POCD Steering Committee

Pursuant to Section 8-23 of the Connecticut General Statutes, the Planning & Zoning Commission is charged with updating the Plan of Conservation & Development (POCD) for the Town of Thomaston every ten years. This document serves as the framework for land use policy, town-wide planning, and zoning regulation in the Town of Thomaston for each ten-year cycle.

A POCD is a community’s “blueprint” for the future. It is the broadest policy document that the Town of Thomaston will have to guide decision-making on economic development, housing, conservation, infrastructure planning, and zoning regulation over the next ten years and beyond.

The last POCD was developed in 2014, and it will expire on October 1, 2024.  While the work of updating a POCD can occur in many ways, in an effort to engage with as many sectors of town government and constituencies as possible, the Planning & Zoning Commission has once again opted to create a subcommittee to spearhead the process.  The POCD Steering Committee is this subcommittee, and it will provide regular reporting to the Planning & Zoning Commission - and to the general public - regarding their work as the update proceeds.

This Plan when completed will provide an update on town accomplishments since the 2014 POCD, analyze existing conditions, identify anticipated trends for the future, and compare this information with the identified goals and vision for Thomaston to determine recommendations for future actions. It is the desire of both the subcommittee members and the Planning & Zoning Commission itself to make this a living document, and not simply an attractive booklet that sits on a shelf collecting dust.

The process of creating the POCD helps to answer the following critical questions: 

Section 8-23 of the Connecticut General Statutes (CGS) and Public Act No. 07-239 outline a series of elements that must be addressed in each municipality’s POCD. Thomaston's POCD will be generally organized according to these elements to ensure that the Plan meets the requirements set forth by the State of Connecticut.  However, it will also include additional elements to ensure its relevance and ease of use over the next ten years.

There will be many opportunities for public engagement in the POCD update process, and we look forward to hearing from Thomaston residents, business owners, community groups, and any other stakeholders as the process moves forward.  This page will be updated regularly, so please DO check back often!