INTERVIEW WITH A PLANNER

A DISCUSSION WITH LINDA FARMER, AICP, Tolland Town Planner
by Melissa Pierce
Question: In most towns and at the state level, the POCD is mostly focused on development, rather than conservation/preservation. Do you believe that your town is similar?
Answer: Planimetrics designed Tolland’s most recent POCD which was adopted in November 2009. In Tolland’s case, the focus isn’t on development but conservation. One of the three main points of the POCD are environmental sustainability, economic responsibility, and contextual integrity. Tolland has drafted a separate Conservation Plan that was attached to previous POCD’s but is now a free standing document.
. . . There are maps that outline the “visual resources” in town such as scenic views and historic buildings. . . . .As the plan is new not all of these initiatives have been implemented but there are committees and societies (such as the Historic District Commission which regulates the town green and a separate Historic Society) have made these goals a priority.

Question: How do the state POCD and the General Statutes affect planning in Tolland and at the local level in general? What are the affects on regional planning? Do you feel that state regulations are overarching and sometimes overshadow town initiatives?
Answer: There are actually few planners at the state level despite how much unanticipated authority the state has. “The state has imposed a ‘one size fits all’ mentality on communities when life is not so black and white.” . . . . State regulations don’t often incorporate regional planning . . . resulting in little to no regional government or planning authority. This is unfortunate as there is little connectivity between towns and regions of Connecticut. . . . There are more options for planners in other states that have the mentality of working together and seeing a larger picture.
Question: What advice can you give to young planners?
Answer: Do research on better ways to do things because today planning is changing constantly. This was not always the case but we have learned from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s how to not mess things up anymore. We know how to make our spaces better. We know where to put higher densities but also know that this doesn’t work in every place. It’s important to look at examples outside of the United State of America. Places in Asia and Europe and others are way ahead of planners in the US. In Germany for example, there were PUD’s in the early 1990s that worked and worked well. Stay connected and educated and look to other planners and other organizations to continue learning. Regional planning groups like CRCOG are great resources as they gather information and send it to planner through various forums.