Strongest Town 2023, Round 1: Dunellen, NJ vs. Brattleboro, VT
Welcome to this first round match-up in the eighth annual Strongest Town Contest! In this round, 16 towns are facing off, and eight will advance to the next segment of the contest, based on your votes. We invite you to read answers representatives of these cities provided to questions we posed, and then cast your vote for which place you think is the strongest.
Can’t decide? If you’re looking for inspiration, check out how we describe the Strong Towns approach.
You may vote once per match-up. Round 1 voting closes at noon CT on Thursday, March 23. For rules, and to follow along with the contest, visit the Strongest Town Contest page.
Note: All entries are lightly edited for clarity and readability.
VOTING FOR THIS ROUND IS NOW CLOSED. RESULTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON FRIDAY, MARCH 24.
DUNELLEN, NJ
Entry submitted by: Dunellen Mayor Jason F. Cilento; William Robins, Borough Administrator; Alex Miller, Director of Parks and Recreation and Manager of Department of Public Works; and Julie Grof, Program Manager of Parks and Recreation and Department of Public Works.
What are people in your city doing to decrease the negative impacts of parking on the community?
Dunellen, which is 1 square mile in size, prioritizes people over vehicles. Leadership’s methodology is mindful and holistic. They have undertaken four recent planning studies, implemented recommendations and approved policy changes in the redevelopment plan, which states that parking may be granted relief from requirements if the parking needs can be met by existing spaces. For sites under 20,000 square feet, there are no on-site parking requirements for restaurants, commercial, retail, personal service establishment uses, theaters, bars, and nightclubs. For new and rehabilitated sites 20,000 square feet or over, required on-site parking for restaurants, commercial, retail, personal service establishment uses, theaters, bars and nightclubs may be reduced by up to 50%. Parking is shared among different buildings and facilities whenever possible, and there can be reductions in parking if there is bicycle parking.
What are people in your city doing to shift the focus toward maintaining your existing infrastructure instead of just building more roads?
Approximately 9 acres, or 1% of land, in Dunellen is vacant, leaving little opportunity for building new roads. Over the past two years, the borough's leadership has worked strategically to improve infrastructure by scheduling the replacement of aging sewer and water lines, with the repaving of the same roads and installation of striping and pedestrian safety measures at the same time. In 2022, the borough paved 4.5 miles, or 28%, of its municipal roads and laid 3.4 miles of new utilities, and installed nine ADA-compliant crosswalks and four sets of pedestrian crossing flashing lights. The borough received over $800,000 in grant funds from the New Jersey Department of Transportation for lighting and road improvements in 2022, and the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the borough $436,800 for an action plan for Safe Streets and Roads for All in 2023.
What are some recent changes to your community's zoning laws that have resulted in increased housing flexibility and options? What is being done to change your community's approach to land use to allow for more incremental development?
Route 28, the borough’s “Main Street,” bisects Dunellen. It runs the entire length of town and almost all properties that flank the street are in the redevelopment area. The redevelopment plan calls to improve utilization of land, inclusion of land uses of appropriate type and scale, to create a new mixed-use area, including multi-family residential uses and affordable housing and to improve business opportunities through promotion of new and diverse economic activities. Recognizing the need for flexibility in the options of permitted uses on the outer rims of the downtown core, the borough has created “transition zones” in the redevelopment area. These areas now permit residential uses on the ground floor to provide appropriate density to support the downtown core of Dunellen, and also provide increased housing options.
Tell us a little about the progress people in your city are making toward greater accounting/budget transparency.
Borough administration and staff have taken strides to provide more transparency in government by increasing the types of communication methods, by writing succinct and clear messaging and by providing information on a more regular basis. Communication methods are: email blasts, quarterly printed newspaper, postings on the government social media accounts, borough website, walks and talks with the mayor, and quarterly town hall events. The mayor also hosts special presentations, which are offered in person and virtually, on important subjects like the municipal budget, property reassessments, and redevelopment in Dunellen. For the latter, for example, Borough professionals presented material which included explanations about how redevelopment bonds work, annual service charges for PILOTs, anticipated number of children in new developments, and more. The public is always invited to ask questions.
What are people in your city doing to build streets that are dominated by people and accommodate automobiles—not the other way around?
Dunellen has implemented safety measures, such as striping, signage, RRFBs, ADA-compliant ramps, crosswalks, striping for no parking near corners and stop signs, sharrows, and more. Each summer, Dunellen approves requests to close streets for block parties. In the summer of 2021, Dunellen created a Pop-Up Park, a low-cost, high-impact project in a parking lot in the heart of the downtown. It became a space for people to sit, relax, engage with their community, and take part in special programming, such as yoga classes, performances, Coffee with a Cop, and programming in support of the arts, the library, and local businesses. Through community support and corporate sponsors, the Pop-Up Park attracted hundreds of residents and visitors and more than 15 local businesses and organizations. The project received an honorable mention in Downtown New Jersey’s Excellence in Placemaking category.
What is your favorite thing about your town?
My favorite thing about Dunellen is the people. The contributions of the residents, business owners, municipal staff and supportive organizations show the love they have for this small town—they go above and beyond in supporting the community’s goals. During hard times such as the pandemic or an unfortunate house fire, community members have organized and donated what they could to help neighbors through tough times. Many community members volunteer in town. Dunellen was excited to be selected as a filming location for David Dukovny’s upcoming film Bucky F*cking Dent—with our classic “Main Street” corridor of mom and pop businesses and welcoming neighborhoods with a nostalgic feel. Finally, the community is really proud of former resident, the two-time Olympian Sydney McLaughlin, and many showed up to the track naming ceremony to celebrate her and her fantastic accomplishments.
BRATTLEBORO, VT
Entry submitted by: Sarah Lang, Planning Commission Member; Tom Mosakowski, Planning Commission Chair; Sue Fillion, Planning Services Director for the Town of Brattleboro; Stephen Hayes, Planning Technician for the Town of Brattleboro.
What are people in your city doing to decrease the negative impacts of parking on the community?
Brattleboro is aware of the negative effects of parking minimums on the vibrancy of our town. That is why the Planning Department and the Planning Commission have worked on many changes to decrease those impacts. For instance, we don’t allow the creation of new, private surface lots in the urban center, and minimum on-site parking requirements don’t apply. Parking maximums are established for all districts and uses. Shared parking either across lot lines or by deeded agreement on a separate parcel is allowed and actively encouraged for a broad range of uses, including for mixed-use developments. The land use review reduces parking minimums, where still required, for parcels in proximity to available public parking, or public transit. Additionally, the proposed Accessory Commercial Unit program exempts ACUs from minimum parking requirements and prohibits new dedicated off-street parking for ACUs.
What are people in your city doing to shift the focus toward maintaining your existing infrastructure instead of just building more roads?
Currently, all zoning districts (aside from the industrial district) with existing water and sewer service have already been “up-zoned” to allow for new construction of at least four dwelling units as a permitted use. Additionally, all major subdivisions are required to demonstrate that they “will not cause an unreasonable burden on the ability of the municipality to provide educational, municipal and governmental services; and conform to the Town Plan, which directly plans for future land use, and fiscally sustainable provision of utilities, infrastructure, educational, and other municipal services.” Lastly, any expansions of the water and sewer service territory in the town must be paid for by the developer, and development in the rural two-thirds of the town’s area is responsible for provision of its own private well and septic.
What are some recent changes to your community's zoning laws that have resulted in increased housing flexibility and options? What is being done to change your community's approach to land use to allow for more incremental development?
Housing is a topic that we’ve spent a lot of time on in the past few years. In 2021, we removed density caps from our land use review for districts serviced by municipal utilities in order to support fiscally responsible development. Currently, using the Bylaw Modernization Grant from the State of Vermont’s Department of Housing and Community Development, we have a Missing Middle Housing Overlay District being proposed. The proposed Missing Middle Infill Housing section states “This section is intended to facilitate creation of missing middle housing in the developed areas of Brattleboro… Missing middle housing is responsive to changing demographics and the desire for housing at different price points.” The proposed section includes detailed photos and descriptions of different missing-middle housing types, which, if chosen for a proposed development, provide a simplified permitting process.
Tell us a little about the progress people in your city are making toward greater accounting/budget transparency.
In a long standing tradition, Brattleboro participates in Representative Town Meeting (RTM). “Town meeting members discuss, debate and vote on the town budget and on a number of other binding and non-binding policies.” Representatives are voted in by residents, a process that engenders a greater sense of responsibility in Town Meeting Members. Additionally there is a pre-town meeting in which representatives attend to learn more about each vote they will be casting. The town budget is also reviewed for three months at public meetings. There is also a RTM Finance Committee whose purpose is to review proposed and actual expenditures by the town which affect the taxpayers of the town of Brattleboro. The committee works with the town’s finance director and others in assessing the recommendations and impact of the proposed annual budget and all finance policy.
What are people in your city doing to build streets that are dominated by people and accommodate automobiles—not the other way around?
Brattleboro has this topic at the top of our minds, as we have many residents who live within walking and biking distance from downtown. We have recently put together a Walk-Bike Action Plan aimed at improving bike and pedestrian facilities. We are working with Vermont’s Agency of Transportation to get bike lanes on their paving projects. We’ve been reducing on-street parking and creating bike lanes on Western Avenue, which runs through West Brattleboro and straight into Downtown Brattleboro. We’ve also been redesigning intersections to improve pedestrian safety, such as installing more RRFBs where pedestrians are active. The town shuts down Elliot Street and Harmony Parking Lot monthly for Gallery Walk, allowing for placemaking that brings the community and visitors together, showcasing how public streets can be programmed for activities other than vehicles.
What is your favorite thing about your town?
My favorite thing about Brattleboro is that it is a town of contradictions. It feels urban, but is nestled by amazing natural features with recreation amenities right out people's back door. It’s artsy, yet also gritty and industrial. It’s progressive, but also steeped in tradition. It’s vibrant, but also has sleepy and quaint corners. It has the small town feel, but I can still walk around downtown and feel the anonymity. With these qualities, Brattleboro has the best of all worlds.