PRESS RELEASE

PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS
REVISED OPEN SPACE PLAN

The Bethany Conservation Commission would like to hear resident’s comments on the 2009 revised Open Space Plan (OSP), which is a component of the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). The Connecticut General Statutes (CGS) requires the POCD to be reviewed every 10 years. The Commission has scheduled a public meeting at 8:00 pm on Thursday, May 14, 2009, in the Commission Meeting Room of the Bethany Town Hall, to hear what comments residents of Bethany have on the revised OSP.

“The 2009 OSP is similar to the 1998 Plan,” said Ken Martin, Commission Chair. “The primary change is to update the properties that are recommended for permanent protection”

The OSP and the POCD are the primary policies used by the Planning ad Zoning Commission as it reviews applications and other questions posed to it under the enabling statutes and authority granted by the CGS. The OSP is also the policy used by the town to determine the location and type of land that should receive permanent protection. In addition, there are updates which are aimed at trying to make development and land use patterns as sustainable and energy efficient as possible while preserving the overall rural character which is so important to the residents of Bethany .

After this meeting the Conservation Commission will decide if any further revisions to the OSP are necessary. A formal public hearing will then be held by the Planning and Zoning Commission, as required by the CGS, prior to the adoption of the POCD.

If residents would like to obtain an electronic copy of the revised OSP, please email ken06524@sbcglobal.net, or they can obtain a hard copy at the Bethany Planning Department at Town Hall, 40 Peck Road.