The Salisbury Village Improvement Coalition (SVIC) is a group of residents dedicated to maintaining an appropriate balance between expansion of the Village center, including affordable housing development, and the preservation of its bucolic and historic character.
About
The Salisbury Village Improvement Coalition (SVIC) is a group of residents dedicated to maintaining an appropriate balance between expansion of the Village center, including affordable housing development, and the preservation of its bucolic and historic character.
The group has a particular interest in maintaining the community property of the Rail Trail in its current form, a signature feature of the Village. SVIC is concerned with the potential creation and impact of a two-way access road abutting the Trail.
The Salisbury Village Improvement Coalition is a not for profit 501(c)(4) social welfare organization.
Mission
Gather information and analytical data
Provide a forum to explore and discuss ideas
Communicate and collaborate with Town leadership and government
Maintain the historic legacy and design of Salisbury
Develop alternative, balanced, cost effective proposals for housing and recreational facilities on the Pope property
Maintain the Rail Trail, intact and without any additional paving or designation for vehicular traffic, preserving its natural character as a central pedestrian and bike pathway
Editorial
Lakeville Journal, Letters to the Editor
September 19, 2024
Issues that Led to 'Save the Rail Trail' Still Present
“Like Shasta daisies, yard signs sprouted last May in Salisbury and Lakeville. They carried a “Save the Rail Trail” message. The issues that led to the signs have not disappeared. Those who display the yard signs, in harmony with many neighbors around our community, are ardent supporters of the Rail Trail. Thus, we were stunned to read a recommendation in a February 2024 study prepared for local government by the consulting company Colliers Engineering and Design. The company advised paving over the northern tier of the Trail to allow “vehicular” access to the Pope property. That property is on Salmon Kill Road near its intersection with Highway 41/44 and is a possible location for affordable housing.”
Lakeville Journal, Letters to the Editor
June 6, 2024
Cart Before the Horse?
“Assessing the impact of one access road/housing project in isolation ignores the cumulative effect on traffic/parking that these two neighboring developments will present to the villages vehicular volume. Adding the proposed 20+ multi family units at Dresser to the 60+ multi family units proposed at Pope is a very significant increase in village resident population and the many vehicles that will inevitably follow them, be they individually owned and/or service oriented.”
Lakeville Journal, Letters to the Editor
June 6, 2024
Paving Concerns
“In the May 30 edition of The Lakeville Journal, an article titled Behind ‘Save the Rail Trail’ suggests that paving to support the Pope project is a “misinterpretation” of the Colliers study. In an earlier article about paving Community Field, Curtis Rand said “There is no plan to pave 30% of Community Field. It’s absurd.” What’s wrong with this is that the Colliers study does include paving all these places, it is coming up in P&Z meetings without public input and all the general public gets is denials while the paving concepts slowly move ahead and gain traction.”
Lakeville Journal, Letters to the Editor
May 30, 2024
‘Planning’ by Committee
“Why was the PLDC established by the Board of Selectmen (BOS) composed of only two groups, housing and recreation? Why does the BOS encourage “planning” by ad hoc committees answerable to the BOS, instead of those elected and appointed by the community to conduct these functions? The PLDC was established without representation/participation from the Planning and Zoning Commission which has the statutory authority to oversee planning in the Town. In addition, the Historic District Commission, Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission, and the Conservation Commission all should have had seats at the table. The Land Use Department should have been included, much in the way the Recreation Department was represented by its director.”
Lakeville Journal, Letters to the Editor
May 9, 2024
Protect the Rail Trail
“Further alarming is that the proposed 64 affordable housing units on the Pope Property will adversely impact the adjacent Rail Trail. Much of that tract is unbuildable wetlands, and the Historic District’s part has been in hay for years, a use commensurate with the District’s mandate to preserve our heritage. While affordable housing is a moral imperative that we support, a smaller footprint and number of units would…protect the Rail Trail. We are among a group of citizens who have formed to fight back against excess urbanization of our village. We encourage you to join us, to take a stand for preserving our green heritage for future generations, and against turning the Rail Trail into an asphalt and concrete traffic road.”
Lakeville Journal, Letters to the Editor
May 2, 2024
Pope Property Density Too High
“Planning for the Pope Property is on-going, but it needs critical consideration. The current Pope building area is 9+ acres, including historic district land along the Rail Path. Assuming the Historic District Commission allows full use of that acreage, one wonders what “historic district” means if bucolic land is used for 64 housing units (approximately 110 people). That amounts to a huge intrusion into an historically protected area in Salisbury center.”
Lakeville Journal, Letters to the Editor
January 31, 2024
Reassessment of Pope Property Development Needed
“We recognize that the need to expand access to affordable housing in Salisbury, in its many different forms, is a high priority, and we appreciate that the Town is addressing this need. We believe, however, that this important goal can be achieved in a manner that is more in keeping with the objectives of preserving the historic center and fundamental characteristics of Salisbury as a small New England village, and with more sensitivity to the natural setting that many of its residents deeply cherish.”
Town Proposals
Regular Meeting of the Salisbury Planning & Zoning Commission - Monday 2/5/2024 at 5:30pm
“I would love to see two-way traffic all the way out to Salmon Kill Road... Railroad Street should continue all the way to Salmon Kill Road.”
Please click play to view the video to the right.
“The old railroad bridge at Wachocastinook Brook could be upgraded to serve both vehicular and pedestrian traffic, but would need structural testing and design. A conceptual bridge cross section is provided in Exhibit 5. This would allow for a singular vehicular travel lane in each direction separated by a buffer area from a 10-foot-wide sidewalk/Rail Trail.”
— Salisbury Village Planning Study (pages 15-16) by Colliers Engineering & Design , Accepted by Planning & Zoning Commission on Feb. 5, 2024
Sustainable Salisbury
2024 Plan of Conservation and Development - Draft
Strategies
Zoning Considerations 1. Consider expanding the multi-family housing overlay district(s) to encompass all R10, R20, C-20, and CG-20 lots served by town sewer and/or water. 2. Consider an Affordable Housing Floating Zone in RR-1, RR-3 areas of town with relaxed dimensional requirements and other standards for affordable units. 3. Amend the Zoning Regulations to simplify the permit process for attached apartments and some detached apartments encouraging the adaptive reuse of existing buildings. 4. Explore defining and permitting as-of-right two-family dwellings, as distinguished from multi-family, through a Site Plan. Site-Specific Considerations 5. Oversized lots and undeveloped land exist north of Fowler Street along the Rail Trail in the village of Salisbury. These present significant opportunities to create a mixture of affordable and market rate housing. However, access to these lots and connecting to utilities (i.e., sewer, water) are development challenges. The Trail is 66 feet wide in this area, sufficient width to provide for utilities, vehicular access, as well as a walking and biking pathway. This was identified as a development opportunity in the 2024 report on Salisbury village prepared by Colliers Engineering. 6. Explore multiple access points to the Pope Property and foster multi-modal connectivity to the adjoining village of Salisbury. For example, automobile access could be gained from Library Street, integrating the Pope Property directly into the village center. This neighborhood design concept would create a continuous village pattern from Salisbury westward to Salmon Kill Road. Housing should be the primary driver for the development of the Pope property
Make a donation.
Kindly support our Save The Rail Trail initiative through your generous donations.
If sending by mail, please address your check to The Salisbury Village Improvement Coalition (SVIC).
Mail to:
SVIC
P.O. Box 9
Salisbury, CT 06068
SVIC is a 501(c)(4) tax-exempt social welfare organization. Donations are not tax deductible.
Thank you for your consideration and support.
