DOVER- The town of Dover is undertaking the development of landscape master plans for the Town Common as well as the Route 100 corridor through the West Dover village. A landscape master plan is a comprehensive long-range plan that will guide the development/redevelopment and stewardship of the public landscapes and open spaces of these areas. As part of the development of these plans, the project’s steering committee will be sponsoring a public work session to review and discuss alternative concepts for each area on May 23, at 6:30 pm, at the Dover Town Hall. The entire town is invited to participate in the work session. Refreshments will be served.

For the town common area, the landscape master plan will include recommendations for redesigning the overall vehicular and pedestrian circulation patterns; modifying the location, size and layout of the parking areas; establishing more recreational amenities for public use and park areas; and managing the site’s long-term maintenance and revitalization.

For the Route 100 corridor, the landscape master plan will include guidance for upgrading pedestrian and bicycle circulation through integration and expansion of the Dover Valley Trail into the corridor; creating new, small public parks; the planting and maintenance of street trees and other landscaping material; the placement and design of other “street furniture” such as benches, street lights, and bicycle racks; the improved management and treatment of stormwater; and the overall aesthetic appeal of the village.

By establishing a vision for the form and expression of the landscape and its components, the plan will provide the town with a guide for appropriate long-term development of the landscape and other public areas through the creation of sustainable improvements that will complement the historic village and surrounding area with its future needs and desires. The town representatives shepherding this project envision this plan as providing a broad physical framework for the use and treatment of landscape spaces within each project area over the long term. It can also serve as a guide for the Dover Development Review Board as they are reviewing individual developments within each area.

Lamoureux & Dickinson, Broadreach Planning & Design, and Cynthia Knauf Landscape Design, the consulting team that is assisting the town on the project, will be presenting the various alternatives and ideas that are under consideration for the two areas. They will also be looking for comments and suggestions relating to the alternatives. The goal of the public work session is to come to a consensus on a preferred alternative for each area by the end of the meeting.

The alternatives under consideration for the town common range from a complete relocation of the parking area to the rear of the town hall and library buildings to a slight redesign of the parking area in conjunction with numerous other improvements to the site. The concepts under consideration for the Route 100 West Dover Village area include additional sidewalks, more crosswalks, gateway developments at each end of the village, additional street trees, lowered speed limits, and the purchasing of additional land for the creation of small public parks.

The town will hold at least one other work session to present the pre-final recommendations for consideration, comments, and endorsement.