Warner Master Plan Visioning Session

Monday, December 8, 2008

 

Comments from participants

·        Investigate availability of high speed internet service in different areas of town

·        Brainstorm ideas for more protection of 2 aquifers

·        Reduce speed limit to 20 MPH on Main St / 103

·        Increase light restrictions on incoming development, see if light restrictions for existing development can be addressed

·        What was the focus of the town audit: zoning ordinance, site plan rules and regs, subdivision regs, other bylaws—looking for consistency. Only noticeable issue was discrepancy between definitions of words in different documents.

·        How is Warner using cluster housing?

·        Workforce housing

o       What is it?

o       What will the town do about it?

·        Property taxes

o       Recommendation that residents attend Municipal Budget Committee monthly meetings to express their opinions about school funding/tax issue

o       Figure out a way to make living in Warner more affordable, increasing taxes will not be sustainable for the future

What do you want the town to be in 10 years?

·        Keep community character

·        Add community design section to Master Plan? (design review)

·        New development should be green (like Epping)

·        Value-added businesses, small businesses serving the community

·        Exit 9 Charrette

·        More affordable tax structure, address legislative process

·        Workforce housing, need workers in the community to support the town

·        Senior recreation opportunities as the population ages

·        Community center—intergenerational

·        More trails made, Exit 9 trails marked

 

Comment Card Responses

·        Lower lighting on Main St .

·        Old fashioned lamp posts along Main St .

·        Community Center for art, music, sports, pool!

·        Worried about rock blasting affecting existing wells and salt/highway runoff

·        Pay attention to conservation plan

·        I’d like to second the suggestion that the town have architectural review of commercial development. Also that planning and zoning boards be able to have outside expertise brought in at the expense of commercial developers for evaluation of technical and economic issues.

·        Can we get input from large property owners at Exit 9—Market Basket, Irving , etc—to see what they might be willing to support by way of changes at Intervale?

·        Need bus to Concord

·        More bus transportation (Dartmouth Coach)

·        Walking areas needed from Waterloo area to Village area

·        Master Plan to address Legislature regarding statewide tax structure which will drive us all out of town as we get older and poorer

·        We must discuss more how to help increase business in downtown! Our WBA/Retailers’ group is very proactive, and we try to get local people to visit our local stores & businesses but still most Warner citizens get in their cars or the Elderbus and go to big box stores in the malls or shop on the internet (and pay more in long run!) while they could buy it in town. We have been here over 7 years (Wingdoodle) and people still come in and are surprised at what we have. We hire local people, we pay local taxes. Every dollar stays in Warner that we earn in our stores. We need the town of Warner to support our established businesses (not just Wingdoodle, but BookEnds & others). In 10 years I want to see a blossoming Main St. , with decent crosswalks painted.  

Sharon ’s Notes

·        ? Re district number and expansions

·        ? Increase district

·        Forest & Farm Resources

·        Water resources

·        Wildlife habitat

·        Scenic resources

·        Drinking water protection

·        Exemplary natural communities

·        Future drinking water area