2024 Plan of Conservation and Development Update

The Town of East Hartford Development Department in conjunction with the Town's Planning and Zoning Commission is leading the adoption of the Town’s next Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD).

What is a Plan of Conservation and Development?

A Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) is an advisory document which provides the blueprint for the future of a municipality, prescribes its goals and guides its future action for the next ten years and beyond. The POCD does not specifically mandate what any Town Commission, Department, or organization is required to do, but instead, provides goals, objectives, policies, and strategies to allow the Town and its various entities to implement a coordinated long-term vision and address multiple aspects of town wide planning including economic development, natural resource protection, transportation, infrastructure, housing development, sustainability, and resiliency. The execution of the POCD is carried out by the towns staff, its boards and commissions, community groups, and private development.

Great River Park

History of the East Hartford POCD: East Hartford's last Plan of Conservation and Development was adopted in 2014 and is broken down into multiple sections including a Review of East Hartford Demographics, Land Use and Zoning, Environmental Resources, Parks Open Space and Recreation, Community Facilities, Historic Resources, Housing, Transportation and Circulation, Economic Development, Special Study Areas, Future Land Use Plan, and an Action Agenda which determines which town bodies and staff are responsible for the implementation plan. 

Timeline: A complete schedule of for the East Hartford POCD adoption can be found at the following document: POCD Schedule 2023-2024

Meetings: The Planning and Zoning Commission hosts monthly planning meetings on the second Wednesday of every month and are temporarily held at the East Hartford Community Cultural Center located at 50 Chapman Place, East Hartford. Public feedback will be requested at intervals throughout the POCD process. Updates and requests for public feedback will be posted on this page, the homepage of the Town Website, and Town social media accounts.

Online Survey 'Ideas Wall': The Online Survey and Ideas wall responses have closed. The 'Ideas Wall' is an online tool utilized to gather input from the community that will help shape the POCD and the future of East Hartford. A summary of the Ideas Wall Public Survey responses is included in the following document: Ideas Wall Summary 3/19/24

Document Links: 

Draft 2024 POCD Chapters: 

Public Workshop Dates: Public Workshop #1 was held in November 2023 in the East Hartford Senior Center. A summary of the POCD Public Workshop is available here. Future dates will be announced on the Town Website and the Planning and Zoning Commission webpage. 

Questions or inquiries about the 2024 Draft POCD can be directed to Steve Hnatuk, Deputy Development Director at shnatuk@easthartfordct.gov . 

2024 POCD Workshop Photo