Commercial And Village Design Event: What Is Your Vision Of Charlestown’s Business Areas?

When: Wednesday, November 8 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. (come anytime between those hours)
Where: Charlestown Town Hall in the Council Chambers
What: An interactive event with refreshments served (pizza!). You don’t need to attend for the full time. The program will repeat throughout the evening and you can give your input at any time.

The Commercial and Village Design Standards Advisory Committee seeks input from residents and business owners for a set of design guidelines and standards for new commercial development in Charlestown. The goal is to achieve a more coherent and aesthetically pleasing view of development occurring in the commercial and village districts.

What will design guidelines and standards accomplish?
It will protect the town from unattractive or “anywhere USA” design but would encourage flexibility and variety so the results are not cookie-cutter. Having no standards or poorly defined standards leads to haphazard, incompatible growth.

What is your vision of Charlestown’s business areas?
The last town-wide survey indicated that residents did not support the look or design of corporate or “big-box” commercial. It is important to also know what the community does want Charlestown to look like in the future.

The Planning Commission needs specific design information to:

• Get better designed buildings that reinforce the town’s character.
• Have an applicant come in with a clear idea of the regulations and standard
• Give the town a cohesive appearance while ensuring some variety and interest.
• Have a selection of materials that will satisfy both the financial and aesthetic needs of the applicant and the community, and that consider climate resiliency, energy, durability, and good looks.

Design consultants Libra Planners will be there with graphics and other materials.

At this informal event attendees will be able to rate the best (and worst) designs and post their reactions on “sticky notes”. There will also be survey questions and other activities to get community involvement going forward. The town’s consultants have produced a preliminary background report on the project.

The Commercial and Village Design Standards Advisory Committee wants as much feedback as possible and encourages everyone to come to this event and share their thoughts and ideas.

Please attend the event, have a snack, chat with the consultants, and share your ideas and preferences for the look and feel of new commercial development in Charlestown.

Visit the town’s website for more information or read the comprehensive guide about the project.

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The banner image was associated with an application in 2018 by Dollar General in Cross’ Mills. The Charlestown Planning Commission denied the Dollar General application. The decision followed a number of meetings by the Planning Commission where the Commission reviewed the plan under Development Plan Review and other sections of the Town’s ordinances dealing with the Traditional Village District and the Historical Village Overlay District. The Planning Commission found that the Master Plan was inconsistent with several sections of Charlestown’s Comprehensive Plan and did not conform to the town’s zoning ordinances. Most applications are not extreme enough to deny, in fact a denial is very rare, but all applications will benefit from better defined design standards.