nothin New Haven Independent | Should Branford Create a Coastal Commission?

Should Branford Create a Coastal Commission?

Diana Stricker Photo

One suggestion for updating Branford’s Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) includes forming a permanent town board or commission to deal with coastal issues and climate change.

The possibility was mentioned at a meeting of the POCD Steering Committee Wednesday, and it’s included in Booklet 4C, which is part of the POCD materials available on the town’s website.

Wednesday’s meeting, which was held at 4:30 p.m. at the Canoe Brook Senior Center, focused on conservation issues. About 35 people attended, including members of various boards and commissions who made suggestions about conservation strategies

A Focus on Coastal and Climate Issues

Diana Stricker Photo

The POCD Steering Committee

The POCD Steering Committee members are: Cathy Lezon, Peter Basserman, Phil Carloni, Bill Horne, Gavin Renz, John Lust, Joe Chadwick, M}arci Palluzzi, Terry Elton, Barbara Ricozzi, Vinnie Hanchuruck and Harry Smith, the town planner.

Although some coastal issues were included in the 2008 POCD, there was no separate section about strategies. The need to focus on coastal and climate issues came to the forefront at a public planning session in December.  Branford ‘s coastline from Short Beach to Stony Creek is over 20 miles long and is a significant force in its economy and housing stock. 

Glenn Chalder of Planimetrics, the consulting firm hired to oversee the POCD updating process, talked about coastal concerns Wednesday.

“The challenge is how to address the numerous issues that exist,” Chalder said, adding that a group could be formed to specifically deal with coastal and climate concerns.

He outlined possible new strategies for the 2018 POCD that could include protecting coastal resources; maintaining and enhancing coastal access; and establishing a framework for addressing sea level rise. (See top photo) Chalder also suggested adding the town’s Resiliency Plans into the POCD.

Bill Horne, a member of the Steering Committee, said that based on current projections, Connecticut towns should prepare for a 20-inch rise in sea level by the year 2050. That recommendation was made in October 2017 by the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA).

Shirley McCarthy, chair of the Community Forrest Commission, suggested the commission be notified early in the process when there are new or revised site development plans.

Dan Fitzgerald, chair of the Conservation/Environmental Commission, said there is a real need to address issues of sea level rise, and salt marsh conservation.

David Minicozzi, chair of the Green Committee, said the group is concerned about increased use of the Town Green in the past 10 years. He said the Green should continue to be maintained as the “heart and soul” of the town.

There was some discussion about whether there would be any support for a town-wide Design Review Board, such as the one for the Town Center Village District and the Stony Creek Village District Architectural Review Board.

Joe Chadwick, a member of the Steering Committee and the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission, said people are leery of anyone dictating design policies for individual homes. He said design reviews may be more appropriate for large projects.

“I think that is a topic for a lot of discussion,” said Phil Carloni, who chairs the Steering Committee. He said the Town Center Revitalization Review Board typically serves in an advisory capacity for commercial projects.

Future Sessions

The next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 24 with a focus on development-related strategies, including business/economic development and residential/housing needs. 

A session on infrastructure-related issues will be held Feb. 7. These meetings are open to the public and are being held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Canoe Brook Senior Center. The sessions are being taped by BCTV.

It is anticipated a meeting will be scheduled for additional public input .

The town is also sponsoring an on-line survey for residents to participate in the POCD process. The survey can be accessed on the town website. Updates about the POCD are also on the Planning and Zoning Department’s link on the town website.

State law requires towns to update their POCD every 10 years. A draft of the revised plan is expected to be ready for discussion in the spring; and a public hearing will be held in the fall to discuss the proposed final version. The P&Z will then vote on the proposal.

Chalder can be contacted directly at [email protected]

###

Sign up for our morning newsletter

Don't want to miss a single Independent article? Sign up for our daily email newsletter! Click here for more info.


Post a Comment

Commenting has closed for this entry

Comments

Avatar for Dave Minicozzi