Draft Future Land Use Map Impacts Route 5 South

The Future Land Use map under discussion by the Planning Commission may impact the development of Route 5 South in Norwich. The map, see below, will be one of the topics addressed at the Planning Commission workshop scheduled for November 7.

The draft map designates the Easterly side of Route 5 South as Mixed Use. That designation is consistent with the draft regional plan proposed by the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission.  At present, the area is zoned Commercial/Industrial.

Part of the westerly side of Route 5 South is designated as Residential. The area is currently zoned Rural Residential.  Over 95 percent of Norwich is zoned Rural Residential. The Future Land Use map classifies areas of land along major roads within a mile or so of the Village, as Residential, with the remainder labeled as Rural. The mapped distinction between Residential and Rural could result in zoning regulations setting a different minimum lot size for each area.

 

The minimum lot size in Rural Residential is 2 acres, although the minimum size increases the further the property is from Tracy Hall. In contrast, the minimum lot size for land in the Village Business and Village Residential I Districts is about one-half acre.

Mixed Use is defined in the amended draft of the 2019 Regional Plan as follows:

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Current zoning districts in Norwich. http://norwich.vt.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/1-Zoning_Districts-Rev-txt-2019-8_26.pdf

This post originally appeared on HereCast on November 5, 2019.