SCCOG

SCCOG is actively reviewing applications for two full-time positions: Environmental Planner and Regional/Municipal Planner. Visit seccog.org/employment for more information. 

Updated SCCOG White Paper Now Available

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments has updated its white paper reviewing options for regulating short-term rentals, originally published in 2019 and revised in 2021. As the short-term rental industry matures, more municipalities are evaluating the best way to ensure short-term rentals are safe and do not negatively impact their communities. Click here for the white paper.

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) has received a CTDOT grant to conduct a Corridor Study of downtown Norwich. SCCOG has selected the consulting firm VHB to conduct the study, who will work with their subconsultant VN Engineers, to prepare a plan that will provide streets that are safe and accessible for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit users of all ages and abilities. The study goals include improvements to livability, mobility, access to essential services, safe routes to the waterfront and Howard T. Brown Park, the Intermodal Transportation Center, the Norwich Marina and other downtown destinations. This will be accomplished through expanded bicycle facilities, sidewalk network improvements, and the reconfiguration of multi-lane, high-speed through streets that currently exist as a barrier between downtown proper and the City’s waterfront area, East, and West Side neighborhoods. The study will develop alternatives to the current configuration and traffic flows of the study area with the above goals in mind. The study process includes a number of opportunities for public engagement and input; to learn of these events and more about the study, please visit the study website at: https://www.downtownnorwichmobilitystudy.com/

The public survey for the Chelsea Harbor/Downtown Norwich Study is open! Give us your feedback about traveling in Downtown Norwich. What issues do you experience?

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MFBKFVB (English)

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F3L5BPX (Spanish)

A Public Information Meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 25, 2023 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Otis Library in Norwich.

The meeting will provide an opportunity for residents and business owners to learn about the project’s purpose, provide invaluable input for the development of recommendations and allow the public to get in-person answers from the project team.

• The Otis Library is ADA accessible
• Parking is available at the Railroad Ave. lot, Cliff Street lot, and on Main Street
• Refreshments and pizza will be provided
• Children are welcome

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) invites stakeholders to review and provide comment on the Draft Comprehensive Transportation Plan for the Route 161 corridor.  The draft Comprehensive Transportation Plan may be viewed on the project website at www.route161corridorstudy.com.

The draft Comprehensive Transportation Plan is the result of a study lead by SCCOG, in partnership with the Town of East Lyme and the Connecticut Department of Transportation.  The study involving analysis of the Route 161 corridor and development of alternatives aimed at:

• Alleviating traffic congestion levels during peak travel hours
• Improving pedestrian and bicycle mobility
• Promoting use of healthy and environmentally friendly modes of transportation
• Enhancing transit ridership
• Improving safety for all users

Comments may be submitted via the Contact form on the project website home page at www.route161corridorstudy.com.  Stakeholder comments will be received until Monday, August 14, 2023.  Following the public comment period, the Plan will be updated as appropriate and the final Plan will be posted on the project website.

Additional information, including recordings of two public information meetings may be found on the project website. 

Persons with hearing and/or speech disabilities may dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS). Language assistance may be requested by contacting the Department of Transportation’s Language Assistance Call Line (860) 594-2109. Language assistance is provided at no cost to the public and efforts will be made to respond to timely requests for assistance.

Para información adicional, o asistencia lingüística gratuita, por favor llame al (860) 594-2109.

如需更多信息或免费语言协助，请致电 (860) 594-2109.

Contact:  James S. Butler, SCCOG Senior Advisor | 860-889-2324 | jbutler@seccog.org

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, is in the process of completing a Corridor Study focused on Route 32 in New London, from the Williams Street bridge, north to Benham Road in Waterford, an area referred to as College Hill. The study includes recommendations intended to calm traffic through this area, making this route safer to travel for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The proposed concept plan includes a landscaped median in the middle of Route 32 and a shared-use path on both sides of the road. Two travel lanes in each direction are maintained, with left turn lanes provided at intersections and existing right turn lanes removed. Traffic calming measures are also proposed at the entrances into the study area to slow vehicle traffic, and pedestrian refuges will increase safety of Route 32 crossings. You can review the presentation materials and complete a survey at www.route32study.com to provide feedback on the proposed concept. The final report for this project, which will be informed by input received, will be available on the website later this spring. While this project has been the subject of several outreach events and public meetings, the SCCOG is interested in receiving as much input as possible on the study recommendations. Please submit any additional comments by May 12th.

Persons with hearing and/or speech disabilities may dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS). Language assistance may be requested by contacting the Department of Transportation’s Language Assistance Call Line (860) 594-2109. Language assistance is provided at no cost to the public and efforts will be made to respond to timely requests for assistance.

Para información adicional, o asistencia lingüística gratuita, por favor llame al (860) 594-2109.

如需更多信息或免费语言协助，请致电 (860) 594-2109.

Contact:  James S. Butler, SCCOG Senior Advisor | 860-889-2324 | jbutler@seccog.org

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, supported by Fuss & O’Neill and Toole Design Group, will host a final public meeting regarding the ongoing safety and mobility study of Route 32 in New London between Williams Street and Benham Avenue. The meeting will take place on April 25, 2023 at the Winthrop STEM Elementary Magnet School, 74 Grove Street New London, beginning at 6:30 pm.

Join us to hear the findings of the study and to provide feedback on the recommended future design for the corridor. For more information regarding the project, please visit www.route32study.com.

Persons with hearing and/or speech disabilities may dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS). Language assistance may be requested by contacting the Department of Transportation’s Language Assistance Call Line (860) 594-2109. Requests should be made at least 5 business days prior to the meeting. Language assistance is provided at no cost to the public and efforts will be made to respond to timely requests for assistance.

Para información adicional, o asistencia lingüística gratuita, por favor llame al (860) 594-2109.

如需更多信息或免费语言协助，请致电 (860) 594-2109.

Contact:  James S. Butler, SCCOG Senior Advisor | 860-889-2324 | jbutler@seccog.org

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments will conduct a public involvement meeting concerning the Route 161 Corridor Study on Thursday, April 27th at 6:00 PM at the East Lyme Middle School auditorium.

SCCOG, in partnership with the Town of East Lyme and the Connecticut Department of Transportation, is leading a study to analyze and develop alternatives to improve the Route 161 corridor. The purpose of the Route 161 Corridor Study is to:

• Alleviate traffic congestion levels during peak travel hours;
• Improve pedestrian and bicycle mobility;
• Promote use of healthy and environmentally friendly modes of transportation;
• Enhance transit ridership;
• Improve safety for all users.

The purpose of the public involvement meeting is to share the draft conceptual alternatives plan and provide stakeholders with an opportunity to provide feedback that will be used to finalize the plan.

Additional information, including a virtual meeting room, may be found on the study website at www.route161corridorstudy.com. Individuals are invited to submit comments via the contact form or interactive map tool.

Persons with hearing and/or speech disabilities may dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS). Language assistance may be requested by contacting the Department of Transportation’s Language Assistance Call Line (860) 594-2109. Requests should be made at least 5 business days prior to the meeting. Language assistance is provided at no cost to the public and efforts will be made to respond to timely requests for assistance.

Para información adicional, o asistencia lingüística gratuita, por favor llame al (860) 594-2109.

如需更多信息或免费语言协助，请致电 (860) 594-2109.

Flyer

Press Release

Contact:  James S. Butler, SCCOG Senior Advisor | 860-889-2324 | jbutler@seccog.org

While southeastern Connecticut has enjoyed a period of relative calm over the last five years, the tropical systems of 2021 (Elsa, Fred, Henri, and Ida) and the coastal storm of December 23, 2022 were strong reminders of the risks posed by natural disasters. The region’s communities–twenty-two towns, cities, and boroughs, and two federally recognized tribal governments–have shared in the development and adoption of a natural hazard mitigation plan for two decades, with updates incorporated every five years. The region’s communities again worked with the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) to update the plan, and this time the challenges associated with climate change were incorporated directly into the plan to produce a “Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan” for southeastern Connecticut.

The Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan for southeastern Connecticut outlines sets of actions that can be taken to reduce losses of property and life due to natural disasters like floods, severe wind events, winter storms, wildfires, droughts, and extreme heat events made worse by climate change, as well as hazards such as earthquakes that are not affected by climate change. This is the first edition of the region’s plan to directly include droughts and extreme heat. Many of the proposed actions listed in the plan are meant to ensure that each of the towns, cities, boroughs, and tribes in the region have reasonable access to shelters, cooling centers, and other critical facilities needed before, during, and after severe weather or heat events.

The hazard mitigation and climate adaptation planning effort leveraged close coordination with the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA), which is located nearby at UConn’s Avery Point Campus. CIRCA has expanded its “Resilient Connecticut” program from a narrow pilot region to the entire state, with a strong focus in southeastern Connecticut. New flood and extreme heat vulnerability mapping was developed by CIRCA and is included in the plan.

The Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan for southeastern Connecticut will continue to make the region’s communities eligible for seeking hazard mitigation assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the State of Connecticut.

The Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan for southeastern Connecticut is available for review at www.seccog.org/resil-haz.

Comments and questions regarding the Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan for southeastern Connecticut may be sent directly to SCCOG at office@seccog.org. Public comments regarding the draft will be received until March 31, 2023. Additional comments about natural hazard mitigation and climate adaptation may be provided to SCCOG at the same email address during plan implementation, over the life of the plan.

If language assistance is needed, please contact SCCOG at 860-889-2324, office@seccog.org.

Si necesita asistencia lingüística, por favor comuníquesea 860-889-2324, office@seccog.org.

如果您需要语言帮助，请致电 860-889-2324或发送电子邮件至 office@seccog.org.

Ozone/PM2.5 Air Quality Conformity Determination

Draft Metropolitan Transportation Plan 2023-2050

Notice of public hearing/comment period

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) will host two (2) public hearings to receive public comment on SCCOG’s Draft Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), the region’s long-range plan, which establishes transportation priorities from 2023 – 2050.  The plan includes the Air Quality Conformity Determination authored by the CT Department of Transportation. The Draft Metropolitan Transportation Plan 2023-2050 (2023 MTP) and Ozone/PM2.5 Air Quality Conformity Determination are available for review at www.seccog.org.

Hearings will be held via Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87205976084) Thursday, February 16th, at 1:00 pm and again at 6:00 pm. For language/disability assistance, please contact SCCOG in advance. A survey regarding transportation needs and priorities is available at https://forms.office.com/r/NWcX9vr9WJ. Comments may also be submitted via mail/email to office@seccog.org, 5 Connecticut Avenue, Norwich, CT 06360, by March 6.  

“Conformity” is a requirement of the Federal Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) Section 176(c) (42 U.S.C.7506(c)) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conformity regulations (40 CFR 93 Subpart A). These regulations require that each new Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) be demonstrated to conform to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) before an MTP and TIP is approved by the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) or accepted by the United States Department of Transportation (US DOT); the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments is an MPO. This process ensures that transportation projects in the MTP and TIP are consistent with air quality goals and that progress is made toward achieving and maintaining Federal air quality standards. A conformity determination is undertaken to estimate emissions from a transportation system and demonstrate that those emissions are within the limits outlined in State air quality implementation plans. 

Aviso de audiencia pública/período de comentarios 

El Consejo de Gobiernos del Sureste de Connecticut (SCCOG) organizará dos audiencias públicas para recibir comentarios públicos sobre el Borrador del Plan de Transporte Metropolitano (MTP) de SCCOG, el plan a largo plazo de la región, que establece las prioridades de transporte de 2023 a 2050.  El plan incluye la Determinación de Conformidad de la Calidad del Aire creada por el Departamento de Transporte de CT. El Borrador del Plan de Transporte Metropolitano 2023-2050 (2023 MTP) y la Determinación de la Conformidad de la Calidad del Aire del Ozono / PM2.5 están disponibles para su revisión en www.seccog.org. Las audiencias se llevarán a cabo a través de Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87205976084) Jueves 16 de febrero, a la 1:00 pm y nuevamente a las 6:00 pm. Para obtener asistencia lingüística / discapacidad, comuníquese con SCCOG con anticipación. Una encuesta sobre las necesidades y prioridades de transporte está disponible en https://forms.office.com/r/NWcX9vr9WJ. Los comentarios también pueden enviarse por correo electrónico office@seccog.org, a por correo postal a SCCOG 5 Connecticut Avenue, Norwich, CT 06360 antes del 6 de marzo.   

公开听证会通知/公众意见征询期 

康涅狄格州东南部政府委员会 （SCCOG） 将举办两次公开听证会，以听取公众对 SCCOG 大都市交通计划 （MTP） 草案的意见，这是该地区的长期计划，确定了 2023 年至 2050 年的交通优先事项。 该计划包括由CT交通部撰写的空气质量符合性测定。2023-2050 年大都市交通计划草案 （2023 MTP） 和臭氧/PM2.5 空气质量符合性测定可在 www.seccog.org 听证会将于 2 月 16 日星期四下午 1：00 和下午 6：00 通过 Zoom （https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87205976084)  举行。如需语言/残疾协助，请提前联系SCCOG。有关运输需求和优先事项的调查可在 xxxx 获得 https://forms.office.com/r/NWcX9vr9WJ 。评论也可以在 3 月 6 日之前通过邮件/电子邮件提交到 office@seccog.org, 5 Connecticut Avenue, Norwich, CT 06360.

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments will host a series of public workshops to inform the development of its Regional Open Space Plan. This plan will help to guide conservation and recreation decisions in the region over the coming years.

Public Workshops Flyer

Notificación de Reunione Públicos

The planned workshops will provide the public an opportunity to learn about the plan and provide direct input. The scheduled dates and locations are as follows:

Saturday, February 11th, 10:00am – 11:00am
Public Library of New London
63 Huntington St, New London, CT 06320
________________________________

Monday, February 13th, 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Zoom Video/Teleconference
Click Here to Register
Meeting ID: 854 1341 5989  |  Call-in number: +1 (929) 205 6099 US (New York)
________________________________

Wednesday, February 15th, 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Otis Library
261 Main St, Norwich, CT 06360

SCCOG is also seeking feedback through an online survey, which seeks to identify how residents use, or would like to use, open space. That can be found below.

Open Space Survey.

If information is needed in another language, contact 860-889-2324, office@seccog.org.
Si necesita información en otro idioma, llame al 860-889-2324, office@seccog.org.
如果您需要语言帮助，请致电860-889-2324或发送电子邮件至 office@seccog.org.