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

CEDAS Best Practices in Economic Development & Land Use Certification Program

PREPARING TO APPLY?

Check out the following documents:

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.

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 open! 
Click here to access the application.

 

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

 

2023 Best Practices Schedule

March 1, 2023                              Application period open
March 23. 2023                            Zoom Application Information Session - View the recording.
April 20, 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)


In 2019, the first year of this program, 24 municipalities statewide were certified under the program as demonstrating these best practices.

2019 Recipients

  • Town of Bethel
  • Town of Bolton
  • City of Bridgeport
  • Town of Brookfield
  • Town of Canton
  • City of Groton
  • Town of Groton
  • Town of Ellington
  • Town of Fairfield
  • Town of Farmington
  • City of Hartford
  • Town of Madison
  • Town of Manchester
  • City of Milford
  • City of New Haven
  • Town of New Milford
  • Town of Newtown
  • Town of North Haven
  • Town of North Stonington
  • City of Norwich
  • Town of Portland
  • Town of West Hartford
  • Town of Windham
  • Town of Windsor

In 2022, 12 municipalities statewide were certified under the program as demonstrating these best practices.

2022 Recipients

Gold Level

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

Silver Level

  • 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 Level

  • Town of Berlin

PROVIDED BY


Thanks to the 2023 Best Practices Sponsors!

Event Sponsors

Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce logo



Interested in sponsoring?  Click here for more information.


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

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