Wilton is moving forward with updating the Economic Development chapter of its master plan after gathering community feedback.
Economic Development Team Chair Jennifer Beck presented survey results, along with findings from community interviews and roundtables, to the Select Board on Monday.
Beck said several business owners reported that the process of starting a business in Wilton felt overly burdensome, with approvals taking too long and requiring too many appearances before town boards.
“That all starts to rankle,” Beck said.
She said suggestions for improvement included creating a clear process map for starting a business, making conceptual hearings more interactive, adding a turning lane into downtown from Route 101, and expanding housing options for workers, which several business owners identified as a hiring obstacle.
Beck said many residents see downtown as the town’s “cultural heartbeat” but expressed disappointment about the lack of foot traffic, inconsistent shop hours and limited economic impact from downtown events.
“All fixable, but work we need to take on,” Beck said.
Select Board members discussed what role the board should play in implementing those ideas. Board member Tom Schultz said many of the recommendations might be better suited for the Main Street Association or individual businesses.
The survey and information gathering were part of ongoing efforts by the Economic Development Team and Planning Board to update the master plan. Beck said potential action items included creating a downtown plan to make shopping a more social experience and encouraging more diverse development beyond residential projects.
Beck said the town also has to find a balance between competing survey findings — that residents want a more diverse tax base, and also want to preserve the small, rural nature of the town.
“They want it both ways,” said Schultz.
Schultz said he agreed with survey results that showed a desire for housing development to happen in already-existing industrial buildings, noting that there are underutilized properties in town. He said the lack of rental properties in Wilton is a state-wide issue that is impeding business.
“We have no place to put them,” said Schultz, of workers who might want to live in town.
Beck said next steps include exploring incentives for affordable housing, applying for grants to offset taxes, and identifying investment priorities for the town to determine which projects are viable for the town.
Survey results are available on the Wilton town website.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.