Public Input Sessions For Long-term City Plan

The author is Chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
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The consultants hired by the city to facilitate the writing of the next Plan of Conservation and Development will present what they have learned about the priorities of residents with respect to sustainable development and infrastructure at the beginning of tonight's meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission (7PM, City Hall).

The summary of input at the previous public workshops is available HERE.

Tonight's meeting is dubbed a "listening session" for the consultants and for the Planning and Zoning Commission: members of the public are encouraged to provide further input into what they feel are important considerations to be included in the city's most important long-term planning document.

According to the consultants:

• Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Doing so must integrate and balance economic, environmental, and social goals.
• Infrastructure refers to the basic facilities and installations that help a government or community run, including roads, schools, phone lines, sewage treatment plants and power generation, plus services including law enforcement, transit, emergency services, healthcare, education, etc.

At the listening sessions, the consultants will give a brief presentation of many of the issues identified in the surveys and community input sessions that took place in the spring.

The presentation for Wednesday's session is HERE. Following the presentation, members of the public will be given ample opportunity to make suggestions and comments on what should be included in the POCD.

Below is the full schedule of listening sessions.

July 10th at 7:00 PM 
Sustainability and Infrastructure (Presentation)

• Ecologic/Economic Sustainability
• Resiliency (Hazard Mitigation, Adaptation, Response and Recovery, Energy)
• Complete Streets Sustainable CT, Environmental Justice Input
• Community Facilities and Services, including General Government
• Education, Social Services and Public Safety
• Vehicular Systems and Transit

July 24th at 7:00 PM
Development and Revitalization:

• Downtown
• Riverfront
• Corridors/Key Nodes
• Business, Economic Development, Housing Needs

August 14th at 7:00 PM
Conservation

• Natural Resources
• Open Space
• Historic Resources
• Community Character/Scenic Resources