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Florence Plan and VISION 2020

Florence Plan and VISION 2020. www.northamptonplanning.org. Vision 2020. State Hospital Plan (1994) Downtown Plan (1995) Florence Plan (1997) Economic Development Strategy (1998) Vision 2020 visioning plan (1999) Open Space and Recreation element (2000) Transportation element (2001)

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Florence Plan and VISION 2020

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  1. Florence Plan and VISION 2020 www.northamptonplanning.org

  2. Vision 2020 • State Hospital Plan (1994) • Downtown Plan (1995) • Florence Plan (1997) • Economic Development Strategy (1998) • Vision 2020 visioning plan (1999) • Open Space and Recreation element (2000) • Transportation element (2001) • Land Use element (2002)

  3. Florence Plan Vision Statement WE, residents of Florence and community boards serving Florence, want to retain Florence Center=s unique character, which defines Florence for many of us as the residential heart of Northampton. Although the center is a critical economic engine, it has, and should retain, a neighborhood commercial and civic and cultural focus.

  4. Vision 2020: Vision for the Future: WE, the residents of the City of Northampton, including the villages of Florence, Leeds, and Bay State, want to retain all that makes this place we call home so attractive. We know that our community represents a special union between a slowed-down rural life and a vibrant urban one. We also know that this place could be a more perfect union, a city where differences are more warmly embraced, all are educated well and both natives and newcomers can find a home…

  5. Florence Plan Goals • Maintain Florence Center as Avillage center@ • Preserve the attractiveness & vitality of residential neighborhoods • Improve Florence Center=s entranceways & satellite commercial areas • Encourage economic expansion, job creation & stability, including locally-grown businesses • Preserve & enhance the character of Florence Center and keep it safe • Improve circulation to accommodate traffic & to encourage bicycles, pedestrians & transit • Ensure that parking is available and free without harming the pedestrian nature of Florence

  6. Vision 2020 Goals • Maintain vibrant urban & village centers • Encourage economic expansion & job creation • Enhance residential neighborhoods & housing • Improve multi-modal circulation & parking systems • Calm traffic to preserve neighborhoods & villages • Expand open space & recreation • Preserve traditional land use patterns without creating sprawl • Enhance services & facilities for quality of life • Preserve natural & cultural resources & the environment

  7. ZONING TEXT CHANGES • Encourage community centers (eg Florence Community Center and Look Park) • Encourage commercial buildings over 1story • Reduce setbacks and dimensional standards in Florence Center to match historical patterns • End regulations of Floor Area Ratio • Preserve General Industrial districts for industrial, wholesale and research • Use Special Industrial for mixed-use areas with industrial, live/work spaces, back office • Encourage single-family homes in residential districts by allowing smaller lot sizes

  8. ZONING REZONINGS • Do not expand Florence=s General Business district • Ross Brothers, N. Maple St. to General Business • General Industrial on Locust St. to Special Indust. • Florence Mini-mall to Neighborhood Business. • Neighborhood Business district on west side of the Mill River to Urban Residential • Nonotuck & Pine Street old mill buildings to Special Industrial • Pine Street General Bus. to Urban Residential B • Undeveloped Keyes Field to Urban Residential-B. • North Elm by Bike Path to Urban Residential-B.

  9. CITY POLICIES • Encourage efforts to market Florence. • Help small business development • Prepare an economic development strategy • Provide a full range of housing opportunities • Ensure the opportunity for all types of special needs and SRO housing, with a geographic spread throughout the city, as appropriate • Work with the Florence residents on issues affecting Florence. • Improve public access to the Mill River • Place a conservation restriction on the Smith Voc Farm

  10. PARKING • Parking and zoning are adequate to meet demands. Do not add parking meters. • Discourage excessive parking lots that create dead, low-interest areas. • Minimize or mitigate loss of on-street spaces from new road projects

  11. TRANSPORTATION & CIRCULATION • Examine traffic safety and needed improvements throughout Florence • Improve the marking and/or signage of Main Street and other Florence Center crosswalks to identify them better for drivers • Future proposed traffic improvements should be analyzed to consider the effect of the proposed improvement on area roads • Expand the Northampton Bike Path • Ensure that Florence is easily accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists.

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