Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Revisions to Municipal Plans of Conservation and Development and/or Zoning and Subdivision Regulations

The following is a summary of the recommendations contained in the Connecticut Coastal Management Manual that also pertain to municipal Plans of Conservation and Development (POCD’s) and zoning and subdivision regulations adopted by non-coastal municipalities.  It can be used as a general outline of the potential issues to consider when revising these municipal plans to better protect sensitive natural resources and local water quality from nonpoint source pollution.

  1. Update the POCD and zoning and subdivision regulations to:

  • better protect sensitive resources by establishing or increasing protective buffers between development and wetlands and watercourses;

  • reduce development densities in sensitive or flood-prone areas; and

  • require proper stormwater management in new development and the retrofitting of existing stormwater systems during redevelopment to minimize potential adverse impacts to wetlands and water quality.

  1. Update the POCD and zoning and subdivision regulations to establish criteria to identify sewer avoidance areas and promote development in appropriate areas away from wetlands, watercourses, and flood hazard areas.

  1. Update the POCD to guide development to areas devoid of sensitive resources and to require non-infringement setbacks for new structures from wetlands and watercourses in order to minimize potential impacts to sensitive resources.  Setbacks should be designed to protect resources from both direct development impacts and secondary impacts associated with stormwater runoff.  

  1. Update the POCD to encourage best management practices to treat stormwater for all new or substantially improved development, including improvements to municipal roads, bridges, and other facilities, and for currently developed areas.  Consider including the following:

  • An inventory of existing storm drain outfalls to identify opportunities to retrofit roads and other municipal facilities for stormwater retention and pollutant reduction;

  • Identification of illicit connections (anything that is not stormwater that is being discharged to the stormwater system without a permit) to municipal storm sewer system and recommendations to correct or mitigate adverse impacts associated with these connections;

  • Adoption of a municipal ordinance that prohibits illicit connections to municipal stormwater systems;

  • Consideration of (and preparation for) the use of alternatives to winter sanding and salting on roadways and parking areas; 

  • Planning for and implementation of appropriate snow disposal practices;

  • Initiation of a storm drain stenciling program to help identify direct links of catch basins to watercourses;

  • Adoption of an ordinance that limits the application of fertilizers and broad-based pesticides, particularly in months with historically high or low average precipitation such as April and August;

  • Recommendations for regularly scheduled street sweeping and catch basin clean-outs to minimize the amount of sediment, contaminants, and floatable debris entering watercourses through the municipal stormwater management system, and recommendations to amend the zoning regulations to require similar maintenance of private parking lots and streets. 

  1. Update the POCD and zoning and subdivision regulations to better protect wetlands by providing development setbacks and vegetated buffers from the upland edge of wetlands which are adequate to protect the wetlands from runoff, erosion, construction, and other negative impacts that might result from development on adjacent upland resources.  

  1. Include in the POCD an inventory of wetland areas and adjacent upland for possible open space acquisition.


Content Last Updated on March 2, 2020