Plan of Conservation and Development


The Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC), in its statutory planning capacity, is developing an update to the State-mandated ten-year Town Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). The 2024 POCD inventories and assesses the status of: affordable housing, villages, comprehensive planning and governance, infrastructure, agriculture, and natural resources. Based on the inventories and assessments the POCD proposes strategies for moving forward into the next decade for each of these components.  These are considerations, concepts, and recommendations that the PZC deems worthy of inclusion in their POCD.  Through the POCD, the PZC provides an advisory framework to address long-term community needs consistent with the Growth Management Principles of the State of Connecticut’s Conservation & Development Plan.

Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 8-23. Preparation, amendment or adoption of plan of conservation and development.


Timeline

*Dates are tentative, and potentially subject to change

  1. September 30 – Public Engagement Meeting about the Draft POCD 6:30-8:30PM. View the fact sheet for this meeting.
  2. October 7 – Regular PZC meeting to evaluate public comments received and finalize the draft POCD. This draft was referred to the Board of Selectmen (BOS) and Northwest Hills Council of Governments (COG) for review.
  3. October 11 – Statutorily mandated 65-day review period commences.
  4. December 16 – Public Hearing to adopt the 2024 POCD.

The pathway for adopting the POCD has various statutory benchmarks including referrals to the BOS and COG and a public hearing. The goal is to complete the process within the 2024 calendar year.  This timing is critical to maintaining Salisbury’s eligibility for State-funding.  We have been granted a grace period by the State’s Office of Policy and Management (OPM) to complete our POCD, in part due to the COVID pandemic.

September 30 – Public Engagement Meeting

On Monday September 30 between 6:30-8:30PM, the PZC held an engagement meeting welcoming specific comments and suggestions from the general public. This was the first of two opportunities (September 30 and December 16) hosted by the PZC to comment on the DRAFT plan. The public attended the September 30 meeting in-person and remotely via Zoom.

Written comments were accepted (based on the Revised Draft for Community Review dated September 3, 2024) through September 30. This enabled the PZC to respond to comments and develop a final draft for referral to the BOS and COG. These comments are posted to this webpage.

This informational document was provided to attendees and available on this webpage prior to the meeting: POCD Fact Sheet

October 7 – Regular PZC Meeting to Evaluate Public Comments

The Planning and Zoning Commission met on October 7, 2024 to review public comments. The recording of this meeting is available here. After the meeting, the POCD draft was updated and referred to the Board of Selectmen and Northwest Hills Council of Governments (NHCOG). NHCOG comments can be viewed here.

December 16 – Public Hearing to Adopt the 2024 POCD

On December 16, 2024 the PZC will hold a public hearing at 5:45pm via Zoom to consider adoption of the draft POCD. The PZC welcomes specific comments and suggestions from the general public on October 11, 2024 draft. The public is encouraged to submit comments prior to the hearing to [email protected].

Public Comments

POCD Survey Results

Stay Informed

Future versions of the POCD will be posted to this webpage. The timeline above will also be updated as dates are finalized. Prior to the public hearing for adoption (December 16*) notice of the hearing will be published in the Lakeville Journal. Also, in accordance with the provisions of Section 8-7d of the Connecticut General Statutes, the Salisbury Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) has established a “public notice registry” to inform interested property owners, electors, and non-profit organizations of certain applications initiated by the Commission.

Individuals and organizations who sign up for the registry will be notified of the commencement of public hearings on PZC-initiated amendments to the Subdivision and/or Zoning Regulations, changes to the Zoning Map, and adoption of or amendments to the POCD.  Notifications will be sent by e-mail unless delivery by U.S. Postal Service is specifically requested (contact the Land Use Office to request this). Notices will be sent at least seven days prior to the beginning of the public hearing. 

Disclaimer: These registry notices will cover only those applications initiated by the Planning and Zoning Commission; notices will not be sent regarding applications submitted by applicants other than the Commission themselves (e.g., individuals or corporations).