Vision

Bath Master Plan Chapter I

Vision, Goals and Objectives

Vision:

The Town of Bath has several characteristics that make it desirable and many assets the town values and expects to protect. The overall vision for the town is to preserve and protect our small town rural atmosphere, historic characteristics, scenic rivers and roadways, natural resources and provide continued economic stability for all our citizens.

Introduction:

The Town of Bath is warm and welcoming to newcomers of all ages, whether they may be born here, come here to live, raise their families and work, be educated, participate in the Town’s life, or simply to take their well-deserved rest in one of our cemeteries. Our success as a Town and as a vital community comes from our neighborliness, our welcome to strangers and our willingness to plan ahead.

Land use planning is a vital part of our willingness to consider the future and evidence of the commitment of our citizens to be frank and open with each other.

The people of Bath have once again completed a careful re-examination of the Town’s Master Plan. The evidence of the thoughts of our citizens is contained in the following pages. Certain of these thoughts reflect common sense; others far reaching recommendations for our future as citizens with a common bond – our Town.

As Bath ’s citizens (present and future) read this Master Plan, it is well to remember how this Master Plan should be understood. We should all see this document:

First – as a thoughtful collection of plans, maps, citizen ideas and opinions designed to enable us all to visualize our community’s future.

Second – for what it is not. It is not: (a) regulation binding on all of us, (b) a rigid prescription for our individual and collective behavior over time, (c) a fixed design for the fashion in which Bath should continue to mature, or (d) a panacea bringing order to our challenges & discussions as a community.

Please rely on it and use it sensibly.

Bath Master Plan Committee Members: Russell V. Armstrong, Jr., Bruce Barnum, Robert DeN.Cope, Karen Fesler, Robert L. Harris, Velma Ide, Nancy Lusby, Dianne L. Rappa, Colleen Strout, Judy Tumosa, Rick Walling

Bath Town Planning Board: Dianne L. Rappa, Chair; Russell V. Armstrong, Jr., Bruce Barnum, Mike Lewis, Dwight Robie, Colleen Strout; Alternates: Karen Fesler, Velma Ide, Susan Rowley

Town of Bath Selectboard: Dianna Ash, Robert DeN. Cope, Alan Rutherford

Special thanks to Dylan Smith, James Steele and Michael King – North Country Council

Town of Bath - Goal Statements:

Town Character

Goal: Protect the scenic beauty, and small town character of Bath .

	Continue to be primarily a rural residential community.
	Encourage the purchase of land for conservation purposes.
	Enhance, protect, and develop the town's recreational assets..
	Protect the rivers that flow through Bath from overdevelopment.

Goal: Maintain and protect Bath ’s historic and cultural identity.

	· Identify historic sites in town for protection and preservation.
	· Increase public awareness of the historic attributes in Bath .
	· Work with local and government entities to perform a survey of historical properties that could potentially be listed on the State or National Register of Historic Places.
	· Place historic markers, signage, and information on identified historic sites.
	· Maintain and protect historic Bath Village and Bath Upper Village .

Goal: Maintain and encourage agricultural & forestry practices, which are deeply ingrained in Bath ’s physical identity and historic heritage.

	Encourage well-managed forestry and agricultural practices
	Support and promote agricultural activity as a component of economic development.
	Utilize and promote agricultural activity as a conservation technique. (open land)
	Enforce the current regulations that discourage large commercial retailers from locating in town

Goal: Balance growth and development in Bath without jeopardizing Bath ’s quality of life and rural atmosphere.

Develop innovative land use controls to help preserve Bath ’s rural character such as CIP’s and site plan review.

Recreation

Goal: Protect and enhance recreation opportunities in the town of Bath

	Develop safe bicycle and pedestrian friendly areas throughout town.
	Encourage low impact recreation activity throughout the town of Bath .
	Enhance and utilize the town forest/Paradie farm as a place for outdoor recreation.
	Continue to work with local and state snowmobile and ATV clubs to ensure and enhance year round multi-use activities on existing trails
	Increase signage around multi-use trails to prevent motorized vehicles from straying off designated areas particularly near Bath ’s rivers
	Increase public awareness in town of existing recreation resources.
	Promote and increase recreation programs and facilities for residents and visitors in the town of Bath .
	Maintain the youth regional recreation program.

Goal: Increase the walkability in the town of Bath

	· Develop walking trail maps for residents and visitors.
	· Promote and ensure a safe and secure walkable Bath Village .
	· Encourage the protection and development of multi-use/walking and hiking trails.

Goal: Protect and enhance rivers and water resources in Bath that are, or could be utilized for low impact outdoor recreation.

	· Protect water quality as an important component to Bath’s recreation potential.
	· Increase signage and public awareness around the Big and Little Eddy swimming areas.
	· Promote safe and clean use of the Big and Little Eddy swimming areas.
	· Collaborate with local and state conservation groups such as the Connecticut River Joint Commission as a way of protecting and enhancing low impact recreational activity along major rivers in Bath .

Natural Resources

Goal: Balance new development with the protection and the preservation of the town’s natural resources

	Develop open space requirements for large subdivisions of land. Utilize existing zoning regulations to protest open space
	Protect Bath ’s groundwater through aquifer and well-head protection

Goal: Protect Bath ’s natural resources as an economic benefit to the town

	Encourage habitat sensitive development.
	Promote linkages of large tracts of land for recreation, silvaculture, habitat, and water quality purposes.
	Protect wildlife habitat throughout Bath .
	Encourage the development and use of alternative energy sources for power generation.

Goal: Preserve Bath ’s rural character by protecting Bath ’s natural resources.

	Develop a Natural Resource Inventory for the town.
	Identify prime areas of town for protection and conservation.
	Encourage current use and conservation easements as a way to protect Bath ’s natural resources.
	Encourage Best Management Forestry Practices.
	Protect The Narrows as a unique geological and tourist destination.
	Protect Bath ’s scenic view sheds.

Goal: Protect and preserve the rivers that flow through the town of Bath .

	Minimize development along rivers.
	Continue to work with river conservation groups to ensure uses along the rivers in Bath do not negatively impact these natural resources.
	Enforce the current riparian buffer zones along waterways.
	Promote designated public access sites, and walking trails along rivers in Bath .

Goal: Protect Bath ’s water resources from overdevelopment.

	Monitor water quality throughout Bath .
	Control public access to Bath’s water resources.
	Encourage low impact use of Bath ’s water resources.

Transportation

Goal: Maintain Bath’s existing transportation infrastructure.

	Continuously evaluate Bath ’s transportation infrastructure to identify required maintenance and improvements.
	Recognize and maintain dirt/gravel roads as a distinctive characteristic to Bath’s rural character.
	Implement a capital improvement program for equipment, road, and bridge maintenance and repair.
	Continue to recognize Class VI roads as an integral component of Bath ’s rural character.

Goal: Promote Infrastructure in Bath that protects its visitors, residents, historic attributes, and natural resources.

	Investigate areas where non-motorized forms of travel can be utilized
	Investigate and incorporate innovative traffic calming measures to slow traffic and improve pedestrian safety and livability in Bath Village .
	Identify roads in Bath that could be placed under scenic road designation.

Housing

Goal: Provide a variety of housing opportunities to meet the needs of all citizens in the town of Bath .

	Implement zoning standards that allows for large residential lots in designated areas of town.
	Implement subdivision standards/methods that allow for the preservation of open space.

Goal: Promote housing opportunities that sustain Bath ’s rural character and residential population.

	Protect roadways from excessive traffic due to large, small lot subdivisions.
	Encourage preservation and use of existing structures for housing.
	Encourage residential development which has access to drinkable water, sewer services, roads, and sidewalks thus minimizing the impact upon the area’s natural resources.

Public/Community Facilities and Services

Goal: Protect and enhance community facilities and places that are historic, or hold scenic and ecological value.

	Develop a capital improvements program in order to stabilize the tax rate, and plan for future capital improvements.
	Maintain and enhance strong working relationships between various boards and town representatives.

Goal: Enhance the capabilities of Bath ’s community facilities and services to fit a growing populations needs.

	Develop a plan of construction, renovation, and support of the infrastructure for the future.
	Enhance and develop wildlife preserves, teen recreation programs, and walking/hiking trails.

Goal: Provide high quality, effective community services to the citizens of Bath .

	Promote and advertise the services of the town library.
	Support child programs that are held at the library and other town facilities.

Goal: Encourage the feasibility of developing a transfer station/recycling facility in the town of Bath .

Goal: Encourage the use of residential alternative energy sources.

Economic development

Goal: Support economic development that enhances recreation opportunity, encourages agricultural activity, and protects the town’s quality of life.

	Discourage large retail businesses from locating in Bath .
	Concentrate new business development to areas that already have the infrastructure in place.
	Discourage commercial development in Carbee Valley , Goose Lane , Pettyboro, West Bath, and Upper Bath Village
	Develop a site plan review ordinance for reviewing commercial development applications

Goal: Encourage professional businesses that harmonize with Bath ’s Historical rural setting

Goal: Promote agriculture, home based business, recreation and tourism as an economic foundation in the town of Bath

Develop and maintain a town-based website that highlights the agricultural and recreational and historical attributes of Bath , local events, and businesses throughout town.

Goal: Create business opportunity in the Bath Village area that balances economic development with the historic/rural village appeal.

Develop design standards for new development in the Village area.