Salem — Planning and Zoning Commission members voted Tuesday to withdraw proposed changes to zoning regulations that would have created a village center district, something the town had been exploring for more than 10 years. The commission reached the decision after discussing concerns raised by residents at a public hearing in October.

The proposed district, centered around the Town Hall and school on Route 85, would have been zoned to allow business development and would have included loosely defined architectural standards for new construction. The plan has been under consideration in various forms since 2002.

In October, residents expressed confusion about the commission's vision, concern about businesses moving in next door and frustration about vague architectural guidelines for the district. School board Chairman Stephen Buck also asked that Salem School not be included in the district.

Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Richard Amato noted that there is plenty of data available from the public hearings and recent commission discussions if the commission wishes to consider the village center district in the future.

Amato said he felt the commission was "about 35 years too late" with the proposal, and that the town has developed in a way that doesn't support a village center.

Town Planner Richard Serra agreed with the commission's decision to withdraw the proposal. He said the school's request to be left out of the district was a "deal-breaker," given its location within the proposed town center.

Commission member Gary Walters said his impression from the public hearing was that residents did not desire a town center.

"If people are interested," said Walters, "they will come out" after they hear the news of the withdrawal.

During Tuesday's meeting, commission member David Bingham read a letter of resignation. Bingham has been on the commission for more than 30 years and serves on a variety of board and committees in the town and state. Bingham said the resignation was due to time commitment issues and other personal desires and not related to the recent election. He also said it was important to let a new generation of officials choose their own direction.

Amato and commission member Vernon Smith thanked Bingham for his guidance and wisdom on planning and zoning issues. Smith expressed gratitude, despite the fact that as a Republican, he often found himself disagreeing with positions Bingham, a Democrat, took.

k.catalfamo@theday.com