RamaSchneider/test huggingface dataset:
some calming devices such as "green" strips, curbs, on street parking, raised sidewalks, speed humps, rumble strips, street-tree plantings, street furniture, landscaping, signage, and textured or colored pavement can be more effective than traditional speed reduction measures such as police enforcement because they are based on self-enforcement
alternate routes and grid networks reduce traffic when incorporated into village areas and highly used roads
space and location of driveway location, for example, driveways should be located away from intersections and provide adequate sight distance to see oncoming traffic and curb cuts should be limited and consolidated
limits to right-of-way access onto highways, for example, connect parking lots and consolidate driveways so vehicles can circulate between businesses without having to re-enter the major roadway
2. Bicycle and Pedestrian Access
Among the recommendations of the 2003-2004 Community Survey and Focus Groups was the need to develop more walking trails and improve the safety of walkers, bikers, and horseback riders from people driving cars. These are still important activities in town and are becoming more frequent on our back roads.
Bicycles provide a clean, economical and energy efficient mode of transportation. They are a primary means of transportation for young people and more recently have become an increasingly popular form of recreation and transportation for adults. There is currently no bicycle route within the Town.
Traffic, speeding and irresponsible driving are becoming more frequent creating dangerous situations for cyclists. Most of the highways used by bicyclists do not have sufficient shoulder width to accommodate them safely.
Pedestrian byways are an important and integral part of the transportation system. Residents have reported they want a safe and walkable village. Residents walk across the main road of busy Williamstown Village every day, all day long. Especially during certain times of the day, motorists lack respect for people trying to cross the street in the village areas.
Sidewalks provide safe routes for pedestrians in neighborhoods, commercial and industrial areas, areas frequented by children, and community centers. In areas of moderate to higher density development, having sidewalks is a necessity.
Sidewalks have been a debated issue in town. After much debate, fund raising and grants, and receipt of grants, Williamstown constructed sidewalks along Route 14 from The Gardens and Pump and Pantry up to Meadow Street. Street lamps were installed along the sidewalks enhancing the Village's historic ambiance.
With grants available through The Village Center Designation Program sidewalks can be installed on both sides of Main Street. Footpaths are informal pedestrian byways utilized to move traffic between points or as nature trails and other recreational purposes.
The Planning Commission suggests that the town consider developing footpaths in the waterfall area of Falls Bridge Road and other such scenic areas. Footpaths should also be developed on land owned by the town.
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Many people, including the elderly, disabled and poor, cannot live in a community setting without access to public transportation. Public transportation is a vital service that helps people live in less restrictive settings. Public transit serves the general public, elderly persons, disabled persons, and low-income persons. Williamstown is served by the Green Mountain Transit Agency, a non-profit organization that provides a mixture of fixed and non-fixed route services to benefit the Williamstown citizens. GMTA provides individualized services such as shopping and health care shuttles, Medicaid, elderly and disabled services to both urban and rural locations. GMTA offers individual coordinated services for those who qualify and are in need of scheduled rides through GMTA volunteer drivers, special shuttle service or general public routes. GMTA Individual Special Service Transportation For FY14, provided 46 individual Williamstown residents with continuous special transportation service, totaling 2,014 trips and 22,162 total miles driven. A free shuttle picks people up at Williamstown Square and at the Garden Apartments every Tuesday to transport individuals to Hannaford's and offers assistance with grocery bags. (Shopping Special). http://gmtaride.org/PDF/Web%20Schedules/July%201/GMTAJulyfinal.pdf
The Williamstown's Park and Ride is located off exit 5, 1-89 on Route 64. The paved, lighted, parking area has 23 parking spaces, and 1 disabled space. The parking area facilitates carpooling and rides-sharing and is well used.
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F. Transportation: Goals, Policies & Tasks
Goal 1: To maintain and preserve our transportation system
A. Establish a Transportation Advisory Committee
1. Work with the Transportation Crew, property owners, merchants, residents, Sheriffs and State Troopers to identify transportation problems and solutions
2. Develop an asset management plan, inventory the condition of roads, develop road standards, solutions, costs, priorities and an Transportation vision with an implementation plan
3. Develop and adopt a five-year Capital Budget Program, update it once a year with annual capital budgets that provide for and maintain current and future capital improvements
4. The Capital Budget Program will prioritize transportation monies, project where it will be spent, including additional funding for unexpected issues and beautification efforts
5. Organize beautification projects to encourage tourism, protects and allows for enjoyment of roadside scenic features; i.e. the Vermont Agency of Transportation's Byway Program
6. Study possible traffic calming devices, pull-outs for vistas and walking paths
7. Organizing groups to do some maintenance work on trails the town still owns the right of way
8. Looking at a 5-10 year highway and bridge reconstruction and rehabilitation program
B. Survey residents living on major roads for planning any expansion of the town's paving program
C. Review the Town Highway classification periodically taking into consideration increasing highway needs, changing traffic patterns and growing population
D. Consider applications for acceptance of public highways and roadways to adopt and adhere to an orderly procedure for taking actions on such applications. The decision on an application for acceptance of a highway is reserved to the sole and absolute discretion of the Select Board.
E. Designing roads that comply with A-76 State of Vermont Standards
F. Investigating Access Management techniques from VT Trans
G. Continue to use pavement, gravel, and maintenance management systems to maintain all roads
1. Developing a program that over time upgrades those roads that are currently below serviceability criteria
2. Improve driveways with excessive spillage (the grade in front of a dwelling or other building adjacent to the road cannot be changed by more than 3 feet without following quasi-judicial procedures
H. Continue to address the project backlog and implement shelf projects
I. Limiting the construction of new roads in open fields and design them so they do not significantly increase forest fragmentation
J. Developing roads that are logically related to the topography to produce reasonable road grades
K. Encouraging subdivisions adjacent to roads designated as scenic to be appropriately designed with respect to the sighting of any infrastructure and site alteration, including grading filling, removal of trees, stonewalls, or other existing landscape features that are consistent with the scenic quality of the road
L. Encouraging landowners understanding that all newly planned roads and driveways meet environmental laws (i.e. approval for paving/disrupting flow near wetland and other areas
1. Designing, if possible, an access/curb cut permit with the State Department of Transportation/Natural Resources)
M. Studying an taking appropriate steps to correct unsafe roads and improve safety on bends on Hebert Road and Cogswell Street
N. Continue to inventory, inspect and repair the Town's culverts
O. Using established sign-off inspection report forms for all new roads (adequate drainage,grade and width for essential services
P. Designing standards and declare all substandard roads as a public nuisance (too narrow, twisty, poor drainage)
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Goal 2: Increase the safety and perception of safety and choices in transportation including non-motorized users, pedestrians, bicyclists, horses, that share our streets
A. Investigating roads frequently used by pedestrians, joggers, bicyclists and horseback riders to provide appropriate and safe walkways to the greatest extent possible
(1) Using the Bike Sufficiency Ratings to further investigate pedestrian/bicycle path opportunities
(2) Placing bike racks and benches along roads and paths in the village areas
(3) Planning for both villages of Williamstown, and outlying neighborhoods of new growth areas, for integrating non- motorized transportation via bike paths, walking paths and recreational trails. Where traffic is less than 1500, Annual Average Daily Traffic sharing of the road should be looked at
(4) Consider Williamstown's CL-4 Town Highways for hiking and horseback riding trails
B. Consider sidewalks and pedestrian walkways for the safety and convenience of pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Future planning should include:
(1) Adding new sidewalks to connect Construction Hill Road to South Main Street at the Post Office conforming curbs with existing sidewalks in the Village areas
(2) Repaving and upgrading of existing sidewalks in the village
(3) Working with the State to develop two pedestrian crosswalks along Route 14 in Williamstown Village for the safety of residents: from the Gardens to Pump and Pantry and from Lake Sunapee Bank to Behind the Scenes Cafe and Bar
C. Encouraging new projects to afford enough parking space so cars are not forced to park along the road
D. Encouraging road and driveway projects allow enough room for emergency vehicles to enter and turn around
E. Placing warning signs, as necessary, near places that have horses and near farms that regularly drive tractors and pull farm equipment on roads. In areas considered unsafe, town officials should place luminous signs so visitors and residents can avoid these problem areas at night, if they meet warrants
Goal 3: Enhance the street environment
A. Seek funds to plant at least five tree/ bushes per year on Town property in the village area and other beautification areas along our rural roads
B. Require attractive transportation system elements and surroundings to reinforce community identity. Preserve treelined areas of roadways. Property owners should be encouraged to plant new trees where older trees have been removed
C. Study the reestablishment of a few roads which will help with traffic circulation including Henry Road, which does not currently connect to Flint Road as shown on the Highway Map, Erskine Road from Graniteville to Gilbert Road, and have Grand View reconnect with Chelsea Road. Study the potential for adding a connecting road from Pump and Pantry to Poulin Lumber/ Ace Hardware Store.
D. Encourage developments to keep large parking lots in the back of their buildings
E. Update and adopt a long-plan scenic road plan based on scenic Roadway standard promulgated by the Agency of Transportation. Williamstown has many rural, primarily gravel roads that should be preserved for their scenic, cultural (stonewalls) and rural qualities . Improve entryways into the village to set image and bring speed down in the villages by using suggestions of the Better Back Roads Manual
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Goal 4: Promote the reduction of transportation energy
A. Develop an integrated plan for non- motorized transportation in Williamstown Village
B. Encouraging Green Mountain Transit Agency to expand the shuttle to the Foxhole Village Area
C. Seek transportation enhancement grants for infrastructure /community attribute projects that are small in scope to reinvigorate Williamstown enhancing pedestrian/bicycle paths and scenic and historic assets
D. Preserving Class4 roads for recreational use, and/or downgrade their status to a legal trail retaining the public's interest in using them
E. Study and coordinate planning efforts for extending plans for the Bike Path from connecting towns along the old train tracks
F. Promote car pool programs and public transit
G. Encourage non-motorized travel by accommodating walking, bicycling and use of public transit as well as a safe, coordinated street system
H. Encourage concentrated settlement patterns which minimizes transportation related energy costs
Goal 5: Be accountable and educate the community about Williamstown's roads
A. Maintain a longterm schedule for major and minor road improvements
B. Seek technical assistance from the State of Vermont Department of Transportation, Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission and Vermont Local Roads Program (St. Michael's College) to help our community learn about local road building and maintenance strategies
C. Update the official Town Highway Map with the state to be more accurate
Goal 6: Manage Roadway access
A. Promote driveway interconnection with adjacent developments along major highways
B. Limiting one driveway per parcel, with special conditions for additional driveways. For example, lots with larger frontages, or those with needs for separate right and left-turn entrances
C. Encourage shared driveways
D. Encourage subdivision design where lots fronting on major roads have internal access from a residential street (sometimes known as "reverse frontage")
E. Provide adequate distance between the interstate and nearby curb cuts according to the following standards:
(1) 30 mph curb cut spacing: 200 feet
(2) 35 mph for curb cut spacing: 225 feet
(3) 40 mph for curb cut spacing: 275 feet
F. Coordinate land use, subdivision and site design decisions that affect access management needs along state highways with the Vermont Department of Transportation
G. Limit curb cuts by developing a curb cut application process
H. Promote provisions for all parcels having road frontage on town and state highways, access to be located at least 150 feet from the intersection of public road rights of way, for all uses except for single and two family dwellings, which shall be located at least 50 feet from such intersections. Distance will be measured from the radius of the driveway
I. Comply with Williamstown's Highway Policy
(1) Ensure all newly developed private roads are Class 3 standard roads
(2) Ensuring maintenance of all roads not designated as Class 3 Town Highways or higher is the responsibility of the subdivider. The subdivider will provide evidence that said roads will be adequately maintained either by the subdivider or an owner's association
(3)Manage access to public roads, define design standards for new roads, protect scenic features along existing roads, and the upgrades or protection of
J.Continue to participate in Central Vermont Regional Planning
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Chapter X. Land Use
This chapter is intended to describe past and current land use patterns in Williamstown and to articulate expectations and desires regarding the town's future growth and development. The Planning Commission believes that the values expressed here are in concert with the beliefs and ideals of the residents of Williamstown:
Protect Williamstown's rural character
Grow at a measured and careful pace
Avoid poor development & poorly designed projects that can be bad for business and quality of life
Enhance and invigorate Williamstown Village
Develop new common spaces to help bring the community together while fostering aesthetic enhancement and recreational opportunity
Respect individual rights while recognizing that private actions must be balanced against community welfare
Have clear, fair rules and policy in place to guide growth
There are different ways to approach land use planning and different balances that can be achieved between competing uses. While there is no correct answer, we can make choices. As the community moves forward, residents must work together to plan the way they want to use the land in Williamstown. Ideally, we will do so in a way that will benefit the common interests of our residents and our natural environment.
Early on, most of Williamstown's land was used for farming. Farm families grew, or manufactured, almost everything they needed to live. Self-sufficiency on the family farm was a product of necessity because of isolation. Our villages started to develop in the middle 1800's due to the railroad and improved transportation that connected Williamstown to other communities. In time, they became symbolic of culture, close friendships, and places to work and residents developed beautiful public spaces that conveyed civic pride.
Originally, in the 1700's, all the land in Williamstown, and all other Vermont towns, was plotted-out on 100 acre lot grids. The State regulated the land use on a Lot and Range numbering system. Many of the town roads, tree lines, stonewalls, fence lines, property boundaries tend to follow these so called straight lot lines. For example, Williamstown's Lot 2, Range 15 was originally designated as "School Lease Land." Long abandoned, this old grid system no longer applies to land ownership or taxing structure.
C. Evolving Land Use Patterns
Historically in Williamstown, as in many Vermont communities, most new growth occurred in a compact form within or adjacent to established centers. This pattern allowed businesses and residents to take advantage of existing services and facilities and helped to reinforce the economic and social importance of our cities and villages. It also allowed resource based industries (farming, forestry and mining) to operate with minimal interference from residential uses and access to prime land resources.
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Over the past several decades, however, this pattern has changed. Much of the residential construction over the past thirty years has taken place on large lots located on back roads in more rural parts of town. With the number of new housing units outpacing population growth the impacts of this phenomenon on land use in Williamstown are significant. In some adjacent municipalities, new businesses have located along the state highways, interstate exits, and collector roads which bring commuters back and forth to work and tourists to and from their destinations, or in areas where other infrastructural improvements have been provided. While only a few locations have experienced full blown "strip development," or suburban sprawl, most of the region's communities, including Williamstown, are witnessing the emergence of these patterns to some degree. (Footnote: The Vermont Forum on Sprawl, a project of the Orton Family Foundation, defines sprawl as: "low-density development that spreads from compact village centers along highways and into the countryside. Sprawl separates the places that people live from the places where they work, shop, learn, worship, and play").
In spite of these recent trends, Williamstown's historic landscape remains largely intact. There are still distinct village areas separated and surrounded by a rural countryside characterized by farm and forest lands interspersed with residential uses.
D. Desired Land Use
It is in Williamstown's best interests to preserve its traditional land use pattern - not just for its intrinsic values, but also because we recognize the pitfall of "sprawl". The argument is often made that sprawling patterns of growth are unnecessarily consumptive of land and energy, taxing on public services, destructive of downtowns, inflationary for land and housing costs, and in conflict with the aesthetic character of Vermont. As such, the notion that our interests shall be best served by concentrating new development in or near existing settlements and/or mixed use areas is gaining traction.
Williamstown, too, supports this so called "smart growth" concept with the expectation that a future influenced by this model could deliver economic, social, and environmental benefits to its residents, specifically:
maximizing the utility and efficiency of public service, energy and infrastructure expenditures
reinforcing and revitalizing the role of Williamstown village as the center of commerce, industry and community life
reducing development pressures on important natural resource lands
preserving the character and aesthetic integrity of the town and thereby, the tourism economy
Williamstown recognizes that not all new growth will or should occur  within growth centers. In fact, some industrial or warehousing operations may be incompatible with the mix of uses found in residential, and hence better suited to single use industrial parks. Furthermore, residential uses in the rural parts of town can be designed to be more sensitive to aesthetic and environmental concerns. The following sections set forth the town's land use vision for four distinct areas of our community.
Williamstown village is the hub of our town. The village is laid-out in a linear configuration, with one square pattern in the center of the village. It contains a mix of development types and people who live in its residential areas have access to the downtown. The downtown provides the variety of employment, shopping, services, and social and municipal activities typical of a traditional village center. Another advantage for people living in the village area is that their homes are served by the public sewer and water system.
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This infrastructure should also allow for expansion of this relatively dense mixed-use development pattern into the future. Williamstown therefore encourages concentrated growth in and in close proximity to the existing village and encourages a mixed-use concept within these areas. Shops and services within the village, and the school, should all be within walking distance of homes, thereby reducing reliance on cars.
There is a growing awareness that the village has lost some of its historic appeal and beauty due to unplanned growth. Furthermore, the square has been developed without setting aside a common/ green space. As the Williamstown grows, it will be important to ensure that the village center is a visually interesting and an aesthetically pleasing place to live and visit.
Foxville Village (also known as Graniteville) may also provide room for guided expansion. The area of Cogswell is served by a municipal sewer from Barre Town through an inter-municipal agreement. Mixed use growth is envisioned for this area in the long-term future. Williamstown should consider any additional infrastructure improvements needed to implement this vision.
Williamstown Industrial Park is located south of the Williamstown village. Currently, the industrial park is fully developed.
Other areas that exhibit the characteristics of more traditional neighborhoods include Chelsea, Stone, Felicity, McLean, Graniteville Roads and Mountain and Crabapple Street. In the long-term future, these areas could be studied and considered for light mixed-uses including country stores, small shops, office space, common spaces, roadside vegetable/flower stands, and the like.
Densities for new development in Williamstown Village shall reflect the traditional pattern. Lot sizes for residential uses shall be relatively small (~1/4 acre or less) as shall setbacks and street frontages. Commercial uses should be relatively close to the street, forego front yard parking, and be architecturally compatible with a Vermont village setting.
The purpose of the Residential and Agricultural District is to balance residential development with agricultural needs, open space, and natural resource protection by supporting low-density or "clustered" development that is appropriate with the physical capabilities of the land. Residential and agricultural land uses include, but are not limited to houses, farms, flower and vegetable stands. Other appropriate use may include small businesses, low-impact outdoor recreation, forestry, mining, and educational uses.