2 - Town of Colchester

Land Acquisition Fund
Section 7-131r of the
Connecticut General Statutes
allows a municipality to
establish a Land Acquisition
Fund, funded up to two mills
annually, to be used for the
acquisition of land for open
space, recreation, or housing.
Greenbelts and Greenways
A greenbelt is another word
for a greenway. A greenway
is a corridor of open space
that:
• may protect natural
resources, preserve
scenic landscapes and
historical resources or
offer opportunities for
recreation or nonmotorized
transportation,
• may connect existing
protected areas and
provide access to the
outdoors,
• may be located along a
defining natural feature,
such as a waterway,
along a man-made
corridor, including an
unused right-of-way,
traditional trail routes or
historic barge canals, or
• may be a green space
along a highway or
around a village.
Connecticut General Assembly
Public Act 95-335
PROGRAM
Preserve More Open Space
Dedicated open space can be preserved in a number of ways. Some basic tools that are used by most towns in
Connecticut and are available to permanently preserve open space in Colchester (ranked in order of public cost) are:
1. Donations by property owners.
2. Land purchases by a Colchester Land Trust or other conservation organizations.
3. Land use regulations or approvals that require open space as part of development approvals.
4. Land purchases by the Town of Colchester.
Whatever means are chosen, the preservation of open space will be the most significant means of preserving the rural
character of Colchester.
Greenbelts & Greenways
The configuration of the open space system in Colchester is as important as the amount of open space. If parcels of open
space can be interconnected into a cohesive overall system, the value of the open space to residents and the impact on
community character grows exponentially.
The major coordinating element in the future conservation and development of Colchester should be a comprehensive
greenbelt system which interconnects conservation, open space and recreation areas. Such system should follow the
town’s major streams and brooks to serve to protect these sensitive areas from future development pressures and provide
a linkage between important resources. In addition to protecting Colchester’s character, such an open space system will:
• protect important natural, scenic, or other resources,
• enhance the value of existing open space areas,
• provide new opportunities for recreational use,
• allow for a trail system that interconnects different areas,
• contribute to the enjoyment and quality of life for residents, and
• provide for contiguous wildlife habitat.
Greenbelts can use existing recreation facilities, institutional uses, and other facilities to create connections. The overall
goal is to create opportunities for interconnection for trails, wildlife, and community character.
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