At the writing of this report, "in-town" is defined as extending from the Connecticut River west of the Rinker Tract and Oak Hill to and along Grasse Road to East Wheelock Street, then cross-country to the intersection of Lebanon Street and Greensboro Road, and south on Lebanon Street to the southern boundary of the Town of Hanover. (Although the Appalachian Trail and its buffers traverse this area, they are discussed in the Conservation/Recreation Action Areas chapter of this report.)
In the future, as areas of more dense population develop outside this definition of "in-town," spaces should be conserved in them that meet the general open space goals and/or the in-town open space criteria. For instance, the present open fields and forests both to the north and south of Greensboro Road are located in the BM (Service Business and Limited Manufacturing) Zone or the SR-2 (Single Residence-2) Zone and are subject to development. Obviously, if these areas are developed, much of the rural character of this landscape so close to town will change.
Connections from downtown to walking paths, bike paths, and outward to conservation/recreation areas in the more rural parts of town are important and should be readily available.
From the steep, woodland eskers of the Connecticut River banks to the nearby ridgelines to the east, the backdrop of forested hills defines the landscape character of downtown Hanover.