Plans to update Branford’s Historic Town Green have been revised in response to objections raised by the public.
The modified plan will eliminate proposals to widen South Main Street and to create parking along the south side of the Green. Other items that have been deleted include the construction of a roundabout on the west end of the Green, and a sidewalk along Taintor Drive.
“This plan will reflect what the public meeting generated,” said First Selectman Anthony “Unk” DaRos.
He said the revised plan would still accomplish the main goals of improving drainage across the Green, and reducing paved areas, especially at the intersection of South Main and Town Hall Drive.
“Actually making the changes will be easy; getting a consensus is the hard part,” DaRos said in an interview.
People will have a chance to voice their opinions about the new concept at a public hearing June 15 at 7 p.m. at the James Blackstone Memorial Library. A hearing in March drew about 100 people, many of whom expressed disapproval about the initial plans.
Since the March meeting, town planners and David Sousa, an engineer with the nationally known firm of Clough Harbour and Associates, have worked on revisions.
“We responded to the negative comments from last time and took out the roundabout, the parking on South Main Street and some of the sidewalks,” said Town Planner Shirley Rasmussen during a recent interview. “The reason for the plan is to increase the Green space.”
People objected to some of the original proposals, claiming they were not needed and would result in fewer trees and less natural space.
“We were listening,” Rasmussen said in regard to the public reaction.
She said the new plans will preserve trees and protect tree roots that could have been affected by extensive work along South Main Street.
In addition to drainage and pavement concerns, the goals of the 2009 study also include preserving the historic charm of the Green, reorganizing parking, and improving traffic and pedestrian safety. “I don’t think people realize all the changes that happened haphazardly over the years,” Rasmussen said.
The plans will be presented at the June meeting, which will be the final session for this phase of the study.
“I hope people are pleased,” Rasmussen said.
Efforts to update the Green have been ongoing for more than 25 years. The current study expanded on ideas from the 1983 Town Center Revitalization Plan, the 2007 Yale Urban Design Workshop Study, and the 2008 Main Street Gateway Study.
The next major step would be design engineering, which has been requested in the town’s 2010 – 2011 budget.
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