Groton — Building a sense of place, spurring economic development, protecting the community's resources, and promoting coastal resiliency are among the major elements of the city's proposed update of its Plan of Conservation and Development.

A public hearing on the draft 2018 Plan of Conservation and Development is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Municipal Building at 295 Meridian St.

Every municipality in Connecticut is required to have a Plan of Conservation and Development and update it every 10 years, said Dennis G. Goderre, city planner for the City of Groton. The document serves as a high-level tool to help guide land use decisions for private development and public infrastructure, he said. Residents provided input for the plan through an online survey and a public workshop in September.

"Sense of place"

Bolstering a "sense of place" in parts of the city, including Thames Street and the Five Corners area (the intersection of Poquonnock Road, Mitchell Street, Benham Road and Chicago Avenue), was a top priority among residents who completed the online survey, the plan states.

"It's really about creating a destination that is attractive and appealing for people to live, work and visit," Goderre said.

Potential ideas listed for improving the sense of place on Thames Street include continuing to promote mixed use; continuing to improve sidewalks, paving and streetscapes; looking for opportunities to install a walkway along the Thames River; and studying ways to provide more on-street parking and to "simplify traffic circulation." 

Thames River Innovation Place also plans to look at the area, as it received funding to create redevelopment plans, with New London and Groton, for Thames/Bridge St., as well as Hodges Square in New London.

For the Five Corners area, located near Electric Boat, the Plan of Conservation and Development also lists suggestions and notes that the city's Planning and Zoning Commission adopted a new zoning district to promote mixed use development and a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere.

"The overall vision for this area is to convert what now appears and feels like an automobile-oriented area to an area that looks and feels like a pedestrian-oriented village," the plan states.

The plan also recommends that the city consider a tax increment financing (TIF) district for the Thames Street and Five Corners areas. Under a TIF district, a percentage of the incremental tax funds realized would be set aside into a TIF district fund, while the rest would go into the general fund, Goderre said. The TIF district fund could be used to help support economic development or infrastructure improvements.

Goderre said the city is working with the town to draft a TIF district master plan that the city's Economic Development Commission reviewed earlier this month and is slated to review it again in February. Depending on the comments, the draft plan may be then forwarded to the City Council and Town Council.

Economic development, transportation

The city's Plan of Conservation and Development calls for encouraging tourism, by promoting local sites and the Thames River Heritage Park, and economic development, including by supporting businesses and their expansion, bringing complementary businesses to Groton, and promoting the Enterprise Zone designation.

The plan says the city has housing stock that "helps meet the housing needs of people from a wide variety of social and economic situations."

"And, as housing needs change in the future due to the changing age composition of the region and the state, the City can continue to help address these needs," the plan states.

The plan recommends the city build upon local amenities and improve its pedestrian and bicycle transportation system, at a time when people are looking to be more active. Such a system will "enhance the quality of life for residents and attract residents, businesses, and visitors in the future," the plan states.

Community resources, preparing for sea level rise

The protection of the community's resources is another major component of the plan, and the Planning and Zoning Commission identified protecting coastal resources as a top priority.

The city wants to increase the amount of open space it has and connect existing spaces through a pathway system, protect coastal resources and preserve access to the coastline, encourage preservation of historic and natural resources, protect water quality, maintain road pavement, work to alleviate traffic on roads when needed, and support public transit, among other objectives outlined in the plan.

The plan points to the importance of preparing for sea level rise and cites that the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation recommended in 2017 that all communities in the state "plan for sea level rise of 20 inches (0.5 meters) between 2017 and 2050." 

The plan recommends strategies that include completing an assessment of the community's vulnerability to climate change, continuing to address the issue with agencies and organizations, and creating a plan "to prioritize actions relative to climate change and sea level rise including a conceptual capital improvement program to balance fiscal capacity with coastal issues/needs."

The plan also suggests ways to address facilities needs, such as a study "to determine the best way to address the space needs at the Municipal Complex," and promoting sustainability, among other topics.

Goderre said the Plan of Conservation and Development isn't static, and the city can update and amend it on a regular basis over the next 10 years. 

City Mayor Keith Hedrick said he supports the initiatives in the Plan of Conservation and Development and called it a "forward-looking plan."

The draft plan is available on the city's website at: http://cityofgroton.com/ped/plan-of-conservation-and-development-pocd/

k.drelich@theday.com