Groton 2035: Comprehensive Community Planning Survey

How the Town communicates with the public shapes how people can take advantage of community services and be involved in local decision making.

Community services are social services provided for the benefit of the community, like education and recreation. Community facilities are publicly owned buildings and infrastructure which allow the town to offer these services and house its staff and equipment.

Do you want to help shape the future of community services and facilities in Groton? You can review a summary of "key takeaways" for community services & facilities for more information, then share your input by answering a few short questions about how the Town should prioritize spending in this area.

The natural environment and its resources provide a variety of environmental, health, and public safety benefits, and historic and cultural resources ground us in our past and help us celebrate together.

Let us know how you think the Town can be protect our resources. You can review the “key takeaways” for “Natural Resources & Open Space” and “Cultural & Historic Resources” and related maps for more information. Then answer a few questions below. 

Economic development is the source of a community's wealth and fiscal well-being, and therefore a community's overall health. Economic stability and the built environment play a key role in the quality of life for all residents, and requires continual investment that enhances its human, built, and natural resources.

How can the Town attract the businesses and services residents, workers, and visitors need? Review the "key takeaways" for Economic Development for more information and answer the questions below. 

• The Town doesn’t control what goes in vacant stores — it is driven by market demand.
• Retailers use trade areas to decide where to open new stores based on customer reach and spending potential. A trade area is shaped by population density and demographics, shopper behaviors and preferences, drive times and traffic counts, and competing retail centers in nearby towns.
• Population density is often one of the most important considerations for retailers. Larger national retailers may look for population densities of 15,000 to 50,000+ within 3 miles. Others may look for median household incomes above $50,000 or $75,000.
• Many retailers have average daily traffic count requirements of 20,000 or 30,000 vehicles per day.

Here are the demographics within 1, 3, and 5 miles of Downtown Groton/Route 1:

Average daily vehicle traffic counts along different segments of Route 1 range from 10,000 to 30,000 vehicles per day.

Retail follows rooftops: New residential development and population growth can help generate interest among national retailers.

We're gathering community input on the retail and services you'd like to see added to Groton’s economy. The market may currently support some of these options, especially if they are smaller-scale businesses. Attracting larger national chains will require population growth and more residential development to make them viable.

Local retailers thrive when they have the right mix of foot traffic, supportive policies, and community engagement. Success often depends on:

• Steady customer flow from residents, workers, and visitors
• Attractive, walkable spaces that draw people in and encourage browsing
• Affordable rents and manageable startup costs
• Clear, streamlined permitting processes
• Events, marketing, and a strong local brand to bring awareness and repeat business
• Support from the community

Providing residents with opportunities to have safe, affordable homes is a cornerstone of the economic and social health in any community. A balance of diverse housing opportunities and adequate supply can build the local labor workforce and support the spectrum of housing needs through a lifetime.

What housing types you think are most needed/appropriate for various neighborhoods in Groton? Review the “key takeaways” for Housing and a map of neighborhoods in Groton for more information and let us know what types of housing is need/appropriate for each neighborhood in the questions below. 

Town parks and recreational areas contribute to the health and wellness of our community. These spaces give residents of all ages and abilities opportunities to be active, interact with nature, and gather with neighbors.

What do you think about our recreation and open space opportunities? Review the "key takeways" for Parks & Recreation and a realated map for more information and share your thoughts by answering questions below. 

As Groton continues to grow and evolve, it is important to incorporate both resiliency and sustainability into the Town’s planning and development processes to better prepare the Town for climate change and natural hazard events.

How do you feel the town has been impacted by climate change? You can review the “key takeaways” for Sustainability and related maps for more information and answer a few questions below. 

A safe, multimodal transportation system includes safe and accessible options to drive, use public transit, walk, and bike. The system needs to support the local economy, a clean environment, and quality of life for residents.

What do you think about Groton's transportation network? You can review the “key takeaways” for Transportation and a related map for more information and answer the questions below. 

Thank you for answering these demographic questions!

It's important to know who we're reaching. We want to make sure ALL voices in Groton are heard. If we find that people from certain neighborhoods or backgrounds aren't being heard, we need to figure out a way to reach them. Please answer as many questions as you are comfortable with.

You can review the “key takeaways” for Demographics and Land Use and related maps for more information on Groton's demographics.