The Inland Wetland Officer is a part-time official. In order to contact Len Johnson, call his number listed below, leave a message, and he will be contacted by a staff member who will relay the message to him.

The Inland Wetlands department staff provides support to the Inland Wetlands Agent and to the Inland Wetland and Watercourses Commission. The inland wetlands and watercourses of the State of Connecticut are an indispensable, irreplaceable, and fragile natural resource with which the citizens of the State have been endowed.

Essential

The wetlands and watercourses are an interrelated web of nature essential to:

• An adequate supply of surface and underground water
• Hydrological stability and control of flooding and erosion
• Recharging and purification of groundwater
• The existence of many forms of animal, aquatic and plant life

Preservation & Protection

The preservation and protection of the wetlands and watercourses from random, unnecessary and unregulated uses, disturbance or destruction is in the public interest and is essential to the health, welfare and safety of the citizens of the state (Connecticut General Statutes Section 22a-36).

Healthy wetlands and watercourses systems support life. They also provide flood control, scenic views, recreational areas, and enhancement of property values. Wetlands filter surface water before it makes its way into lakes and ponds enhancing the water quality within recreational areas and within our drinking water supplies.

Responsibilities

To the best of its ability the Commission strives to meet its responsibilities as stated in Section 22a-36 of the CGS, to provide “an orderly process to balance the need for the economic growth of the state and the use of its land with the need to protect its environment and ecology in order to forever guarantee to the people of the state, the safety of such natural resources for their benefit and enjoyment and for the benefit and enjoyment of generations yet unborn.”

Purpose

It is, therefore, the purpose of the Town of Preston Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission to protect the citizens of the State of Connecticut and Town of Preston by making provision for the protection, preservation, maintenance and use of the inland wetlands and watercourses.

Meetings

The regularly scheduled meetings are the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Preston Town Hall in the upper level conference room.

Applications

Applications will be accepted after the deadline for the submission of applications: however, it cannot be guaranteed that the application will be placed on the agenda for the next regular meeting. For public hearings, all notices should be sent out within twelve days of the meeting.