Delineated Wetlands? What does THAT mean?
Delineation is an act of locating the boundary or border of a wetland or watercourse. Delineation also includes providing a geographical location in the landscape as well describes the functions and values the wetland or watercourse.
In the state of Connecticut only a certified Soil Scientist is recognized as being able to perform a wetland or watercourse delineation. For a list of certified Soil Scientists please vist the Official Registry of the Society of Soil Scientists of Southern New England.
Are the Wetlands on my Property Delineated?
Perhaps.
The best way to know if the wetlands on your property have been delineated would be to look in the building file that is associated with your property. Almost all properties have a building file and they are kept in the Planning & Development Department located in Town Hall.
On a vacant building lot, each building needs approval from several town commissions and administrators. If there are wetlands located on your property there is a good chance they were previously delineated by a Soil Scientist prior to the construction of the building.
If they weren't depending on the type of activity and project you are looking to accomplish you may need to have the wetlands on your property delineated. It's best to call the Planning & Development Department and speak with the Wetland Agent to confirm if this.
So What Exactly Am I Looking For in My Building File?
For a building lot, there may be a few different types of documents in the building file that may have the wetlands or watercourse delineated. You would be looking for large format documents generally, 18"x24" or 24"x36", called:
- Septic Design Plan, or a
- Plot Plan, or a
- Improvement or Design Plan, or an
- As-Built Plan.
What If I Know My Property Is Part of A Subdivision?
If there are wetlands or a watercourse on a large tract of land that is going to be developed into a subdevelopement the developer should have obtained a wetlands permit. As part of that process the wetlands and watercourses would have been delineated by a Certified Soil Scientist, therefore, there should be subdivision plans on file at the Planning & Development Department and with the Town Clerk.
Tolland has most of its land records online for easy access by the public. You can check to see if a subdivision plan with delineated wetlands exists without leaving the home or office! visit the Land Records Databse or contact the Town Clerk for more information. Please contact the Town Planner or Zoning Enforcement Officer if you would like to visit our office to look at subdivision plans.
I Am Being Asked to Re-Delineate My Wetlands. Why?
Wetlands are living, moving systems that change shape and depth over time. You may be asked to re-delineate the boundry of the wetlands on your property if;
- you've never had a delineation but there are indicators on the land that are indicitive of wetlands or a watercourse,
- if your wetlands were delineated prior to 1990.
Only a certified Soil Scientist can delineate wetlands by examining the soil type in and around the wetlands or watercourse visit the official registry of the Society of Soil Scientists of Southern New England.