Completed in 2017 the Transit Oriented Development Plan is a study of potential opportunities for transit oriented development (TOD) in the area around the Branford Shoreline East Train Station. The Branford Station TOD Plan is an integral part of a Town and regional initiative to promote growth and redevelopment that is more transit oriented, will increase the tax base, and will provide uses better suited to the current local and regional economy. A focus was placed on improving pedestrian and bicycle access and walkability, to improve linkages between the Town Center, Branford Station and the waterfront.
Community outreach was a critical component of the Plan to ensure the vision for future development meets local needs. The Branford Station TOD Plan provided a host of opportunities for public input including two public workshops, an online survey, and stakeholder interviews and focus groups. This outreach helped to define a set of realistic and publicly supported development goals and objectives for the area. The study was supported by technical planning and market professionals so as to develop realistic development alternatives that consider potential impacts and/or constraints, parking, traffic, infrastructure, and other potential impacts on community facilities and services. The Plan has also been incorporated into the Town’s Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD).