The Colchester Planning Commission has been working with the Development Review Board to improve planned unit development subdivision standards and create efficiencies to the subdivision process. This work has resulted in a draft unified bylaw: the Colchester Development Regulations. A unified bylaw combines both the zoning and subdivision regulations into one document for ease of use. While the intent of the combined document is mostly to leave the subdivision standards in tact, there were several changes especially to the definition of major subdivision, and open space and recreational amenity provisions. The combination of the regulations hopefully also improves the process for applicants through some streamlining of application requirements. This supplement also includes several corrections and clarifications to the zoning regulations. A full draft of the changes approved can be found here.
The Colchester Fee Ordinance (Chapter 6 1/2 of the Colchester Code of Ordinances was also amended to: 1) amending Section 6 ½ -3 to add definitions of affordable housing and dwellings; 2) amending Section 6 ½-4, Fees Enumerated to remove $50 Mylar surcharge fee; 3) amending Section 6 ½ -23 to increase the recreational impact fee incrementally over a five year period to $2009 per unit; 4) amending Section 6 ½ - 24 (b) off site mitigation in lieu of payment; and 5) amending Section 6 ½ - 24 to add a discount for affordable housing for recreation impact fees. A full draft of the approved changes can be found here.