Community Coastal Resiliency Plan, Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF) Flood Protection Improvements Design, CIRCA Resilient Stratford South End Plan

Challenge

GZA led the coordination of project tasks for the community resilience plan; maintained project documents including technical data, drawings, and reports; coordinated client communications including communication with community stakeholders, the City, state agencies/departments, and other relevant entities; and provided project status reports, and project deliverables. To assist in facilitating these project management related activities, GZA prepared a detailed project schedule and facilitated progress update meetings with the Town and project team members.

Solution

Stakeholder Engagement: Public outreach was conducted in close collaboration with the efforts of the Project Team, Town staff, and the general public. Outreach included a series of three public information meetings and charrettes, as well as updates to Town’s website and the StormSmart™ Coasts network. The public meetings and charrettes were facilitated with presentations to inform the public and receive feedback throughout the planning process. 

From these experiences we learned that it is vital that the public outreach be community-driven and led by community members from the start and based on a well developed and tested community resilience outreach framework. This lesson was particularly true for Stratford, which identified numerous at-risk areas with an equal number of potential resilience and protection projects to pursue in the future. The outreach process was critical in obtaining public buy-in and assisted greatly in adoption of the Plan into the Town’s Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) and in consensus about the prioritization of projects for conceptual design. 

Current and Future Conditions Analysis: GZA conducted the assessment using site-specific flood hazard data developed by GZA’s computer storm surge and wave models in consideration of current and future flooding conditions through 2100. In addition to critical infrastructure and other key assets, the vulnerability assessment focused on low- and moderate-income neighborhoods to evaluate the impacts to these neighborhoods associated with climate change and to ensure that these neighborhoods are represented in Town planning. We used the current and future conditions analysis results of the vulnerability assessment to 1) identify key resilience projects, 2) understand future costs and needs, and 3) support implementation of coastal resilience measures. 

Adaptation Options Identification and Concept Design: GZA, working with the Town, identified, and conceptualized approximately 25 projects that, when implemented, provide near 100% Town flood protection. The projects were evaluated and prioritized based on their feasibility, benefit-cost ratios, fundability, and permit-ability. Several of these projects are underway and GZA continues to work with the Town on project funding and implementation. The Town’s coastal resilience projects range from structural measures (e.g., flood improvements around the Stratford Water Pollution Control Facility) to natural and nature-based features and non-structural measures (e.g., land use policies, zoning). 

Benefit Cost Analysis and Resilience Funding: GZA assisted the Town of Stratford in developing elements of a successful FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant application for the WPCF. Our interdisciplinary team demonstrated the cost effectiveness and feasibility of proposed flood mitigation measures to increase the level of flood protection for critical infrastructure, critical utilities, public buildings, roadways, and residences. GZA provided engineering analyses, benefit-cost analyses, and environmental permitting support as outlined in the Town’s Community Resilience Plan. Benefit Cost Ratios and Annualized Loss Analysis were updated in 2023 as part of the Resilient Connecticut Phase III Pilot Project funded by a federal HUD grant awarded to the State of Connecticut’s Department of Housing and Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA)

Final Resilience Plan Report: GZA developed a Community Coastal Resilience Plan for the Town of Stratford. The Plan provides a roadmap for creating social, economic, and ecological resilience in relation to future sea level rise impacts, including anticipated increases in the frequency and severity of storm surge, coastal flooding, and erosion. GZA developed the plan in coordination with the South-Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) and the Greater Bridgeport Regional Council (GBRC) Regional Framework for Resiliency to limit redundancies, but more importantly to make the entire region more resilient by working with neighboring and nearby communities. GZA provided construction cost estimates for funding application and developed conceptual plans for pre-permitting reviews for additional projects as outlined in the Town’s Community Resilience Plan.

Project Engineering and Design & Permitting: The plan identified approximately 25 physical projects. Several of the planned projects have advanced to funding and design. GZA performed a supplemental loss analysis for a proposed bridge project and established the new bridge deck elevations, which turned the bridge (and associated tide gate and pump station) into a flood control structure. This also resulted in additional construction funding. GZA assisted the Town with negotiated land development agreements for a large coastal parcel (which, when redeveloped, will serve as part of the Town's flood mitigation system).

Benefit

GZA prepared completed pre-permit review meetings with Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) in 2023. Permitting deliverables were submitted for review by DEEP in 2025. The required permitting elements include a wetland delineation survey, 100% design plan set, engineering documentation, Dam Safety Permit, Flood Contingency Plan and CZMA Coastal Consistency Review. GZA wetland scientists performed a wetland delineation survey to map the existing wetland types and boundaries, to minimize and control potential impact due to the proposed construction activities, per permitting requirements. The design includes establishing the design flood elevations (DFE’s) in accordance with state regulations and statutes. Permitting and design were completed in 2025 and a Contractor was competitively procured and selected by the Town in 2026. The CT DEEP approved of the funding of the project construction phase in July 2026. Construction is scheduled to begin in November 2026.