Southington PZC Seeks More Sidewalks In Town

SOUTHINGTON, CT — The zoning board has approved tweaks to Southington's pedestrian/bicycle rules making it harder for a developer to avoid having to build sidewalks.

And if you do want to avoid building sidewalks on your project, you will have to pay the town.

After a public hearing last week in which no one spoke on proposed rule changes, the Southington Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously, 7-0, to change existing regulations and make it harder for developers to avoid the sometimes-costly sidewalks on their projects.

The new rules also created a feature where a developer, if it didn't want to build a sidewalk, would have to pay the town a fee — called a "payment in lieu of construction."

In changing the sidewalk regulations, zoning board members eliminated several allowable conditions in which a developer could avoid having to build sidewalks.

Now, those conditions are more limited, for example, developers can avoid building a sidewalk if there are natural wetlands/watercourses that would be impacted by sidewalk construction.

Other conditions of sidewalk waivers, however, have been eliminated.

As for having to pay the town to not build sidewalks, those fees will be determined by the Southington Engineering Department based on the scope and cost of the work.

Granting such sidewalk construction waivers would be at the discretion of the PZC.

Accrued funds from this "payment in lieu of sidewalks" fee would be held and used for future sidewalk work/maintenance on the part of the town.

In approving the measure, zoning board members cited two benefits:

• Pedestrian safety is improved because more developers will have to construct sidewalks on their projects.

• Approved waivers would allow the town to accumulate revenue to be used for future sidewalk work in town.

Southington PZC Chairman Robert Hammersly said the changes allow for concrete planning on sidewalk policy, one that will make it easier for pedestrians in town.

"I think that this represents a more strategic way of going about addressing our town as a more pedestrian-friendly community," Hammersley said.

"What I appreciate about this bill, specifically, is it adds safety for pedestrians in the area, where we can fill in gaps that we currently have," said PZC member Robert Britton.

Hammersley said the next step regarding this plan is for the Southington Town Council to approve creating a sidewalk fund to accrue "payment in lieu of sidewalk" fees.

For the minutes of the Feb. 20 Southington Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, click on this link.

For the petition from the town to tweak the pedestrian/bicycle accessibility regulations, click on this link.

For the actual text of the changes to the pedestrian/bicycle accessibility regulations, click on this link.