After working to protect the environment as individuals, a small group of advocates decided that the time had come to establish a formal organization to provide a more consistent, effective, stronger and united voice for environmental protection in Groton. In the fall of 2017, Groton Conservation Advocates organized to keep an eye on the key governing bodies of the Town of Groton (the Town Council, the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Conservation Commission, the Economic Development Commission, and the Inland Wetlands Agency) that make decisions affecting the health of Groton’s environment. By deciding where and what kind of development is allowed, and what areas of Groton need protection because of their ecological significance (especially as they relate to protecting Groton’s drinking water reservoirs), these entities play a powerful role in Groton and the public needs to be informed.

Our Mission

Our mission is 

• to keep all those in the Town of Groton interested in robust protection of the environment informed of local government plans and actions that can have an impact on our local environment.

• to bring an environmental perspective to these commissions’ proceedings.

• to work with scientists who have expertise in the areas of environmental concern to our community and to make recommendations based on sound science to our government officials.

Organizational Matters

• GCA registered as a public charity on December 13, 2017.

• GCA was organized as a non-stock, non-member corporation under the Connecticut Revised Nonstock Corporation Act on March 7, 2019.

• On October 15, 2019, the IRS notified GCA that it determined GCA to be exempt from federal income tax under Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c)(4).

• On 12/11/19, the CT department of Revenue Services issued a CT Tax Registration Number to GCA.

The ABCs of Advocacy: Keeping an Eye on Town Commissions

GCA’s central mission is to keep a close watch on the Town’s ABCs — agencies, authorities, boards, commissions, committees and councils — whose activities impact our environment.

Job #1 is to engage with the work of the Town Council. Groton’s previously separate Zoning and Planning Commissions recently merged into one entity with major influence over environmental decision making. GCA also meets regularly with town staff, particularly the Planning Department, and keeps tabs on the Economic Development Commission, the Conservation Commission, the Inland Wetlands Agency, and others as needed.

Planning and Zoning Commission The Town Planning & Zoning Commission is active and getting close attention from GCA. Of particular importance is a proposed “floating zone” regulation that would “allow the re-use of large-scale municipal, state, federal or institution-owned structures that are functionally obsolete to uses that may not otherwise be allowed by the underlying zoning district while also preserving historically significant buildings,” in the words of the P & Z minutes.  The proposal carries a lengthy title: Historic Institutional Reuse Floating Zone (HIF).

The HIF proposal will lead to a change in zoning regulations, while applications for specific floating zones would involve a review by the P&Z.  A typical single floating zone of the type proposed is a broadly imagined development on some as yet unidentified tract. Later, the zone “lands” at some point on yet to be chosen land.

Floating zones involve alterations and relaxations of existing zoning regulations and thus bear close scrutiny.   The biggest challenge facing the P&Z Committee now is the Respler Mystic Education Center redevelopment project. (See above article.)

Conservation Commission GCA welcomed the Conservation Commission’s Open Space Plan when it debuted in November 2020. It was the town’s first conservation update in many decades and a pronounced change for the better.

The “Open Space Conservation Plan for the Town of Groton, Connecticut” suggests improvements in how we can protect our bountiful natural resources and our associated economic well-being.

GCA provided feedback to the Conservation Commission during the writing of the report. The CC was receptive to GCA recommendations that greater prominence be given to climate change and tree cover. GCA also provided advice on the difficult and often contentious issue of defining open space. On tree canopy loss, we urged that where preservation is not possible, the CC should develop more rigorous and specific guidelines on tree replacement ratios (based on trunk diameter), tree specifications, and replacement locations.

In the future, we intend to continue close relations with the Conservation Commission, both to stay abreast with a can-do Commission and to avoid falling into a “leave it to the commission” attitude. As Chairman Larry Dunn commented, the commission “wanted to update the plan to reflect all the work done in the last 30 years by Groton’s active conservation community and provide more information on the value of open space, but also the economic benefits of open space.”

Economic Development Commission The town EDC has given top priority to selling off Groton’s surplus properties, especially its closed schools.  GCA has been following this closely and along with a number of citizens has opposed the sale of the Noank school property.  The Town’s current list of schools for sale does not include the Noank school, which we and others propose be turned over to the village of Noank.  GCA is following other school sales as well.

The EDC is taking the lead in the roll-out of Groton’s new ban on single-use plastics due to take effect July 7th.  However, the EDC has had to postpone an education forum for Groton businesses on alternative utensils due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Town Council The Coronavirus pandemic has meant that GCA has engaged less than usual with the TC. The Groton Resilience and Sustainability Task Force’s final presentation to the Council in February 2021 was viewed positively by the Council. GCA continues to follow the school redevelopment site plans, including the Mystic Education Center and the Seeley Elementary School properties and most recently the Colonel Ledyard School redevelopment project (See above).

Photo credit, Eugenia Villagra