Information reprinted from: The Norwalk River Watershed Initiative Web Site: www.norwalkriverwatershed.org

[Section I] [Section II] [Section III] [Section IV] II. LAND USE/FLOOD PROTECTION/OPEN SPACE ACTION ITEMS Goal: Promote balanced growth which preserves property values and protects and enhances the watershed's resources for future generations. Objective 1: No net loss of wetlands and where possible, re-establish, restore, and enhance wetlands as part of new development or renovation projects. Objective 2: Identify appropriate areas for public access to the rivers and streams, and increase public access where appropriate. Objective 3: Ensure that land use planning includes adequate water supply resources, storm water drainage systems, and wastewater treatment systems (both onsite and sewered systems). Objective 4: Have each town integrate the recommendations of the watershed plan into its land use regulations and design standards. Objective 5: Minimize loss of life and damage to property caused by flooding. Objective 6: Ensure that all local regulations remain in compliance with FEMA regulations and investigate higher standards in response to high damage hazard. Objective 7: Recognize, maintain, and increase open space to ensure the proper functioning of the watershed. Objective 8: Recognize that the streams, streambanks, and riparian areas within the Norwalk River Watershed are fragile places which should be conserved, restored, and protected. Objective 9: Establish conservation as an integrated functional part of the regulatory system of each watershed community, with each community supporting the same objectives and protecting the watershed from its origin in Ridgefield to its base where the Norwalk River meets Long Island Sound in Norwalk. Back to top... Objective 1: No net loss of wetlands and where possible, re-establish, restore, and enhance wetlands as part of new development or renovation projects. Introductory Statement: Wetlands provide major environmental and economic benefits to a community. They are critical to water supply, serve to eliminate pollution, prevent and mitigate storm and flood damage, provide habitat for wildlife and fisheries, and furnish recreational opportunities. Supporting Tasks: Complete a wetlands inventory (inland and tidal) and develop an updated wetlands map (1:12000 preferred). Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Municipalities Year Start/End: 1999-2004 Measure of Success: Inventory completed and updated wetland maps developed. Develop a no-net loss policy. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, CTDEP, Municipalities Year Start/End: 2000-2002 Measure of Success: Model policy developed. Explore feasibility of mitigation and "wetland banking" for inland wetlands only. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, CTDEP, Municipalities Year Start/End: 2001-2002 Measure of Success: Feasibility determination made and incorporated into no net loss policy, if appropriate. Each municipality to adopt a no net loss policy. Implementing Group: Municipalities Year Start/End: 2002-2004 Measure of Success: No net loss policy is adopted by each municipality. Return to the top of the page Objective 2: Identify appropriate areas for public access to the rivers and streams, and increase public access where appropriate. Introductory Statement: Public access will allow public enjoyment and appreciation of the Norwalk River and its tributaries. Supporting Tasks: Develop a public access areas inventory (existing and potential). Compile list and map with location, size of area, ownership, and potential active and passive uses, this list should not impact sensitive areas. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Municipalities, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: 1999-2005 Measure of Success: Inventory and maps produced. Estimate the social, economic, and environmental resource values of each site in the above listing of public access areas. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Municipalities, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: 1999-2005 Measure of Success: Resource values ranked. Estimate costs to improve and maintain public areas. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Municipalities Year Start/End: 1999-2005 Measure of Success: Per town costs listed. Secure funding for acquisition, construction, and maintenance of identified areas. Implementing Group: Municipalities, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations. Year Start/End: 1999-2005 Measure of Success: Grant applications/other instruments for attaining funding prepared and submitted, if successful, projects completed. Increased public access. Return to the top of the page Objective 3: Ensure that land use planning includes adequate water supply resources, storm water drainage systems, and wastewater treatment systems (both onsite and sewered systems). Introductory Statement: This watershed will continue to be impacted by the pressures to develop. It is important to consider the limitations of the watershed system when planning for drinking water supply, stormwater management, and wastewater treatment. Supporting Tasks: Coordinate land use planning with sewage treatment system capacity and public water supply resources. Implementing Group: Municipalities, State Agencies, Public and Private Water Companies. Year Start/End: 1998-ongoing Measure of Success: Responsible implementing group(s) plan and coordinate together. Map(s) for each municipality prepared show areas able to support growth without need for infrastructure, those with minimal addition to infrastructure, those with major investment in infrastructure, and those where onsite facilities should be discouraged. Hold workshops on innovative storm water management techniques and groundwater recharge. Implementing Group: Advsory Committee, NEMO Year Start/End: 1999-ongoing Measure of Success: Workshops held with adequate representation from all watershed towns and others (i.e., public works departments, land use authorities, the public, and developers). Hold workshop of local flood control officials with the goal of adopting coordinated drainage standard. Implementing Group: Municipalities, Advisory Committee, Federal, Regional, and State Agencies Year Start/End: 2000-2004 Measure of Success: Workshops held with adequate representation from all watershed towns. Adopt consistent storm water drainage standards into each municipality's zoning regulations which meet the requirements of different land use and habitat characteristics. Encourage groundwater recharge and discourage use of blanket zero peak increase in runoff without considering runoff volumes. Implementing Group: Municipalities Year Start/End: 2002-2004 Measure of Success: Consistent storm water drainage standards adopted. Return to the top of the page Objective 4: Have each town integrate the recommendations of the watershed plann into its land use regulations and design standards. Introductory Statement: The goals of this Action Plan need to become part of each towns' public plan of governance in order to affect local decision making about the watershed. Supporting Tasks: Work with each municipality to integrate the recommendations of the Action Plan within one year of the date of the plan's formal adoption and update every 10 years thereafter. Implementing Group: Municipalities, State Agencies, Advisory Committee Year Start/End: 1998-ongoing Measure of Success: Incremental adoption of appropriate plan recommendations into the regulations of each municipality. Recommendations reviewed and updated, as necessary, every ten years thereafter. Each municipality should designate or hire an environmental professional to pursue the objectives of this plan. Implementing Group: Municipalities Year Start/End: 1999-ongoing Measure of Success: Environmental professional in place for each municipality. Return to the top of the page Objective 5: Minimize loss of life and damage to property caused by flooding. Introductory Statement: The Norwalk River Watershed has been subject to flooding ever since the area has been settled; with the flood of 1955 the most recent. Many homes and businesses have since been built in the floodplain, and in the event of a flood of similar magnitude, damages to property of more than $21 million would occur. If a 10-year, or 10 percent chance, flood were to occur, damages are estimated to be $2.6 million. Supporting Tasks: Improve flood monitoring by establishing and funding an early flood warning system (ALERT) in Ridgefield, Redding, Wilton, and Norwalk. Implementing Group: Municipalities, CTDEP Year Start/End: 1998-1999 Measure of Success: ALERT system in place. Identify non-structural flood control measures for existing floodprone structures. Implementing Group: Municipalities, CTDEP, NRCS Year Start/End: 1998-1999 Measure of Success: Listing of nonstructural flood control measures for each existing floodprone structure in the watershed. Implement non-structural flood control measures (including the acquisition of homes in high hazard areas and undeveloped lands). Implementing Group: Municipalities, CTDEP Year Start/End: 1999/ongoing Measure of Success: Highest threat properties purchased and others at risk implement flood proofing measures. Establish an inspection/maintenance program for the floodway. Implementing Group: Municipalities, CTDEP Year Start/End: 2000-ongoing Measure of Success: Inspection/maintenance program established, with timetable to conduct inspections. Provide education regarding damage caused by floods. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Municipalities, CTDEP, NRCS Year Start/End: 1999-ongoing Measure of Success: Educational kits and programs developed and disseminated. Have information in hands of the public, municipal officials, and those insuring homes. Adopt a long-term goal of no flood-prone buildings in the watershed. Implementing Group: Municipalities Year Start/End: 2000-ongoing Measure of Success: Planning and zoning commissions of each municipality adopt this goal. Incorporate and involve the Norwalk River Watershed community into CTDEP's municipal flood plain management and mitigation workshops. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, CTDEP, NRCS Year Start/End: 1999-ongoing Measure of Success: Workshops held in the Norwalk River Watershed; attendees represent many watershed interests. Return to the top of the page Objective 6: Ensure that all local regulations remain in compliance with FEMA regulations and investigate higher standards in response to high damage hazard. Introductory Statement: The federal standards established provide a minimum level to protect life and property from the devastation of floods. Until such time as the flood prone areas within the watershed are free of structures, more stringent regulatory measures will provide a greater level of protection for affected residents. Supporting Tasks: Work with municipalities in the watershed, regional planning agencies, and councils of government to encourage development of more restrictive and consistent flood plain management regulations. Implementing Group: CTDEP, NYDEC, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Year Start/End: 1999-ongoing Measure of Success: Each watershed town adopts more restrictive regulations. Conduct an inventory of present floodplain zoning and determine where inconsistencies lie as a basis for developing future watershed-wide standards. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Municipalities, CTDEP, NRCS Year Start/End: 1999-2000 Measure of Success: Inventory completed . Based on this inventory, consistent watershed-wide flood plain zoning standards drafted and adopted by each municipality. Return to the top of the page Objective 7: Recognize, maintain, and increase open space to ensure the proper functioning of the watershed. Introductory Statement: Land contributing to the proper functioning of a watershed, such as wetlands, aquifers, riparian zones, and floodplains, need special protection. These lands can be protected in many ways, including purchase, easements, and tax breaks. Supporting Tasks: Identify, list and map, and then protect and/or acquire open space immediately adjacent to the Norwalk River and other critical areas within the watershed as recommended by local plans of conservation and development. Implementing Group: Municipalities, CTDEP, NYDEC, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: 1999-ongoing Measure of Success: Lands with watershed protection value protected and/or acquired. Identify, protect, and/or acquire critical land needed to accomplish no net increase in runoff. Implementing Group: Municipalities, CTDEP, NYDEC, NRCS Year Start/End: 1999-ongoing Measure of Success: Lands with watershed protection value protected and/or acquired. Return to the top of the page Objective 8: Recognize that the streams, streambanks, and riparian areas within the Norwalk River Watershed are fragile places which should be conserved, restored, and protected. Introductory Statement: Streams, streambanks, and riparian areas in the watershed are important to protect or enhance water quality and provide wildlife corridors. Supporting Tasks: Create a regional open space plan and seek funds for open space purchase. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Municipalities, Regional Agencies, State and Federal Agencies, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations. Year Start/End: 1999-2005 Measure of Success: One or more workshop/facilitated session for municipal planning, conservation, and wetland commissioners convened to discuss opportunities for coordinated open space plans and funding. Plan created and funds obtained. Support state funding and seek grants for a "Norwalk River Valley Linear Park," greenways, uplands, flood hazard areas and linking parcels. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Municipalities, CTDOT, CTDEP, Regional Agencies, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: 1999-ongoing Measure of Success: Funding acquired to purchase land and/or interest in lands which create linear parks, and greenways, or protect uplands and flood hazard areas. Identify incentives or mechanisms for acquiring open space and encourage municipalities to adopt them. Implementing Group: Advisory Committee, Municipalities, CTDEP, NYDEC, NRCS, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: 1999-ongoing Measure of Success: Incentives identified and presented to appropriate governing bodies. Material which provides legal enabling legislation and example language for ordinances prepared and distributed to each municipality. Designate open space parcels as per Section 12-107(e) of the Connecticut General Statutes, classification of land as open space lands. Implementing Group: Municipalities, landowners, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: 1999-ongoing Measure of Success: Parcels designated. Successful response to letters sent to property owners who might qualify for the reduced tax rate for agricultural, open space, or forestry lands. Work with Connecticut state legislators to amend Section 12-107(e) to provide municipalities and the state with the right of first refusal for properties designated as open space. Implementing Group: Municipalities, State agencies Year Start/End: 1999-ongoing Measure of Success: Legislation drafted, submitted to, and passed by state legislature. Work with municipalities to amend zoning, and subdivision regulations, if necessary, to conserve, restore, and protect the streams, streambanks, and riparian areas of the watershed. Implementing Group: Municipalities, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: 1999-ongoing Measure of Success: Regulations amended where appropriate. Return to the top of the page Objective 9: Establish conservation as an integrated functional part of the regulatory system of each watershed community, with each community supporting the same objectives and protecting the watershed from its origin in Ridgefield to its base where the Norwalk River meets Long Island Sound in Norwalk. Introductory Statement: Each of the watershed's municipalities allow for some form of alternative development. This may range from cluster housing to conservation developments. Innovative approaches should be considered to lessen negative impacts often associated with traditional developments. Supporting Tasks: Establish a conservation planning task force for each town, through its conservation and planning commission, to review the town's plan of development and evaluate those parts of the plan which address conservation issues and the state of the environment. Implementing Group: Municipalities Year Start/End: 1998-1999 Measure of Success: A conservation task force is set in place. Prepare an inventory (with maps) of existing natural resources and open spaces within each community that would benefit from long-term conservation and environmental protection. Implementing Group: Municipalities (Conservation Planning Task Force) Year Start/End: 1999-2001 Measure of Success: Inventory of conservation sites and maps for each town is completed. Recommend language and conservation - specific components for incorporation in the townplan of development. The task force would anticipate the environmental impact of future development, establish guidelines for evaluation of conservation proposals, and document conservation land use policy. Implementing Group: Municipalities (Conservation Planning Task Force) Year Start/End: 2000-2001 Measure of Success: Each town's plan of development is updated to include conservation-specific components. Review all zoning, wetland, and flood control regulations for each municipality to determine which (if any) regulations are in conflict with the land conservation purposes of the town plan, and whether conservation specific regulations are needed to make the plan effective as part of review. Consider cluster zoning, alternate development plans, and conservation lots as part of review. Implementing Group: Municipalities, Private Conservation and Civic Community Organizations Year Start/End: 2000-2001 Measure of Success: List of conflicting regulations completed, and draft revisions are ready for review and adoption at public hearing(s) called to consider changes in regulations. Publish and implement fully integrated conservation zoning regulations to guide land use applicants and those regulatory commissions called upon to process land use applications. Implementing Group: Municipalities (Regulatory Commissions) Year Start/End: 2001-2002 Measure of Success: Integrated regulations are published and land use applications are considered in conformity with workable regulations that fully support the environment.   This concludes Section II. Continue to Section III.