By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE
The Middlebury Economic and Industrial Development Commission (EIDC) and the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) met jointly Aug. 28 to hear a presentation on architectural standards by Hiram Peck and Hugh Sullivan. A question-and-answer session followed.
The meeting was organized by both boards because current zoning regulations lack standards, and comments in public hearings for Middlebury’s Plan of Conservation and Development update generated a lot of controversy. The EIDC also needs architectural standards because it is charged with approving commercial building designs.
Peck, a former town planner for Simsbury, gave an illustrated presentation on the visualization and adoption of architectural guidelines for Simsbury Town Center. He discussed the use of community design charrettes* for consensus building and the use of Photoshop for visualizing possibilities.
Sullivan, founding co-partner of Bennett Sullivan Associates, discussed the Southbury streetscape planning and implementation, for which he won the 2015 AIA Connecticut Public Service award. In answering questions, Peck and Sullivan stressed the importance of balancing the conflicting needs of pedestrians, vehicles, and aesthetics.
First Selectman Edward B. St. John, also in attendance, joked with P&Z Chairman Terry Smith about wanting a streetscape plan for more than 20 years. St. John said the old trolley-line-based greenway was controversial when it was first visualized, but now has helped define the south streetscape starting from Tucker Hill Road, where it becomes the sidewalk in front of businesses along Middlebury Road. He said the north side of the street will be more challenging because properties are unique and of varied sizes, likely requiring merging to fit a plan.
St. John said he wanted to move forward quickly. Peck and Sullivan agreed to send him an outline of an RFP (request for purchase) to solicit proposals for firms to produce a streetscape plan for Middlebury Center. Peck estimated the plan would cost about $100,000 with funds coming from grants and town funds.
The next EIDC meeting will a special meeting Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 6:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Conference Room. The EIDC usually meets the fourth Tuesday of each month.
*A charrette is an intensive planning session during which citizens, designers and others collaborate on a vision for development. It provides a forum for ideas and offers the unique advantage of giving immediate feedback to the designers. More importantly, it allows everyone who participates to be a mutual author of the plan.
