Sen. Meyer, Rep. Crawford Seek Ways to Better Protect Homes from Damage in Severe Storms

In an ongoing effort to explore ways to better protect the Connecticut coastline from and , the Shoreline Preservation Task Force heard a presentation this week on the importance of fortifying buildings to withstand the forces of Mother Nature.

State Sen. Ed Meyer (D-Guilford), who serves as the co-chairman of the Environment Committee, joined task force members including state Rep. James Crawford (D-Clinton, Killingworth, Westbrook) in hearing a presentation on state building code and protecting property owners and natural resources from extreme weather.

“There are important lessons to be learned from rising sea levels and from ,” Sen. Meyer said. “High winds and flooding from that storm destroyed homes and devastated communities along the Shoreline. That is why this task force is so important – we need input from homeowners, builders and state and local building and zoning officials so that we can craft policy that better protects homes against future storms like Irene and from rising sea levels generally.”

"It is not just the beach-front homes and businesses that need protections from large storms and power outages," said Rep. Crawford. "The entire shoreline community and folks inland rely on the infrastructure, roads and trains, to get to work and keep the economy moving. People need to get to work and kids need to be in school. If shoreline businesses are closed it causes hardship and the regional economy takes a hit that we just can't afford."

The task force, which consists of shoreline legislators, coastal preservation advocates and other stakeholders, met Wednesday at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford and heard presentations from Joseph Cassidy, acting State Building Inspector for the Connecticut Department of Construction Services and Michael Barbaro, a New Haven-based Realtor and chairman of the Connecticut Association of Realtors.

Speakers at this week’s task force meeting talked about innovations in building construction that can better protect shoreline homes from high winds and flooding. Ideas include windows with high pressure rating, anchor systems for roofs, windborne debris protection such as impact doors and windows, elevated construction in flood zone areas and a push for new construction to be located outside of flood zones.

Barbaro urged municipalities to have better enforcement of building code requirements, such as breakaway walls and elevated construction in flood-prone areas. He also asked that municipalities make the process of getting building permits for construction and renovation easier to navigate for homeowners and builders.

Last summer, Tropical Storm Irene wreaked havoc on Connecticut’s coastline, causing flooding that damaged properties and further eroded beaches. The Shoreline Preservation Task Force will study the problem and use data and research to make recommendations for how prepare for future storms and preserve the existing shoreline.