Land Use

The Connecticut Housing Data Hub provides users the ability to explore several categories of state- and town-wide housing data over time. Available data on the dashboard includes permitting, housing stock, rent burden, and housing programs.

The Long Island Sound Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Team is excited to announce that for our 2024 Annual Workshop we are holding a series of virtual sessions over two days focused on our assistance programs, new regional resilience resources and tools, and a discussion on planning for inundation and different considerations communities may face.

Session 3 – Planning for Inundation 

Join us on Wednesday, December 11th from 10 AM-12 PM to hear from communities and regional entities that are considering different aspects of planning for inundation, including buyout programs, land use policies, and community perspectives on retreat/relocation.

The Long Island Sound Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Team is excited to announce that for our 2024 Annual Workshop we are holding a series of virtual sessions over two days focused on our assistance programs, new regional resilience resources and tools, and a discussion on planning for inundation and different considerations communities may face.

Session 2 – Resilience Tools

Join us on Tuesday, December 10th from 1:30-3:30 PM to learn about new Resilience Tools being developed and used throughout coastal Long Island Sound!

The Long Island Sound Sustainable and Resilient Communities (SRC) Team is excited to announce that for our 2024 Annual Workshop we are holding a series of virtual sessions over two days focused on our assistance programs, new regional resilience resources and tools, and a discussion on planning for inundation and different considerations communities may face.

Session 1 – SRC Resilience Assistance Programs

Join us on Tuesday, December 10th from 10-11:30 AM to learn about our Sustainable and Resilient Communities resilience assistance programs and hear from communities who have successfully utilized them to advance resilience project plans, build capacity, and/or secure competitive grant funding!

The Rooting Resilience Program will provide funding and technical assistance to community-based projects that build resilience and enhance communities’ abilities to plan and carry out forestry projects. This opportunity is available for projects located in federally designated disadvantaged communities, including urban, suburban, and rural communities in the United States and its territories. Special priority will be given to community-led groups that are seeking federal funding for the first time.

Join us at the Nassau County Coastal Resilience Forum for an opportunity to connect, learn and be inspired! 

The event is hosted by Long Island Sound Study and New York Sea Grant, in partnership with the Sands Point Preserve Conservancy and Nassau and Suffolk Soil and Water Conservation Districts.  

This forum will bring together state and local decision makers, municipal staff, and other interested parties working to address flooding, shoreline erosion and other coastal issues. The goal of these forums is to share information on best practices, discuss challenges, identify opportunities to increase resilience, and enhance coordination across communities. You will hear presentations from state, regional, and local partners about planning for sea level rise, coastal monitoring, and resilience techniques and case studies. In the afternoon, there will be a guided walking tour of the resilience projects at Sands Point Preserve! More detailed information will be provided closer to the date.

Date: Monday, October 28th, 2024 (rain or shine)

Time: 9:15 AM-3:30 PM

Location: Sands Point Preserve Conservancy – Castle Gould, Great Hall

127 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point, New York 11050

Register by October 23rd. Contact sarahschaefer-brown@cornell.edu for more information.

Included: Refreshments and lunch will be provided. The Preserve admission fee will be waived for participants.

We can also reimburse travel expenses up to $150/person (for those that do not have travel budgets through their employers) on a first come first serve basis. 

*The event is intended as a learning experience for adults 18 years of age or older. 

The program comprises three full-day sessions from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm scheduled for September 27, October 4, and October 18 with sessions taking place at the Suffolk County Water Authority Education Center, 260 Motor Parkway in Hauppauge, NY 11788.  

If you would like to participate, you must commit to attending all 3 days. 

Details:

Due to the generous support of the Long Island Sound Study and New York Sea Grant, Pace University’s Land Use Law Center will bring a unique training program to New York municipalities within the Long Island Sound. The curriculum for this program will emphasize the land use system, innovative approaches to sea level rise adaptation, economic development, hazard mitigation, and natural resource protection to strengthen community planning, regulation, and informed decision-making. Best management practices and technical assistance and community engagement on land use planning and regulation will also be provided.

The Land Use Leadership Alliance Training Program (LULA) is designed to help leaders along the Long Island coast create new networks of support, identify successful land use techniques, and develop implementable local strategies that will enable a more resilient future for the region.

The program will be conducted by the Land Use Law Center of Pace Law School, one of the country’s preeminent groups dedicated to fostering the development of sustainable communities through the promotion of innovative land use strategies and collaborative decision-making techniques. The program will be offered free of charge and will provide continuing legal education credits for attorneys and satisfies the four hour training requirement for local board members. CM credits are being requested, as well.

We’d love to have your community participate in the program. We are looking for at least 2-3 local leaders from your community to attend the program.

If you are interested please email lisresilience@gmail.com.

The program comprises three full-day sessions from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm scheduled for September 27, October 4, and October 18 with sessions taking place at the Suffolk County Water Authority Education Center, 260 Motor Parkway in Hauppauge, NY 11788.  

If you would like to participate, you must commit to attending all 3 days. 

Details:

Due to the generous support of the Long Island Sound Study and New York Sea Grant, Pace University’s Land Use Law Center will bring a unique training program to New York municipalities within the Long Island Sound. The curriculum for this program will emphasize the land use system, innovative approaches to sea level rise adaptation, economic development, hazard mitigation, and natural resource protection to strengthen community planning, regulation, and informed decision-making. Best management practices and technical assistance and community engagement on land use planning and regulation will also be provided.

The Land Use Leadership Alliance Training Program (LULA) is designed to help leaders along the Long Island coast create new networks of support, identify successful land use techniques, and develop implementable local strategies that will enable a more resilient future for the region.

The program will be conducted by the Land Use Law Center of Pace Law School, one of the country’s preeminent groups dedicated to fostering the development of sustainable communities through the promotion of innovative land use strategies and collaborative decision-making techniques. The program will be offered free of charge and will provide continuing legal education credits for attorneys and satisfies the four hour training requirement for local board members. CM credits are being requested, as well.

We’d love to have your community participate in the program. We are looking for at least 2-3 local leaders from your community to attend the program.

If you are interested please email lisresilience@gmail.com.

The program comprises three full-day sessions from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm scheduled for September 27, October 4, and October 18 with sessions taking place at the Suffolk County Water Authority Education Center, 260 Motor Parkway in Hauppauge, NY 11788.  

If you would like to participate, you must commit to attending all 3 days. 

Details:

Due to the generous support of the Long Island Sound Study and New York Sea Grant, Pace University’s Land Use Law Center will bring a unique training program to New York municipalities within the Long Island Sound. The curriculum for this program will emphasize the land use system, innovative approaches to sea level rise adaptation, economic development, hazard mitigation, and natural resource protection to strengthen community planning, regulation, and informed decision-making. Best management practices and technical assistance and community engagement on land use planning and regulation will also be provided.

The Land Use Leadership Alliance Training Program (LULA) is designed to help leaders along the Long Island coast create new networks of support, identify successful land use techniques, and develop implementable local strategies that will enable a more resilient future for the region.

The program will be conducted by the Land Use Law Center of Pace Law School, one of the country’s preeminent groups dedicated to fostering the development of sustainable communities through the promotion of innovative land use strategies and collaborative decision-making techniques. The program will be offered free of charge and will provide continuing legal education credits for attorneys and satisfies the four hour training requirement for local board members. CM credits are being requested, as well.

We’d love to have your community participate in the program. We are looking for at least 2-3 local leaders from your community to attend the program.

If you are interested please email lisresilience@gmail.com.

The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development (OBRD) announced multiple funding availability notices under Round 20:

1. Municipal Grant Program – Remediation & Limited-Assessment (up to $4M)
2. Municipal Grant Program – Assessment-Only (up to $200K)
3. Targeted Brownfield Development Loan Program (up to $4M)

The total funding amount available for all Round 20 notices is $25 million.

The Connecticut Land Conservation Council’s Transaction Assistance Grant (TAG) Program seeks to accelerate the pace of land conservation by providing financial assistance to land trusts for transaction-related project costs. TAG responds to immediate conservation needs and is designed to get funding on the ground efficiently and effectively. Applications for TAG grants are accepted monthly, with applications due on the last day of a given month as long as funds are available.

This fact sheet for Conservation Commissions in Connecticut reviews the role of these commissions for enhancing the climate resilience of their communities. The resource was developed by CIRCA and covers the authority and duties of conservation commissions as well as detailing specific strategies and approaches.

WEST COG developed this riparian zoning publication that is primarily focused on water quality, but also is highly relevant to climate mitigation.

Awards small grants in support of grassroots efforts and community-based environmental work in New England. The Grassroots Fund utilizes participatory grantmaking to move resources to New England grassroots groups working at the intersections of Environmental Justice. The program is geared toward groups who have some experience implementing a project in their community. Grants support groups to deepen their work by further developing a community vision, lowering barriers to participation, identifying new stakeholders, and working to bring more voices and lived experiences into core decision-making processes.

Supports the development of urban agriculture and innovative production activities by funding Planning Projects and Implementation Projects led by nonprofit organizations, local or Tribal governments, and schools.

The Climate Smart Land Stewardship Grants is a new fund for land trusts offered by the Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) with support from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture. This program will award $500,000 over multiple years for both planning and implementation grants. In 2024, grants will be awarded quarterly.

The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program was established in 2014 and is funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. ORLP is a nationally competitive, dollar-for-dollar matching grant program. It was created to aid disadvantaged, urban communities that lack access to close-by outdoor recreation. Funds can be used for the acquisition and/or development of, or substantial renovation of, public parks and other outdoor recreation spaces.

Projects may include any or all manner of outdoor recreation activities such as hiking, camping, unstructured play, picnicking, cycling, field and court sports, fishing, bird watching, swimming pools, paddling, and skating, as well as for outdoor recreation facilities and some supporting facilities and infrastructure like restrooms/bathhouses, or parking areas, when part of an overall recreation project.

Congressionally Directed Spending requests, also known as Community Project Funding or Earmarks, are funding requests for high-impact, Connecticut-based projects that can be completed with assistance from the federal government. The project must meet the eligibility requirements for at least one of the accounts listed.

The primary goal of the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant (NCWCG) Program is the long‐term conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems. The program is designed to acquire, restore, and enhance wetlands in coastal areas through competitive matching grants to eligible State agencies.

The Small Grants Program provides funding for land conservation projects that provide protection of rare or uncommon native plant species or natural communities, or areas of high native diversity. We will also consider habitat improvement projects, protection of open space in low-income and urban communities, and assistance with fund-raising for projects that meet the above criteria.

The Working Lands Climate Corps will provide technical training and career pathway opportunities for young people, helping them deliver economic benefits through climate-smart agriculture solutions for farmers and ranchers across the country, now and in the future. The Working Lands Climate Corps is part of the American Climate Corps, a workforce training and service initiative that is working to ensure more young people have access to the skills-based training needed for good paying careers in the clean energy and climate resilience economy.

New York Sea Grant and Connecticut Sea Grant are providing grant preparation and writing capacity to New York and Connecticut communities that are pursuing funding for sustainability and resilience-focused projects. This technical assistance program helps municipalities and community organizations develop successful grant proposals and develop capacity for navigating the funding landscape. 

The Climate Resilience Grant Program (CRGP) offers grants for projects that contribute to a world where people and nature can thrive. The goal of the program is to support partners in protecting the lands and waters critical for adapting to climate change. As climate change drives ecosystem instability, plants and animals are shifting their ranges northward. TNC has resources to support the conservation of climate resilient lands.

The Climate Smart Land Stewardship Grants is a new fund for land trusts offered by the Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) with support from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture. This program will award $500,000 over multiple years for both planning and implementation grants. In 2024, grants will be awarded quarterly.

Guidance and training modules for Connecticut Zoning changes to address climate vulnerabilities. On the website there are examples of zoning policies municipalities could modify and/or adopt to enhance local climate resilience. Where applicable, model ordinances and examples of where the policies have been adopted are included.

Keep Forests Healthy: A Tool to Assess Resilience, Health & Productivity was developed by Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, and The Nature Conservancy Central and Western New York Chapter to enable landowners to assess how their forest may be affected by changing climate conditions. This tool can help landowners identify potential risks to forests and highlight forest management options that may increase the ability of a forest to cope with the pressure of changing conditions. The document identifies 16 characteristics that may increase or decrease the risk of harm to a forest in a changing climate, which can then be discussed with a professional to plan forest management activities.

The Long Island Sound Watershed Land Cover Viewer contains all dates of land cover as well as Change To, Change From, Riparian Area Land Cover, and Impervious Surface Estimate layers. It also has many layers where HUC 12 watersheds are colored based on a single land cover. 

Connecticut Environmental Conditions Online (CT ECO) is the collaborative work of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)  and the University of Connecticut Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) to share environmental and natural resource information with the general public. CT ECO’s mission is to encourage, support, and promote informed land use and development decisions in Connecticut by providing local, state and federal agencies, and the general public with convenient access to the most up-to-date and complete natural resource information available statewide.

CT ECO includes a variety of online maps and tools for viewing Connecticut’s environmental and natural resources as well as high resolution aerial imagery, elevation data, and land cover. The Advanced Map Viewer provides flexibility to turn on and off layers of the map.

To better understand how Connecticut’s coastal area marshes and roads may respond to sea level rise (SLR), Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) was applied to Connecticut’s shoreline by Warren Pinnacle Consulting, Inc. This viewer displays the model’s results for Connecticut’s 21 largest marshes and all coastal area roads. For marshes, SLAMM was run two hundred times using alternative model inputs for key model parameters, including various SLR scenarios, to produce probability based results of likely future marsh conditions. For roads, the model uses a single SLR scenario of about 4.2 feet by 2100 from the base year of 2002. The Sea Level Rise Effects on Roads and Marshes projects is a project between CT DEEP and UConn CLEAR.

The LINAP Embayment Water Exchange Study looked at how water exchange practices could affect the nitrogen impairments in embayments. A water exchange practice changes the amount, speed, or direction of water moving through an area. The results of the study show that water exchange techniques are not effective in large waterbodies like most of Long Island’s embayments. Often, the physical size of the water exchange practice is small compared to the large waterbodies to which they are applied, which means their impact is limited. Water exchange projects may be useful, however, for smaller Long Island waterbodies, where the volume of increased water exchange approaches the volume of the overall waterbody. The goal of the study was to provide communities with basic information on water exchange practices suitable for Long Island.

This NYSDEC funding through the NYS Environmental Protection Fund is for municipalities to acquire private land and establish new or extend existing community forests through the use of fee title or conservation easements on areas of 10 acres or more.

This NYSDEC grant program supports the regeneration of forests so they may continue to deliver vital services such as mitigating climate change, protecting air and water quality, and supporting the economy. Through this cost share reimbursement program, landowners can apply for reimbursement of projects on their land that support the establishment and renewal of healthy forests.

Projects must meet one or more of the follow criteria in Nassau County:
a. Conserve or improve soils
b. Improve water quality of our groundwater and/or surface water
c. Control and prevent soil erosion and/or prevent floodwater and sediment damages
d. Conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water
e. Preserve, increase, or improve natural resources including trees and plants
f. Control or eliminate invasive plants or wildlife
g. Control and abate NPS water pollution
h. Preserve wildlife

Local Waterfront Revitalization Program provides grants to municipalities along New York’s coasts or designated inland waterways to advance the preparation or implementation of strategies for community and waterfront revitalization through the following grant categories: 1) Preparing or Updating a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP), 2) Updating an LWRP to be more Resilient to Climate Risk,s 3) Preparing an LWRP Component, including a Watershed Management Plan, and 4) Implementing a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program or a completed LWRP Component.

The Green Fund seeks innovative proposals from committed organizations and individuals for activities that advance our mission which is to promote environmental quality, public health and equity in our community by providing grants and other incentives that contribute to a more environmentally sustainable future and reduce air, water and land pollution.

The National Audubon Society, Inc., through its state office, Audubon Connecticut, is the “sponsor” of a Connecticut “In Lieu Fee” (ILF) program. The program allows permittees to pay a fee in lieu of taking on mitigation themselves. Instead, local organizations like land trusts, and other environmental nonprofits, are given the opportunity to apply for and receive grant funding for the preservation, restoration, and enhancement of wetland and watercourse resources and associated upland buffers in the State of Connecticut.

DEEP was awarded this funding from the EPA under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to administer to brownfield sites in Connecticut to perform environmental assessment and cleanup activities.

The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s (DECD) Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development (OBRD) announced funding availability under Round 18. The purpose of the Municipal Grant Program as per C.G.S Section 32-763, is to provide grants for brownfield remediation and redevelopment. OBRD has also simultaneously announced the availability of funding under the Targeted Brownfield Development Loan and the Assessment-only Grant Program.

The Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition (OSWA) Grant Program provides financial assistance to municipalities and nonprofit land conservation organizations to acquire land for open space, and to water companies to acquire land to be classified as Class I or Class II water supply property.

The Connecticut Society for Women Environmental Professionals Grant Program provides funding for local projects in Connecticut that benefit the environment. Grants of up to $2,000 will be awarded. Any application meeting the grant guidelines that is not successful in one cycle may reapply during any following cycle. The applications will be judged based on the environmental benefits of each project, in comparison to others. “Environmental benefits” can vary widely and successful applications have ranged from property clean-ups to environmental education.

This year, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP)’s Recreational Trails Program will make $10 million available to improve Connecticut’s trail infrastructure, which has seen significant usage increases since the onset of the pandemic. This grant program aims to help support communities managing the trail usage increases that have endured as more residents and visitors become familiar with the more than 2,500 miles of multi-use trails and greenways that crisscross the state.

Awards small grants in support of grassroots efforts and community-based environmental work in New England. The Grassroots Fund utilizes participatory grantmaking to move resources to New England grassroots groups working at the intersections of Environmental Justice. The program is geared toward groups who have some experience implementing a project in their community. Grants support groups to deepen their work by further developing a community vision, lowering barriers to participation, identifying new stakeholders, and working to bring more voices and lived experiences into core decision-making processes.

The State Urban Forest Resilience Grant Program supports efforts to restore and improve urban forests lost due to catastrophic losses from Emerald Ash Borer and other pests and diseases while building resiliency through tree diversity and the protection of existing trees. Funds can be used for management and reforestation including tree planting and tree removals.

Through the Inflation Reduction Act, historic funding is available to municipalities, nonprofits, and other eligible organizations to increase equitable access to trees and the benefits they provide in disadvantaged communities throughout Connecticut.

Grants are awarded for projects that address Nonpoint Source impacts in surface waters including creation and implementation of approved Watershed Based Plans.

Sustainable CT’s Community Match Fund is an innovative program that provides fast, flexible funding and support for engaging your community on wide-ranging sustainability projects. Eligible projects receive dollar-for-dollar matching funds from Sustainable CT.

The NEP Coastal Watersheds Grant Program is a nationally competitive grants program designed to support projects that address urgent and challenging issues threatening the well-being of coastal and estuarine areas within determined estuaries of national significance.

CIG On-Farm Trials projects feature collaboration between NRCS and partners to implement on-the-ground conservation activities and then evaluate their impact. Incentive payments are provided to producers to offset the risk of implementing innovative approaches.  The Soil Health Demonstration (SHD) Trial component of On-Farm Trials focuses exclusively on the implementation of conservation practices and systems that improve soil health.   A critical element of each On-Farm Trials project is the project evaluation. Partners must propose robust scientific approaches to their On-Farm Trials, resulting in data and analyses of the environmental, financial, and to the extent possible, social impacts of the trials.  

Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) is a competitive program that supports the development of new tools, approaches, practices, and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands. Through creative problem solving and innovation, CIG partners work to address our nation’s water quality, air quality, soil health and wildlife habitat challenges, all while improving agricultural operations.

The U.S. Small Grants Program is a competitive, matching grants program that supports public-private partnerships carrying out projects in the United States that further the goals of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). These projects must involve long-term protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of wetlands and associated uplands habitats for the benefit of all wetlands-associated migratory birds.

The National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program annually provides grants of up to $1 million to coastal and Great Lakes states, as well as U.S. territories to protect, restore and enhance coastal wetland ecosystems and associated uplands. Eligible projects include the acquisition of real property interest in coastal lands or waters and the restoration, enhancement, or management of coastal wetlands ecosystems.

Intended to streamline grant funding opportunities for new conservation and restoration projects around the U.S., the America the Beautiful Challenge consolidates funding from multiple federal agencies and the private sector to enable applicants to conceive and develop large-scale projects that address shared funder priorities and span public and private lands.

NFWF will award up to $140 million in grants to create and restore natural systems in order to increase protection for communities from coastal hazards, such as storms, sea- and lake-level changes, inundation, and coastal erosion, while improving habitats for fish and wildlife species. NFWF prioritizes projects that are community led or incorporate direct community engagement and benefit underserved communities facing disproportionate harm from climate impacts.

The NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Habitat Protection and Restoration Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Competition will fund designated Reserve agencies and universities to conduct land acquisition and habitat restoration projects that support the NERRS mission. NOAA will strengthen protection of key land and water areas, improve climate resilience, enhance long-term protection of Reserve areas for research and education, and support the habitat protection goals and priorities of the National Coastal Zone Management Act.

The Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF) will be seeking proposals to restore the health and living resources of Long Island Sound (Sound) with approximately $12 million in funding in 2024. The program is managed by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Long Island Sound Study (LISS). Major funding is from EPA through the LISS with additional funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Avangrid Foundation.

The U.S. Standard Grants Program is a competitive, matching grants program that supports public-private partnerships carrying out projects in the United States that further the goals of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). These projects must involve long-term protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of wetlands and associated uplands habitats for the benefit of all wetlands-associated migratory birds.