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Permit #15 Williston,VT 05495 POSTAL CUSTOMER
JANUARY 4, 2019
WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985
Year of the excavator
WILLISTONOBSERVER.COM
Construction begins at Cottonwood Crossing in December.
Earth will move on major developments in 2019 From Cottonwood Crossing to Northridge to Finney Crossing, dozens of acres in Williston will be transformed into homes and commercial space in the coming year. As excavators dig in, we preview what to expect in four prominent locations. COTTONWOOD CROSSING The first signs of a five-phase, mixed-use neighborhood have become part of the landscape along Route 2 next to Maple Tree Place. The 17 acres of Cottonwood Crossing were once home to a golf driving range and later considered as a location for a Target store. Now, landowner Allen Brook Development has broken ground on the first phase of the neighborhood. Phase one consists of three buildings totaling 35,000 square feet of commercial/restaurant space and 46 one- and two-bedroom apartments. In total, roughly 70,000 square feet of commercial space and 200 residences are planned. The buildings will be two and three stories tall with underground parking. The project is designed in quadrants around a central square, connecting via road extension and pedestrian path to Maple Tree Place. Although the master plan is approved, subsequent phases of the project will require separate Development Review Board approvals. see EXCAVATOR page 4
OBSERVER PHOTO BY AL FREY
Williston: 2018 in review Recapping the top stories of the past 12 months JANUARY
OBSERVER COURTESY PHOTO
An educational sign welcomes visitors to the Allen Brook Watershed at the head of the Allen Brook Trail at Williston Community Park.
Allen Brook trail extension OKd; new signs tell watershed’s story The Town of Williston receives state approval to extend the Allen Brook Nature Trail from Williston Community Park, part of an improvement project that includes in-
stallation of a series of educational signs in the park and along the trail. The signs are put in place over the summer, educating trail-users about the Allen Brook watershed and ecosystem, stormwater management, riparian restoration and land use changes. The town plans to enlist Vermont Youth Conservation Corps crews to complete the trail extension, to Jensen Road, this summer.
Park district membership splits board The question of whether to withdraw the Town of Williston from the Winooski Valley Park District splits the Williston Selectboard, with a three-member majority voting to forward the question to voters on Town Meeting Day and two members voting to leave the question off the ballot. Voters ultimately decide to re-
tain the town’s membership in the district by a 100-vote margin, renewing the town’s $32,000 annual contribution. Because none of the district’s 17 public conservation areas are directly accessible from Williston, the district offers to take over management of some townowned parcels to provide more value to Williston taxpayers. see REVIEW page 2
New Year’s resolution: stop asking
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802.876.7167 64 Knight Lane | Williston
Conveniently located off Route 2A Handicap Accessible
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