Fairfield Publishes Floodplain Management Plan Review

Information from the Town of Fairfield:

FAIRFIELD, CT — First Selectman Bill Gerber announced [last week] that an updated review of Fairfield’s Floodplain Management Plan is available for public review on the Town’s Plan and Zoning Department webpage under the Forms and Documents tab. Fairfield’s flood reduction action items are located within MetroCOG’s multi-town Hazard Mitigation Plan, adopted in 2019, which is available at https://rebrand.ly/metrocog-floodprotection. MetroCOG is currently updating this plan which is expected to be completed by fall 2024.

Town staff from multiple departments as well as the Town’s Flood Erosion Control Board
collaborated on the review effort of action items which include prevention, property protection,
floodplain management regulations, structural and natural systems protection, education and
awareness, and emergency management initiatives to help reduce Fairfield’s future flood risk,
protect lives, and reduce property damage. Town Plan and Zoning staff presented the update to
the Board of Selectman at their February 13, 2024 meeting.

The Town has made progress on the following action items as part of the Regional Hazard
Mitigation Plan including:

• Ash Creek tidal planting program completed in 2023 in partnership with the City of Bridgeport and the Ash Creek Conservation Association.
• Riverside Tide Gate System anticipated to start construction in Spring 2024.
• ARPA funds for Fairfield Town-wide Resilience Plan, Penfield Beach Flood Protection Study, design/permitting of Downtown Green Infrastructure projects and water detention projects in the Rooster River corridor. Villa Avenue drainage detention to start in 2024.
• Start to develop a 5-year Tide Gate Maintenance and Repair Plan for 2024-2029.
• Start East Trunk Line Sanitary Sewer project in 2024 to fix any Inflow and Infiltration, relocate for better resilience, and increase pipe size.
• Perry’s Green Bulkhead repair to start construction in 2024 with ARPA funds.

The Town of Fairfield participates in FEMA’s voluntary Community Rating System (CRS)
which awards a rating to communities that go above and beyond the minimum requirements of
the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) flood plain management requirements. Fairfield’s
floodplain management efforts result in a 10 percent discount for its 1,663 policyholders or
approximately $207,413 in annual savings. Fairfield is only one of thirteen communities in the
State that currently participates in the program.