductivityofanalreadydeveloped
area,aregreatstrategiesforustoconsider.

Expansiononexistingdevelopedsitescanincreasethetaxbasewithlessimpact
than expansion on a new site. Locations suitable for infill and redevelopment
shouldbeidentifiedasprioritydevelopmentareasbasedontheirdevelopment
potential,abilitytoimproveaccessandmanagetraffic,andmaintainsensitivity
tothecontextoftheestablishedareainwhichtheyarelocated.

Infill and redevelopment should be promoted for mixeduse areas where jobs,
housingandretailactivitiescanbelocatedincloseproximitytogetheraswellas
at other business nodes and along transportation corridors. Future mixeduse
zoning areas can result in residential buildings with street level commercial ac
tivities(againtypicalofatraditionalvillagecenter).Thiscanleadtoasymbiotic
relationship between commercial retailers, residents and employers that serve
tostrengthenthelocalcommunity.

Thefollowingimages,preparedfortheTownofSimsburybyafirmcalledUrban
Advantage, help people visualize how infill development and streetscape im
provementscanenhancetheappearanceofacommunity.

ExistingCondition PedestrianandStreetscapeImprovements

PartialInfill PossibleFutureInfillCondition

41

E.
Ensure that future economic development enhances the communi
ty.

The appearance of Canton is an important quality of the town and should be

maintainedandenhancedbyitsbusinessdevelopment.Thecharacter,quality,
and appearance of our community are economic assets. Future development
shouldreenforcetheseassetsandnotdetractfromthem.

A good economy with growth and development and a good community with
characterandpridearenotmutuallyexclusive,butrathermutuallybeneficial.
Newdevelopmentshouldreflect,drawfrom,andcomplimentsuchcharacterin
ordertopreservethe communitysidentityandeconomicvalue. Development
styles and standards indicative of Any Town USA or offtheshelf corporate
AmericathatwoulderodeCantonsuniqueidentityandvalueisdiscouraged.

Inapublicmeetingheldaspartofthisplanningeffort,Cantonresidentsindicat
ed they were very proud of the feel/environment of Collinsville. This
feel/environmentshouldbeleveragedandexpanded:
PhysicallywithinCollinsvilleitselftohelpinsurethesustainabilityofCol
linsville.
Intootherareasofthecommunity.

ElementsOfCantonsCharacter ElementsOfCantonsCharacter

ElementsOfCantonsCharacter

42

CONCEPTUALEXAMPLE

CantonVillagePlaza

At over 12 acres, Canton Village Plaza is one of the largest commercial devel
opmentsinCanton.Whilemanycommercialdevelopmentsofthissizeandage
are performing poorly from an economic standpoint; the Canton Village Plaza
has experienced ongoing economic vitality with continuous highoccupancy
rates.

ThisPOCDrecognizestheoriginallayoutofthePlazatobeoneofthemostim
portantfactorsinitscontinuedvitality.Thenumerousbuildingswithtraditional
facadesandrooflinesisincharacterwiththesurroundingneighborhoodandthe
community as a whole. It also allowed for individuality within the buildings,
which is a noted trademark of the town. The numerous buildings also help to
breakuptheparkingareas.Thislayoutalsooffersflexibilityforredevelopment
ofthesiteovertimesincethesmaller buildingscanberehabilitatedone build
ingatatime.

However,CantonVillagePlazacouldbeimprovedphysicallyandexpandedeco
nomically. More provisions could be made for pedestrians and the buildings
moreorientedtopedestriansinotherwords,thedevelopmentcouldbemade
morepedestrianfriendly.ThetrafficpatternswithinthePlazacouldbeorient
ed towards making it less of a cutthrough and more of an internal street.
More could be done in vegetative landscaping and stormwater pollution
measures. With the Farmington River Trail nearby, the Plaza would benefit
frombeingmorefriendlytobicycletrafficaswell.

43

CONCEPTUALEXAMPLE

Atthesametime,thereareprobablyopportunitiestoaddinfillbuildingsbetweensomeoftheexisting
buildingstoincreasetheamountoffloorarea.Inaddition,theremaybeopportunitiestocreatemoreof
amixeduseenvironmentwithofficeandresidentialuses.

44

CONCEPTUALEXAMPLE

CantonGreen

The Canton Green area is at the intersection of Route 44 and Dowd Avenue.
Althoughtheappearance andcharacterofthisareahasbecome dilutedbythe
trafficvolumesandpatternsinthisarea,itwasonceanactivefocalpointonthe
roadbetweenHartfordandAlbany.

This area presents an opportunity for economic development by encouraging

thesharingofparkinganddrivewaysamongadjacentproperties.Notonlywill
thisprovideforbetteraccesstothesepropertiesforemployeesandcustomers,
it will provide a safer travel pattern. Further, the sharing of parking should al
lowforadditionaldevelopmentinthisarea.

45

CONCEPTUALEXAMPLE

Thefollowinggraphicssuggesthow:
thehistoricstreetscapeoftheCantonGreenareamightberetained,
drivewayaccessmightbemanaged,
buildingcharacterpreserved,and
developmentencouraged.

ConceptualExample

This example demonstrates

thefollowingconcepts:

1 Reducing the number of

access points on Route 44.
The access and parking con
cept presented reduces sev
en access points down to
three, and then, in the sec
ond concept plan, is further
reducedtotwo.

2Howvarioussitessuchas
this could be redeveloped
(thebasicsoftheaccessand
parking) around existing
buildings (rather than a
complete demolition and
rebuild (with the exception
ofthenurserysite).

3 How a site (in coopera

tion of the adjacent proper
ty) might be redeveloped
without losing the existing
street front building pres
ence.

4 The overall principle of

redevelopment the exist
ing buildings and form pro
vide character that the plan
endorsesforCantonsvillage
centers and can be retained
through the real future pos
sibility of infill and redevel
opment.

Undercurrentzoningregula
tions such a redevelopment
would likely involve a larger
building (or two) near the
back of the site with a large
parking lot fronting the
road. This example illus
trates how a site like this
might be redeveloped in
such a way that reestablish
esthebuildinglinesnearthe
street (with parking in the
rear),whichismoreinkeep
ing with traditional village
commercialdevelopment.

46

CONCEPTUALEXAMPLE

HartsCorner

TheHartsCornerarea(intersectionofRoutes44,202and179)isanotherarea
wherethereiseconomicdevelopmentpotential.Infact,thereiseconomicde
velopmentpotentialinalmostallportionsofthisareabothbetweensomeof
theroadwaysandoutsideofthem.

Forexample,thenorthwestquadrantoftheintersectionofRoutes44and179is
being used for a commuter parking lot at the present time. If some of the un
usedareaswithintheintersectingroadscouldbeusedforsuchparking,itcould
freeuplandforeconomicdevelopmentpurposes.

PossibleOpportunityLo
cation(ifcommuterpark
inglotisrelocated)
PossibleLocation
ForCommuter
ParkingLot

47

CONCEPTUALEXAMPLE

Ifthecommuterparkinglotweretoberelocated,itmightbepossibletousethe
siteandparkingareatosupportsomesmallofficebuildings,retailstores,orres
taurants. If additional parking was added, it might be possible to add a larger
buildingsimilartothebuildingacrossRoute179(PetalsandPaws).

Itmightbepossibletorelocatethe commuterparkinglottoan areainside the

roadwayroutes.Onepossibilityisshownbelow.Ataparkingratioof5spaces
per 1,000 square feet of floor area, the 72 parking spaces at the existing com
muterlotcouldsupportover14,000squarefeetofcommercialfloorarea.At4
spaces per 1,000 square feet, about 18,000 square feet of floor area could be
supported.Thefollowingillustrationshowsan11,000SFonestorybuildingand
twotwostorybuildingsofabout3,500SFeach.

48

F.
Revisit business zoning standards and improve the development
reviewprocess.

Currently, the zoning regulations set low maximum impervious and building
coverage limits. Limitations such as these can restrict development potential,
limit creativity, and promote sprawl. These requirements should be relaxed in
most business areas (and offset by innovative storm drainage management re
quirements, such as low impact development strategies) to allow for more
compact,friendlybusinessareasthataremorereminiscentoftraditionalvillage
downtowns and in keeping with the character of Canton, in addition to better
maximizing the limited available business land that the town has. Other busi
nesszoningregulationsshouldbereviewedforsimilarpotentialimprovements/
enhancements.

New business looking to come to town, or an existing business seeking to ex

pand or make changes, needs to be met by an efficient and supportive review
andapprovalprocess.

Thepredictabilityandlengthoftimeofthedevelopmentreviewprocessiscriti
cal to anyone evaluating a substantial financial investment in our community.
Theprocessofdeterminingwhatcangowhereandwhatabusinessownercan
or cant do should be consistent, clear, coordinated and streamlined. Resolu
tionanddecisionsaffectingbusinessneedtobemadeinanefficient,respectful,
andcooperativeprocess.

CVSPharmacy

McDonaldsRestaurant

49

RESIDENTIALDEVELOPMENT

7
Overview

Intermsofresidential development,itisimportantthatwe maintaintheexist

ingneighborhoodsthatmakeourtownagreatplacetolive,raiseourchildren,
andprovideasenseofcommunity.

Atthesametime,wewillstrivetocreatenewneighborhoodsthatenhanceour
community identity and diversity through the use of designs and patterns that
connect to the historic rural character of the community and respect the envi
ronmentallandscapeinwhichtheyareproposed.

WHYTHISISIMPORTANTTOUS

Promoting appropriate residential development is important to us because do

ingsowillcontinueto:

Make us a sustainable community The provision (and maintenance) of a

diverse housing portfolio is important for Canton to attract and retain an
economically,demographically,andculturallydiversepopulationwhichwill
provideabalancedlaborpool,consumerbase,andsocialstructure.These
areimportantbuildingblockstoahealthysustainablecommunity.

BuildandmaintainstrongneighborhoodsNeighborhoodsarethecorner
stone of our community. Canton is committed to preserving, protecting,
and enhancing its existing neighborhoods. It is Cantons goal to provide
neighborhoodsthataresafe,comfortable,andattractiveahome.

StrengthencommunityprideMaintainingarural,smalltownatmosphere
isimportanttoourresidents.Quality,attractive,anddistinctiveresidential
neighborhoods enhance our community character and sense of place. Di
verseandinterestinghousingandneighborhooddevelopmentpatternsalso
help create a unique character for Canton. All of these factors strengthen
theprideCantonscitizenshavefortheircommunity.

Wewillseektomain
taintheexisting
neighborhoodsthat
makeourtowna
greatplacetolive,
raiseourchildren,
andprovideasense
ofcommunity.

50

StrategicDirections

A.
Preserve and enhance the character of existing residential neigh
borhoods.

Neighborhoodcharactercanbedifficulttodefinebutyouknowitwhenyousee
itorfeelit.Characterisanimportantfactorthatgivesaneighborhooditsiden
tityasaplace.Itisthesenseonegetswhenexperiencing(viewing,walkingin,
drivingthrough,livingin)anarea.Itisoftenacomplexsetofperceptionsbased
on the area's location, geographic features, building types, architecture and
spacing,landscaping,streetlayout,andotheraspects.

The physical condition of these elements also affects the character of a neigh
borhood.Wellmaintainedpropertiesandpublicinfrastructuremakemoreliva
ble and attractive neighborhoods that create greater place value. Wellkept
neighborhoodsalsoprovideahealthierandsaferenvironmentinwhichtowork,
play,andlive.

Maintainingthedistinctiveanddiversecharacterofindividualneighborhoodsin
Canton is integral to preserving the overall character of the Town. Canton has
never been as a onesizefitsall community; and this remains an element of
theTownscharacterthatthisPOCDlookstoperpetuate.

This POCD presumes that neighborhood character was an important factor

when Canton residents chose to live where they do. That is the reason the
POCD considers preserving and enhancing the character of existing residential
neighborhoods to be an important factor when planning the future develop
mentoftheTown.

Ourexistingneighborhoodsshouldcontinuetopreserveandenhancethechar
acterofourtownby:
Providingasafeandpleasantplaceforresidentstolive,
Maintainingpropertyvalues,
Preventingdeteriorationandblight,
Maintainingthetaxbase,and
Providingasenseofcommunityandasourceofprideforresidents.

TransitionalUse

In Canton, condominiums,
apartments,andothermulti
family residential uses or
moderate and higher density
residential uses can serve as
a transitional use between
a commercial use and single
family residential neighbor
hoods.

Further, the existence of

such multifamily residential
uses should not influence or
be used to deny proposed
commercial development on
suchcommercialland.

51

B.
Provide for a variety of housing choices within safe and stable
neighborhoods.

ThisPOCDrecognizesthatadequateanddiversehousingchoicesareimportant
tothefutureofCanton.Wehaveahistoryofstronghousingdiversity(suchas
theCollinsCompanybuildingaffordablehousinginCollinsvilleforitsworkersin
the1820s)andweshouldstrivetoensurehousingdiversityonthefuture.

While detached singlefamily homes on large lots may still be the predominant
housing style in the future, more people will be seeking housing choices which
arelessexpensive,requirelessmaintenance,ormeetotherlifestyleneeds.

SingleFamilyHousing TwoFamilyHousing

Condominium ElderlyHousing

52

C.
RestorethemixeduseelementinCanton.

Historically,mixeduseresidentialdevelopmentwasveryprominentinCantons
village centers. Such mixeduse development is still very evident, and thriving,
inthecenterofCollinsville;andtoalesserextentinCantonCenter.Mixeduse
developmenttendstocreatemoreofasenseofcommunityforitsresidents,as
they can spend more of their time and accomplish more of their tasks in their
ownneighborhood.Italsocancreatemoreofasenseofcomfortablevitalityfor
thosewhovisittheneighborhood.Thissenseofcommunityandvitalityispart
ofCantonsheritageandcharacter.

Thereintegrationofmixedusebuildingsanddevelopmentintoourcommunity
willrespectandenhanceourcommunityheritageandfuturevitalityofCanton.

MixedUseinCollinsville MixedUseinCollinsville

MixedUseInCantonCenter MixedUseInCantonCenter

MixedUseZoning

Mixeduse zoning allows for

development that includes a
mix of both residential and
commercialusesinthesame
proximity, often within the
samebuilding.

Such mixeduse develop

ment results in neighbor
hoods that more closely em
ulate the traditional village
center. This environment
brings a more pleasing rural
character to our commercial
areas than traditional zoning
while also providing valuable
residentialdiversity.

54

D.
Managetheimpactsofnewresidentialdevelopment.

Whileresidentialdevelopmentcanhavemanypositivebenefits,itcanalsoneg
ativelyaffectournaturalenvironment,requirecommunityservices,increasethe
taxburden,anddilutecommunityidentity.

Conventional residential subdivisions can consume a lot of land which reduces

farmland, core forest land, wildlife habitat, and potential open space. Conven
tional subdivisions typically require more roadway and other infrastructure
(which must be maintained) than more compact developments. It might also
notcontributeasmuchtothesenseofneighborhoodandcommunityasmight
more compact types of low and medium density residential development. The
result is the erosion of the rural character and other aspects of the desired
characterofCanton.

Canton needs to responsibly manage these impacts to effectively minimize the

potential negative effects of new residential development. This management
maybeaccomplishedthroughtheencouragementof:
densitybasedzoning,
appropriatedesignsfornewdevelopments,
infill development (between existing developed parcels, especially in
moredenselydevelopedareas),and
twofamilyhousesinareaswhereappropriate.

ConventionalDesignSubdivision ConservationDesignSubdivision

DensityBasedZoning

Densitybased zoning (DBZ)

controls residential develop
ment on a units per acre
basis rather than the mini
mumlotsizebasisofconven
tionalzoning.

Thereby, DBZ offers the flex

ibility to customize each
project by joining theprefer
ences of both the developer
and the town with the capa
bilities of the land. DBZ im
plemented as conservation
subdivisions reduces sprawl
and land consumption for
development while pre
servingmorelandinitsnatu
ralstate,asopenspace,oras
farmland.Italsoreducesthe
cost per lot for maintaining
theinstalledinfrastructure.

55

COMMUNITYFACILITIES
&SERVICES

8
Overview

Cantonstrivestoprovidenecessary,functional,andattractivecommunityfacili
tiesandservicestomeettheneedsofresidents.Keepingfacilitiescurrentand
well maintained is critical to ensuring Canton continues as a desirable place to
liveandwork.

Considerable growth in the last decade has created intense demand on public
facilities and services, some of which are near the end of their useful lives and
neededimprovementbeforethepopulationexpansionoverthepastdecade.

WHYTHISISIMPORTANTTOUS

Providingcommunityfacilitiesandservicesisimportanttousbecausedoingso
willcontinueto:

Provide for community interests and needs Public facilities and services
addresstheneedsandinterestsofthecommunityandenrichthequalityof
lifeforall.

ReflectourcommitmenttothefutureThequalityofcommunityfacilities
andservicesareanimportantcomponentinhowatownismeasured,both
internally by its residents and businesses, as well as by the outside world.
Competing with other towns in the Farmington Valley requires Canton to
keepfacilitiescurrentandwellmaintained.

Use resources efficiently Funding for community facilities and services

comes primarily from the town budget and we should be as efficient and
economical as possible while providing for the longterm needs of the
community.

Weseektoprovide
necessary,functional,
andattractivecom
munityfacilitiesand
servicestomeetthe
needsofresidents.

56

StrategicDirections

A.
Continuelongrangeplanningforcapitalprojects.

Canton has a number of townowned facilities that will need improvements

overthenexttenyears.AstheTownplansforthefuture,itwillcontinuetobe
important to distinguish between things which are critical to municipal opera
tions(needs)andthingswhicharedesiredtoenhanceandimprovequalityof
life(wants).

Using the following prioritization criteria, the Towns Capital Project Study
Groupidentifiedtheissuespresentedinthetableonthefacingpage:
Safety
PreserveExistingAssets
Funding
FinancialBenefit
Conservation
LegalMandates
FutureCosts

Proper maintenance of existing community facilities is a key priority. Some

Connecticut communities use a capital replacement planning approach (see
sidebar) to identify longterm needs and to plan for their financial impacts on
theannualbudget.Longtermcapitalplanning,alongwithareserveaccount,is
important, as it can offset large fluctuations in the budget and tax rate and it
allowsthecommunitytoanticipateandplanforcapitalprojects.

Todeliverimprovedservicestoourresidentsandprovideafuturefinancialsav
ings,thedevelopmentofaFacilitiesManagementPlaniscurrentlybeingunder
taken.Thisplanwillplayanimportantroleindirectingthefuturemanagement
ofalltownfacilities.

TownHall Firehouse

CapitalProjectPlanning

TheTownhasshownsuccess
in recent history through a
comprehensive process in
which capital projects are
reviewed and debated, and
ultimatelyresultedinashort
list of priority projects for
funding.

This includes maintenance

and improvements to exist
ing facilities as well as re
placement of major equip
ment or facilities. A life
cycle costing approach has
significant advantages to
plan, budget and pay for
replacements without large
tax increases, or emergency
funding.

This type of process is en

couraged to be replicated in
thecomingyearstoevaluate
community wants and needs
and to promote the efficient
programming of funds that
resultinmaximumbenefitto
the community as a whole
over individual interests and
wants.

Capital replacement plans

ensurethat:
Important facility needs
are anticipated well in
advance,
sufficient funds are
available when they are
needed,
fullcostsareestimated,
replacements are made
attherighttimeandare
affordable,and
budgetsremainstable.

57

PRIMARY
FUNCTION
EXISTING
FACILITIES
IDENTIFIEDISSUES*
General
Government/
Administration
TownHall
Ongoingmaintenance(replacedoors,
windows,HVAC,chillerandgutters)
ADA(AmericanswithDisabilitiesAct),
fireandbuildingcodecompliance
Emergency
Services
Policestation
Ongoingmaintenance
Collinsvillefirestation(improve/re
place)
3Firestations(2
private)
Ambulance /
EMS
PublicWorks HighwayGarage
Newfacilityisneeded
Saltstorage
Vehiclestorageandwashing
Staffandofficespace
Recreationand
Enrichment
MillsPond
Ongoingmaintenance
MillsPondPool
TownGreenGazeboimprovements
CommunityCenterRoof(inprogress)
CommunityGym(atHighSchool)
Recreationalfields
TownGreen
Playgrounds
Community
Center
Library
SeniorCenter
Education
Cherry Brook
Primary
Ongoingmaintenance(e.g.,replace
windows,carpets)
SolarPanels(Intermediate,andHigh
schools)
Upgradeschoolfields(inprogress)
Roof(CherryBrook,intermediate,and
Highschools)(inprogress)
NewAccessRoadtoHighSchool(in
progress)
Parkinglotupgrades(CherryBrook)
Canton Inter
mediate
CantonMiddle
CantonHigh

58

B.
Addressseniorandsocialserviceneeds.

Canton is currently the oldest town in the Farmington Valley, with a senior
adultpopulationof12percent.Thetownishometomultipleelderlyandelder
ly/disabled housing communities. Accessibility within certain town buildings is
challenging for older adults and others with mobility difficulties and should be
addressedwhenimprovementsaremade.

The current housing stock is not expected to accommodate the income con
straints of older residents or lower income families. Convenient affordable
housingoptionscanprovideopportunitiesforlowerincomefamiliestobecome
selfsustainingandmayenableolderresidentstostayintheircommunity.

Also the distances separating places of residence and needed services (senior,
social,medical,retail,etc.)areanissueforlessmobileresidentsseekingtostay
engaged and active within the community. As the senior population expands,
so will the need for affordable transportation services to serve them. The cur
rent successful DialARide transportation program will not be able to keep up
withtheincreasingdemand.

Many health care services for the elderly population commonly found in larger
more developed areas are not readily available in Canton. Also older adults in
needofinhomecareservicesoftenhavetroublefindingprovidersthatarewill
ingtoservicetheCantonarea.

Many elderly and lowerincome residents also rely on important community

programssuchastheCantonFoodBankandEnergyAssistanceProgramtohelp
makeendsmeat;andthedemandfortheseservicesisincreasing.Theyalsorely
on town social services for important assistance and (in the case of our senior
citizens) group activities and opportunities to support their emotional well
being. Trained staffing to provide programming for older adults and manage
socialworkcaseloadsshouldbecurrentandadequatetomeetthesedemands.

Priorityissuesforconsideration:
TransportationOptions
ImprovingHealthServices
AccessandSpace
AffordableHousing
Staffing,EquipmentandTechnology

59

C.
Addresspublicworksneeds.

TheDepartmentofPublicWorks(DPW)aspirestoabroad,comprehensiveview
of the future infrastructure management needs of the community. The follow
ingprioritieshavebeenidentified:

Public WorksGarageThereisalongrecognized needfora newpublicworks

garage/yardfacility(seesidebar).A2007studyconcludedthat:
storagespaceforvehicles,equipmentandmaterialsisinadequate;
vehicle/equipmentservicelifewillbeincreasedbyindoorstorage;
stafffacilitiesaresubstandardinsize,conditionandaccommodation;
saltforwinterroadwayoperationscannotbestoredatthesite;and
thereisnowaytowashvehiclesandequipmentonsiteduetotheprox
imitytotheFarmingtonRiver.

Compoundingtheseissuesisthefactthatregulationsmakebuildingatthepre
sentlocation,withinthefloodplain,costprohibitive.

Town Transfer Station The transfer station needs to continue evolving into a
userfriendlyfacilitythatmeetslocalneedsforsolidwasteandrecyclingwhile
meeting state requirements. Some of this work is underway and future plans
involve updating the open container drop off areas and realigning the traffic
patternallowingforeasierandsaferaccess.

Road Conditions Maintenance of town roads is growing in importance with

increased usage and aging infrastructure. Many town roads are in poor condi
tion and require excessive maintenance and significant improvements. The
pavement management approach (See Transportation Chapter) provides ob
jective information and useful data for analysis so that consistent, cost
effective, and effective decisions can be made regarding maintenance and re
habilitationoftownroads.

PublicWorks TransferStation

PublicWorksGarageHistory

Originally a horse barn, and

located in the floodplain of
the Farmington River, the
TownPublicWorksGarageis
neither large enough nor
properly located to house
the vehicles and equipment
used by Public Works or to
adequately accommodate
needed operations and func
tions.

The need for a new location

and facilities for Public
Works first appeared in the
Towns POCD in 1989 (over
20 years ago) and was con
firmed by a town study
committeein1999.

In 2007, the town retained

an engineering firm to study
the issue, specifically exam
ining the possible expansion
of the existing garage. The
study identified a building
space need of 24,000 square
feet, based on the towns
population, square miles
serviced, the number of ve
hicles,amountofequipment,
and proper staffing. The
current facility has about
5,600squarefeet.

The Connecticut DOT re

moved its salt storage shed
from the river floodplain a
number of years ago; the
Town of Canton should do
thesame.

Recapturing the natural and

scenic riverfront land occu
pied by the current public
works garage would provide
valuable public access and
enhance the rivers role in
the community (See the Up
perMillPondMasterPlan.)

60

D.
Addresspublicsafetyneeds.

Existing Fire Facilities The townowned Collinsville and privately owned Can
ton fire stations (located at River Road and Canton Springs Road respectively)
areinadequatetomeettheneedsoftheFire/EMSDepartment.Bothbuildings
present concerns regarding accessibility and OSHA compliance. Buildings are
undersized for modern day response apparatus and there are an insufficient
numberofbays.

The privately owned North Canton Station is newer, with more current ADA
compliance.Italsohasaworkable(thoughnotideal)exhaustsystem.Thissta
tionalsolacksasleepingarea,however,thereisspacetocreateone.

Fire Station Ownership / Coordination The town currently owns only one of
the three stations (Collinsville). The other two stations are owned by private
groups.Thiscancreatecomplicationswithrespecttospaceandneededbuilding
updatesandchanges.

Fire Equipment and Apparatus Present fire apparatus meet the basic de
mands. Apparatus is typically replaced on a twenty year cycle. The Town ap
proved funding in 2013 to replace Engine #6and Engine 1. The amount and
scale of development that has occurred over the past 20 years has surpassed
the capability of the present apparatus which are not intended for accessing
large commercial buildings such as the Shoppes, CVS, a large home improve
mentstore,etc.

CollinsvilleFireStation NorthCantonFireStation

61

Emergencywater/fireprotectionstandardsPublicwaterwithinthecommer
cial corridor is not consistently available. Development continues to occur in
areasthatdonothaveemergencywatersupplyorservice.Anemergencywater
supplyeitherhastobecreatedduringdevelopment,orresidentshavetorelyon
waterbeingbroughtonsiteduringafire.Therearenoregulatorystandardsfor
providingemergencywatertothesesites.

Access New residential development continues to place houses in locations

that are not readily accessible or visible. There are no regulatory standards on
theconstructionanddesignofprivatelotswhichcancreatecomplicationsdur
inganeventrequiringrapidresponse.

PersonnelavailabilityAsmostofourlocalemergencyresponsepersonnelare
volunteerswhoworkinawiderangeoflocationsandsituations,thereistypical
lyalimitednumberofpeopleavailableduringdaytimehours.Smallbusinesses,
which comprise the majority of businesses in Canton, operate with fewer em
ployeesandareoftenunabletodischargeworkersforemergencyresponse.

Ambulance Equipment / Facility It is anticipated that ambulance service will

requireexpansionasdemandincreasesduringthenext10years(giventhepro
jectedgrowthinpopulationaccompaniedbyasignificantgrowthinthenumber
ofseniorcitizensserved).Thedepartmentcurrentlyhastwoambulanceswhich
barelyfitinthecurrentstationandleavenoroomtohouseanadditionalambu
lance should it become necessary. An additional ambulance may become nec
essaryinthenexttenyears.

Emergency Shelter The Community Center currently functions as the emer

gency shelter. It was used heavily and met needs over an 8 day power outage
during the October 2011 storm. Although the shelter served residents well, a
fewdeficiencieshavebeenidentifiedsuchasthelackofshowers,andpoorac
cessibilityinrestroomsoriginallybuiltforelementaryschoolchildren.

PoliceTheCantonpolicestationisthe
newestfreestandingmunicipalbuilding
in town and continued maintenance is
important. Additionally, the depart
menthasacquiredaspeedtrailer,mes
sage board, and equipment trailer,
whicharecurrentlystoredoutdoors.In
thelasttenyears,theFarmingtonRiver
Rail Trail expansion has significantly
increased the demand for police cover
age of pedestrian and cyclists traffic
along with other recreational users to
thecommunityandthedepartmenthas
developedabicyclepatrol.
PoliceStation

62

E.
Addresslibrary/communitycenterneeds.

Thetownlibraryisapopularcommunityresourceandprovidesawiderangeof
services to the community in many formats and forms. In addition to its print,
multimedia, and electronic resources, the library provides a number of worth
while programs and valuable social and educational functions for a variety of
age demographics (especially increasing its importance in the lives of teens).
The roles of the library within the community are ever evolving, and the tech
nologyneedsforstaffandpatronscontinuetoevolvewithitsroles.

The building that houses the library also serves as the Community Center
housing numerous rooms for town meetings, the Departments of Parks and
Recreation,andSocialServices,servesastheSeniorCenterandtheEmergency
Shelter,andaccommodatesothercommunityfunctions.

Serving these multiple purposes, parking is at times inadequate. The Li

brary/Community Center parking also gets used as unofficial overflow parking
foreventsatthenearbyIntermediateSchool,whichfurtherworsenstheparking
situation.Asnotedelsewhereinthisplan,thereareconcernsregardingthead
equacy of entrances and restrooms and availability of community meeting
roomsatthefacility.

CommunityCenter/Library CommunityMeeting

63

F.
Addressparkandrecreationneeds.

Thetownpopulationhascontinuedtogrow,andparticipationinyouthathletics
has increased significantly. In the past 5 years the town has seen the develop
mentofyouthandhighschoolboysandgirlslacrosseprograms,youthandhigh
school football, and increased participation in other sports such as baseball,
softball,trackandfield,andcrosscountry(amongothers).

Fielddevelopmenthasnotkeptpacewiththegrowthinpopulationandpartici
pation. The need for additional field space has been well documented for sev
eral years. Athletic fields are overburdened and, in some cases, existing fields
donotmeetspecificationsforcertainsports.Balancingavailablefieldtimeand
thedestructiveeffectsofoveruseisaneverydaystruggle.RelocationtheDPW
Garagewillalsoopennewrecreationalspaceontownlandat51RiverRoad.

TheCapitalProjectsStudyCommitteealsoidentifieddeficiencieswiththepopu
lar Mills Pond Swimming Pool, which is almost 40 years old, and is in need of
significantrepairandupdating.In2012,thetowncommitted$400,000infunds
toupgradethepoolandiscommittedtoextendingitslifespan.

Passive and unprogrammed recreation spaces also serve a valuable function

tothecommunity.Anumberofresidentsenjoybirdwatching,hiking,kayaking
and canoeing, fishing and walking fostering these types of activities as part of
ourcommunitycharacterandaddstoourqualityoflife(asdocumentedinoth
er chapters of this plan). Adequate access to the Farmington River and other
naturalresourceareasisnecessarytoaccommodatetheseactivities.

There is also recurring community interest in finding an appropriate site for a

communitydogpark.

MillPondRecreationCenter YouthRecreation

64

G.
Addresseducationalfacilityneeds.

The quality of schools is important to providing high caliber education and at

tractingfamiliestothecommunity.Cantonhaslongviewededucationasoneof
itshighestpriorities;andthereputationofitsschoolsystemservesastestament
to this stance. Cantons largest municipal project, commenced by referendum
ten years ago, expanded and renovated the Canton Intermediate School (CIS)
and the Canton High School/Middle School (CHS/MS) site using a combination
oflocalbondingandstatereimbursementfunds.

Itis,however,unavoidablethatimprovementstothesefacilitieswillcontinueto
beneeded.CurrentandongoingstructuralimprovementsfocusonADAacces
sibility,windowreplacementatCHS/MS.RoofingimprovementsatCherryBrook
Primary School (CBPS), CIS and CHS/MS are currently underway. Recreation
spacewillalsobeneeded(seeParksandRecreationsectionofthischapter).

The Capital Projects Study Group also recently evaluated, but did not recom
mendforimmediatebonding,theinstallationofsolarpanelsatCHS/MSandCIS,
aswellasacommunitygymnasiumatCHS/MS.

CherryBrookSchool CantonIntermediateSchool

CantonHighSchool HighSchoolImprovements

66

H.
Addresstownhallneeds.

The Capital Projects Study Committee identified the need for ongoing mainte
nance(replacementofdoors,andchillerunit)andtheimprovementofADAac
cessibilityandaccessingeneralasissuestobeaddressedattheTownHall(gut
ters were replaced in 2012). The Town Hall auditorium was renovated in the
pastdecadeandisnowusedforcommunitymeetingsandalsohousesatheater
company.Asuseexpandspressuretoimproveaccessandconveniencewilllike
ly increase. Renovating/refurbishing of interior space and updating the me
chanicalsystemsisalsoaconcern.

I.
Addressenergyefficiencyneeds.

There is growing interest in creating buildings and facilities that are more envi
ronmentally responsible. Energyefficient buildings are less expensive to oper
ateovertime.Simpletechniques,suchasputtinglightingonmotiondetectors
orturningthemoffcompletelycansavethetownthousandsofdollarsannually.

Other communities have also assessed streetlights and removed lights that
werenolongerwarranted.Othershavereplacedallstreetlightswithfullcutoff
fixtures, which require a lower voltage to light an area. Both of these tech
niquescansaveCantonmoneyandshouldbeevaluated.

Otherenvironmentallyresponsibleapproachesshouldbeconsidered,especially
when cost savings can be realized. Installing solar panels, purchasing energy
efficient vehicles, installation of charging stations, pursuit of hyrdopower, and
purchasing renewable energy are among current techniques employed to re
ducecosts.

SolarPanels LEDStreetlights

67

TRANSPORTATION

9
Overview

TransportationwithinCantonisintegraltodailylifeforeveryresident,business
owner,employee,customer,andvisitoroftheTown.Transportationinfrastruc
ture, including roads, bridges, sidewalks, and multiuse trails, also represent a
substantialinvestmentfortheTownthatcostsaconsiderableamounttobuild,
maintain,andrehabilitate.Itisimportantthattransportationfacilitiesandser
vices are developed to best serve the entire community, including those who
maynotbeabletoorprefernottotravelviaautomobile.

ThetransportationaspirationofthisPOCDistoenhanceservicetothecommu
nity through the development of multimodal facilities and connections that
improvecirculation,access,andsafety,reducetherelianceanddependenceon
the automobile, and promote healthy activities while effectively managing the
coststothetaxpayers.

WHYTHISISIMPORTANTTOUS

Providing and maintaining transportation facilities and services is important to

usbecausedoingsowillcontinueto:

Provide essential functions Transportation infrastructure and systems fa

cilitate and support our daily lives (obtaining goods and services, accessing
jobs,participatingindailyactivities,recreating,etc.).

Provide for public safety The essential nature of transportation facilities

andsystemsmakesitespeciallyimportantthattheybedesignedandmain
tainedforsafety.

ReflectcommunityimageandcharacterThenatureandconditionofour
Townstransportationinfrastructureshoulddisplayawelcomeinvitationto
peopletoenterandenjoyourcommunity.Theirconditionmaybeviewed
asanintegralpartofthefirstimpressionpeopleformofourtown.

Weintendtoseethat
transportationfacili
tiesandservicesare
developedtobest
servetheentire
community,including
thosewhodonot
travelviaautomobile.

68

StrategicDirections

A.
Maintainourtransportationfacilities.

Cantonstransportationinfrastructureisestimatedtobeworthmorethan$125
millioninreplacementvalue.Theseassetsprovidevaluableservicestovirtually
every resident of the community, directly and indirectly. Keeping Cantons
transportation facilities functioning to meet these service requirements needs
tobeahighpriorityforthecommunity.

Properupkeepisimportanttomaintainingthevalueofphysicalassets.Apply
ingthepropermaintenancemeasuresinatimelymannerisespeciallyimportant
totransportationfacilities.Ifnotmaintainedonatimelybasis,roadswilldete
riorate to the point that they will require expensive rebuilds. For roads, it is
very true that an ounce of preventative maintenance will avoid a pound of
cure.Asaresult,timelymaintenanceofroadsisaboutsavingtheTownalotof
moneyasmuchasitisaboutmakingtheroadridebetterandlooknicer.

PavementDeteriorationCurve

A2011pavementmanagementstudyfoundthat46%oftheTownroadswerein
poor or very poor condition. Moreover, 85% of the estimated renovation cost
backlogwasattributabletothoseroadways.

The Town has used this information to increase its funding for preventative
maintenance in the operating budget and establish, a capital funding program
forthemoreextensive,andexpensive,rehabilitationmeasures.

RoadAcceptance

TheTownshouldtakesteps
tohelpensurethatnew
Townroadsareconstructed
toadequateanddesignated
designstandards.

WhentheTownacceptsa
roadthatisnotconstructed
tostandards,itbecomesa
maintenanceburdenforthe
Townmuchmorerapidly;
andmayrequireexpensive
rehabilitationmeasures
muchsooner.

Thisisnotastraightforward
issueforarelativelysmall
townwithlimitedpersonnel
resources.Effectivemoni
toringofroadconstruction
requiressignificantand
timelyobservationofthe
constructionand,inmany
cases,appropriatetestingof
materialsused.Thelevelof
observationmayvaryde
pendinguponthedevelop
er/contractorinvolved.

Townstaff,theBOS,the
BOF,andlegalcounsel
shouldallbeinvolvedin
developingtheprotocols.

New
Hartford
Simsbury
Avon
Burlington
Barkhamsted
F
a
r
m
i
n
g
t
o
n

R
i
v
e
r
Nepaug
Reservoir

44

44

202
202
UV
179
UV
179
UV
179
UV
565
UV
177
UV
179
UV
179
C
a
s
e

S
t
.
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e
r
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y

B
r
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o
k

R
d
.
L
a
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o
n

R
d
.
W
e
s
t
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y
R
d
.
M
a
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e

A
v
e
.
R
i
v
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r

R
d
.
B
r
e
e
z
y
H
ill Rd.
West M
oun
ta
in
Rd.
E
a
s
t
H
i
l
l
R
d
.
G
r
a
c
e
y
R
d
.
N
orth
M
o
u
n
t
ain Rd.
Wrig
h
t
R
d
.
UV
309
Transportation
Canton, CT
$
3,000
Feet
Legend
Road Classification
Arterial
Collector
Local
Express Bus Service
Intersection Improvement
Areas
Priority Traffic
Calming Areas

70

B.
Provide for improved systems and facilities for pedestrian, bicycle,
andpublictransit.

Cantonstransportationsystemsandfacilitiesshouldprovideforalltransporta
tion users. Walking and bicycling are becoming more and more popular as
modesoftransportation.Transitprovidesimportanttransportationoptionstoa
number of residents. Limited resources, both in funding and land, means that
theseusesmustcoexistinthesamegeneralspace.

Theoverallconceptofmultipletransportationmodessharingthesamespaceis
calledcompletestreets.Accordingtoanumberofsources:

Completestreetsarestreetsdesignedtoaccommodateallusers.
Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transit users of all
ages and abilities are able to safely move along and across a
completestreet.Completestreetnetworksofferusersavariety
of safe choices for how to travel to their destinations. People
typically find areas with complete streets to be more attractive
andinvitingplacestoshop,work,play,andlive.

Theproperdesignofacompletestreetdependsonitssurround
ings and the numbers of various types of users anticipated or
encouraged (aka context sensitive design). In a more urban
commercial area, features may include sidewalks, curb ramps,
raised medians, curb bumpouts, pavement treatments (differ
ent materials or coloring to help guide users), or designated bi
cyclelanesontheroadway.Inaruralarea,thefeaturesmayin
cludestripingtonarrowthevehicletravellanes,providingwide
shoulders for pedestrian and bicyclists, and ensuring adequate
sight distances for motorists to see pedestrians walking along
the roadway. Because of the large difference in travel speeds
between motorists and pedestrians/ bicyclists, and in the
amountofpersonalprotection,mostcompletestreetdesignsin
volve some sort of traffic calming measures to help encourage
slower,saferdrivingbymotorists

TheTownneedstostriveforitstransportationsystemsandfacilitiestoaccom
modate this coexistence in a safe and practical manner. Planning and design
need to consider all potential modes of transportation in their development.
The concept is to provide, where practical, pedestrian and bicycle friendly con
nections between neighborhoods, transit stops, bike routes and green
ways/trails, recreational areas, public facilities, points of interest, village cen
ters,andotherkeycommercialareas;andalsotransitservicebetweendestina
tionsasdemandandneeddictates.

New
Hartford
Simsbury
Avon
Burlington
Barkhamsted
F
a
r
m
i
n
g
t
o
n

R
i
v
e
r
Nepaug
Reservoir

44

44

202
202
UV
179
UV
179
UV
179
UV
565
UV
177
UV
179
UV
179
C
a
s
e

S
t
.
C
h
e
r
r
y

B
r
o
o
k

R
d
.
L
a
w
t
o
n

R
d
.
W
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s
t
Sims
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y
R
d
.
M
a
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e

A
v
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.
R
i
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r

R
d
.
B
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e
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z
y
H
ill Rd.
West M
oun
ta
in
Rd.
E
a
s
t
H
i
l
l
R
d
.
G
r
a
c
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R
d
.
N
orth
M
o
u
n
t
ain Rd.
Wrig
h
t
R
d
.
UV
309
Bicycle and Pedestrian Priority Areas
Canton, CT
$
3,000
Feet
Legend
Recommended Bike
Route / Future Bike
Lane
Future Bike Lane
Potential Trail
(Private Property)
Farmington River Bike
Trail
Priority Pedestrian
Areas

72

C.
Managevehiculartraffic.

Increasing population locally and in neighboring towns whose residents com

mute through Canton, and the growing popularity of commercial and recrea
tional amenities of Canton to residents of other communities, are causing an
increase in vehicular traffic in Canton. This increasing vehicular traffic, along
withthepreviouslymentionedincreasingpopularityofnonmotorizedmodesof
transportation, make management of vehicular traffic an important focus for
thecommunity.

StateRoute44(AlbanyTurnpike)accommodatesmorethan30,000vehiclesper
dayinsomelocations.Numerousotherroadsintowncarrybetween6000and
12,000vehiclesperdaywithonetrafficlaneineachdirection.Theseroadsrun
through commercial areas, village centers, mixeduse areas, and residential
neighborhoods, typically with most adjacent properties having individual direct
accesstotheroads.

Vehicular traffic management issues include: excessive travel speeds and other
unsafe or stressinducing vehicle actions, access management, turning move
ment management, meeting parking needs, traffic circulation and connectivity,
and accommodating coexistence with nonmotorized modes of transportation
(addressed previously). Successful traffic management improves the safety,
environs, and livability for pedestrians, bicyclists, adjacent properties, and the
motoriststhemselves.

Some specific observations and recommendations relating to traffic conditions

alongRoute44andelsewherearecontainedinChapter11.

Route44 CompleteStreets

TrafficCalming

Trafficcalmingisatermused
to describe techniques in
corporatedintostreetdesign
which encourage slower
driving.

It uses physical and visual

cues that induce driving at
lower speeds without relying
onsignals,signs,orincreased
enforcement. When used
correctly, traffic calming has
proved to be effective at
reducing speeds and the
number and severity of acci
dentsandnoiselevels.

Typical traffic calming

measures include curb ex
tensions/ bump outs, rota
ries, speed tables,
streetscaping, chokers, me
dians,andstreetparking.

The benefits and drawbacks

of traffic calming depend on
the measure. Cost is nearly
always a consideration. Oth
er drawbacks may include
how the measure affects
transit or emergency vehicle
traffic, effects on sightline
distances, and the potential
to increase congestion or
shifttrafficproblemstoadja
centroads.

Overall, traffic calming used

correctly has many benefits
and is encouraged. Traffic
calming measures are nearly
always part of a complete
streets solution to making a
community more livable,
sustainable, and friendly to
pedestrian, bicycle, and
transit users. However, the
measures do need to be
appliedjudiciously.

73

Canton desires to become more pedestrian and bicycle friendly especially in

its village centers such as Collinsville. Slowing down vehicle traffic on major
roadswithinvillagecenterswithoutresortingtosignalsorstopsigns(i.e.traffic
calming)canbeamajorsteptowardsthisgoal.

As shown in the adja

cent graphic, installing
a roundabout at the
intersection of Bridge
Street, Maple Avenue,
and River Road State
Routes 179 and 565
would calm traffic
without reducing ca
pacity at the intersec
tionbyallowingalltraf
fic to pass through the
intersection without
stopping, just at slower
speeds.
Roundabout

The next graphic shows

multiple traffic calming
and pedestrianfriendly
measures being applied
to the intersection of
Bridge Street (Route
179) and River Street.
Southbound through
traffic uses a slightly
offset bypass lane (i.e.
single lane chicane),
which slows vehicles
down to a reasonable
speed in order to com
fortably maneuver the
bypass.
TurnLanewithBypassandCrosswalk

The bypass also allows for the creation of a dedicated left turn lane onto River
Street, which should help reduce congestion caused by left turns at Center
Street and at Main Street. The bump out and curbed median on Bridge Street
to the southeast of the intersection tends to slow down northbound traffic on
Bridge Street approaching the intersection and the crosswalk. The curbed me
dian can also serve as a refuge for pedestrians crossing Bridge Street; and the
combinationofthebumpout,median,andbypassmakestheactualtrafficlane
crossingshorterandmuchsaferforpedestrians.

TrafficCalming

The phrase traffic calming

refers to road design and
construction approaches
which:
reducetrafficspeeds,
reducetrafficvolume,
increase pedestrian and
bicyclesafety.

Such approaches also en

hance the livability of resi
dential neighborhoods and
the attractiveness of com
mercialareas.

Roundabouts

A roundabout is a type of
circularintersectioninwhich:
traffic flows in one di
rectionaroundacentral
island with exits to in
tersectingstreets,
trafficspeedisslowed,
entering traffic yields to
traffic already in the
roundabout.

Roundabouts also typically

reduce the number and se
verity of collisions at an in
tersectionwhereinstalled.

74

D.
Managetransportationcosts.

Transportationinfrastructurecostsalotofmoneytobuild,maintain,andreha
bilitate.Cantonstransportationsystemrepresentsahugepublicinvestmentof
taxpayerdollars:past,present,andfuture.Itisvitallyimportanttothetaxpay
ers of Canton that these facilities and services be planned for and maintained
withthegoalofmaximizingtheirvalueandusefullife;i.e.getthemostbangfor
ourbucks.

Minimizingthephysicalextentsoffacilitieswhenfirstbuilt(i.e.pavementnar
rowing)isonemeasurethatcanbesignificantinreducingcosts.Usingnarrower
roaddesignsmeanslessinfrastructuretobuildupfrontandlesstomaintainand
rehabilitatelater.Itisalsoimportanttoconsiderthelifecyclecostoffacilities.
Usinglessorcheapermaterialsorlessexpensiveconstructionmethodscanlead
tohighermaintenancecostsorashorterlifeforthefacilities.Thefulllongterm
costsoffacilitiesshouldbeconsideredastheyareplannedanddesigned.

Managing the cost to taxpayers is not solely about reducing costs, however.
Transportation infrastructure provides many valuable and essential functions
for the community. Proper cost management requires the balancing of life
cyclecostsofthefacilitieswiththeoverallbenefitsthatthesefacilitieswillpro
videtothecommunityovertheirlifetime.Thistaskisrarelystraightforward,as
keybenefitsarenotalwaysquantifiabletoacostrelatedvalue.Theevaluation
willtypicallyrequiretheapplicationofprudentjudgmentandsensibilitiesbythe
community.Theimportantstepisbringingalloftheforeseeablesignificantfac
tors over the lifetime of the facility into consideration. The Community should
remainmindfulnottoshortchangeitselfbyfocusingsolelyonupfrontcosts.

NeedForPedestrianFacilities NeedForBicycleFacilities

75

UTILITIES

10
Overview

Drinking water, telephone and other communication and information services,

electricity, natural gas, and wastewater treatment are essential to our way of
life.Ourutilitiesneedtomeetthecommunitysneedsandsupportdesiredde
velopmentpatterns.

SincemostofCanonsutilitiesareprivatelyownedandoperated,thisPOCDhas
limited direct influence over utility implementation and policy. However, the
POCDcaninfluencetheutilityservicestoitsresidents.

WHYTHISISIMPORTANTTOUS

Providing and maintaining utility facilities and services is important to us be

causedoingsowillcontinueto:

ProtecthealthandtheenvironmentProperlyhandlingandtreatingwater
supplyandwastewaterisessentialtopublicandenvironmentalhealth.

ProvideneededservicesTheservicesprovidedbyutilitiesareessentialto
ourbusinesses,economics,andouroverallwayoflife.

Enhance economic opportunities and help manage development The

availability of adequate utilities is key to maintaining and furthering busi
nessdevelopmentinCantonandprovidingtaxpositivebenefitstotheTown
grand list. The availability of utilities also helps determine the intensity of
developmentthatmaybeplacedinanylocation.

Weintendtoguide
utilitiesneedtomeet
communityneedsand
supportdesiredde
velopmentpatterns.

76

StrategicDirections

A.
Supportprovisionofreliableandsustainableutilityservices.

The reliability and sustainability of the supply and service of our utilities rein
forces the safety and economic competitiveness of Canton and its residents.
Increasing available alternatives to supply these services and their benefits
helpstoachievethesegoals.

B.
Useutilityavailabilitytoguidedevelopment.

The availability of public water, natural gas, and especially wastewater treat
ment services significantly affects the feasibility and density for many types of
tax positive development. With the available land in Canton for commercial
development limited, creating the opportunity to affordably realize the poten
tialofthislandforeconomicandtaxbasepurposesarecritical.

Conversely, managing the availability of public sewer services and other

wastewatertreatmentoptionscaninhibittheexpansionofmoreintensedevel
opmentintounwantedareasandcanworktopromotedesirablehousingalter
natives.

CantonsWaterPollutionControlAuthority(WPCA)isaseparatelegalmunicipal
entity from Cantons Town government. The WPCA is tasked to responsibly
plan, construct, and operate the municipal sewer system for the benefit of the
TownofCanton.ThisPOCDstronglysupportstheWPCAinitsmissiontosafely
and adequately collect and treat sanitary sewerage wastes from within its ser
vice boundaries and to be fiscally responsible to its customers and to its ability
to sustain its mission. The policies of the WPCA do impact the ability of the
communitytoachieveitsgoalswithrespecttodevelopmentandtaxbasedistri
bution. It therefore behooves the WPCA and the Town Government to work
togethertoendeavortoresolvesuchissuestothebenefitoftheTown.

78

C.
Minimizeutilitycosts.

Encouragingpoliciesthathelptokeepcostsdownforutilityconsumersandini
tiatingprogramsand takingactionsthatminimize taxburdensarebeneficial to
theresidentsofCanton.

WaterService SewerService

ElectricalService Communications

HydroElectricPowerGeneration WindPower

79

DISTRICTS

11
Overview

Seven general districts within Canton have been identified as a means of im

proving the understanding and implementation of this POCD, especially with
respecttocharacteranddevelopmenthistory.Eachdistrictrepresentsaninte
gralpartofthetownwithdifferingcharacteristics.Thisdiscussionondistrictsis
intended to help guide future Town decisions where surrounding or neighbor
hoodcontextisaconsideration.

Preserving the distinctive character of Canton is an important priority that is

repeated throughout this POCD. The elements of town character are not ho
mogenous,however.ManycharacteristicsvarysignificantlythroughoutCanton.
Understandingthedifferentcontextsofthetownscharactercanremoveambi
guityandfacilitatebetterdecisionmaking.

As an example, the characteristics of Canton Center are different than those

along the Route 44 corridor; and the characteristics of the Route 44 corridor
near the Avon and Simsbury town lines (East Gateway District) are different
than the character of the Route 44 corridor near the New Hartford town line
(WestGatewayDistrict).

Thedistrict boundariesarenothardlines.Thelimitsofthedistrictsaretransi
tional and blurred. The districts are identified through general demarcations
focusing on major access routes, commercial corridors and village centers for
economic reasons; and historical patterns of development for more character
drivenfocus.However,eachdistrictalsohasanimportantsinglefamilyresiden
tial neighborhood presence; and the proximity of these residential neighbor
hoods to commercial development must always be kept as a consideration.
With a vast majority of nonresidential parcels in Canton already being devel
oped under current regulations, and few remaining commercial parcels being
isolated from residential areas, economic growth continues to be a balancing
actbetweenmaintainingresidentiallifeandstrengtheningthecommunitystax
basewithnewdevelopmentsandsuccessfulbusinessactivity.

Preservethedistinc
tivecharacterofthe
differentpartsof
Canton.

80

CollinsvilleDistrict

Location/Extent

The Collinsville District is identified as the southwestern portion of Canton; es

sentiallytheareasouthoftheRoutes44and202corridorandwestofEastHill
RoadandAtwaterRoad.ThedistrictincludesthehistoricvillageofCollinsville.

CollinsvilleDistrict

MainStreet CollinsCompanyComplex

81

Conservation

The village that was to become Collinsville was established in 1806. Twenty
yearslater,theCollinsCompanyopeneditsdoorsforbusiness,inessencecreat
ingtheframeworkforthevillageasitexiststoday.

Collinsvillehasshownresilienceinrecoveringfromnaturalandeconomiccalam
ity (1955 flood, 1966 closing of the Collins Company). The village also avoided
urban renewal by the narrowest of margins at a town meeting decades ago.
Thereafter the Collinsville Historic District was established to preserve the ap
pearanceofthisarea.Collinsvillehasemergedasacenterfortheartsandeco
tourisminnorthernConnecticut;andwasselectedbyArthurFrommersBudget
Travel magazine as one of the Ten Coolest Small Towns in America. Collins
villeisalsothelocationofapopularfarmersmarketwhichhasservedFarming
tonValleyresidentssince2008andprovidesavarietyoflocallygrownfoodsto
residentsandrevenueforlocalfarmers.

The Farmington River flows south out of the West Gateway District, essentially
bisectingtheCollinsvilledistrict,untilitexitsCantonintoBurlingtonatthesouth
edgeofthedistrict.Throughmuchofthedistrict,theriverformsanarrowres
ervoir behind the historic dam built to serve the former Collins Company. The
river has provided ecological, economic and recreational benefits to the com
munitythroughoutthelasttwocenturies;withthedamprovidingpowertothe
Collins Company for many years and the river and reservoir being a source for
boatingandkayaking,ecotourism,aestheticpleasure,andidentity.

ThelowerreachesofRattlesnakeBrookalsoflowthroughthedistrict,reaching
itsconfluencewiththeFarmington RiverjustnorthofthevillageofCollinsville.
The district also contains Cantons portion of the Nepaug Reservoir, a reasona
bly large public water supply reservoir. The Metropolitan District Commission
(MDC) owns the reservoir and a significant amount of land abutting the water
body.Thislandisconsideredtobeopenspaceasitisprotectedasprimarypub
licwatershedland.

The village of Collinsville, and the Farmington River as it flows past, is tucked
between two prominent and scenic hills. Sweetheart Mountain is to the west,
and Huckleberry Hill lies to the east. The town line splits these hills such that
the southern portions of the hills are in Burlington. A significant amount of
Huckleberry Hill has been developed into single family residences. However, a
historiccemeteryandoldersinglefamilyneighborhooddevelopmentfacingthe
business district of Collinsville still work to provide the northwest slope of the
hillwithaquaintNewEnglandcharm.Mostoftheeasterlyandwesterlyslopes
ofSweetheartMountainhavebeenpreservedasopenspace.Asubdivisionwas
recently constructed along the top of the hill ridge in Canton. However, an
agreement between the Town and the developer has resulted in a design that
keepsthebuildingsscreenedfromviewwithinCollinsville.

82

CONCEPTUALEXAMPLE

CollinsvilleHistoricDistrict

The Collinsville Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic
Placedin1976sinceitrepresentedafineexampleofacompactnineteenthcen
tury mill town. The district contains approximately 300 structures exhibiting
diversityinage,functionandstyleincludingmillbuildings,workers'housingand
public places dating from the 1830's to the present built predominately by the
CollinsCompany,anaxeandtoolfactoryestablishedin1826.

83

Development

Collinsville (the village), is a quintessential example of an intact working New

Englandmillvillage(orCompanyTown)withemployment,workforcehousing,
retailservicesandtransportationserviceslaidoutinclose proximity.Setinthe
hills above the Farmington River, its 19th Century scale, architecture, and road
networkremainintact.

ThebusinessdistrictofCollinsvilleisawonderfulmixofsmallretailshops,qua
siindustrialservicebusinesses,restaurants,offices,artsculture,andresidential
units. The residential housing includes single family houses, two family units,
multiunit residential buildings, and residential housing above business estab
lishments. Mostofthe areaisverypedestrianfriendly. In manyrespects,Col
linsville represents the mixeduse vision that many communities are looking to
recreateintheirownvillagecenters.

Asignificantopportunityformovingtowardsthisgoalisavailableinthepoten
tial redevelopment of the Collins Company complex. While some of the space
withintheoldfactorycomplexhasfoundperiodicreusesincetheclosingofthe
company (including use as a business incubator in the recent past), overall the
conditionofthecomplexhasdeteriorated.Villagecharacterredevelopmentof
this over 15acre site would be expected to provide new residents to support
theexistingbusinessesofCollinsville,newbusinessestohelpsustainCollinsville
asaregionalattraction,andasignificantincreasetotheTownstaxbasetosup
port community services and help offset the tax burden on single family resi
dences.

RailTrailBridge HalloweenParade

Character

WhatmakesCollinsville
differentfrommostother
similarlysituatedplacesis
theproximityandongoing
relationshipbetweenbusi
nessesandresidents.Thisis
somethingthatshouldcon
tinuetobecultivated.

Collinsvillethereforeneeds
toremainastabledesirable
placetolivewithrecreation
aldiningandshoppingop
portunities.Whilewebuild
thisplaceasanentertain
mentandretaildestination,
wealsohavetoensurethe
quietenjoymentbyresidents
oftheirpropertiesfreeof
unnecessarynoise,litter,
difficulttrafficandother
nuisances.

Thereneedstocontinueto
beservicesandshopping
thatresidentscanuse.

CollinsvilleResident

84

IthasbeenstatedthatthekeytoCollinsvilleseconomicsuccessliesinitspast.
Future development and improvements throughout the district must respect
Collinsvilles heritage as a mixeduse industrial village designed as a company
towninwhichemployment,laborers,residences,storesandservicesefficiently
coexistedwithinthesameneighborhood.

The Collinsville District also is home to many municipal buildings and facilities.
TheTownHallislocatedintheCollinsvillevillagebusinessdistrict.Theinterme
diate school, high/middle school, library/community center and two ball field
complexes, as well as the Towns largest recreation park (and swimming pool)
arelocatedintheSimmondsAvenue/DyerAvenue/EastHillRoadarea.Asmall
erpassiveusepark,thewastewatertreatmentfacility,policestation,afiresta
tion,andthepublicworksfacilityarealllocatedalongRiverRoad.TheTownis
lookingtorelocatethepublicworksfacilityandrepurposeitsgrounds.

Most of the remaining development in the district is single family homes. In

general, the neighborhoods become newer as one moves away from the vil
lageofCollinsville,withrelativelyrecentdevelopmentalongtheridgeofSweet
heart Mountain and the northerly slopes of Huckleberry Hill. The area of Col
linsvilledirectlyacrosstheriverfromthebusinessdistrictincludesanumberof
twofamily residences constructed forCollins Company employees, as well as a
large church and a small commercial presence. The Collinsville district devel
opedahealthydiversityofhousingchoiceswithout theaidofzoning;and con
tinues to successfully offer them to the benefit of the community despite their
nonconformancewithzoning.

In order to preserve and enhance the distinctive character of Collinsville, the

establishment of a properly implemented village district, form based codes, or
specific design standards (see sidebars on pages 12 and 13) should be consid
eredforthisarea.Sucheffortsshouldcoordinateandworkinconcertwiththe
existingCollinsvilleHistoricDistrict.

HistoricBuilding CollinsvilleGreen

85

Infrastructure

State Route 179 (Bridge Street and River Road), a state Scenic Corridor that
generally parallels the Farmington River through the district, and State Route
565 (Maple Avenue and Dowd Avenue) are the primary roadways serving the
district. Nearly 13,000 vehicles travel through their intersection just north of
the village of Collinsville every day. Simmonds Avenue and East Hill Road also
accommodate nearly 3000 and 2000 vehicles per day respectively. This motor
vehicletrafficisabenefitforeconomicreasons,butmustbemanagedproperly
to ensure that Collinsville remains a pedestrian orientated neighborhood (as
suggestedbythe1997CollinsvilleScenicCorridorStudy).

Collinsville is the hub of a rapidly growing multiuse trail system connecting 4

historic town centers in the Farmington Valley by bike and foot through a
unique 28 mile recreational loop. The trail is an excellent resource attracting
peoplefromallovertheregiontoCollinsvilleandprovidinganimportantbicycle
and pedestrian link throughout the District and many of the business areas of
Canton.ThebusinessdistrictofCollinsvillehasgoodsidewalkdistributionandis
verypedestrianfriendly.Sidewalkrunsfromthevillagecenterareanorthalong
MapleAvenuetoDyerAvenue.ThesidewalkthenfollowsDyerAvenueuntilit
againconnectsuptotheFarmingtonRiverTrail,creatingasmall,butconvenient
pedestrianloop.ThesidewalkcontinuesnorthalongDyerAvenuetoservethe
municipalcomplexesintheneighborhood.

While transit service is not directly available to Collinsville, a potential connec

tionexistsaboutmileawayonDyerAvenue.

TheCollinsvilleDistricthasthemostcompletepublicwaterandsewerserviceof
any of the districts. Most of the village of Collinsville, the municipal complex
area and its surrounding residential neighborhood, and a significant portion of
the residential area to the west of the river are served by public water, sewer,
andnaturalgas.

ActiveRecreation PassiveRecreation

86

WestGatewayDistrict

Location/Extent

TheWestGatewayareaisidentifiedasthevicinityoftheRoute44/202corridor
westofEastHillRoadtotheNewHartfordTownLine.Thisdistrictalsoincludes
thecommercial/industrialandmultifamilyareasatthenorthendofRiverRoad
(Route179southofRoute44).Thisareahasbeenidentifiedbyresidentsasa
gatewaytoLitchfieldCountyandbeyond.

WestGatewayDistrict

Conservation

TheFarmingtonRiver,aprimeriparianresourceandadominantfeatureofthe
Town, runs through this district. The associated floodplain and wetlands are
alsomajornaturalresourcesfortheTown.Theseresourcesserveasimportant
ecological habitat; and the river supports significant recreational activities for
residents.

Two of the most visible farmland plots in the town are located in this district.
Bristols Farm is located adjacent to Route 44 on the north side just west of its
intersectionwithRoute179;andanothersmaller,butjustavisible,farmparcel
islocateddirectlysouthofRoute44asitnearstheNewHartfordTownLine.

87

Development

ThiscorridorthroughtheWestGatewayDistrictincludesimportantopportunity
and potential infill sites for Canton as it looks to increase its economic base.
Caremustbetaken,however,if/whenanysuchdevelopmentoccurstorespect
thecharacterofthesurroundingdistrict.

This area already contains more than a dozen retail and care facilities (some
quitesizablealongtheRoute44corridor,andtwolightindustrialareas(oneon
PowderMillRoadandoneonRiverRoad)arenearby.TheTownstransfersta
tionisalsolocatedinthePowderMillRoadindustrialarea.Thesuccessfulbuff
ering/screeningofsomeofthelargerdevelopmentsinthearea(e.g.Canterbury
CondominiumsandCherryBrookHealthCarefacility)alsohelpslendtotheper
ceptionoflessdevelopment.

The district also has a substantial residential presence. Single family neighbor
hoodsarelocatedinthenorthandwestportionsofthedistrictandanumberof
higherdensityresidentialdevelopmentslocatedinthedistrictaswell.

ThecomplextransportationnodewhereRoutes44,202,and179intersect,and
includingsurroundingparcels,islocallyknownasHartsCorner.Withavailable
public water and sewer, three state routes, existing commercial and industrial
uses, and multifamily residential development all within close proximity, the
futurepotentialofHartsCornershouldnotbeoverlooked.Forthisreason,the
Harts Corner area was selected as a conceptual example for this POCD. This
areaisalsolocatedclosetoNewHartfordssewerserviceandbusinessarea(in
cludingtheskislope),whichwarrantstheexplorationoftheadditionallanduses
and density in this area, hence leading to their identification as opportunity lo
cations.

Infrastructure

Asdiscussedabove,threestatehighwaystraverseandservetheWestGateway
District.Asaresult,thisiswellservedforvehicularaccess.Thedistrictis,how
ever, very underserved with respect to pedestrian facilities. There are no off
roadbicyclefacilitiesinthedistrictatthepresenttime.

Areas south of Route 44 and east of (and including) River Road, including the
HartsCornerarea,generallyhavepublicwaterandseweravailable.Publicwa
teralsoisavailableinmuchofthePowderMillRoadindustrialarea.NewHart
fords public sewer service extends to the Canton town line, so there exists a
reasonable possibility of extending sewer service into the westerly portions of
theRoute44corridorfromthatdirection.Publicwaterandsewerisnotavaila
ble for the rest of the district. Most notably, the Route 44 corridor between
Harts Corner and East Hill Road is not currently served by public water and
sewer. The West Gateway could benefit from the establishment of a properly
implementedvillagedistrict,formbasedcode,orspecificdesignstandards(see
sidebarsonpages12and13)toprotectitscharacterandhelprestoreelements
erodedbytheextensivetransportationfacilities.

88

CantonVillageDistrict

Location/Extent

TheCantonVillageDistrictisidentifiedasthevicinityofRoute44andDowdAv
enue beginning at Lovely Street to the east and continuing to East Hill Road
(alongbothstreets)tothewest.

CantonVillageDistrict

Conservation

The Canton Village District has played an important role in the history of the
community. The Town Green is located at the intersection of Albany Turnpike
andDowdAvenue.OriginallypopulatedwithGreekrevivalandVictorianstruc
tures,theareahasahistoriccharacterthattheTownshouldendeavortoincor
porate in area development. A hotel was once located at 171 Albany Turnpike
(thesiteispresentlyusedasalawoffice).Theoriginalschoolhouselocatedat
theTownGreenstillexistsandisnowrepurposedasanartgallery.Therearea
numberofolderbuildingsinthedistrictthatwereoriginallybuiltassinglefamily
residences that are currently used commercially or as multifamily residences.
The scale and architectural features of these buildings are important to the
characteroftheDistrict.
The Canton Village District also includes scenic and natural resources such as
Mount Horr, Rattlesnake Brook and a major tributary thereto, Bond Pond,
portionsofthepublicwatersupplyaquifer,andsomesignificantwetlandareas.

Design

A properly implemented
village district, form based
code, or specific design
standards (see sidebars on
pages 12 and 13) should be
considered for the Canton
Village area to help protect,
reestablish (as necessary),
and enhance the distinctive
characterofthearea.

89

Development

The Canton Village District has developed at a scale significantly different than
that of the East Gateway. This area reflects smaller community businesses
which evolved over time by repurposing existing buildings and sites (including
singlefamily homes) along the Towns main transportation route. As a result,
development patterns within this district favor small, free standing, more resi
dentialscale buildings over strip mall type development. The district includes
thesecondlargestcommercialplazainCantontheCantonVillageplaza.(See
theconceptualexampleonthisplazaformoreinformationandhowthisplaza
workswellwiththerestofthedistrict).

While the existence of an arterial roadway such as Route 44 within the district
presents a challenge, this POCD envisions that this area has the potential and
opportunity to retain and redevelop village center characteristics that are seen
bymanytobethedesiredruralcommercialcentersoftomorrow.Theincorpo
ration of the community character related development strategies presented
throughoutthisPOCD,includingimprovedbicycleandpedestrianaccess,mixed
use and infill development, appropriate landscaping, vehicular access manage
ment, stormwater management, and respect for our history and heritage, can
create a mixeduse commercial area that is able to take advantage of the con
sumer base provided by Route 44 while providing, to a significant extent, a vil
lagecenteratmospherewithitsownidentity.

The Canton Industrial Park (privately owned) is located south of Dowd Avenue.
Thisareaisrecognizedasanopportunitylocationforfuturedevelopment.Alt
hough underperforming at the present time, all of the infrastructure and ser
vicesneededtosupportmoreintensivedevelopmentisinplace.

Canton Village includes, and is surrounded by, a significant residential popula

tionwithavarietyofhousingchoices.Higherdensityresidentialcomplexesex
ist within walkable distances to places of commercial activity are located along
DowdAvenueandatthe fringeofthe districtnear EastHillRoad.Historicand
modern single family neighborhoods are located within close proximity to
commercial and town services. An existing mix of uses and active pedestrian
presence can be found throughout this district. This mixed use development
approachhasworkedwellandshouldbecontinued.

Infrastructure

Although a significant amount of infrastructure exists for pedestrians and cy

clists, this district remains an autodependent environment. Additional provi
sions should be made for bicycles and pedestrians by expanding connections
between nearby commercial, residential, and institutional uses. Such actions
could also connect to and enhance the use of the Farmington River Rail Trail
(FRRT).Accessmanagement(reducingcurbcuts)isakeytrafficobjectiveinthis
area.Waterandsewerareavailablewithinthedistrict(withlimitation).

Character

The less than coordinated

manner in which this area
developed resulted in a di
verse and distinctive mix of
architectural styles that is
emblematic the Towns
character.Atthesametime,
development trends in site
layout and building designs
over the last five or so dec
ades has tended towards
architectural styles that are
not inkeeping with the de
siredcommunitycharacter.

Recent Town efforts have

been devoted to improving
the appearance and function
of the area. When new con
struction or redevelopment
has happened, attention has
been devoted to ensure ap
propriate building scale and
designaswellasappropriate
landscaping and parking
designs reduce the overall
visualimpact.

Relatively recent construc

tion of the Dunkin Donuts at
140 Albany Turnpike and the
KFC/Taco Bell at 250 Albany
Turnpike are examples of
hownewdevelopment,even
involvingnationalchains,can
be blended with existing
development in an improved
manner.

Efforts have also been de

voted towards addressing
lack of maintenance of some
properties.

90

EastGatewayDistrict

Location/Extent

The East Gateway is identified as the vicinity of the Route 44 corridor east of
LovelyStreetandLawtonRoadtotheSimsbury/AvonTownLine.

EastGatewayDistrict

Conservation

Anexistingtraprockridgetowardsthe eastsideof thisdistrict (neartheTown

Line)isadefiningscenicqualityofthisgateway.JimsBrookandRoaringBrook
runthroughthisareafeedingthewetlandssystemsassociatedwithSecretLake.
ThisareaalsocontainsaCTDEEPaquiferprotectionareaanaturalresource(as
well as a public water supply area) that requires consideration for certain pro
posed development activities. Past industrial activities and discharges resulted
ingroundwatercontaminationassociatedwiththeSwiftsuperfundsitenearthe
intersectionofRoute44andColonialRoad.

Development

The East Gateway is Cantons large scale commercial retail corridor and most
active growth area. This area contains national retail businesses anchored by
the Shoppes at Farmington Valley, a regional shopping destination. The district
also includes some small industrial areas as well as other scattered local busi
nessenterprises.

Character

Canton has had success in

recent years ensuring that
commercial development
doesnotutilizecookiecutter
architectureandsitedesigns.

The use of frequently repli

cated corporate models or
big buildings with flat roofs,
uniform facades, and expan
sive parking areas separating
buildings from the street
have been discouraged, or
the impacts have been miti
gatedorscreened.

The Gateway Commons

business park and the re
cently constructed CVS
pharmacy are considered to
be excellent examples of
more intensive commercial
development that promotes
the establishment and
maintenanceofcharacterfor
the area, and should be
modeled (with practicality)
toretainandprovidecharac
ter.

Future development that is

visually attractive and bicy
clefriendly and pedestrian
friendly will be conducive to
Canton and will lead to eco
nomicsuccess.

91

Currently,thisdistrictistheprimarytaxrevenuegrowthengineforCanton.Ap
proximately 50% percent of the Towns nonresidential property tax revenue is
derivedfromwithinthisdistrict.Economicgrowthinthisdistrictisexpectedto
bringrevenuetopayforneedsandservicesthroughoutthecommunity.Afew
opportunitylocations(keyareasofsignificanteconomicpotential)remaininthis
area and a number of parcels in the district are good candidates for infill and
more intensive redevelopment. An industrialzoned area on the south side of
Route 44 near the Town Line with Avon (and on the east side of the trap rock
ridge a.k.a. Ledgemere) is identified as an opportunity location for future de
velopment.

TheRoute44commercialcorridorisflankedoneithersidebysinglefamilyresi
dential neighborhoods. Opportunities to create transitional areas (e.g. mixed
use or lowunit multifamily dwellings) should be pursued to help soften the
transition from the intense commercial uses to the single family areas. The
use of appropriate landscaping and other buffering, with clearly defined stand
ards,alsohelpstosoftenthetransition.

Infrastructure

StateRoute44(AlbanyTurnpike),anditsassociatedvehiculartraffic,istheprin
cipalfactoraffectingtheEastGatewayDistrict.

EventhoughbicycleandpedestrianfacilitiesarelimitedalongtheRoute44cor
ridor, the area has been experiencing increased bicycle and pedestrian traffic
and more is expected in the future due to the completion of the Farmington
RiverTrailfromCollinsvilletotheintersectionofRoutes177and44.Effortsto
increaseaccess,safety,andconnectivityforpedestriansand cyclistswithinthis
areaandtoconnectthecommercialareasofCantontothoseinAvon/Simsbury
shouldcontinue.Asafeenvironmentforpedestriansandcyclistsisencouraged.

Waterandsewer,althoughavailablewithinthedistrict,islimited.Provisionof
public water and sewer service areas to identified opportunity locations will
supporteconomicgrowth.

BicycleandPedestrianAccommodationsNeeded

RoadwayConsiderations

Route 44s large traffic vol

umecreatesareadycustom
er base for businesses in the
district; it also creates a
number of drawbacks typi
cally associated with high
trafficflows.

Access management (con

trollingthenumberandloca
tion of driveways) will be an
important tool to maintain
an adequate level of service
in this area for traffic while
also providing relatively con
venientaccesstoproperties.

The entrance to Gateway

Commons and the Colonial
Road industrial area is an
example of a location where
turning movements can be
very uncomfortable for driv
ers, and therefore would
benefit from a coordinated
signallight.

Lawton Road and Washburn

Road, which pass through
older residential neighbor
hoods, are used as a cut
through for traffic destined
for the center of Simsbury,
Bradley Airport, and other
locations to the north and
east.

It is important for the Town

to remain conscious of the
impactsofvehiculartrafficin
the district and the opportu
nities and need for mitiga
tioninthefuture.

92

CantonCenterDistrict

Location/Extent

The Canton Center District comprises the Cherry Brook Valley and surrounding
hillsidesinthevicinityofCantonCenteralongwithRatlumMountainandBreezy
Hill.

CantonCenterDistrict

Conservation

The Canton Center District was home to the original village and government
centerofCanton.Theareahasarichhistoryoffarmsandshopsmakingdiverse
productstobringinrevenuefromtheoutsideworld.

CherryBrook,BarbourBrookandRatlumBrookarekeyfeaturesofthisdistrict.
ThebrooksareprimarycoldwaterfeederstotheFarmingtonRiver.Thisdistrict
also contains the Ratlum Mountain / Breezy Hill ridgeline. Much of the active
farmland in the district is also located in the vicinity of Cherry Brook and Bar
bourBrook.

ThewesterlytwothirdsoftheDistrict,topographicallydominatedbytheridge
line, is predominantly forests with low density residential development lining
relatively scattered roadways. Much of the towns remaining large core forest
areas (> 500 acres) are found in this area. Also, much of the ridgeline is pre
served as open space held by Canton Land Conservation Trust. Overall, over
1200acresofpreservedopenspacearelocatedinthisdistrict.

History

The Cherry Brook Valley has

been continuously farmed
for273years.

Cantons only active dairy

farm is located in Canton
Center utilizing the very
same prime agricultural land
originally purchased by the
Barberfamilythreecenturies
earlier.

93

CONCEPTUALEXAMPLE

CantonCenterHistoricDistrict

TheCantonCenterHistoricDistrictwaslistedontheNationalRegisterofHistor
ic Placed in 1997. The district, which contains approximately 500 acres, was
recognized for the overall assemblage of homes constructed during the period
of growth and prosperity in the 1800s, the community buildings such as the
church, store, school, and blacksmith shop, and the agricultural buildings and
usesstillevidentinthedistrict.

94

Development

Canton Center is known for its charming village center comprised of a church,
general store, post office, and graveyard. The Canton Center Historic District
was established to preserve the appearance of this area. The Church/Post Of
fice/General Store complex, which also includes rental apartments, serves as
the primary public meeting place in the District. Cherry Brook Primary School,
locatedonBarbourtownRoad,isamajortownfacilitylocatedinthedistrict.A
secondplaceofworshipislocatedjusttothenorthoftheschool.Thedistrictis
also home to an art studio and gallery, a significant portion of an active
ski/snowboarding area, and a number of homebased businesses including
plumbing, wood working, home improvement and landscape carpenters, for
estry and firewood, and machine shops. These small businesses allow their
owners and employees to avoid the wasted time and fuel expense of going
elsewhere to work while bringing millions of dollars of purchasing power into
thecommunity.

The District is currently zoned for twoacre residential use except for a three
hundred foot wide oneacre strip zone lining the sides of Cherry Brook Road
southofthevillage.And,wheredevelopedoutsideofthevillagearea,muchof
the development conforms to this zoning. Yet, despite this largelot single
family residentialonly zoning, the charming village of Canton Center is blessed
withaneclecticlegacyofmultifamilyhousingandamultitudeofnonconforming
usesandforms.Retentionofthesecharacteristicsisanimportantconsideration
of this POCD. The Canton Center General Store and Post Office multiuse
propertieswithaffordableresidentialusesaboveretailandserviceoperations
arerightoutofcuttingedgeruralvillageplanningphilosophy.Theseveralmul
tifamilyrentalpropertiesinthevillagearea,aswellasindiverseoutlyingareas
inthedistrict,offeraffordablehousingthatservessinglesandsmallfamiliesfor
thecommunity.

Infrastructure

Cherry Brook Road (State Route 179)

is the major highway serving Canton
Center. It runs along the east side of
Cherry Brook traversing the district
from north to south. Most other
roads in the district use Cherry Brook
Road as their primary means of out
side access. Cherry Brook Road and
WrightRoadexperienceamodest,but
significant,amountofseasonalbicycle
traffic.Thedistricthasnopublicwater
orsewerservice.
CantonClayWorks

Character

Canton Center has a rich

historyasavillageoffarmers
and small shops making di
verse products to bring in
cashfromtheworldoutside.

Farmsproducedandmarket
ed grains, tobacco, root
crops, milk, cider, alcoholic
beverages, fresh fruits &
vegetables, eggs, wool and
meat among others. Local
forests produced post and
beam building products,
fence rails, ties, spool stock
andfirewood.Fursandmeat
from wild game were traded
for supplies at the Canton
Center Store. Water
powered cooperage and box
shops, gunpowder factories,
forging, founding & machine
shops, and medicine maker
allsenttheirgoodstomarket
fromCantonCenter.

While predominantly serving

as single family neighbor
hood,CantonCenterstillhas
today some manufacturers,
commercial establishments,
schools, houses of worship
andactivefarms.

The District is currently

zoned for twoacre residen
tial use except for a three
hundred foot wide oneacre
strip zone lining the sides of
Cherry Brook Road south of
the village. Despite this
largelot singlefamily resi
dentialonly zoning, the
charming village of Canton
Center is blessed with an
eclectic legacy of multifamily
housing and a multitude of
nonconforming uses and
forms.

95

EastHillDistrict

Location/Extent

TheEastHillDistrictisidentifiedastheresidentialareasontheeastsideofCan
tonadjacenttoOnionMountain,EastHill,andthenortherlysideofMountHorr.

EastHillDistrict

Conservation

The East Hill area could be considered the birthplace of Canton. The first per
manenthouseinwhatisnowCantonwasbuilttherebyRichardCasein1737.

Therollingterraininthisarearesultedinadevelopmentpatternepitomizedby
widelyspaced farms and homesteads. Some active farmland remains in the
area.Spacedinbetweenaresomesizeablepocketsofcoreforestareaandoth
er natural resources. Rattlesnake Brook and Jim Brook originate in and drain a
vastmajorityofthisarea.Preservingandprotectingtheseimportantresources
isakeystrategyforthefutureofthisarea.

Asignificantamountoftheundevelopedareainthedistricthasbeenpreserved
as open space. In 1948, what is now the Roaring Brook Nature Center (RBNC)
wasestablishedonGraceyRoad.In1964,100acresadjacenttotheRBNCwas
bequeathed to the State of Connecticut as Werner Woods. In addition, the
Canton Land Trust owns over 300 acres in the district .whichpreserves most of
theridgelineandwesternslopesofOnionMountain.

96

Development

The present day development of the East Hill District can be seen as mirroring
its history. The farms were so disperse that no church or store gained a foot
hold, and the school house, on East Hill Road just north of Bahre Corner Road,
becamethesocialgatheringplaceforthearea.

Thedevelopedlandisalmostexclusivelyclustersofruralsinglefamilyneighbor
hoods tucked into the rolling hills. Where these clusters of housing exist, they
tendtobemoredenselyspacedthantheresidentialdevelopmentintheNorth
orCenterDistricts,(theothertwolargelyruralresidentialdistrictsinTown).

Infrastructure

TherearenoarterialroadwaystraversingtheEastHillDistrict.Themajorlocal
roads effectively ring East Hill and Onion Mountain as they provide access to
and from Albany Turnpike (Route 44) to the south, Cherry Brook Road (Route
179)onthewest,andSimsburytotheeast.LawtonRoadandWashburncarry
thehighestvolumeoftrafficofanylocalroadsinCanton.

TheEastHillDistrictincludesPhaseIVofFRRT,presentlybeingmarkedasanon
road route along Lawton and Dry Bridge Roads. This marks a commitment to
wardsthecompletionofthe28mileloopoftheFRRTasaspurtotheEastCoast
Greenway.Trafficcalmingandmanagementthroughthisarea isapriorityand
shouldseektoreestablishasafeneighborhoodenvironment.

RoaringBrookNatureCenter BoyScoutHouseOnEastHillRoad

HouseAtLawtonandWashburn EastHillRoad

97

NorthCantonDistrict

Location/Extent

TheNorthCantonDistrictisidentifiedastheareaofCantonnorthoftheCanton
CenterandEastHilldistricts;(i.e.essentiallynorthofWrightRoadandHighVal
leyDrive.)

NorthCantonDistrict

Conservation

NorthCantonisthemostrural,leastpopulous,leastdevelopedareaofthetown
anddoesnotcontainavillagetypesettingasoftenfoundinmostdefinedcen
ters.OriginallysettledasWestSimsbury,ahistoricschoolbuildingremainsas
do a number of historic houses along Route 309 (Adams, Moses, and Messen
ger). It also includes the former Grange building, a church, fire station, and a
smallpostoffice.In2012theUSPostalServiceindicateditsintenttoclosethe
NorthCantonPostOffice,muchtothechagrinoflocalresidents.

CherryBrookanditsvalleytraversethedistrictfromnorthtosouth.TheRatlum
Mountain ridge bounds the valley on the west side, and the West Mountain
ridge bounds it to the east. Most of these ridges remain as core forest areas.
Wetlands are scattered throughout the district. Over 500 acres in the district
have been preserved as open space, including a portion of Cherry Brook Farm.
AssmallportionoftheMcLeanGameRefugeextendsintoCanton.Anumberof
activefarmparcelsarealsoscatteredthroughoutthedistrict.

98

Development/Infrastructure

Large lot single family residential and agriculture are presently the dominant
landuses.Howevertheareacontains thetownslargestinventoryofavailable
land closest to Bradley airport (approximately 20 minutes). The lack of public
waterandsewerinthedistrictaswellasbeingsurroundedbysinglefamilyresi
dential, both in Canton and the Town of Granby to the north, remain a deter
rentstoanykindoflimitedcommercialdevelopmentinthearea.

StateRoutes179(CherryBrookRoad)and309(WestSimsburyRoad),aswellas
CaseStreet,aretheprimaryroadwaysservingthedistrict.

FireStation CaseFarm

99

FUTURELANDUSEPLAN

12
Overview

The Future Land Use Plan and the Conservation and Development locational
guide maps are a reflection of the stated goals, objectives, and recommenda
tions of the POCD as well as an integration of the preceding elements of the
Plan of Conservation & Development. In essence, these maps and plans are a
statementofwhattheCantonoftomorrowshouldlooklikeandhowconserva
tionanddevelopmentactivitiesmightbeguidedtohelpusgetthere.

OpenSpace Residential

Business CommunityFacilities

TheFutureLandUse
PlanandtheConser
vationandDevelop
mentlocationalguide
mapsareareflection
ofthestatedgoals,
objectives,andrec
ommendationsofthe
POCD.

100

DescriptionsOfFutureLandUseCategories

Category Description
LowerDensity
Residential
Areas where, due to sensitive natural resources, infra
structure limitations or desirable patterns of develop
ment,typicaldensitylessthanoneunitperacrewould
beexpected.
ModerateDensity
Residential
Areas presently used for multifamily development or
wheretheexistingdensityofdevelopmentmayexceed
oneunitperacre.
ExistingBusinessZones Areas which have developed or are intended to devel
op with business and/or light industrial uses (may in
cludeadjacenttransitionareas).
PotentialMixed
UseDevelopmentSites
Areawheremixedusesmaybeappropriate.
Potential
OpportunityLocations
Areas where opportunities for business expansion will
beinvestigated.
CommunityFacility/
InstitutionalUse
Areascontainingexistingcommunityfacilities (schools,
library, Town Hall, etc.) and institutional uses (church
es,etc.).
ExistingOpenSpace Areas that are currently preserved or used for open
spacepurposes.
NaturalResourceAreas Wetland, watercourse, steep slope, floodplain, public
watershed water supply, and other resource areas
where development will be balanced with protecting
theseimportantresources.

FutureLandUsePlan

The map on the facing page

is the future land use map
forCanton.

As required by statute, it
shows ... the commission's
recommendation for the
most desirable use of land
within the municipality for
residential, recreational,
commercial, industrial and
other purposes and for the
most desirable density of
population in the ... parts of
themunicipality.

New
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Future Land Use Plan
Canton, CT
$
3,000
Feet
Legend
Residential
Lower Residential Density
Moderate Residential Density
Business
Existing Business Zones
Potential Mixed Use Opportunity
Areas
Potential Opportunity Sites
Other Categories
Community Facility / Institutional
Use
Existing Open Space
Natural Resource Areas
Water Features
Canton Active Farmland

102

ConservationVision

TheLocationalGuide MapConservationshowsareasinCanton whichcontain

attributes which Canton feels are important to conserve or preserve. Darker
shadesindicatethattherearemoresuchresourceslocatedinthatarea.

If conservation resources and development resources (see facing page) exist in

thesamearea,additionalinvestigationmaybeneededtoensurethattheboth
objectivesarebalanced.

103

DevelopmentVision

TheLocationalGuideMapDevelopmentshowsareaswhichcontainattributes
which are important to supporting the overall development vision for Canton.
Darkershadesindicatethattherearemoresuchresourceslocatedinthatarea.

If development resources and conservation resources (see facing page) exist in

thesamearea,additionalinvestigationmaybeneededtoensurethattheboth
objectivesarebalanced.

104

ConsistencyWithOtherPlans

InaccordancewithCGSSection823,thisPOCDwascomparedwiththe201318
StateConservation&DevelopmentPoliciesPlanandfoundtobegenerallycon
sistentwiththatPlananditsLocationalGuideMap.

ConnecticutLocationalGuideMap Legend

105

ConnecticutConservationandDevelopmentPlanStateGrowthPrinciples

In accordance with CGS Section 823, the Canton Plan of Conservation and De
velopment has been evaluated for consistency with statewide growth manage
mentprinciples.

Principle1

Redevelop and revitalize regional

centers and areas of mixedland
useswithexisting or plannedphysi
calinfrastructure.
FINDINGConsistent

The POCD encourages growth in Collinsville with

mixed land uses and recommends additional physi
cal infrastructure for this area. Canton does not
haveadesignatedregionalcenter.
Principle2

Expand housing opportunities and

design choices to accommodate a
variety of household types and
needs.
FINDINGConsistent

ThePOCDrecommendsthatCantonseektodiversify
itshousingportfolioandaddressrecognizedhous
ing needs housing that is more affordable and
housingforanagingpopulation.
Principle3

Concentrate development around

transportation nodes and along
major transportation corridors to
support the viability of transporta
tionoptionsandlandreuse.
FINDINGConsistent

The POCD continues with the overall zoning frame

work of more intensive development on and near
Route 44 where it is served by State highways, bus
transit,andarterialroads.
Principle4

Conserve and restore the natural

environment, cultural and historical
resources, and traditional rural
lands.
FINDINGConsistent

The POCD identifies the importance of protecting

important community resources such as the natural
environment, open spaces, cultural and historical
resources,andundevelopedland.
Principle5

Protectenvironmentalassetscritical
topublichealthandsafety.

FINDINGConsistent

The POCD contains recommendations to protect

environmental assets critical to public health and
safetysuchaswaterqualityandpublicwatersupply
watershedlands.
Principle6

Integrate planning across all levels

of government to address issues on
a local, regional, and statewide ba
sis.
FINDINGConsistent

The POCD is part of the process of integrating plan

ningwithotherlevelsofgovernmentandwithother
agencies. The POCD will be used to coordinate ef
fortswith:
adjacentcommunities,
regionalorganizations,and
stateagencies.

106

RegionalPlanOfConservationandDevelopment

In addition, this POCD was compared with the Regional Plan of Conservation
andDevelopmentpreparedbytheCapitolRegionalCouncilofGovernmentsand
foundtobegenerallyconsistentwiththatPlan.

Anyinconsistenciescanbegenerallyattributedto:
* differences in definitions of desirable uses or development densi
ties,
* local (as opposed to State or regional) desires about how Canton
shouldgrowandchangeinthecomingyears,or
* the fact that the State Plan and the Regional Plan make policy rec
ommendations for land use intensity and environmental sensitivity
whilethisPOCDsuggestsspecificlandusetypes.

CRCOGLandUsePolicyMap Legend

107

NEXTSTEPS

13
Overview

ThisPOCDcontainsanumberofrecommendationsintendedtoguidethefuture
conservationanddevelopmentofCanton.

In preparing this POCD, the Plan of Conservation and Development Update

Committee,theBoardofSelectmen,andthePlanningCommission:
reviewedanddiscussedinformationaboutCanton,
conducted public meetings and surveys to determine residents atti
tudes,
discussedconditions,trends,andissuesaffectingthecommunity,and
assembled and refined a number of strategies to help guide the com
munityduringtheplanningperiod.

As a result, this POCD is believed to reflect the consensus of the community in

terms of where Canton should devote much of its effort over the next ten to
twentyyearstoenhancethevitality,livability,andqualityoflifeinthecommu
nity.Whilesituationsandconditionswillundoubtedlychange,thisPOCDestab
lishesgoalsforallCantonresidentstoworktowards.

By preparing this Plan of Conservation and Development, the POCD Update

SteeringCommitteeandthePlanning CommissionfeelthatCantonhastakena
significant step forward towards enhancing the vitality, livability, and quality of
lifeinourtown.

Implementation

The most critical step in bringing the POCD to fruition is implementing its rec
ommendations.CantonrecognizesthisandhaspreparedaseparateImplemen
tationPlantoaidandguideimplementation.ItisintendedthattheImplemen
tationPlanwillbeaworkingdocumentusedtoimplementstrategiesidentified
inthisStrategicPlan.

Bypreparingthis
POCD,Cantonhas
takenasignificant
stepforwardtowards
enhancingthevitali
ty,livability,andqual
ityoflifeinourtown.

108

ToguideimplementationoftheStrategicPlan,thekeyagenciesinvolvedinpre
paring it (the POCD Update Committee, the Board of Selectmen, and the Plan
ning Commission) recommend the establishment of a Plan Implementation
Committee.AsstatedintheImplementationPlanitself:

ExperienceinothercommunitieshasshownthatPOCDimplementation
canbemuchmoreeffectiveiftheTownestablishesaPOCDImplemen
tation Committee (PIC) to oversee implementation. The PIC would be
establishedandpopulatedbytheBoardofSelectmen.Memberswould
likelyincluderepresentativesfromTownstaffandsomeTownagencies,
though the BOS may see fit to draw from other resources. The PIC
would be responsible for coordinating and monitoring implementation
ofthePOCD.ThePICwouldbetaskedwithassessingthestatusofspe
cific recommendations, evaluating priorities, and suggesting new im
plementation techniques where appropriate. This document presumes
theestablishmentofaPIC;ifaPICisnotestablished,thenreferencesto
thePICshouldbeinterpretedasmeaningwhateverTownentity/entities
is/aretaskedwithoverseeingPOCDimplementation.

The Implementation Plan contains tables to identify specific tasks or policies,

whoisprimarilyresponsibleforitsimplementation(andwhowillhelp),andthe
generalpriority:

ImplementationTable

109

In addition to recommending the formation of an Implementation Committee,

theImplementationPlanalsomakesthefollowingrecommendations:
Use the POCD to organize annual work programs including operating
budget requests, capital planning, work efforts and commission activi
ties,
UsetheStrategicPlanasabasisforlanduseandotherdecisionswithin
theTown,
Reviewing municipal and other activities proposed in the Town of Can
tonforconsistencywiththerecommendationsofthePOCD,and
UsetheStrategicPlanasaguideforguideformunicipalspendingpriori
ties,includingpreparationoftheannualoperatingbudgetandforcapi
talimprovementprogramming.

As can be seen, it is expressly intended that this Plan of Conservation and De

velopment be used on a regular basis. In addition, it is recommended that the
Implementation Plan be regularly reviewed and refined on a regular basis on
orderto:
Assesshowimplementationisproceeding,
Deletetasksoractionscompletedsatisfactorily,
Addtasksoractionsthatwillhelpaccomplishstrategicgoals,and
Refinetasksoractionsalreadyunderwaytoenhancetheirimplementa
tionorimprovetheireffectiveness.

ThisprocessisintendedtocultivateacultureofplanningwithinCantonwhere
the overall strategies are periodically reviewed and the supporting tasks and
policiesareregularlyrevisedtorespondtochangingconditions. Thisapproach
willhelpthePOCD(andPOCDstrategies)berelevantoveralongtimeframe.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

TheResidentsofCanton

POCDUpdateSteeringCommittee

JonathanThiesse
Chair
PeterReynolds
ViceChair

RosemaryAldridge
POCD Update Committee / Former Planning
CommissionChair
SusanCarr
CantonAdvocatesForResponsibleExpansion
MichaelDiPinto
PlanningandZoningCommission
DavidEvens
PlanningandZoningCommission
JuliusFialkiewicz
Parks&RecreationCommission
DavidFreeman
PlanningandZoningCommission
KevinJackson
EconomicDevelopmentAgency(toJune2013)
BruceMortimer
POCDUpdateCommittee
KristinOswald
ChamberofCommerce
PhilPane
PlanningandZoningCommission
LansfordPerry
POCD Update Committee/ Planning and Zoning
Commission
DavidShepard
InlandWetlandsandWatercoursesAgency

TownStaff

NeilS.Pade,AICP
DirectorofPlanningandCommunityDevelopment
RolandR.Klee,AICP,CZEO
Assistant Town Planner, Zoning Enforcement Of
ficer,andInlandWetlands&WatercoursesAgent
LynnCharest,CZEO
LandUseCoordinator(fromJuly2013)
SusanBrodeur
LandUseCoordinator(toJune2013)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

PlanningandZoningCommission

DavidBondanza
Chair
JonathanThiesse
ViceChair
PhilPane
Secretary

KeithAugust

MichaelDiPinto
Alternate
DavidEvens

DavidFreeman
Alternate
JohnHuyghebaert

LansfordPerry

WilliamSarmuk
Alternate

BoardOfSelectmen

RichardJ.Barlow
FirstSelectman
StephenRoberto
DeputyFirstSelectman
DavidW.Gilchrist

LowellF.Humphrey

ThomasSevigny

RobertSkinner
ChiefAdministrativeOfficer

TechnicalassistanceinthepreparationofthisPlanwasprovidedby
Planimetrics,Inc.
GlennChalder,AICP
President
JasonVincent,AICP
VicePresident(toMay2012)
LeonardDesson
NewEnglandGeoSystems

GISManager(toOctober2013)

GISManager(FromNovember2013)