Federal Level

FEMA

http://www.fema.gov/government/index.shtm

FEMA provides information on hazard mitigation planning in relation to land use policies and objectives to reduce loss of life and property.  This site provides an overall introduction to the process of mitigation.  Many of the Regional Planning Agencies (See a representative list below) within the state have either adopted or are working on hazard mitigation plans for the individual towns.

 

FEMA

http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/mscjumppage.shtm

The MSC is the official government distribution center for digital and paper flood hazard mapping products created by FEMA in support of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Here you can view all current flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps) effective for the entire U.S. and its Territories. You can also create a FIRMette, which is a copy of these maps that will fit on an 8 ½” x 11” sheet of paper. FIRMettes have the same legal status as the normal size maps and can be used for all aspects of the NFIP, including floodplain management, flood insurance, and enforcement of mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements.

 

EPA - National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater/smms4.cfm

Who's Covered Under the Small MS4 Stormwater Program?

 

Small MS4s are defined as any MS4 that is not a medium or large MS4 covered by Phase I of the NPDES Stormwater Program.   Regulated small MS4s are defined as all small MS4s located in "urbanized areas" (UAs) as defined by the Bureau of the Census, and those small MS4s located outside of a UA that are designated by NPDES permitting authorities.  Some regulated small MS4s in UAs may be eligible for a waiver from NPDES stormwater permitting requirements.

 

EPA National Estuary Program

http://www.epa.gov/nep/

Estuaries are places where rivers meet the sea. Estuaries are critical to the health of coastal environments and to our enjoyment of them.  EPA's National Estuary Program was established by Congress in 1987 to improve the quality of estuaries of national importance. The Clean Water Act Section 320 directs EPA to develop plans for attaining or maintaining water quality in an estuary. This includes protection of public water supplies and the protection and propagation of a balanced, indigenous population of shellfish, fish, and wildlife, and allows recreational activities, in and on water, requires that control of point and nonpoint sources of pollution to supplement existing controls of pollution. In several cases, more than one State is participating in a National Estuary Program. Each program establishes a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan to meet the goals of Section 320.

 

US Army Corps of Engineers, New England Division

http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/

The New England District (NAE) is responsible for managing the Corps' civil responsibilities in a 66,000 square-mile region encompassing the six New England states east of the Lake Champlain drainage basin.

 

The National Map

http://gos2.geodata.gov/wps/portal/gos

Geodata.gov is a geographic information system (GIS) portal, also known as the Geospatial One-Stop (GOS), that serves as a public gateway for improving access to geospatial information and data under the Geospatial One-Stop E-Government initiative. Geospatial One-Stop is one of 24 E-Government initiatives sponsored by the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to enhance government efficiency and to improve citizen services.

 

Green Valley Institute

http://thelastgreenvalley.org/gvi/

The Green Valley Institute is a partner with various smart growth initiatives and is usual link for comparative options providing information to the public on land use, development, and conservation. The GVI was created through a formal partnership between the Quinebaug-Shetucket National Heritage Corridor and the University of Connecticut's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Its programs are made possible through active involvement of the Corridor's Natural Resources and Agriculture (NRA) Committee.

 

Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

http://www.lincolninst.edu/index-high.asp

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy is a nonprofit and tax-exempt educational institution founded in 1974 to improve the quality of public debate and decisions in the areas of land policy and land-related taxation. The Institute's goals are to integrate theory and practice to better shape land policy and to provide a nonpartisan forum for discussion of the multidisciplinary forces that influence public policy. Inspired by the work of Henry George as expressed in the book Progress and Poverty (1879), the Lincoln Institute introduces his thinking and ideas into the contemporary land and tax policy debate to advance a more equitable and productive society

 

Center for Watershed Protection

http://www.cwp.org/

Founded in 1992, the Center for Watershed Protection is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation that provides local governments, activists, and watershed organizations around the country with the technical tools for protecting some of the nation's most precious natural resources: our streams, lakes and rivers.

 

Smart Growth Online

http://www.smartgrowth.org/library/articles.asp?art=2367&res=1024

Sustainable Communities Network
c/o CONCERN
PO Box 21301
Washington, DC 20009

info@smartgrowth.org

 

State Government Information

http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/stategov/stategov.html

Website links for all 50 states.

 

 

 

State Level

CT State Statutes – Planning/Zoning

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/pub/Title8.htm

Title 8 Statutes regarding Zoning, Planning, Housing, Economic and Community Development and Human Resources. ONING, PLANNING, HOUSING, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN RESOURCES

 

CT State Statutes – Lower CT River Gateway Commission

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/pub/Chap477a.htm

Enabling statutes for the Gateway jurisdiction

 

 

 

 

CT State Statutes – Environmental Protection

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/pub/Title22a.htm

Tidal Wetlands Act, Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Act, CT Coastal Management Act, Structures & Dredging Act, Harbor Management, Hazardous Waste, Air Pollution, Solid Waste, Soil Conservation, Water Resources, Dams and Reservoirs, Water Pollution Control

 

CCAPA Listserv

http://www.ccapa.org/links/uconn.htm

Online discussion list that most Town Planners/ZEOs in the state use to research land use in other towns.  A number of Commission members and land use attorneys participate as well.

 

Connecticut Municipalities Website Links

http://www.ct.gov/ctportal/cwp/view.asp?a=843&q=257266

Links to all municipal websites.  Many towns have their zoning regulations, subdivision regulations, PC&Ds, Zoning Maps, Agendas, Minutes, etc. posted.

 

Connecticut State Government Phone/Email Directory

http://www.phone.state.ct.us/phonesearch.asp

Look up a state employee’s email address or phone number

 

CT Harbor Management Association

http://www.ctharbormanagement.org/

The mission of the Connecticut Harbor Management Association is to assist and support Connecticut Harbor Management Commissions by facilitating the exchange of information and ideas among commissions and by providing liaison between commissions and local, state and federal agencies involved in the management of Connecticut’s marine and harbor resources.

 

CT Department of Environmental Protection

http://www.dep.state.ct.us/index.htm

Established in 1971, the Department of Environmental Protection manages almost every aspect of the Connecticut outdoors. Our mission is to conserve and improve natural resources and the environment in order to protect public health, safety, and welfare while preserving and enhancing the quality of life for present and future generations.

 

2004 Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual

http://www.dep.state.ct.us/wtr/stormwater/strmwtrman.htm

The Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual provides guidance on the measures necessary to protect the waters of the State of Connecticut from the adverse impacts of post-construction stormwater runoff. This manual focuses on site planning, source control, and stormwater treatment practices and is intended for use as a planning tool and design guidance document by the regulated and regulatory communities involved in stormwater quality management. Questions and comments may be e-mailed to Chris Stone (chris.stone@po.state.ct.us) in the DEP Bureau of Water Protection and Land Reuse, or telephone him at (860) 424-3850.

 

DEP Coastal Access Guide

http://www.lisrc.uconn.edu/coastalaccess/index.asp

Welcome to the Connecticut Coastal Access Guide, designed to help you explore the Connecticut shore. Use the guide to identify sites open to the public for boating, swimming, fishing, hiking and other outdoor activities.

 

Long Island Sound Resource Center

http://www.lisrc.uconn.edu/

Welcome to the Long Island Sound Resource Center. The Resource Center was established in 1988 as a central clearinghouse for information and data related to the Sound. This web site is an ongoing project to provide access to data and information about the Sound.  Visitors can learn about scientific research, access data, view interactive maps, search literature related to the Sound, browse a directory of organizations and information sources, or look for locations to access the Sound.

 

State of Connecticut, DEP, GIS data

http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2698&q=322898&depNav_GID=170

Geographic Information Systems at DEP plays an important role in the DEP's mission of protecting and preserving the environment for present and future generations. DEP develops and maintains a statewide automated geographic storage and retrieval system that can rapidly integrate and analyze large amounts of spatial map and file data over any selected geographic area.   DEP develops and shares geospatial information with federal, state, and municipal government agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Connecticut Department of Public Health, Connecticut Department of Transportation, and the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management.

 

Center for Land Use Education and Research

http://clear.uconn.edu/

The mission of the Center for Land Use Education and Research, CLEAR, is to provide information, education and assistance to land use decision makers, in support of balancing growth and natural resource protection. To achieve this goal, CLEAR conducts remote sensing research, develops landscape analysis tools and training, and conducts outreach education programs.

 

CLEAR is a partnership between the Department of Natural Resources Management and Engineering (NRME) and the Cooperative Extension System (CES), two units of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR). For more than 10 years, educators and researchers from these two CANR departments have collaborated on a number of award-winning projects focused on the relationship of natural resource protection to land use planning and management.

 

UConn, Map and Geographic Information Center (“Magic” Site)

http://magic.lib.uconn.edu/

MAGIC, the University of Connecticut's Map Library, collects maps, atlases, gazetteers, aerial photographs, and digital geospatial data, as well as resources on the history and current state of cartography. Even though MAGIC provides spatial data for use in many GIS programs, the Map Library does not provide cartographic ("map-making") services. However, the staff are able to provide basic help with ESRI GIS questions, concerning the data on the MAGIC Web site.

 

Connecticut Economic Resources Center

http://www.cerc.com/index.html

Census information, town profiles, grand lists, mill rates.

 

CERC is a nonprofit company funded primarily by utilities companies with a mission of promoting Connecticut as a competitive business location. We specialize in economic development, research and marketing for local, regional, state and utility economic development entities. Through our accomplished, entrepreneurial staff of professionals and its vast network of consultants and strategic partners, CERC provides clients with the knowledge and insight they need to gain a competitive advantage.

CERC offers
Connecticut economic development and related professionals with relevant expertise and a complete range of services - we can be a single source of assistance, providing everything from strategic planning and data gathering to implementation and follow up.

 

 

 

Connecticut State Plan of Conservation and Development

http://www.opm.state.ct.us/pdpd3/physical/C&DPlan/C&DIntro.htm

The Conservation and Development Policies Plan for Connecticut 1998-2003 (the Plan) is a statement of the State's growth, resource management, and public investment policies. The Plan provides a policy and planning framework for the administrative and programmatic actions and capital and operational investment decisions of state government, which influence the future growth and development of the state. Simply stated, the objective of the Plan is to guide a balanced response to human, environmental, and economic needs in a manner which best suits the future of Connecticut. The Connecticut General Assembly in accordance with Sections 16a-24 through 16a-33 of the Connecticut General Statutes established the Plan.

 

CT DOT

http://www.ct.gov/dotinfo/cwp/browse.asp?a=2337&bc=0&c=19776&dotinfoNav=|

Connecticut Department of Transportation website and page with links to Long Range Transportation Plan (RTP), CTDOT studies, and State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP)

 

CT AERIAL PHOTOS

In 1934, Connecticut became the first state to complete a statewide aerial
survey. Now Connecticut is the first state to put a complete statewide
aerial survey online.

The 1934 aerial survey of Connecticut was taken before the Hurricane of 1938
radically changed the topography of the state, but after a statewide paving
project called "Get Connecticut Out of the Mud" enabled the popular
new-fangled automobiles to climb the state's hills and cruise its valleys.
The original photographic prints have long been one of the most heavily used
collections at the Connecticut State Library.

The State Library has now digitized the 8,731 original 1934 aerial
photographs, and published them as part of the State Library's Digital
Collections at http://cslib.cdmhost.com/cdm4/aerials.php . You can search for
the aerials photos by town name, or by using either a street map locator or
a topographic index sheet locator.

Some streets of today did not exist in 1934, so the aerial photo may show a
meadow or forest where you now would find a road. See what your library's
site looked like in 1934!"

For more information on the 1934 survey and the many other aerial
photographs available at the State Library, see our website at
http://www.cslib.org/aerials.

 

Regional Level

 

Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency

http://www.crerpa.org/

CRERPA was established to serve the nine towns of the Connecticut River Estuary Region. The Region is one of fifteen planning regions established under state law. The regional planning organizations (RPOs) act as a forum for addressing issues of regional concern and prepare a Regional Plan of Conservation and Development.

 

Capitol Region Council of Government

http://www.crcog.org/

The Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) is the largest of Connecticut’s fifteen regional planning organizations. They are established under the Connecticut General Statutes as a voluntary association of municipal governments serving the City of Hartford and 28 surrounding suburban and rural communities

 

Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments

http://www.seccog.org/

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) is a public agency with representatives from twenty towns, cities and boroughs formed to provide a basis for intergovernmental cooperation in dealing with a wide range of issues facing Southeastern Connecticut. The Council was organized in October of 1992, taking over the mission of the Southeastern Connecticut Regional Planning Agency (SCRPA), which had been existence since January 1961.

 

Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency

http://www.ccrpa.org/

CCRPA currently serves the cities of Bristol and New Britain, and the towns of Berlin, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, and Southington.

 

Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley

http://www.cogcnv.org/

COGCNV is a forum for chief elected officials to discuss issues of common concern and to develop programs to address them on a regional level. Fundamentally, COGCNV is a planning organization, concerned with economic development, land use, water planning and transportation needs of the Central Naugatuck Valley Region (CNVR). It sets regional priorities for a variety of federal and state funding programs, oversees regional programs for member municipalities, and provides technical assistance to municipalities, local organizations, and the general public.

General Sites

National Address Search Server

http://www.cedar.buffalo.edu/adserv.html

 

Zip Code Look-up

http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown_zip.jsp

 

Google Maps

http://maps.google.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revised 10/30/06