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House adopts Connecticut's 2025—2030 conservation and development plan; members debate local control and housing language
Summary
The House adopted the five-year State Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) for 2025—2030. Supporters described broad agency guidance and public engagement; some members raised concerns that the plan's priorities on housing and development could be editorial or prescriptive for municipalities.
The Connecticut House on March 5 adopted House Joint Resolution 67, the State Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) for 2025 through 2030.
Representative Cavros deGraw, presenting the resolution, said the plan sets statewide priorities for land, water, resource conservation, and development and was developed through a bipartisan process, several public meetings and committee reviews. The plan was described as agency guidance that state agencies should consider when buying property, pursuing transportation initiatives or awarding certain grants.
Representative Zullo asked whether the plan mandates town-level actions; the chair replied it does not force towns to adopt local policies but does establish statewide values and priorities that state agencies should use in decision-making. Zullo and other members noted the plan contains many provisions supporters can endorse — affordable housing, broadband expansion, homelessness reduction and small-business support — but also warned parts of the plan addressing housing density and inclusive-community goals could be contested by some municipalities.
The POCD passed on a roll-call vote: 106 in favor, 40 opposed, 4 absent. Proponents said the plan was timely and resulted from broad stakeholder engagement; opponents said some language is "editorial" and could conflict with local priorities.
Votes at a glance HJR 67 (POCD 2025—2030): Adopted — roll call 106 yes, 40 no, 4 absent.
Context State law expects the General Assembly to adopt a State Plan of Conservation and Development every five years. The adopted document provides statewide priorities for state agencies and gives guidance on land-use and development decisions, although it does not compel municipal adoption of those priorities.
