Woodbridge Residents Prioritize Schools, Open Space in POCD Update

As many of you are aware, there are a number of land use projects underway in our town.  Most recently, you may have participated in the Plan of Conservation and Development (“POCD”) Open House on October 8^th (the “Open House”).  The Open House included various activities that offered information to and collected feedback from residents.  The links below were shared at the Open House and were prepared by SLR, the town-hired consulting firm:

• ‍Town of Woodbridge POCD Update Page
• ‍Woodbridge Existing Conditions
• ‍Woodbridge Community Profile (the “Community Profile”)
• ‍2024 Woodbridge Resident POCD Survey Results Summary (the “Survey Results”)

For those looking for the nickel tour, here are some observations on the POCD information so far.  First, the Survey Results indicate what residents find “special” about our town.  FIG. 2 at p. 6 of the Survey Results shows respondents like our parks (47%), neighborhoods (48.2%), proximity to destinations (60.2%), schools (70.4%), and open space (72.2%):

The Survey Results offer phrases such as: “about the right amount”, “doing enough”, or “has enough” with respect to various land uses and initiatives.  For instance p. 7 describes the business district as “the buildings feel like the right size relative to the setting”.   This may suggest we have the right number of buildings; we just need to foster them.  P. 8 similarly suggests that Woodbridge has “enough farmland, active and passive recreation areas, and open spaces”.  These comments are significant in that they are relative to what our town had as of July 2024.  Should the town, for instance, develop open space, it would not be surprising to find responses to a 2034 survey suggesting there is not enough open space.  In other words, careful consideration needs to be taken to avoid changing something that is right-sized in the eyes of residents today and repurpose it for something else, thereby creating a new problem as opposed to solving a perceived one. 

To this end, FIG. 5 on p. 11 of the Survey Results demonstrates priorities amongst respondents for Woodbridge for the next 10 years:

As indicated above, schools (8.45), economic development (8.42), open space (6.34), and infrastructure (5.87 and 6.32) were identified as more significant.  Housing related items (4.97 and 5.37) were less significant.  While an aside, it is well known to residents that the grand list is ~90% of town revenue; diversifying income sources is a strong idea and perhaps is the impetus for the lower ranking on housing related items.   While a further inference, it appears respondents believe focus should be placed on growing other sources of revenue, ergo economic development that also goes hand-in-hand with what respondents find special (e.g., education, open space, and parks).

Focusing now on schools, the Community Profile on p. 13 states Woodbridge’s Beecher Road School enrollment has increased 10.7% since 2014, and Woodbridge enrollment at Amity has increased 4.1% since 2014.  Discussion about Beecher’s space needs was recently addressed  at the October 9^th Board of Selectmen Meeting (the “BOS Meeting”; see also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CeDX-srdt8) by Superintendent Tencza and Selectwoman Madonick.  Increasing the housing stock will exacerbate space issues at Beecher and increase tax burden on residents as the Woodbridge student population at Amity grows, increasing our percentage of the Amity budget.  As a practical matter, we often have to focus on only a few priorities, and it seems clear that residents seek to preserve educational excellence and open space while improving our commercial district, perhaps as the confluence of these will be financially efficient.  

While the above includes conclusions I have reached, it is important that our town receives information and ideas from a diverse population, including your own thoughts.  I applaud Selectwoman Urbano and Selectman Vogel (also at the October 9^th BOS Meeting), for raising the concern that appointment of residents to our boards and commissions should focus on  whether a nominee’s credentials will diversify and/or support a diversity of skills and perspectives within the existing composition of such board or commission.  

Should you have any ideas or questions, please do not hesitate to reach-out (wrtcchairman@gmail.com).  Please also feel free to join us on the second Tuesday of each month for our regular meetings (the Senior Center, 7:30pm).  Thank you for your time, and be well.