Selectboard approves river, recreation objectives for strategic plan

The Springfield Selectboard has followed through with its effort to create a strategic plan for downtown redevelopment beginning with the objective to implement projects in the downtown area for scenic and recreation options.

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2016-02-24 / Front Page Selectboard approves river, recreation objectives for strategic plan By Nancy A. Cavanaugh ncavanaugh@eagletimes.com SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Selectboard has followed through with its effort to create a strategic plan for downtown redevelopment beginning with the objective to implement projects in the downtown area for scenic and recreation options. The selectboard unanimously approved all the projects at a meeting Monday. Information gathered from a strategic planning session on Oct. 21, 2015 and subsequent board meetings were pulled together by selectboard member Walter Martone and presented as a draft strategic plan. The plan focuses on four goals — downtown redevelopment, improving residential and rental housing stock, developing organization structure for redevelopment and revitalization, and public improvements. The plan for downtown redevelopment focuses on four areas — scenic and recreation, redevelopment of retail and other business use of downtown buildings, development of an organizational structure to manage and implement redevelopment and revitalization of the downtown. At Monday’s meeting, the board chose to focus only on the first objective of the downtown redevelopment portion of the the plan, which includes projects that would enhance the scenic aspects of the river, increase access and create recreational opportunities. The first project discussed was the Flakeboard building, which is located over the hydro generating plant at the northern end of Main St., owned by Bill Handley. “Bill had been in [my office] to talk to me about stuff he’d seen in the paper. It was an opportunity to talk about the grant and selectboard goals,” said Carol Lighthall, executive director of Springfield on the Move (SOM). “He said he wanted me to let you know he doesn’t want the building taken down, he’s interested in developing the building.” The options for the building offered by the selectboard for reuse of the street level portion of the building were: developing a new structure, creating downtown parking, creating a viewing and event pavilion, redeveloping existing structure or creating condos. By October, the selectboard wants to have design options for the building, which will be the work of SOM and the town manager. Then, by December, the board wants to have a plan for implementation negotiated with the owner, which will be handled by the town attorney, town manager and SOM. The second project discussed was the building fronting the river at 9-11 Main St., which is owned by Chris Mason. The first step would be to have a purchase agreement negotiated by December, which would be handled by SOM and town manager. SOM would get estimates for removal of the building by Feb. 2017. Funding would be identified by May 2017 by SOM and the selectboard, and design options would be developed by SOM and a consultant by August 2017. The options suggested by the selectboard were to create vehicle parking, create a park and river viewing area or other suggestions. Then, the selectboard and SOM would select a design for implementation by December 2017. The selectboard also chose to do the extension to Toonerville Trail to Bridge St. to be completed by October 2016, which would be handled by the Springfield Regional Development Corporation (SRDC), Springfield Trails and Greenways (STAG) and the town manager. The board also opted to have selectboard member George McNaughton contact University of Vermont at Manchester and Linden College’s ecology departments to determine if an intern or graduate student would be interested in finding out the viability of creating a permaculture along the Black River that would beautify the debris strips by March 2017. “We could create a river of blooms without damaging what’s there. It would create a major tourist attraction and beautify an ugly area,” said McNaughton. The area is currently covered by poison ivy and other weeds. The selectboard also approved the creation of a committee to look at what resources and tools the town had to offer to investors and property owners. The committee would be responsible for creating an incentive package for the March 28 selectboard meeting. The committee will be made up of representatives from SOM, the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce, SRDC, Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission, Martone and the town manager. Other portions of the strategic plan will be discussed at upcoming selectboard meetings.