Ahead of the Curve — Tolland, Connecticut Adopts Low Impact Development Regulations

The path to adoption of Low Impact Development (LID) regulations is often a mine field of competing interests, with very little perceived common ground between the various stakeholders. There is often skepticism on the part of town planners, wetland agents, town engineers and design engineers on how to design and evaluate LID storm water treatment systems. Public Works Departments are greatly concerned about how to maintain LID systems over the short and long term and believe that their municipality will have increased liability if the LID systems fail. Developers and land owners, even those who want to build an environmentally sound project, think twice about using LID systems because it appears to them to be a new and therefore, questionable technology, not proven in the real world. Land use commissioners are hesitant to approve storm water treatment systems that don't have a long track record of working in the real world. But, on the other hand, when knowledgeable people are passionate about their town and LID, good things can happen.