Choice goes to Glenn Chalder of Planimetrics, an Avon-based company

By Veronica Burns

Norfolk’s Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) held a special public meeting on May 15 to introduce a planning consultant to assist in the development of a new Plan of Conservation and Development. Glenn Chalder of Avon-based Planimetric, gave a succinct outline (he joked that his wife called his verbal style “pithy”) of the planning process. “I was impressed with him,” says Sue Dyer, Norfolk’s first selectman, who attended the meeting. “He seemed very knowledgeable.” P&Z chairman West Lowe says that the approval rating of Chalder was unanimous among the commission members. “I have been working on this for over a year,” says Lowe, “and I think it will be a very interesting process once we get underway.” A schedule has yet to be formulated, but for now, consider Chalder and Planimetrics hired.

The budget for the planning process is $20,000. The P&Z have already been allotted $5,000 for this fiscal year, which ends in July. There will be a further $10,000 from the town for 2008 and more forthcoming in 2009, depending on the needs at that time.

The existing plan was last revised in 2000 but is “incomplete, out of date and limited in economic development, with no future land use analysis built in,” according to Lowe. These are issues, which, presumably the new plan will address. Chalder predicted a sequence of 12 meetings with a realistic time frame of one year.  Firstly the Introductory phase, involving strategy and ideas. Ensuing topics are likely to include conservation issues, development themes and infrastructure. Chalder said there could also be “a wild card” meeting, which could be a loose-ends mix. Most meetings, he said, are held on weekday evenings, but it was suggested that Norfolk might want to accommodate its many weekenders by holding a meeting on a Friday evening or Saturday morning.

“It helps that a lot of our work is already done,” says Dyer. “We have the Town Plan as it stands. We have maps done. So he will facilitate what, if anything needs to be revised or if there are new amendments. I believe he will bring it all together.” Chalder emphasized the importance of an implementation schedule, a concern shared by Commission member Bill Riiska. Such a document would list what needs to be done, when it needs to be done and by whom. Chalder said a lot of towns get tired and give up. “After about three years,” he said, “most towns park it, and that’s unfortunate.”

Planimetrics has been working with municipalities in Connecticut since 1995, and have produced plans for New Hartford, Washington, Falls Village amongst others. Chalder graduated with a B.Sc. degree from McGill University and also has a Master of City Planning degree from Harvard. He is a certified member of the American Planning Association.