Land Use Department

11.0 FUTURE LAND USE PLAN

11.1 What is a Future Land Use Plan?

A future land use plan guides future development in Bethel. It is both a map and accompanying text describing the different land use categories. Figure 38 shows generalized future land uses and the proposed zoning and urban design changes recommended in this Plan of Development. It recognizes the established settlement pattern, natural features, opportunities for economic development, the impact of the proposed sewer service area in the northern part of Bethel, and the need to avoid sewer construction in the remaining rural areas of town. Thus, the future land use plan attempts to reconcile community goals and objectives for conservation and development over the next ten years, with existing land uses, existing zoning, market pressures for development, environmental constraints on development, and existing and proposed infrastructure. The map can be considered a visual representation of an ideal form for the town.

Land Uses

The land use plan is generally consistent with existing development so that people do not own homes or buildings that become non-conforming uses in a zoning district.

Zoning

Sudden changes in zoning (the publicly prescribed pattern of development) would create uncertainty in the market. The land use plan for Bethel therefore does not depart radically from existing zoning except for those areas subject to environmental degradation or where the land uses are already in transition and the existing zoning is lagging behind.

Development Pressures

The Plan of Development channels real estate trends for public purposes. The plan supports the existing zoning as the zoning generally allows homes where people wish to live and businesses where these would be best located. The most significant recommendation in the plan would amend the zoning along Route 6. These changes are in response to the increasing development pressure here, and largely seek to modify density, site planning, and landscape buffering.

Environmental Constraints

There are two major natural resources requiring protection: the aquifer and the hilltops. The Plan of Development proposes an aquifer protection overlay and a ridge protection overlay. These are amendments to the zoning code which would more stringently control development in these environmentally sensitive areas. Open space - areas which are not developed at all - remains a strongly held community goal. However, there are no specific areas set aside in the Future Land Use Plan for complete conservation. On a case-by-case basis, these areas will be determined by the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission, or other municipal bodies.

Infrastructure

Access from adequate roads and proximity to existing or potential water and sewer utilities are two factors defining the capacity of land to accommodate different types and densities of development If these constraints are ignored, roads become congested, the ground's carrying capacity becomes overburdened, and the town may find it has to construct community utilities at large expense. The Bethel Plan of Development therefore supports higher density housing and commercial use in the sewered parts of town and concurs with sewer avoidance in the remaining rural parts of town.

11.2 Land Use Plan Elements

There are five basic elements to the Future Land Use plan. These are the underlying lots and road network, residential uses, commercial uses, industrial uses, and proposed zoning changes. The three land uses are the primary ones in Bethel, with agriculture, institutional, and parks and recreation uses playing much more minor roles. As most development over the next ten years will be either housing or businesses, the future land use plan highlights these uses. The zoning changes are indicated on the map with hatched lines, as they do not entail changing the underlying zoning (except in two small instances). They are mostly modifications of existing zoning or overlay districts.

Parcelization and Circulation System

The Future Land Use map proposes no changes in the tax lots and roads as existing at the time of writing.

Residential Uses

The land use plan shows a range of densities of housing, the primary land use in the town. In general respects, the plan is based on the existing zoning. There are three residential categories and two mixed use categories which include commercial uses.

• Rural Density: This corresponds to the R-80 zone, one unit per two acres. This category covers areas which do not have sewers and are unlikely to be sewered unless in a large conservation subdivision. Most of the vacant, residentially zoned land left in Bethel lies in these zones. The goal of land use planning in these areas should be the preservation of as much open space as possible to sustain the older, rural look of Bethel. To further this goal, whenever a large development is proposed, conservation subdivisions should be required and significant open space systems established. The Future Land Use plan does recommend the rezoning of one area to R-80. Currently this area is zoned for industrial use, which is inappropriate given the environmental constraints in the area. Any future development here should be of the lowest density allowed in the town.
• Low Density: This corresponds to the R-40 zone, one unit per one acre. Most of the land so zoned has been developed. Generally, the land in these areas is buildable. There is not too much difficulty in locating a septic field on a one-acre lot should future development occur outside the sewer service areas. Future development should again be guided by the need to protect natural resources and the traditional settlement pattern. Infill construction should match the surrounding architecture, preferably with a New England style.
• Medium Density: This corresponds to the R-30 and R-20 zones, about one unit per two-thirds or one-half acre. Virtually all land in these zones is built out, with only some infill opportunities remaining. In some R-30 areas, the septic systems are failing and thus are prime candidates for inclusion in an expanded sewer service area. The Plan recommends that sewer service be extended to these areas. New development will mostly be scattered but should still be in keeping with the generally small, tightly knit scale already established.
• High Density: This category combines R-10, RR-10, and RM-O zones, as these are similar in their densities and allowed uses. Zones R-10 and RR-10 allow one unit per one-quarter acre and structures housing no more than two families. Zone RM-O allows multi-family structures and offices. The minimum lot size in this zone ranges from one-quarter to one-half acre. This combination of three zones is found in the oldest and most densely settled part of Bethel around the downtown. There is very little land remaining to be developed, and the area is served by public water and sewer utilities. Development here should be guided by conformity with the immediately surrounding scale and architecture.

Figure 38: Future Land Use Plan

Commercial Uses

• Mixed Commercial/Residential: This corresponds to the downtown C zone, which is primarily a traditional district of businesses, government offices, and community institutions such as churches and library, with residential apartments allowed under special permit. The plan's recommendations for the downtown are focused on signage improvements and urban design improvements, with some changes to required setbacks to foster conformity with a more historic village center pattern. A second major recommendation for the downtown is the rezoning of the CI parcels to C, to reflect prevailing commercial trends and the preferred development style for this important town center. Finally, the streetscape program should be extended in future phases to encompass outlying parts of the downtown.
• Highway Commercial/Office: This corresponds to the Route 6 CI zone. The plan recommends a series of modifications to the existing zoning language so that future development along this corridor is shaped according to community goals. The required lot size is enlarged in some cases and a landscape buffer is required; related changes to intersections, driveway access, and signage are also recommended. There are large development parcels remaining on Route 6, so it is critical that the town rework its zoning in order to foster the kind of development preferred along this important gateway.

Industrial Use

The one category for industrial use comprises both the I and IP zones. The important issues for development in these zones will be mitigation of environmental impacts, traffic impacts , and the construction of buildings whose architecture complements the prevailing town style. The I zone around Wooster Street is cut back to cover only an area with minor environmental constraints. A new R-80 zone is recommended here. It largely covers an area with steep slopes, and so essentially serves as notice that development is highly controlled in this area. The new shape to the I zone more accurately reflects the true extent of development potential.

Zoning Changes

There are six areas where zoning changes are recommended:

• Proposed Ridge Protection Overlay: An overlay zone would be mapped wherever hillsides measure 20% or more in grade. Heightened development controls would be applied, primarily to prohibit construction on ridgelines.
• Proposed Aquifer Overlay: An overlay zone would be mapped on the aquifer recharge area in the center of town. The underlying zoning would not change, but stricter performance standards would be applied to new development and expansions. In a future phase of regulation, surface water should be protected.
• Proposed Downtown Zoning and Urban Design Changes: The plan proposes a series of measures which would modify the allowed setbacks, improve architectural quality of buildings and the urban design quality of Greenwood Avenue, improve intersections, and encourage residential use on upper floors. There is also a proposed historic district encompassing most of the downtown. The small area of CI Zoning would be changed to C.
• Proposed Zoning and Intersection Changes on Route 6: The existing CI zoning on Route 6 would be modified to provide better control over the type of large uses which would be attracted to the substantial development parcels along this corridor. The zoning modifications would include landscape buffers and increased setbacks, and curb-cut management. Signage and intersection improvements are also included in this series of recommendations.
• Wooster Street: Vacant land in this area which has steep slopes (hillsides of 20% grade or higher) should be rezoned to R-80, the most stringent zoning designation.
• Durant Avenue: One parcel on Durant Avenue should be rezoned to RM-0 from I to link it with the downtown expansion.