Council weighing changes to growth control ordinance

The Town of Windsor will consider changes to its growth control
ordinance that could spur more mixed-use developments that combine
living areas with commercial space.
A two-year pilot program to allow an extra 20 mixed-use units
per year is endorsed by the Windsor Planning Commission and will be
the subject of a Town Council workshop in September. If adopted
later this year, the program could go into effect in 2004.
On a 3-2 vote, the council directed town staff to continue
working on the proposed changes.
Councilmember Sam Salmon said by building mixed-use projects,
the town could avoid a proliferation of large apartment complexes
in Windsor. Combining residences with commercial or retail projects
also cuts down on more roads, sidewalks and other impervious
surfaces, he said.
Mayor Steve Scott and Councilmember Debora Fudge joined Salmon
in voting to consider the pilot program.
“Mixed-use housing is taking off like wildfire,” said Fudge.
“This is a type of housing that we haven’t provided in
Windsor.”
When it approved the pilot program concept, the Planning
Commission had modest mixed-use projects in mind, not larger
developments like the mixed-use projects in Windsor’s new downtown,
said Planning Director Peter Chamberlin. As an example, he showed
the council photos of a living area over an office at a
mini-storage business on Old Redwood Highway.
“This is more or less what the Planning Commission is thinking
about,” said Chamberlin.
The commission had expressed frustration when trying to
encourage more mixed-use developments, because building permit
allocations for that type of housing were not available.
The commission wants to encourage more housing diversity through
mixed-use projects, said Chamberlin. The program would provide for
more housing units in areas zoned for commercial and industrial
use.
If the pilot program is approved, the town will increase its
annual allocations to 170 per year, up from the current 150.
Councilmembers Lynn Morehouse and Steve Allen voted against the
proposal, saying they didn’t want to to increase the number of
housing allocations given out per year. Allen also said more
housing units could impact local schools and infrastructure.
“I’m not really at a point where I’m feeling comfortable saying,
‘Let’s increase those numbers,’ ” said Allen.