Sustainability & Environment
One of the most appealing aspects of the city is that it has so much public open space for Norwalk residents to enjoy, both on the coast as well as large woodland parks with walking trails and passive recreation.
According to surveys done for the city’s 10-year plan in 2019, Norwalkers support an integrated approach to open space, park, and recreation that strengthens the overall system to serve all residents better and enhance its environmental value. The goal is for Norwalk to have the best city park and recreation system in the state.
Following the 10-year citywide plan, Norwalk is founding a committee led by the Recs & Parks Commission. This committee will create a Parks, Open Space, Trails, and Recreation System plan. This ten-year plan, with public participation, will include:
- An inventory of lands of conservation, recreation resources and an analysis of open space and recreation needs and priorities; and goals, strategies, and actions.
Review demographic characteristics and trends, and survey residents about their open space, park, trail and recreation preferences - Preserve already-protected open space and encourage the protection of land that functions as open space but is not formally protected from development within environmentally sensitive areas.
- A management plan for efficient stewardship of open space, park, trail, and recreation lands, using a life-cycle model, as well as provision of recreation services for all Norwalk residents, identifying maintenance needs.
- A recreation programming and investment plan that identifies how to fund programs and set fees along with consideration of which programs should be free or with reduced fees because of their importance to the community as a whole (such as the current learn to swim programs).
- The Planning and Zoning Department intends to conduct a coastal resilience study in the near future, consistent with the recommendations of the Citywide Plans
See Citywide Plan Part 3 for more on Norwalk’s plans for sustainability and the environment.
