The Northwest Hills Council of Governments (NHCOG) recently completed the Draft Litchfield Hills Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan 2016 Update that serves 11 towns of the 21-town region. This plan is an update to the 2006 Plan prepared for the communities of Barkhamsted, Colebrook, Goshen, Hartland, Harwinton, Litchfield, Morris, New Hartford, Norfolk, Torrington and Winchester under the Litchfield Hills Council of Elected Officials.
We invite residents, business owners, and other interested parties to comment on the Draft. Comments may be submitted by mail, email, or in-person. NHCOG, with an office at 59 Torrington Road, Goshen, is offering an informational session on January 20, 2016 (snow date January 26) from 4:00 to 6:00pm. There will be a brief presentation on the purpose and contents of the plan at 5:00pm. Light refreshments will be available.
Communities in the Litchfield Hills have been hard hit by severe winter storms, high winds, and flooding in recent years. These events pose a significant threat to public safety and the buildings and infrastructure in the region. The purpose of the “Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan” is to identify what can be done today to lessen the severity of a natural hazard that may strike tomorrow. In addition to providing helpful information for local officials to consider in mitigating natural hazards, the preparation of the Plan is required for municipalities to qualify for federal pre-disaster hazard mitigation funding.
Citizens are encouraged to review the plan on the NHCOG website (www.northwesthillscog.org) after January 8. A paper copy of the survey is also available by calling the Northwest Hills Council of Governments at 860-491-9884.
For immediate release: January 5, 2016
Contact: Joanna Wozniak-Brown, Planning Assistant, Northwest Hills Council of Governments