Protecting the Farmington Valley’s Natural Resource Legacy
Land Use Links
The
Land Use Law Center - The Land Use Law Center is dedicated
to fostering the development of sustainable communities in
New York State. Their Land
Use Library is a vast and useful resource, many of which
are specifically referenced on these pages. The center also
has a good list of land
use related links.
Gaining
Ground Information Database - Created by the Land
Use Law Center at Pace Law School, this database provides
information on laws and practices in the field of land use
law in a highly accessible format, thereby facilitating the
adoption of innovations at the local level. Includes some
good examples (download as Word documents) of environmental
overlay district, natural resource protection ordinance, conservation developments, and ridgeline protection overlay among many others.
Articles can also be browsed by topic or state (including Connecticut),
many of which are linked here: Conservation
Subdivisions, Enforcement, Environmental Compliance, Environmental Impact Review Requirements, Inter-municipal Agreements, Mandatory
Training, Open
Space Preservation, Overlay
District, Overlay
Zoning, Resource
Conservation, Ridgeline
Protection, Site
Plan Approval, Site
Design Standards, Wildlife
& Fish Habitat.
LULA - The Land Use Leadership Alliance Training Program
is a four-day course that teaches participants how to use
land use law, conflict resolution, and community decision-making
techniques to accomplish sustainable community development. LULA
is coordinated by the Pace Land Use Law Center and the Connecticut
RC&D Districts.
CLEAR (Center for Land Use Education and Research) - CLEAR provides
information, education and assistance to land use decision
makers, in support of balancing growth and natural resource
protection. CLEAR's education
programs include NEMO (see below). They also host high
resolution digital
imagery and other spatial data.
NEMO (Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials) - Award winning
and progressive University of Connecticut program for local
land use officials addressing the relationship of land use
to natural resource protection. NEMO has many excellent programs
and publications available on line. Examples include: Impervious
Surfaces, Resource Inventory, Land Use Fact Sheets and workshops.
Connecticut Association
of Conservation and Inland Wetland Commissions (CACIWC) has a mission "To promote the statutory responsibilities
of Connecticut Conservation Commissions and Inland Wetland
Commissions and to foster environmental quality through education
and through the conservation and protection of wetlands and
other natural resources." CACIWC offers some excellent downloadable
position papers on Upland Review Areas, combined
versus separate Inland Wetlands and Watercourse Commissions and combined versus
separate Conservation and Inland Wetland Commissions.
Center for
Watershed Protection - Provides local governments,
activists, and watershed organizations around the country
with the technical tools for protecting streams, lakes and
rivers. Includes excellent resource pages on wetlands, stormwater, watershed planning, and site planning amongst many other topics.
Green Valley Institute’s land use publications including e-publications on "Saving Land Saves Taxes" and "Innovative Zoning Techniques - Overlay Districts" among other topics. Each fact sheet also gives examples of how the various techniques have been implemented in Connecticut. GVI also has a good amount of web-based planning resources.
Planners Web -Home of Planning Commissioners Journal and hosts many good articles and resources. Planning ABCs and On Board: Guide for Planning Commissioners are two excellent publications by Planners Web.
General Code is a good source for example regulations and ordinances.
NRCS Publication - Assistance
to Communities: Conservation Technical Assistance Program
Fact Sheet Book (PDF 2.08 MB)
Biodiversity
Project - "Life. Nature. You. Make the connection."
This Wisconsin based organization is producing high quality
educational materials and programs, most of which are very
applicable to the Northeast. Check out the publications as well as the Five
Ways to Create Healthier Homes and Habitats program in addition to their exhaustive links.
Metropolitan
Conservation Alliance - "The Wildlife Conservation
Society's Metropolitan Conservation Alliance bridges the gulf
between science and practice by developing innovative, locally-based
strategies that tackle ecosystem loss and urban sprawl at
the suburban/rural frontier."
Connecticut
Environmental Review Teams (ERT) - "A group
of environmental professionals drawn together from a variety
of federal, state, regional and local agencies to form multidisciplinary
environmental study teams to assist municipalities in review
of sites proposed for development or preservation."
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