RiverCOG begins PA 25‑1 compliance work with IMAG contract; towns pushed to meet July 1 deadline

Megan Juflas, RiverCOG staff, told the committee RiverCOG contracted IMAG (formerly FHI) to assist towns in drafting regulation amendments required by PA 25‑1. "We're working with 13 of 17 towns, and we were able to do this with the funding that we received," Juflas said, noting drafts and conservation/traffic mitigation district language are being circulated on a rolling basis and second‑round meetings are beginning.

Staff said they will extend some contract time and funds into the next fiscal year to accommodate additional towns on a first‑come, first‑served basis. Sam Gold emphasized the practical risk if towns fail to adopt updated regulations by the statutory deadline of July 1: without adopted standards for site plan review (height, setbacks, landscaping, lighting), a town could face applications it lacks rules to govern. "The penalty is just the risk of what happens if someone puts something in and it's a bad application," Gold said.

Committee members, led by Mary Stone (chair of her town’s planning and zoning commission), asked how to explain to residents that adopting regulations required by PA 25‑1 may make some development "permissible" even where it is physically impractical because of lack of sewer or water. Stone said many towns are being asked to write rules that current infrastructure does not support, and members sought language and talking points for public hearings.

RiverCOG staff said they are compiling a shared database of referrals and best practices to guide comment letters and suggested towns consult their town attorneys about optional or discretionary provisions before adoption. No formal votes were taken.