Printer Friendly Version - North Branford Staff, PZC, ZBA Benefit from Attending CT Land Use Law Event

Attending the March 23 event (l-r) Carey Duques, Town Planner; Trish Mase, Planning and Zoning Commissioner; Steve Kenning, Zoning Board of Appeals chairman and Tom Hogarty, Zoning Enforcement Officer.Photo Courtesy Tom Hogarty

On Saturday March 23, members of the Town of North Branford's land use office, Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) and Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) attended the biennial Connecticut Land Use Law for Municipal Land Use Agencies, Boards and Commissions.

Held at the Exley Science Center at Wesleyan University in Middletown, the event is sponsored by the Connecticut Bar Association. Over a dozen attorneys specializing in land use law volunteered their time to train local officials and staff at the all-day event.

The sell-out event, which drew 379 participants was coordinated by attorney Mark Branse of Halloran and Sage law firm headquartered in Hartford, organizer of the event for more than 20 years. To accomodate the crowd, the event was also televised for those in an overflow room.

"I look forward to this event to stay current on case law and best practices in land use," said Town Planner Carey Duques. "I am grateful to the Bar Association for their significant effort and resources to all of use in Connecut land use."

Each participant receives a text book of recent court decisions and related statutes making for useful case studies of significant issues in land use.

"The members of the Planning and Zoning Section of the Connecticut Bar Association represent all sides of the land use discussion:　 developers, land use agencies, and concerned residents," said Branse. "So we want the local land use review process to work for everyone.　 We know that these local agencies are made up of volunteers, and we want them to understand both their authority and their obligations.　 We also want staff to understand their functions so that volunteer commissions get the kind of support that they need."

Branse continued, "...the $55 per person that we charge barely covers the printing costs of the 400-plus page book that we hand out. The speakers all donate their time to update the outlines and present their topics, and the Section subsidizes other aspects of the program.　 We appreciate the dedication of local volunteers and staff and we want to help them to be effective. Without the local land use review process, our Section members would not have jobs!"