1. What is a Plan of Conservation & Development (POCD)?

A Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) is a guidance document that establishes a long-term, 10-year vision for the future of a community. A POCD contains goals, policies, and recommendations for investing in the physical, economic, social, and environmental aspects of a community in accordance with that vision. Connecticut regulations require every municipality to adopt a POCD. Darien’s current POCD was adopted in 2016.

2. Why is a new POCD being created?

Almost a decade has passed since the current POCD was adopted. A new or updated POCD can be responsive to the changes that have taken place in the Town, region, and beyond. Furthermore, State regulations require municipalities to review their existing POCD and adopt an amended or new POCD at least every 10 years. The Town’s current POCD was adopted in 2016 and, therefore, the Town must adopt its next POCD in 2026. While a lot may have changed since 2016, the Town believes that many of the conservation, development, and infrastructure strategies in the 2016 POCD are still relevant today. Therefore, the focus will be on updating the 2016 POCD to create the Town’s 2026 POCD.

3. Does the state have rules on specific topics that a POCD must address?

State regulations contain a series of general requirements for the contents of POCDs, among them the following:

• A statement of policies, goals and standards for the physical and economic development of the municipality.
• Recommendations for the most desirable use of land within the municipality for residential, recreational, commercial, industrial and other purposes and including a map showing such proposed land uses.
• That recommendations are made with reasonable consideration for restoration and protection of the ecosystem and habitat of Long Island Sound.

State regulations also include a list of topics that POCDs may address, such as improvements to public facilities and planned implementation programs. In addition, the regulations stipulate administrative procedures regarding public noticing, agency approvals, and public hearings for POCDs. To view a summary of all POCD requirements, click here.

4. What other topics can a POCD address? What does a POCD actually “do”? 

A POCD can address a wide range of topics that are important to residents and other stakeholders. For example, the Town’s 2016 POCD includes chapters on: community character, open space, coastal resources, natural resources, Downtown, the Noroton Heights business area, residential development, economic development, community facilities, transportation and transportation infrastructure, utilities, sustainability, and resiliency.  A POCD can provide direction for making policy decisions, zoning changes, and capital investments. A POCD serves as an important reference for the Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z Commission), applicants, and property owners to consult. POCDs typically include guidance that identifies departments, commissions, and other entities that would be responsible for the implementation of each recommendation.

5. How will the POCD process relate with The Great Island Vision Plan process?

While the two processes will be separate, outcomes of The Great Island Vision Plan surveys and workshops will be reviewed for relevance to POCD topics and Town-wide issues. Furthermore, the goals and principles of the completed Great Island Vision Plan will be integrated into the POCD.

6. How does the POCD relate to zoning?

While a POCD is not a regulatory document, it has an important relationship with zoning regulations. Zoning regulations must be consistent with the goals and policies in a community’s POCD. As such, zoning is an important tool for implementing a POCD. The POCD itself can include recommendations for changing existing zoning regulations or creating new zoning regulations. 

7. Who will be involved in creating the POCD? Where will the key topics and “vision” come from?

You. There are many ways in which you can participate in the planning process based on your interest, availability, and preferences.

• First, to stay informed, visit the project website. Subscribe to the site to receive e-mails whenever the site is updated with new information. As the planning process moves along, once reviewed by the P&Z Commission, interim products and drafts of the POCD will be posted on the site for review and comment. Also, the website will be enhanced with additional features, as needed.
• Second, through several public events (workshops, open houses, etc.) and a Town-wide survey, you will have the opportunity to provide comments, opinions, and ideas on specific topics and help set priorities.
• Third, please spread the word about this planning process and the website with your neighbors!

The Consultant. Through a competitive request for proposal process, the Town hired the firm H&H to advise on the POCD update process. H&H’s work will be managed directly by the Town’s Planning & Zoning Department. During the initial stages of the project, H&H will review the 2016 POCD, examine demographic and economic changes and trends in the Town and region since 2016, identify best practices, tour Darien, and design the community engagement process.

P&Z Commission. The P&Z Commission will serve as the Steering Committee for the POCD update process. H&H will meet with the P&Z Commission throughout the course of the project and advise on the preparation of the draft and final POCD. Video recordings of meetings will be posted to the TV79 website. Ultimately, the P&Z Commission has the authority to adopt the POCD.

8. What is the timeline for completing the POCD? What happens after the POCD is adopted?

The process of developing the Town’s 2026 POCD is expected to take approximately 16 months to complete. Once it is adopted, the POCD is a living document that should be periodically reviewed and, if necessary, revised or amended. Furthermore, the Town may prepare more detailed or specific plans for certain districts, neighborhoods, or topics, should the need arise.