WestCOG opens comment period on 2026-2031 hazard mitigation plan

Regional planning agencies in western Connecticut are currently updating their disaster preparedness documents. The Western Connecticut Council of Governments, or WestCOG, has opened a public comment period for its 2026-2031 Hazard Mitigation Plan.

The plan was developed in collaboration with 18 local communities. Its goal is to lower the risk of property damage and loss of life from specific natural threats. These threats include floods, severe wind events, winter storms, wildfires, droughts, extreme heat, and earthquakes. Westport officials announced the update as part of a regular five-year review cycle.

Hazard mitigation plans serve a dual purpose for local governments. They guide local action to reduce risk and help communities qualify for state and federal mitigation grants. The current plan remains in effect until December 2026, after which the new regional document and separate municipal annexes will take over.

The existing five-year cycle ensures that strategies remain current with changing weather patterns and population shifts. WestCOG structures the new update as a single regional plan paired with individual annexes for each municipality. This allows for broad regional coordination while addressing specific local vulnerabilities.

Residents can access the draft regional plan and the specific annex for Westport on the hazard mitigation planning webpage. The site does not list a deadline for submitting feedback. Interested parties must email their comments directly to Michael Towle, WestCOG's deputy director, at mtowle@westcog.org. The agency will use these submissions to finalize the documents before the old plan expires.

The process begins with the public review of the draft materials. Once the comment period closes, WestCOG will incorporate the feedback into the final version of the plan. This final document will then serve as the guiding framework for disaster reduction efforts in the region through 2031.