By Veronica Burns

An audience of 16 interested people recently attended a special workshop as a first step in the development of a town plan for Norfolk. Most of those attending were members of the Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z), but also included were Libby Borden, chair of the Economic Development Commission, Vint Lawrence from the Coalition for Sound Growth, and Lou Barbagallo, representing the Trust for Public Housing.

The workshop was led by Glenn Chalder from the Avon-based consulting firm, Planimetrics. Chalder urged his audience to let him know their major concerns. “Our role,” he said, “is to be a resource. We want to help you help yourselves.” Planimetrics has helped create town plans for communities that have fewer than one thousand residents to those that have over one hundred thousand.

The main areas of discussion turned out to be Norfolk’s downtown and taxes. West Lowe, chair of the P&Z spoke about the town meadow. “That’s a blank slate,” said Lowe, “there is potential there to do anything, or to do nothing.” Some felt it should be filled in despite the costs involved. Another suggestion was to build a swing bridge across it. There was a strong sense of a need to create a vital and energetic town center, and the recent sale of the Greenwoods Theatre was considered an important beginning.

When it comes to taxes the general feeling was that there is likely to be resistance to any suggestion of increasing them. However, most agreed that the town needed to expand its tax base. Sue Dyer, Norfolk’s first selectman, said it was essential to increase the Grand List. “There are 30,000 acres in Norfolk,” said Dyer, “over 80 percent of it is tax-free or tax-reduced in some way, and over 10,000 acres is tax exempt.” Some talk centered on enlarging the commercial zone, though Starling Childs felt that Norfolk would always be “a cottage-industry” community.

Affordable housing also came up. “The bottom line,” said Barbagallo, “is that Norfolk has a housing shortage for people of moderate means. We are making some strides however, and are working with a potential developer at this time.” When asked by Martin Johnson of the Wetlands Agency, as to what the P&Z were doing to make their zoning regulations more affordable housing-friendly, Lowe said they are working on it.

Other topics touched on regionalization (could schools be merged in order to save costs?), tourism and, on the subject of infrastructure, Norfolk’s old and compromised sewer system.

No doubt all of these subjects will emerge again in the second stage of the process, which will require the active participation of Norfolk’s residents. Soon we will be seeing posters and flyers announcing a town-wide meeting at Botelle School on Saturday, October 20 from 10 a.m. to noon. Referred to as the “Prouds and Sorrys” meeting, residents will be given questionnaires and ballots, and will have the opportunity to vote on issues of concern and to have their say. They can proclaim what they are proud of in Norfolk and what they are less proud of. “What makes a town a town?” asked Chalder during the workshop. The resounding repose was, “the community.” So now the community will get its chance to weigh in on Norfolk’s future.