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North End plan, traffic and 'overdevelopment' dominate questions for Cheshire council hopefuls
Summary
Candidates debated future uses of 58 state‑owned North End acres, concerns about traffic and overdevelopment, and how to coordinate development with infrastructure and public safety needs.
Candidates at the Town of Cheshire forum addressed long‑standing concerns about the state‑owned 58 acres in the North End, traffic congestion on Route 10 and side streets, and the town’s approach to development and public‑safety capacity.
Laurie Barnes, a North End native running for town council, said she favored mixed‑use redevelopment rather than heavy industrial reuse and emphasized listening to community input: “Initially, the plan that we looked at… a lot of people came out and said, this needs to go away,” she said, describing the prior public reaction to a proposed development.
Several candidates stressed that infrastructure investments (sewer and water lines) already made the site developable in part and argued the town should coordinate closely with the state and with neighbors. Don Walsh noted the town had already invested in sewer and water to support future development. Traffic and safety repeatedly surfaced as prerequisites: Tricia Kramer and others cited a recently initiated townwide mobility study and suggested traffic safety, enforcement and targeted traffic calming should guide where and how growth occurs.
Why it matters: Decisions about the North End and future development affect the town’s tax base, traffic flows and the siting of public safety assets. Candidates said development that increases the grand list could reduce the homeowner tax share but must be balanced against neighborhood impacts and road‑safety concerns.
Discussion details - North End options: Candidates proposed mixed‑use development, open space or a community‑driven process with state coordination; several candidates urged a fresh, inclusive public conversation about future use. - Traffic and safety: A townwide mobility/traffic study was cited as an important step; candidates advocated traffic‑calming measures on cut‑through residential streets and more traffic enforcement by police to address speeding and illegal passing. - Public‑safety capacity: Candidates said growth should be matched by support for police and fire resources; suggestions included using budget allocations for staffing, incentives for volunteer fire personnel and capital planning for a potential north‑end public‑safety presence.
Ending The North End parcel and rising traffic pressures remained unresolved campaign issues at the forum. Candidates agreed additional public engagement and a clearer plan linking development decisions to traffic‑safety and public‑safety investments are needed before major proposals advance.
