Connecticut Route 7 South of Lanesville Road
Existing Land Use
This section of Route 7 represents the gateway to New Milford from the south and is less intensively developed than the area immediately to the north. It includes significant amounts of high quality industrial developments, with just a few retail properties within this area. Development along this section of Route 7 has been evolving into a more open, campus like atmosphere. It also includes significant areas of good developable land, such as the former Shoo-Fly Farm, the Elephant's Trunk and Candlewood Valley Golf Course.
Specifically, the land use of this area is categorized by these factors: Several large institutional uses
Candlewood Valley Golf Course.
Several industrial and corporate uses.
Small retail uses near the intersection of Lanesville Road.
Significant areas with development potential.
Land Use Influences
There are large amounts of undeveloped or underutilized land along this section of Route 7. The area is largely defined by three corridors, all of which impact its potential development: The Route 7 Highway Corridor; the Housatonic Railroad tracks and the Still River. Route 7 offers good vehicular access for business and industrry, although the median divide makes it less attractive for high volume retail. The railroad tracks, while offering theoretical access, in reality is not used by businesses within this area, and works as a barrier defining the eastern boundary of this area. The Still River flows northward, east of Route 7. The properties closest to the Still River are largely undeveloped as much of the land is within the floodplain. The river does offer a potential open space amenity to the area.
The long-planned roadway improvements to Route 7 through this area are nearing completion. This will improve the traffic carrying capacity of the road, and make the properties along the road more development friendly. There are two dominant institutional uses within this area; the New Milford High School and the Faith Church. Each of these uses consists of a large prominent building within a campus like environment. The Faith Church defines the entrance to New Milford from the south, creating an attractive entrance feature to the community.
There are clusters of industrial uses within this area, with some recent industrial investment. This indicates that the area is attractive to industrial and related uses. There are but a few residential uses along this section of Route 7, the major exception being a multi-family complex just off of Candlewood Lake South. There are residential areas located well to the west of this corridor, on the other side of the ridge. These neighborhoods would not be impacted by industrial development within this area. The retail uses along this area are generally small in scale and scattered. Most can be expected to change or be part of redevelopment activities. There are no major east-west streets within this area that would connect properties within this corridor with surrounding areas.
Many of the potential development areas consists of large parcels, which would be suitable for larger scale, comprehensively planned developments. The most prominent, The Candlewood Valley Golf Course, is a large green area that sets the tone for the area. However, it is likely that at some point in the future, there will be pressures for the development of this large, contiguous property.
EDC Strategic Initiatives
The current infrastructure and environment of the area lends itself to the creation of corporate office and industrial campus developments. As noted above, institutional and industrial uses provide the potential for presenting an attractive “Corporate Boulevard.” The area can be transformed into a desirable location for businesses moving out of more costly Fairfield and Westchester Counties. Specific initiatives being explored by the EDC include the following:
- The area currently within the I-C zone from the high school south to the Brookfield town line should be encouraged to grow as a corporate industrial park. The primary uses within this area should be industrial, office and flex space, although some retail uses may be included within mixed use developments. This area should contain significant design and landscaping standards.
- Establish a “gateway” into New Milford from the south. This could be a well designed and landscaped “Welcome to New Milford” sign, at the Route 7 south entrance into the community. This will help reinforce the identity of the Town.
- Should the golf course be more fully developed, it should be encouraged to follow a mixed use development design. It should feature a pedestrian friendly development with some mix of office, retail, residential, and flex-space or light manufacturing, such as a well designed “life style” center, which has a strong pedestrian orientation. A band of open space should be retained along the Still River.
- Properties on the west side of Route 7, north of the high school to the intersection of Sullivan Road should be used for small retail and office uses. However, access to Route 7 needs to be designed carefully to limit curb cuts onto Route 7, to avoid interference with the busy intersection at Sullivan Road.
- The continuing development of a greenway along the Still River should continue. This greenway should include a bicycle - pedestrian path that would link to the businesses along Route 7 at various points. The development of a greenway for pedestrian and non-motorized circulation along the Still River provides the advantage of softening the highway influence upon the area, without compromising the traffic carrying capacity of Route 7. The pedestrian facilities and general orientation would be removed from the busy road. Future development along Route 7 should include connections to the greenway. This will require them to be designed so that the sites and building will be attractive from the greenway as well as the road.
- There should be a strong emphasis on landscaping along Route 7, making it an attractive entrance into New Milford. This may be accomplished through the formulation of a landscape design or theme for the area. It should include the planting of trees along the road, whether in or out of the right-of-way, augmented by shrubbery and groundcover. Berming or other visual screening of parking areas should be included. The landscaping can be implemented through enhanced requirements within the zoning regulations. The town may also initiate a tree planting program along some of the developed areas, to establish the tone of the area.
- Improved landscaping should be accompanied by a general theme for signage within this area. High quality monument signs would contribute to the corporate atmosphere of the area. Where feasible, development within this area should be designed to allow direct vehicular connections between properties without the need to go out to Route 7. The relatively flat topography of this area would be very conducive to this approach.