A.
Findings.
(1)
In the early years of the United States, the perception of the vast spaces of the country allowed landowners in their log cabins remote from civilization to do pretty much as they pleased with their properties, and zoning was not of much interest. However, the desire to have access to the goods, services and functions of civilization (e.g., water, sewage, health care and so forth) overcame the desire for unfettered freedom. As long as individual pursuit of goods, services and functions did not impact their neighbors any more than their neighbors' pursuit, all was relatively copacetic. People cooperated with their neighbors before building or planting for the sake of community.
(2)
Unfortunately, over time, people began to abuse the cooperative spirit for individual gain. Polluting factories were constructed in the middle of dense urban residential areas. Zoning was first enacted to counteract the health implications of these incompatible land uses in 19th century England. Zoning has thus been inclined to regulate land uses rather than the direct cause of the pollution or impact.
(3)
In more recent times, the sophistication of technology has enabled zoning to directly manage the actual impacts and performance of a given landowner or user upon his/her neighbors, recognizing this as more directly what is objectionable to the neighborhood. One could imagine, for instance, a beautiful clock factory building that would not pollute or adversely affect its neighbors and might in fact employ much of the neighborhood within walking distance increasing both land appeal and value, but zoning by land use alone would probably disallow this type of admittedly rare arrangement.
B.
Mission.
(1)
This bylaw is thus enacted to encourage the most appropriate use and performance of land throughout the Town, to eliminate or mitigate the adverse impacts of this use, to conserve the value of land and buildings, to preserve and protect lakes, streams, wetlands, aquifers, watersheds and other environmental resources of the Town, to provide careful recognition of variable soil conditions throughout the Town, to prevent overcrowding of land, to preserve the historical character of the Town and to preserve and increase amenities so that all citizens shall have access to the fruits of living in Winchendon and to a quality of life that they choose without preventing their neighbors from doing the same.
(2)
It is the intention of this bylaw to encourage practices which will make Winchendon a sustainable community. These include practices that will contribute to the reduction of global warming, discourage the generation of greenhouse gases and encourage their absorption, discourage unnecessary energy use, and encourage the use of renewable energy sources.
(3)
This bylaw is enacted with reasonable consideration for the Town's unique physical characteristics and its unique suitability for particular uses with a view toward providing direction to the land development policies and proposals of the Planning Board, including making the Town of Winchendon a more viable and more pleasant community in which to live, work and play, consistent with the objectives laid forth in the Master Plan for the Town of Winchendon, including its rural character and easy access to modern amenities.