Land use. Facilities. Services. Initiatives.

If it falls under one of those categories, then it is very likely part of the town’s comprehensive plan, and was also likely discussed during the special event “CompPlanPalooza,” held last week at the public library. 

CompPlanPalooza was the first-ever public event in Barrington that offered residents a closer look at all the information that goes into creating a comprehensive plan. It also allowed community members an opportunity to envision what the town will look like in 2050. 

“The Comprehensive Community Plan, or ‘Comp Plan,’ serves as the town’s blueprint, documenting the value-based aspirations and strategic direction for capital improvements,” stated a press release from the town’s Planning, Building and Resilience Department. 

More than 100 people attended the event, interacting with officials from six consulting teams that have been hired by the town to help with various aspects of the plan. 

Some of the work will focus on housing, while other parts will involve trees, walking and biking, energy and resilience, and safe streets. 

Alyson Fletcher, who works with the firm Nelson/Nygaard, shared a display about safe streets at CompPlanPalooza. 

“Many Barrington residents were focused on how roadway safety impacts their children who often walk and bike to school, as a form of recreation, and to get around town,” Fletcher said.

“Participants identified opportunities for increasing roadway safety for all users, including decreasing distraction, increasing education and compliance of traffic rules, striping safer crossings, and building more contiguous routes with complete and connected sidewalks.”

Brittany Dremluk, a consultant with Michael Baker International, said residents voiced a concern about the walkability of downtown Barrington and a need for more transportation options. 

Steve Kearney’s display was focused on housing. Kearney, from the consulting firm Stantec, referenced a conversation he shared with a woman who attended CompPlanPalooza. 

“When I was talking with one younger woman about how many residents are cost burdened in terms of housing, she said, ‘You are describing me. I pay 50 percent of my income to my housing,’” Kearney said. He added that he was very impressed by how engaged Barrington residents were on the various topics

“There was a lot to absorb between all our displays, and residents really took the time with each topic area,” Kearney said. 

Barrington Town Council member Kate Berard appreciated the interactive nature of the special event — being able to visit the different stations and drop into on-going activities. Berard also said she was pleased with the “incredible display of community engagement.”

“I enjoyed seeing my friends there with their kids, and members of the planning and zoning board engaged in the process. I hope we have another one!” Berard said. 

Fellow Councilor Braxton Cloutier said the event offered a great opportunity for residents and town leaders to share an open dialogue about Barrington’s future. 

“The turnout was incredible, demonstrating the strong interest in transparency and active civic engagement,” Cloutier said. “I loved that we had the opportunity to ask specific questions and take home informational materials. I played a couple of games that were a fun way to get residents thinking about where Barrington should focus in the future.”

Time for an update

According to town officials, the comprehensive plan “considers a 20-year time horizon of land use, facilities, services and initiatives in Barrington.” It is updated every 10 years and requires an annual implementation report to the state. The existing comp plan was adopted by the Barrington Town Council in 2015 and will expire in May 2025.