Meetings to focus on Monroe’s POCD update

A Plan of Conservation and Development provides a blueprint for the future townspeople envision. Possibilities may include a streetscape with sidewalks, street lamps and benches along Main Street, the expansion of greenways or encouraging the construction of apartments to diversify the mix of housing Monroe has to offer.

Nothing is set in stone. The POCD Advisory Committee will solicit input from town officials, then public meetings and a community survey will garner ideas and desires of town residents to come up with a revised plan.

Town Planner Rick Schultz said every town must revise and update their POCD every 10 years to be eligible for state grants. “We need to adopt this by December of 2020,” he said.

Fitzgerald & Halliday, Inc., a Hartford based consultant, was hired by the town to assist the Planning and Zoning Commission in Monroe’s POCD update. It will also be in charge of creating the survey.

But first the POCD Advisory Committee will host a series of focus meetings with boards and commissions, administrators and other town officials at the Masuk High School Media Center throughout the month of February.

“These meetings are before the public workshops,” Schultz said, though he added members of the public are welcome to attend. “Each part of the POCD has recommendations. I’m asking boards and commissions to see if any recommendations from 2010 need to be revised.”

Aside from the recommendations, Schultz said information, such as the town’s population, school enrollment, open space acreage and hiking trail miles, must be updated to reflect any changes since 2010.

The following is the POCD Advisory Committee’s February focus meeting schedule, along with who will be invited to attend:

Open Space/Environment/Preservation, Feb. 10 at 5 p.m. (Snow date Feb. 27): Conservation and Water Resources Commission, Open Space Preservation and Acquisition Committee, Inland Wetlands Commission, Tree Warden and the Historic District Commission

Parks and Recreation, Feb. 10, 7 p.m.: Parks and Recreation Commission

Housing /Community Facilities /Schools, Feb. 13 at 5 p.m. (Snow date March 2): Board of Education, Elder Service Coordinator, Social Services Coordinator, Library Director and Housing Authority.

Transportation/Infrastructure, Feb. 13, 7 p.m.: Town Engineer and Department of Public Works.

Town Services, Feb. 27, 5 p.m.: Monroe, Stepney and Stevenson fire departments, Monroe Police Department and the Monroe Volunteer Emergency Medical Service and Emergency Management. (Snow date March 9)

Land Use and Zoning, Feb. 27, 7 p.m.: Health Department, Building Department, Architectural Review Board, Engineering Department, zoning enforcement officer, fire marshall, Inland Wetlands Commission, planning and zoning administrator, town planner and Planning and Zoning Commission chairman. (Snow date March 9)

A Breakfast Meeting Hosted by the First Selectman (Date to be determined): Economic Development Commission, First Selectman Business and Industry Advisory Committee, Assessor’s Department and the Monroe Chamber of Commerce.