In my August 27th article (Water, Water, Everywhere…), I talked about what happens to water from its sources, through its use by all of us in our daily lives, and to its return to the land. Land use activities have varying degrees of impacts upon the land itself and thus upon water. This occurs not …
How you do something is just as important as what you do. As a planning and zoning commissioner, I heed these words of wisdom. The courts will otherwise uphold a planning and zoning commission’s decision if the zoning regulations as they exist at the time of the decision were followed fully, the process was fair …
One of the fundamental functions of your town’s planning and zoning commission is to guide your town’s growth and the effects it has on the many seen and unseen aspects of your community. Economic development is a part of this growth. This is a BIG topic. It is also in these economic times a most …
Land use zoning regulations may seem abstract, but they are in fact very much real … and all around you. Your town uses these hands-on tools to achieve the goals of your community’s master planning documents, such as a Plan of Conservation and Development, to guide future growth. It all impacts the private land you …
Revisiting the Basics of Planning and Zoning in Your Town Part 2 Read More »
Common questions I am asked about what I do on Woodstock’s Planning and Zoning Commission are “why are there zoning regulations?”, “what are they all about?”, and “what is municipal land use planning?”. You are continuously affected by these issues each and every day where you live, work, and travel. I am thankful to the …
Revisiting the Basics of Planning and Zoning in Your Town Part 1 Read More »
Multitasking. That is what is required when deciding upon land use applications, writing zoning/subdivision regulations and updating municipal planning documents. There are many things of varying types to review at the same time. Looking at an item individually may be easy to do, but it does not always show what’s around you because each item …
The Devil is in the Details Site plans and site walks are important things to planning and zoning commissions. Knowing the facts and the details of proposed land use activities, taking the proper time to review through it all, and asking questions and getting answers are good means for a planning and zoning commission to …
As you drive about northeastern Connecticut, you cannot help but to notice the beauty that is around you: the rural charm of towns and villages; scenic roads and vistas; forests and open spaces; farms and orchards; stone walls; peaceful neighborhoods; and small shops. For many of us, it is the allure of these things that …
At the end of my last article (On The Spot With Zoning; February 11th, 2011) about spot zoning, which is an illegal granting of a land use activity, I mentioned about special permits. The use of special permits is a legal, time-tested and common method of land use zoning. At the recent CT Land Use …
At a Woodstock Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, there was discussion about open space that had been set-aside when a residential neighborhood was built and plans for it to be transferred to the town for the public to enjoy. This ~39 acres wraps around the back of the housing lots and contains a walking trail …