Planning staff won Planning Commission approval to begin a text‑amendment process this week to study increased building heights in the Heritage Village Center, but several residents and commissioners urged the town to follow the Heritage District redevelopment plan and to hold fuller public review.

Planner Kristen Devine told commissioners the proposal would raise the base height in the HVC from the current 55 feet to 75 feet, with proposed incentives that could allow up to an additional 15 feet (to 90 feet) in some locations off Gilbert Road; parcels on Gilbert Road would be subject to step‑back standards, Devine said. “We are looking to increase that to 75 feet,” Devine said. The staff presentation said higher heights are being explored to help create an “18‑hour” downtown with a mix of uses, pedestrian activity and evening amenities.

Why it matters: Council directed staff to explore increased height after retreats that included an Urban3 presentation and later research into other communities. Devine said the initiative responds to council direction and to goals in the town’s redevelopment plan to support mixed uses that extend activity beyond a 9‑to‑5 pattern.

Public and commissioner concerns: Heritage District stakeholders and some commissioners said the proposal lacked detail and risked altering the district’s pedestrian scale and character. Alan Fitzgerald, a longtime resident and property owner in the Heritage District, said the plan’s current lack of specifics makes it hard to evaluate: “The issue in front of us right now is so vague,” Fitzgerald said, and he urged handling height increases on a case‑by‑case basis through site‑specific zoning actions. Mary Ellen Fresquez, who said she served on the redevelopment commission, reminded the commission that the Heritage District redevelopment plan was adopted in February 2018 and urged the town to follow redevelopment‑plan processes and notice requirements before making sweeping changes: “The themes of the Heritage District are pedestrian scale, intimate atmosphere, historic character, and a small town feel,” she said.

Commission deliberations: Several commissioners said they were open to staff researching height increases but expressed reservations about the proposed 75‑ and 90‑foot figures and asked for more study and public outreach. Commissioner Simon said he favored case‑by‑case consideration: “I feel like 75 feet in the district is excessive,” he said. Vice Chair Fay and Commissioner Davis said staff should follow the study and outreach process; Davis noted staff had already incorporated feedback by reducing or adjusting items since the earlier study session.

Next steps: The commission authorized staff to initiate the text amendment and to return for study sessions and public hearings, and staff said the item will also go to the Redevelopment Commission and to Town Council. Devine said she expects a study session in September where staff will present a draft with more specifics, including step‑back rules for Gilbert Road and possible incentive provisions.

Ending: Commissioners and residents emphasized the need for detailed design standards and robust public outreach as staff develops a draft ordinance for subsequent hearings.