Residents Offer Input for Windsor’s Future

Ideas for the future of Windsor centered on development, marketing and enhancement at a public workshop hosted by the Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday night.

Upon entering, Town Planner, Eric Barz asked residents to provide where they live by marking a map of Windsor with a yellow sticker. The two dozen participants were also asked to mark places they were proud of and places they were sorry for in Windsor.

Locations of pride included Northwest Park, the historic district and the center of town, particularly the green. Places people were sorry for included Windsor Avenue traffic, the landfill and transfer station and the Windsor Plaza buildings. Grumbles amongst residents could be heard as places of embarrassment were recognized.

With opinions of what Windsor should continue developing and what should be changed in mind, the group formed five smaller discussions focusing on residential development, village enhancement, economic development in way of opportunity areas and economic development with a focus on how to market the town more effectively.

Each group was given a booklet containing the vision for each area, and the groups were asked to rank the priority they felt each task should be ranked and also indicate the progress that is being made in the area.

The residential development group suggested more strict enforcement around public and private property for maintenance as well as addressing concern about group homes and half-way houses. Barz told the group that there is an equality procedure in the Planning and Zoning Commission prohibiting different treatment of half-way houses and single-family homes.

One member of the village enhancement discussion group, Ruth Jefferis said, “the most important concern is keeping big, commercial stores—not business—out of the center of town.”

The group concluded that the vision should be “to protect and enhance Windsor’s villages to restore their prominence as vibrant centers of community life and significant elements of community character.”

“I know when I’m at work, I like to have services around me,” said Heidi Sirota, a member of the discussion on economic development.  The group focused on the ideas of “extending public services, ways to take advantage of local business areas and focusing the vision to look at a variety of lifestyles,” Jim Burke, a member of the committee said.

Sirota also suggested that “as we bring in new companies, we should keep in mind that they should be giving back to the community.” Residents pointed out that ING does a nice job of giving back and supporting Windsor.

Michael O’Brien, a member of the planning commission, told his economic development group that the town turned down the proposal of a new magnet school near lodging for long-term residence for people from out of town. The commission felt that such a development would hinder the developments of businesses such as a restaurant with a liquor license. The group concluded that the main focus of the economic development would be to maximize the amount of jobs in the area and fix the traffic issues, particularly on Day Hill Road.

Also mentioned in the workshop were some of the newer developments such as ING, Emhart Glass Research Center, and Travelers Insurance Claim University that bring revenue to the town. Traveler’s Claim University, for example, brings hotel business in the way of about 40,000 rooms booked per year.

Additionally, upcoming projects such as Windsor Place, Lord’s Woods, 109 and 125 Poquonock Avenue mixed-use development could result in about a 5,100 population increase.

The suggestions and results of this workshop will be incorporated into a development strategy booklet, which will be available online and at the Windsor public library as well as other locations in town. The booklet will guide the discussion of development topics by the Commission as it updates the Plan of Conservation and Development, which it must update every ten years.

The Town Planning and Zoning Commission has chosen to get a head start on updating the plan, which only is required by law to be updated by 2014.

If you have questions about this workshop or future events, you can contact the Windsor Planning Department at 860.285.1980 or e-mail Assistant Town Planner, Lauren Good at good@townofwindsorct.com.