Connecticut’s Best Practices in Economic Development & Land Use Planning

CEDAS Best Practices in Economic Development & Land Use Certification Program

This program is intended to drive communities to pursue excellence in land use and economic development practices and to recognize the communities that have established best practices. In pursuit of these best practices, planners and economic developers can use this program to engage community stakeholders in discussions about how to achieve higher standards and develop creative, community-specific ways to implement them.

The 2023 application period is now closed. We will distribute awards to recipients at our annual meeting on October 17th! 

2023 CEDAS Annual Meeting and Best Practices Awards Information:

Date: October 17, 2023
Time: 2:00-5:00pm
Location: Glastonbury Boat House at 252 Welles St, Glastonbury, CT 06033
Cost: $50.00 for members, $65.00 for non-members
Register here
View event flier

General Program Information

The Best Practices Certification Program requires an application to be completed documenting various economic development and land use practices, policies, and programs taking place at the local level. The application contains four components:

  1. Communications & Marketing
  2. Coordination & Collaboration
  3. Organizational Capacity & Strategy
  4. Policies & Programs

CEDAS created the Best Practices Certification Program to:

  • encourage best practices in municipal economic development and land use to spur continuous improvement; and
  • to create an open resource library of model development examples that can be used by municipalities to update their policies and practices.

2023 Best Practices Schedule

March 1, 2023
Application period open
March 23, 2023 Zoom Application Information Session – View the recording.
April 6, 2023 Zoom Application Information Session – Register Here
May 5, 2023                                  Application Period closes
May 8th to July 19, 2023 Review of Applications, Selection of 2023 Certified Municipalities
July 21, 2023 Email of awarded position
October 2023 CEDAS Best Practices Awards Presentation (location TBA)

2022 Recipients

GOLD AWARD

  • Town of Cheshire
  • City of Norwalk
  • Town of Orange

SILVER AWARD

  • Town of Ellington
  • Town of Guilford
  • Town of Hamden
  • Town of North Branford
  • City of Torrington
  • City of West Haven
  • Town of Willington
  • Town of Woodbridge

BRONZE AWARD

  • Town of Berlin

2023 Recipients

GOLD AWARD

  • Town of Bolton
  • Town of Madison
  • Town of Windsor
  • Town of Groton
  • Town of West Hartford
  • Town of Fairfield
  • City of Groton

SILVER AWARD

  • Town of Canton
  • City of Hartford
  • Town of Ridgefield
  • Town of Tolland
  • City of Bridgeport
  • Town of East Windsor
  • Town of Monroe
  • City of New London

BRONZE AWARD

  • City of Stamford
  • City of Norwich

Thanks to the 2023 Best Practices Sponsors!

Program Sponsors

QUESTIONS?

Questions regarding the program should be directed to the program development committee co-chairs Thomas Madden, AICP, or Jessica Vonashek at cedasprograms@gmail.com.