Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

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Seaside State Park Planning Process
(Waterford)
July 2, 2019 - The Seaside State Park RFP process has concluded with no award.
DEEP and officials from the Department of Economic and Community Development and the Department of Administrative Services will meet with local officials, developers, and others to determine next steps.
The park is open as a place for passive recreation activities including walking, fishing and birdwatching. The buildings on the property remain closed to the public.
Aerial photo of Seaside State Park
(Photo by Joel Stocker)
Aerial photo of Seaside State Park
Aerial photo of Seaside State Park Aerial photo of Seaside State Park
Aerial photo of Seaside State Park Aerial photo of Seaside State Park
(Photos by Justin Scalera)
July 2018
June 2018
Historic Plans and Existing Conditions Drawings
April 2018
March 2018
(The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) uses BizNet as a central database and the official online informational tool for companies looking to do business with the State of Connecticut executive branch agencies.  The Seaside RFP and other documents are linked to Biznet’s State Contracting Portal, as well.   (Use "Search Solicitations" with Keyword "Seaside" )
January 2018
In accordance with the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA), the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection completed a Record of Decision for Seaside State Park.  On January 9, 2018, DEEP submitted the Record of Decision to the Office of Policy and Management. The document can be found in the two following links: 
June 2017
An Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) was prepared pursuant to the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act for Seaside State Park in Waterford, CT.  A public hearing on the EIE was held on July 31, 2017, at the Waterford Town Hall Auditorium.
If you have questions about the EIE, the public hearing, or similar matters, please contact Michael Lambert at 860-424-3030.
August 2016
As part of Seaside State Park's Environmental Impact Evaluation, the scoping process, which encourages public review and comment, held a public scoping meeting on August 24, 2016. 
June 2016
May 2016

Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and Administrative Services (DAS)  - Division of Construction Services, hosted a final public meeting on Wednesday May 25, at 6 p.m., in the Waterford Town Hall Auditorium, 15 Rope Ferry Road, Waterford.

The state agencies, along with Sasaki Associates, Inc., and the master planning firm of Oak Park Architects, LLC, presented the Master Plan, based upon the recommendations and interests expressed by the public throughout the master planning process, which began in January, 2015.  Since that time, feedback has been obtained through public meetings, surveys, and a dedicated website.

An intensive analysis of the National Register-listed buildings to determine the market for adaptive re-use of the historic buildings was conducted by PKF Consulting, USA.  PKF Consulting conducted a feasibility study to determine whether market demand was sufficient for a public/private partnership to restore the buildings at Seaside as a state park lodge.  Their analysis indicates that a state park lodge of approximately 100 rooms and associated amenities such as a spa, meeting space,  and restaurant would be attractive to the hospitality development community,  based upon anticipated growth and demand for lodging in the greater Waterford area. 

View the full PKF Consulting Seaside State Park Redevelopment Feasibility Study.

The next steps in the process envisioned by DEEP include: a detailed review of the PKF report; an environmental analysis of the site as part of a more detailed planning process; and the potential for an RFP to solicit proposals from private parties for the build out and operation of a state park lodge.  There will be opportunities at various points in the process for further public comment and input.

A series of meetings were scheduled to provide information about the project and for the public to provide feedback on their ideas for future use of the Seaside lands for park activities and potential adaptive re-use ideas for the buildings, consisting of the Superintendent’s House, the Nurses Quarters, the Duplex and the Sanatorium building.
On Wednesday evening, March 25 at 6:30 pm at the Waterford Town Hall, state officials and their design team held an open house on the Seaside State Park Master Plan.  The project team gave a short presentation on site, building and market analysis conducted to-date; and a report-back on input received to-date from stakeholders and the general public. Then, open conversation designed to facilitate one-on-one conversation between the community, State officials, and the design team occurred.
The Seaside State Park Master Plan Presentation Open House 2 explained the results of the first survey conducted to provide public input into the planning process.  The presentation included three options based on that public input:
  1. A Destination Park
  2. An Ecological Park
  3. A Passive Park
Meeting schedule:
Date Time  Location
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 6:00 pm Waterford Town Hall - Auditorium
15 Rope Ferry Road
Waterford
Wednesday
March 25, 2015
 6:30 pm Waterford Town Hall - Auditorium
15 Rope Ferry Road
Waterford
Wednesday
February 4, 2015
 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Waterford Town Hall - Auditorium
15 Rope Ferry Road
Waterford
Monday
December 15, 2014		 7 p.m. Waterford Town Hall - Auditorium
15 Rope Ferry Road
Waterford
Please submit your comments/suggestions to DEEP.SeasideStatePark@ct.gov. 

Content last updated July 2019