Heritage Committee

Agenda & Minutes | Members

Chairman: William Hansen
Phone: (860) 668-5991

The Heritage Committee meets regularly on the third Thurday of each month, unless otherwise specified, at 7:00 p.m. at the Town Hall Meeting Room (upper level).

The Heritage Committee consists of 9 members appointed by the Board of Selectmen charged with the goal of "making recommendations to various Boards and Commissions on methods to preserve Suffield's rural character." Included in the Committee's purvue are historic areas, farm, open spaces, country roads and landscapes. The Committee is charged with reviewing the implementation of the Town's Plan of Development, Open Space Preservation Program, and grants that involve preservation of Suffield's rural character. Two subcommittees have been established, the Open Space Subcommittee and the Commerical Heritage Subcommittee, to pursue important initiatives.

The Open Space Subcommittee has established criteria for the selection of open space and farmland parcels to be preserved. The goal of the subcommittee is to "Develop and implement a plan to reserve and conserve important natural, historic, scenic, agricultural and recreational resources so that forever after, 55% of the residentially zoned land in town will be permanently protected open space." This subcommittee has worked closely with the Town Planner in securing State and Federal funds to preserve land in Suffield.

The Commercial Heritage Subcommittee has worked on several planning efforts including CRCOG's Picture It Better Together Study and the Bradley Area Transportation Study. The Subcommittee is currently working with Town staff and BL Companies on the Town Center Project which entails streetscape and traffic safety improvements along Mountain Road.

Commission Members