[HISTORY: Adopted by the Representative Town Meeting of the Town
of Fairfield 1-28-1974; amended in its entirety 10-24-1994.
Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
A.Â
The inland wetlands and watercourses of the Town of Fairfield
are an indispensable and irreplaceable but fragile natural resource with which
the citizens of the Town have been endowed. The wetlands and watercourses
are an interrelated web of nature essential to an adequate supply of surface
and underground water; to hydrological stability and control of flooding and
erosion; to the recharging and purification of groundwater; and to the existence
of many forms of animal, aquatic and plant life.
B.Â
Many inland wetlands and watercourses have been destroyed
or are in danger of destruction because of unregulated use by reason of the
deposition, filling or removal of material, the diversion or obstruction of
water flow, the erection of structures and other uses, all of which have despoiled,
polluted and eliminated wetlands and watercourses. Such unregulated activity
has had, and will continue to have, a significant, adverse impact on the environment
and ecology of the Town of Fairfield and has imperiled, and will continue
to imperil, the quality of the environment, thus adversely affecting the ecological,
scenic, historic and recreational values and benefits of the Town of Fairfield
for its citizens now and forevermore.
C.Â
The preservation and protection of the wetlands and watercourses
from random, unnecessary, undesirable and unregulated uses, disturbance or
destruction is in the public interest and is essential to the health, welfare
and safety of the citizens of Fairfield.
D.Â
It is therefore the purpose of this chapter to protect
the citizens of the Town of Fairfield by making provisions for the protection,
preservation and maintenance and use of the inland wetlands and watercourses
by minimizing their disturbance and pollution; maintaining and improving water
quality in accordance with the highest standards set by federal, state or
local authority; preventing damage from erosion, turbidity or siltation; preventing
loss of fish and other beneficial aquatic organisms, wildlife and vegetation
and the destruction of the natural habitats thereof; deterring and inhibiting
the danger of flood and pollution; protecting the quality of wetlands and
watercourses for their conservation, economic, aesthetic, recreational and
other public and private uses and values; and protecting Fairfield's
potable fresh water supplies from the dangers of drought, overdraft, pollution,
misuse and mismanagement by providing an orderly process to balance the need
for the economic growth of Fairfield and the use of its land with the need
to protect its environment and ecology in order to forever guarantee to the
people of Fairfield the safety of such natural resources for their benefit
and enjoyment and for the benefit and enjoyment of generations yet unborn.
The Fairfield Conservation Commission shall be the Inland Wetlands Agency
for the Town of Fairfield.
The Wetlands Agency is authorized to promulgate such regulations in
conformity with Connecticut General Statutes, §§ 22a-36 through
22a-45, inclusive.
The invalidity of any word, clause, sentence, section, part or provision
of this chapter shall not affect the validity of any other part which can
be given effect without such invalid part or parts.
The chapter shall take effect upon publication in a newspaper having
a general circulation in the Town of Fairfield.
