The 2013 Master Plan called for the creation of  a “commercial and light industrial “ (C&I) zone in Andover. Why would anybody want this? There are several reasons the creation of a C&I business zone made sense to the 2013 Master Planning committee.

First, it makes some sense to cluster newly constructed businesses together, rather than encourage them to pop up as they may, particularly throughout Andover’s Village District. One of the aims of every Master Plan since the 1970s has been to “preserve the small New England town” character of Andover. Uncontrolled development might break up the quaint villages of Andover, East Andover, and Cilleyville, interrupting every view with commercial lots, as has happened in Boscawen.

Second, future plans for Andover need to address the shortage of appropriate housing available to young families and folks on a retirement income. It would be helpful if there were closer options for food shopping and professional services, as well. For most people in Andover, buying a gallon of milk requires almost an hour round trip in a car. 

Increasing the number of businesses in Andover would also increase the number of employment opportunities for residents who would like to live and work here. Some modern plans in other communities have featured attractive “mixed use” development, in which apartments and small businesses are arranged within easy walking distance, or even on two floors of the same building.

Finally, today about 82 percent of Andover’s town tax revenue is collected from private residential property taxes, and only 9 percent of revenue comes from business property and Rooms and Meals taxes. (The remaining town tax revenue comes from commercial taxes on the two big Eversource and Unitil electric utility transmission rights-of-way that crisscross through Andover.) 

To reiterate, most of town income comes from taxes on working people’s and retirees’ homes. Is that trend what we would prefer in the coming decade? Wouldn’t it be great if a lower percentage depended on taxes on our homes and more came from profitable business in and around Andover? If we wish this to happen, we need to make Andover a more attractive place for successful businesses to settle.

Perhaps you can imagine types of businesses we would welcome in our community and others that would be a burden to our community. What exactly are these? Please come to Master Planning meetings to let us know!