Creating a vision of a community

Communities without road access or in attracting business and industry important to have other ways to find a destination port.

Somersworth, NH, and Berwick, Maine back face similar challenges, including the lack of access, the loss of a major employer or industry.

The towns sit on opposite sides of the Salmon River Falls, are in solutions.

In 2008 Somersworth examined how to become a target. Mayor Dana Hilliard, a city council in 2008 took part in the beginning of Vision 2020th

"The original bill, introduced by me, Todd Marsh and current Council Jonathan McCallion was to develop a coherent approach to Somersworth fate of the city in 2020," Hilliard said. "To start drawing first a viable vision for this community."

After Hilliard, there were some strengths and some very low points, if the committee had broken; but most have been achieved.

The first goal was to make the city center on foot, living dynamic focal point and an opportunity for a different activity.

Other objectives include the desire to build a sustainable community to actively manage growth, to preserve and protect open space and offer a variety of housing options in terms of natural and cultural heritage of the city.

Sean Collins, Director Somersworth and Vision 2020 Chairman of the Committee, after a series of goals achieved, it still has to help a role in promoting the city, to play has become a target.

"We are the promoters of the city organizations such as the Association of Somersworth Festival, both show educates and diversity of the city. It is an excellent example of something that can help the committee," said Collins.

Collins, he said, with groups in a more effective way to limit the scope of what they can achieve, will work to increase.

"We can now work with Somersworth, a blog of Jenne Holmes and Somersworth, a Facebook page of René Philpott and farmers markets, the Parade Committee, the Lions Club and the Boy Scouts run," said Collins. "We have a list of about 40 different organizations and bodies of the city, that would be candidates for the promotion of the city."

Other plans include community surveys and brochures that show "what good Somersworth" brokers that give a potential buyer.

David Sharples, Director Planning and Community Development, said there were only minor changes in the zoning necessary to accommodate the objectives of Vision 2020.

"We reviewed the historical center of the factory, because we wanted to do something less restrictive" Sharples said. "We wanted to develop the city and let a couple of applications that have been averted."

Sharples said the business district is very flexible. No minimum requirements facade, no density requirements, no minimum lot area. The only limitation is the true parking.

"If you provide parking available, you can build," Sharples said.

Berwick, Maine

Berwick, Maine, visualization process increasingly oriented to a large industrial plant in the city center, the former tan.

After Berwick city planner John Stoll, began with a committee of the vision of the city center. Now Envision Berwick is a "committee of the full implementation and planning" and serves a large number of smaller local residents and citizens committees, hiking, art and sustainability.

"In autumn 2012, resident Frank Underwood for $ 30,000 a study of the city. City funds and urban design begged selected gates Leighton Associates Consultants approved result" Stoll said.

"They came and a committee of citizens organized and made several cars. It took about a year to do it. The concept that every plan agreed on 40 percent green space."

How Somersworth, he decided to focus on accessibility, sustainability and preservation of open space.

The site of the former tannery development would around the outside, green interior and a path through the middle.

"It would have to be connected by the cascade of an existing path from the police station," said Stoll. "You have an urban route downtown."

The property is a brownfield EPA tannery, which means there may be contaminants. The city received $ 600,000 from the EPA to help clean the three trading centers.

Stoll said the real work can begin until fiscal year the federal government begins in October. We are currently working on the tender, a qualified environmental professional to monitor the project environment to rent. Stoll said things will probably begin to take place in spring.

"There was a massive public participation, including a survey to all households in the city, which has sent collected about 600 responses," said Stoll. "Most people want to relax, traveling on foot."

Berwick, there were a number of changes in construction contracts, including the obligation to the parking lot behind the buildings.

"We have made what we have to create a sense of belonging, to make it a place that people want to live and maybe companies will continue to play."

The two communities have online information about their viewing planes. Berwick Envison http://bit.ly/1HEH9Oe and Vision 2020 http://www.somersworth.com/agenda-and-minutes/vision-2020/