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Concerns Need to be Addressed

This letter is to share my concerns about the proposed regulations Guilford's Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) is considering adopting. A number of residents and others who are active in building have raised serious questions about these regulations and the very likely outcomes of going forward with them in their current form.

There is no formal limitation on the size of big-box developments in the newly created Post Road Business (PRB) and Business Mixed Used (BMU) zones along the entire length of Route 1, leading to the potential for extraordinarily large and high-density multi-unit housing developments without using our special permitting process to obtain approval before beginning construction. Examples of what would be permitted without a public hearing include a store as large as 1,100,000 square feet (eight times the size of current Guilford Commons) and a 600-unit four-story apartment.

At the very least, the regulations should require careful evaluation of any implications of any proposed Route 1 construction. Additionally, our Guilford Master Plan for Preservation and Scenic Conservation (1995) and West End Planning Committee recommendations to the PZC (2015) do not appear to have been considered in the proposed regulations. The departure in the proposed rezoning regulations from past town plans, which were thoughtfully researched to create a vision for the community, is not in keeping with what Guilford residents expect.

At the May 7 PZC hearing, several of the members noted that the public had raised valid issues, but it was late in the game. This should not matter—the concerns need to be addressed.

If you share my concerns about how past Guilford town plans will no longer apply or how these proposed regulations may bring unintended consequences, let our town leaders and the PZC know.

Linda Mako

Guilford