Department Mission:
The Planning and Development Department contains the offices that deal with any issue related to new building and development questions or applications. The Department offices include: the Town Planner, the Building Official, the Zoning Enforcement Officer, the Wetlands Agent, and the Water Pollution Control Administrator. The Department works closely with and coordinates with the Chatham Health District and the Hebron Fire Marshal.
The combination of planning and development offices under one Department provides for a coordination of review and approval of building and development projects in Town. Any question relating to planning, zoning, conservation, building, septic, well and sewers can be effectively answered within the Department. The Department coordinates development review with weekly staff meetings with potential developers and builders to provide for a coordinated and efficient review of their proposals.
 
Planning Activities Update:
This section of the website is created to keep Hebron Residents up to date on Planning activities that are happening and on-going in Town. We will endeavor to keep this section current with the most recent and significant planning project that affect the Town. Please contact us if there are questions, or suggestions on any of these projects. - Hebron Center Study - Housing For Economic Growth:
The Planning and Zoning Commission, through a $20,000 grant secured under the Housing for Economic Growth program, has been working with two consultants, Dennis Goderre – a Landscape Architect from Goderre and Associates and Mark Branse, Esq. from Branse, Willis & Knapp, LLC, in looking at a wide range of planning and zoning and economic development issues surrounding Hebron Center and future growth in the Center. The consultants are drafting zoning regulations for the Commission to consider to encourage future growth and development in Hebron Center. The goal is to create more economic development opportunities in a way that supports a more vibrant, walkable and mixed use Main Street. This was one of the strong opinions that came from Hebron residents through the UCONN Charrette process that was conducted last year. One of the tasks that the consultants are providing is a new document containing design guidelines for the commercial areas and multi-family residential areas that will provide more specific guidance to future development in Hebron. The goal is to provide for new development but in a way that is consistent with Hebron’s New England small town character. In this effort, a Visual Preference Survey was conducted which provided valuable information to the Town. For more information on the site, go to the Study website: www.hebroncenterstudy.com - Plan of Conservation and Development Update
The Planning and Zoning Commission is now in the process of updating the Town's Plan of Conservation and Development. This was last accomplished in 2004, and State law requires that this be updated at least every ten years. Click on the button above to look at our 2004 Plan of Conservation and Development, and click on the other button to get more information on the update process and how you can have input. : The Town of Hebron and its Economic Development Commission has hired Peter Fairweather, of Fairweather Consulting, to conduct a Market Study of Hebron's Business District. Over a number of years, the Town of Hebron has made a commitment to reinvest in Hebron Center to create a successful, dynamic, and walkable Town center. This study will take another step in that process. The work will identify potential commercial uses that could be attracted to, or expanded in, Hebron. This will involve an analysis of the existing market potential in Hebron and the surrounding area, and an exercise to “benchmark” Hebron against other downtown centers to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of Hebron Center. The final result of this study will be to identify the types of uses for which Hebron Center has a competitive advantage and then to define an action plan to attract those uses to the Center. Over the past several weeks, the consultant has reached out to businesses and other stakeholders including a discussion at the April 24th Hebron Business Breakfast Networking Meeting to seek their input. A Public Information Meeting on the Market Study was held on May 8th at the Douglas Library for residents to provided input. Also, a website has been established for the study where you can learn more about this important effort, read reports as they are completed, and provide input. The website is www.hebronmarketstudy.com - Town Receives an Open Space Acquisition Grant
The Open Space Land Acquisition Committee submitted a grant application on behalf of the Town under the Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program, to assist with the acquisition of a key 50 acres parcel of open space next to the Raymond Brook Marsh. This application was endorsed by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Conservation Commission. The State of CT and the Town of Hebron have been very active in acquiring open space and resource protection parcels in and around the Raymond Brook Marsh for many years. The Raymond Brook Marsh is identified in Hebron’s Plan of Conservation and Development as a key area of the Raymond Brook Greenway that is identified for protection and acquisition. The actions taken by the State and Town over the years has resulted in most of the Marsh area now being in either State or Town ownership. This $165,000 grant opens the way for acquisition, and is the largest parcel in the Marsh remaining in private ownership. - Hebron's Historic Peters House
The Peters House, at the entrance to Burnt Hill Park, is slowly returning to its early magnificent appearance. All who have passed 150 East Street since late last summer have noticed the restoration of the exterior of this historic house, including new paint, restored trim, new roof, re-pointed chimneys, and new and restored windows. The work to date has been funded through a State of Connecticut STEAP (Small Town Economic Assistance Program) Grant which was applied for by the Planning Department, and another grant provided by the 1772 Foundation. To continue the restoration, the Town of Hebron is working with the Historic Properties Commission to coordinate the volunteer phase on the interior of the house. There will be tasks appropriate for individuals at all levels of expertise. The first jobs available will include the removal of kitchen cabinets, the demolition of some modern paneling as well as added wall partitions, and the removal of tacks & nails from added floor coverings. Following the demolition stage, volunteers will be offered the chance to spackle, paint, restore flooring, complete wainscot, re-point masonry, and probably work on exterior yard and garden beautification. For more experienced craftspeople, there will be the opportunity to construct a staircase, to replace boards and molding around fireplaces, and to make other structural alterations. As work continues, it is our hope that individuals from other professional areas (heating/air conditioning, plumbing, electrical work, etc.) will group together to offer their services to the Historic Peters House. The Historic Properties Commission is currently collecting names of interested volunteers. After that, dates will be set for Training Sessions. Look for our posters, flyers and sign-up opportunities or contact a member of the Historic Properties Commission.
Professor John Alexopoulos from the UCONN School of Landscape Architecture and his junior and senior Landscape Architecture students have completed a three part Main Street Charrette process with Hebron Residents. This process collected the ideas and vision of Hebron residents about our Main Street and how it should look in the future. Click here to review their final presentation.
- Main Street Improvements / New Economic Development Grant:
Through two different STEAP grant awards, the Town has funded the construction of sidewalks along the north side of Main Street, has added street tree plantings along Main Street, constructed a new "Welcome to Hebron" sign at the east entrance to the business district, and funded contributions to a number of local businesses to improve the facades of their buildings. These businesses include: Gina Marie's, Ace Hardware, Countryside Realty, Hebron Eye Care and Something Simple Cafe. The Town was recently notified that we have been awarded another grant in the amount of $500,000 for additional Main Street improvements. The Planning staff wrote this grant application to fund additional parking improvements for Main Street businesses as well as public uses and public events. The grant will also fund important safety and pedestrian improvements in the Main Street business area. We have seen some major improvements along Main Street over the past few years funded in large part through grants secured through the State's Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP). - Salmon River Partnership:
The Town of Hebron along with nine other towns in the Salmon River watershed have entered into a Partnership with the Nature Conservancy in a multi-year effort to take actions to preserve and protect the water quality of the Salmon River that all these towns share. One of the first products of the Partnership is a "Salmon River Watershed Municipal Land Use Evaluation Project". This report reviews and makes recommendations on land use regulations and public works maintenance practices of all towns in the Watershed. The Partnership will be sponsoring workshops throughout the Watershed towns in the next several months.
For a full copy of the Salmon River Watershed Municipal Land Use Evaluation Project report, please Click Here. |  |
