Wilton’s Plan of Conservation and Development: Are Town Officials “Pulling in the Same Direction”?

In 2019, Wilton adopted a sweeping plan for achieving a long-term vision for the Town — otherwise known as the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD).

As mandated by the state, the POCD is updated every 10 years. It was intended to drive land use and other economic development decisions until it is formally updated and revised in 2029. Now midway through that cycle — and at a time of booming interest from developers, especially for multifamily housing — some town officials are suggesting the Town would benefit from a process to review the Plan in order to continue moving forward with a common set of goals and aspirations.

Is the POCD still the touchstone that guides Wilton’s boards and commissions? Thus far, how effective has Wilton been in making progress toward POCD goals? Have priorities changed along with new leadership or new residents (including the large, post-pandemic influx of new Wiltonians)? Are new residents even aware of what the POCD’s goals are?

Those are just some of the big questions that GMW has observed Wilton’s town officials confronting in recent weeks, as they face imminent critical decisions about development projects (namely 131 Danbury Rd.) that will have significant implications for Wilton’s future. GMW is taking a closer look at why the POCD has become such a timely topic.

For reference, the 2019 POCD is posted in its entirety on the Town website, along with a summary of its vision and goals.

About the POCD

A POCD is not unique to Wilton. State statutes require every municipality to prepare and adopt a plan that addresses the Town’s conditions, priorities and goals.

The 2019 effort was led by Wilton’s Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) —under then-chair Scott Lawrence and then-vice-chair (now current chair) Rick Tomasetti — along with a POCD working group representing all of Wilton’s key boards (finance, education, conservation, historic properties, wetlands, parks and recreation, etc.) and other town staff.

Community involvement in the process was paramount. The Town retained an outside consulting firm, which created a dedicated website for the project along with a social media presence to keep the public informed and engaged. In all, the 18-month process consisted of at least six community forums, as well as workshops open to the public on topics that ranged from land use to transportation, community facilities, village districts, open spaces, historic preservation, cultural resources and more.

The process also included a professionally conducted survey of 2,200 residents focused on key issues and desired priorities.

As detailed in the final report, the effort was comprehensive and produced an agreed-upon “blueprint” for strategically moving forward:

“Together, Town leaders, stakeholders, and individuals brought a wealth and diversity of knowledge, expertise and perspective in developing this Plan. The vision, goals, and objectives formulated in this POCD result from careful consideration of the data, expert analysis, and public input collected alongside the many vigorous and thoughtful discussions amongst residents and decision-makers, all of whom remain committed to enhancing Wilton’s future.”

“This [POCD] sets forth the community’s forward-looking vision for Wilton’s development during the next 10 years and beyond. It sets that vision by reflecting on what Wilton is today and what it wants to be” and provides “a blueprint [for] achieving community goals and capitalizing on opportunities affecting development, conservation, the economy and resident quality of life.”

The Plan reflected three “overarching themes”:

“Wilton will preserve and protect its natural resources, rural areas, and historic resources; and, provide residents with access to high quality open spaces, and recreational opportunities. The Town will continue to be a state leader in sustainability and conservation efforts.”

“Wilton will support diverse housing types while protecting its low-density residential neighborhoods. The Town will maintain its high quality schools, town facilities, and services, and will foster a sense of community.”

“Wilton will pursue attractive and appropriate development that increases the vibrancy of its village centers and commercial corridors, while preserving its historic character. High quality transportation and utility infrastructure will support both residents and the business community.” 2019 Plan of Conservation and Development

The Plan identified specific goals for each theme while recognizing that the future can be unpredictable: “The priority and timeline of goals may change in light of shifting economic, demographic, policy, and data trends or real-world conditions.”

It also made clear that “the lasting value of this Plan resides [in] the commitment of a variety of boards and commissions, agencies and stakeholders to implement the strategies identified.”

“Taking Stock”

Selectman Bas Nabulsi, a former P&Z commissioner and a key participant in the 2019 POCD process, first recommended an effort to evaluate progress on POCD goals in September 2022. He considered it a top priority for the Board of Selectmen (BOS).

At that time, he reminded the BOS that the POCD was intended to have interim progress updates.

“The POCD contemplated that there be a reconvening of the various parties that were involved in the POCD development to assess where they are, to discuss any obstacles that have been encountered, and make any adjustments that are necessary” in order to keep the POCD on track, Nabulsi said.

As noted in the POCD report, the working group “recognized the need for persistent stewardship” over the Plan and recommended the creation of a Plan Implementation Committee (PIC) to be responsible for “shepherding specific objectives forward and periodically taking stock of the progress achieved.”

The POCD even recommended a PIC should meet “at least semiannually” — but it never materialized.

As a starting point, Nabulsi suggested requesting each of the various town boards and commissions to report its status on the specific tasks assigned in the POCD. He believed that the process itself could be “invigorating” for current boards and commissions — especially for those members who weren’t part of the original POCD process — and renew a sense of commitment to the POCD goals.

Nabulsi took some preliminary steps to organize an effort, but the process later stalled.

In October 2023, shortly before leaving office, then-First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice issued a report summarizing progress in key areas.

“The Plan’s economic development focus and messaging helped move the needle on what had otherwise been sluggish growth,” Vanderslice wrote, citing accomplishments such as Wilton’s growing “medical corridor” and success in redeveloping a number of underperforming office spaces, such as 141 Danbury Rd. (now apartments under construction) and 20 Westport Rd. (expansion by ASML), among other examples.

Her report went on to highlight many POCD action steps that were completed, such as the Wilton Center Master Plan; a pedestrian bridge between the train station and Wilton Center; new requirements for affordable housing components in multifamily applications; a needs assessment for school and municipal facility upgrades; improvements near River Rd. along the Norwalk River; and more.

“Revisit and Reacquaint”

Recently, Nabulsi raised the importance of the POCD again. At the Tuesday, Feb. 20 BOS meeting, he referred to Vanderslice’s report as “very helpful” but not the sort of implementation review conceived in the Plan.

Alluding to some recent events (presumably including the Water Pollution Control Authority‘s debate about 131 Danbury Rd. and Wilton’s approach to development), Nabulsi urged town leaders to “reacquaint” themselves with the POCD.

“It does feel like the town would benefit from a discussion around the [POCD],” Nabulsi said. “I think that the value of having some sort of an exercise to revisit and reacquaint ourselves with what the Plan is will allow us then to all be pushing and pulling in the same direction.”

The impromptu discussion that ensued offered a glimpse into the selectmen’s views. [Note: Second Selectman Josh Cole was not at the meeting.]

First Selectman Toni Boucher seemed to agree with Nabulsi’s suggestion, and added that public input should be included.

“I think you raise a good point,” Boucher said. “The entire public should be invited, not just an insular group of members of various boards that often speak to themselves, versus listening to the public.”

She mentioned that she had heard “an earful” from residents opposed to new housing developments. Nabulsi agreed that public opinion could be part of the dialogue.

Selectman Kim Healy also felt changes in public opinions would be important to understand, but noted that the POCD was the definitive assessment of public opinion for planning purposes.

“We also need to remember, we talk about the POCD all the time. That is, or was at least at that time, the opinion of our townspeople. [The POCD] reflect[ed] exactly what the people of Wilton want,” Healy said. “I think there’s no way to really update it until it’s time to update it.”

When Healy referred to the Plan’s finding that a majority of residents favored more diverse housing development, Boucher asked, “But what was the type of housing they were professing? And is that what we’re [doing]?”

Nabulsi responded, “I think it’s fair to say that the projects that the developers have brought to the town in recent memory align with what the [POCD] contemplated.”

Selectman Ross Tartell also reiterated the POCD’s housing goals, as “part of making a town that’s vibrant,” with new development focused in Wilton Center and along Danbury Rd., and balanced with a goal to retain the Town’s “nature.”

“The POCD said that there needs to be diversified housing, so that seniors can downsize, [so] we have workforce housing, [so] we have affordable housing, [so] new people moving in can actually find a place to live,” Tartell said.

“And, it said, we need to keep the nature of the town,” he added. “But if you don’t manage the grand list, then what happens is you can’t fund your essential services.”

“Shared Expectations”

After the Feb. 20 meeting, GMW reached out to Nabulsi to elaborate on his suggestion to “revisit” the POCD and clarify what “revisiting” means.

“Revisiting is re-educating ourselves [about] what the POCD said,” he explained. “As a town, [we] could revisit what we all thought was a good idea in 2019 [and] make sure we all understand what it was we arrived at.”

Nabulsi also said he “absolutely” welcomes resident opinion in a POCD revisit, but cautioned against relying on anecdotal information for any significant departures from the Plan.

For Nabulsi, it’s about “shared expectations” over the 10-year planning horizon.

“That’s what we agreed to… That’s my understanding of the Plan that we adopted,” he said. “That’s why we put 18 months into it to get it right, and to have it reflect the collective genius of everybody in town.”

He emphasized that shared understanding about the Plan is important to more than just Wilton’s town officials.

“There’s a lot of ‘reliance interest’ on the POCD we put it in place,” he said. “People have an expectation, and not just Wilton [residents], but developers, third parties, banks, [etc.]. Everybody can look at that document [and] expect that will be how decisions are made.”

More Calls to Heed the POCD

Two former Town officials recently invoked the POCD in publicly joining the ongoing debate about sewer regulations and the application for 131 Danbury Rd.

In a letter to the WPCA, former First Selectwoman Vanderslice expressed concern that officials could undo years of work toward the POCD goal of diversifying Wilton’s housing stock. Changing direction would be contrary to POCD goals, she argued, and “return Wilton to the stagnancy we experienced for years.”

Lawrence, the former P&Z Commission chair who took the lead on the 2019 POCD, also made a public statement about the need for “unlocking development that the town wants under the POCD” and warned of the scenario Town officials could create in which “all development will stop.”

Although the POCD was adopted by the Town as the best plan for achieving the Town’s vision, Boucher recognizes that some residents’ opinions about development may differ. She says she wants to see the Town “pull together.”

“We all have strong opinions, and we may differ, but I think we all really respect each other… So there’s a way we can move forward,” she said. “We may respectfully disagree, but we all have to pull together.”

Next Steps

At their Feb. 20 meeting, the selectmen did not discuss any specific next steps for further discussion of the POCD or the concept of a PIC review. Responding to a follow-up question from GMW, Boucher indicated next steps are not likely to happen immediately.

“I would like to see this happen but since we are knee-deep into budget season it would be difficult to arrange until after the May 7 Annual Town Meeting,” she responded by email.

That means P&Z and the WPCA will consider decisions on the pending applications for 131 Danbury Rd. before a substantive Plan review can take place. P&Z is scheduled to meet on March 11 and the WPCA on March 13.

In the meantime, what can residents do?

• Read the comprehensive 2019 POCD report or executive summary posted on the Town website.

• Express your views to the Board of Selectmen, Planning and Zoning Commission, and Water Pollution Control Authority using the contact forms on the Town website or during the public comment portion of their meetings. (Meeting schedules, agendas and Zoom links can also be found on the Town website.)