Western Connecticut Considers New 10-Year Regional Plan of Development

Connecticut does not have county government, unlike virtually every other state in the nation.  The closest we come to regionalism – a word that has traditionally drawn ire in the Land of Steady Habits – are regional councils of government, designated in state statute but not county governments.

The Western Connecticut Council of Governments, which includes 18 municipalities, is requesting public comments for its draft 2020-2030 Regional Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). The plan, which is open to public comment through January 4, 2020, will replace the previous POCDs issued by the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials in 2009 and the South Western Regional Planning Agency in 2006. Those organizations were merged to form WestCOG.

The 135-page draft plan includes 63 proposed goals and policies for member communities, which include Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Norwalk, Redding, Ridgefield, Sherman, Stamford, Weston, Westport and Wilton. The plan includes sections on infrastructure, housing, economy, water supplies and natural resources, air quality, agricultural resources and community character.

“Perhaps more than any single issue,” the draft plan states, “the lack of affordable housing has become a limiting factor for the region’s growth,” adding that “Western Connecticut is one of the state’s difficult housing markets for those with low to moderate incomes.”

The draft plan also calls on municipalities to “proactively establish climate change adaptation strategies to manage the safety, health, economic, and fiscal risks associated with the increase in the frequency and/or severity of weather conditions.”  It points out that “With a changing climate, runoff controls are unlikely to be adequate. Zoning commissions should require the installation and upkeep of detention or retention basins, maintenance of catch basins to slow stormwater discharge velocities and encourage pervious pavement to increase the percolation rate of high intensity rainfall events.”

During the last ten years, according to the draft plan, “only three municipalities have seen an appreciable increase in their labor force (Danbury, Norwalk and Stamford) with the remaining fifteen municipalities experiencing declines or only marginal increases since the Great Recession.”  Urging stepped up regional approaches to deal with “at least seven global-scale developments” that are expected to “influence life in Western Connecticut.”

Regarding telecommunications, the draft plan lays out positives and negatives.  “The potential for adverse visual impacts of telecommunication towers remains an important issue for municipalities. On the positive side, expansion of broadband communications is a major component of the high-tech industries of the 21st century and for this reason, a lack of broadband access is a critical deficiency in attracting new industry to the region.”

The draft plan, noting that there are 2,638 miles of local roads in Western Connecticut, estimates annualized costs to maintain the region’s local roads at $31.6 million, warning that “if maintenance costs are deferred road reconstruction costs can pose significant financial burden on local government.”

The plan also notes that ten of the region’s municipalities have lost public school enrollment during the period 2009 to 2018, suggesting that “tne opportunity for improving the cost-effective delivery of public education may be to consider inter-municipal or regional solutions.”  The plan also points out that “seniors are expected to become an increasing share of the region’s population over the next thirty years as the baby boom generation retires and chooses to stay living in their current dwelling unit.” In 2017, the U.S. Bureau of the Census estimated there were 90,363 persons 65 years of age or older living in Western Connecticut, ranging from 12% of those living in Darien to 29% of those living in Bridgewater.

State law requires that the plan, when adopted, must make “its recommendations for the general use of the area” including land use, housing, transportation, public utilities and “other matters as, in the opinion of the council, will be beneficial to the area.” 

Looking back at history, the 2020-2030 plan notes that “between 1950 and 1970, the region’s population increased by 79%. However, since 1970 the region has grown by an additional 142,473 persons, amounting to a 30% increase in population. The population is projected to grow by 115,234 by 2050.”

It goes on to indicate that “during the last thirty years the average American household has declined in size. However, within the Region ten municipalities have experienced increases in the size of the average household. In contrast, seven municipalities – all which are in rural or suburban in character – have experienced declines.”