Madison, CT

The British Shoppe is located in Madison, Connecticut and the article below tells of the towns history and development through to modern times.

The Town of Madison was first settled in 1641 as part of Guilford. It was organized as a separate community in 1707 and incorporated in 1826. The Town was the one hundred twenty-eighth town established in Connecticut. The Town encompasses approximately 36.3 square miles within New Haven County, approximately 15 miles east of New Haven and 35 miles south of Hartford. Interstate 95 and state highways 80 and 1 (Boston Post Road) intersect the Town for east and west transportation access, while state highway 79 provides north-south access. Today Madison is bounded on the east by Clinton; on the north by Durham; on the south by Long Island Sound; and on the west by Guilford. The Town is primarily a suburban, residential community with single-family homes.

Since the 1860's the Town has maintained a large summer resident community attracted to the Town's beaches and Long Island Sound. Most year-round residents are in the executive, professional, technical, and managerial categories, with employment in Hartford, New Haven, Fairfield County and New York. The 1990 U. S. Census figure was published at 15,485 persons. Bus, air and rail service are available from the New Haven, Hartford and New York areas. The Town has a railroad stop near the central business district provided by Shore Line East, a State of Connecticut Department of Transportation Commuter Railroad that provides commuter service between New London and New Haven during rush hours. Other Metro-North and Amtrak connections are available from New Haven¹s Union Station.

Located within Town are two state recreation areas, part of the Cockaponset State Forest, in the northern portion of the town, and Hammonasset Beach State Park located at the southeastern edge of Madison. The Hammonasset Beach State Park consists of over 900 acres, 2 miles of beach, has 558 campsites, and provides concessions, bath houses, a pavilion, boardwalk, and picnic areas. Parking for 7,000 vehicles is available for bathers and day use visitors, with an overall park capacity to serve 16,000 people. The park also provides a fishing jetty and a launching area for carry-in boats.

The Town utilizes an adopted Plan of Development to maintain its rural and seashore character. Under the Town Charter, the Planning and Zoning Commission is responsible for approval of all projects. Current zoning regulations were adopted on April 10, 1953, with various revisions being adopted since that time. The Town is completely zoned with approximately 80% of the land zoned residential, with one to two acre lots. The balance of the Town is zoned commercial or light industrial. The areas zoned for one acre can include apartment or condominium units. As part of the Town Plan of Development, open space and preservation of the seashore and rural character of the Town are major goals. To that end, the Town has provided for 3 parks, including the Surf Club Beach area, a 45 acre beach/recreation facility owned by the Town that provides beaches, ball fields, football and soccer fields.

The values of new homes range from $160,000 to over $1 million. The average selling price of all single family homes sold in 1997 was approximately $246,000, with prices ranging between $110,000 and $850,000.

The Madison downtown business district has an active Chamber of Commerce organization, Business Planning Council Group and an active shopping and commercial area located in the south central part of the community, extending both east and west along the Boston Post Road.

Education: The Town provides educational opportunity with public schools grades Pre-K-12. In addition, within Town there are three private schools grades PreK-8 and one private school 7-12, along with eight different pre-school programs. Colleges and Universities a short distance from Town include Middlesex Community College and Wesleyan University, both in Middletown, approximately 20 miles north of Madison. To the west is Albertus Magnus College, Gateway College, which also offers some courses in Madison, Southern Connecticut State University, Quinipiac College, The University of New Haven and Yale University, all located in the Greater New Haven area.

Police & Fire Services: The Town is provided with 24-hour police coverage by a force consisting of 28 police officers and 3 executive officers. Hammonasset Beach State Park, located in Madison, is served by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection officers and the Connecticut State Police Barracks at Westbrook, with occasional assistance by the local department. There is one full-time animal control officer and one part-time animal control officer. All areas of the Town are covered by 2 volunteer fire companies, Madison Hose Co. #1, which covers the southern sector of Town south of The Pines, and the North Madison Volunteer Fire Company which serves the northern sector of Town. Each company is a private corporation which is substantially supported by the Town and owns land, buildings, and some equipment. Both companies are activated by radio contact with the Town Communications Center located in the Police Station, which operates on a twenty-four hour basis. The companies belong to a mutual aid system with nearby towns. There are currently approximately 30-35 volunteers in each department. Each department has a corps of Junior Fire Fighters.

Emergency Medical Assistance: The Town is served by a local private non-profit association which is supported by Town subsidy, private membership fees and insurance reimbursements. Emergency medical services are also provided by the North Madison Fire Department. The area hospitals are the Middlesex Memorial Hospital, 20 miles north in Middletown; Yale New Haven Hospital and St. Raphael's Hospital which are located in New Haven, 23 miles to the west. These facilities are aided by a shoreline clinic in the towns of Essex, which provides basic and paramedic emergency services.

Sewers & Solid Waste: There is no sewer system as all businesses and homes have separate septic systems. As part of the Town's Comprehensive Plan of Development, the Town has had an active Water Pollution Control Authority that is approved and monitored by the State Department of Environmental Protection.

There is no municipal trash pick-up. Residents may use private haulers, or may bring their trash to the solid waste transfer station which the town operates jointly with Guilford.

Water: The Connecticut Water Company provides water service to the downtown area and other areas, Groceriesly south of I-95. Other areas are served by private individual wells. Approximately 50% of all housing units are served by the Water Company.

Electric: The Connecticut Light and Power Division (CL&P) of Northeast Utilities provides electrical service. CL&P maintains a regional maintenance facility in Madison.

Park & Recreation: The Beach & Recreation Director works under the direction of the Beach & Recreation Commission and the Board of Selectmen. His staff consists of a year-round complement of five individuals to which approximately 50 are added in the summer season when the Town's 3 beaches, fourteen hiking trails, and numerous playgrounds and playing fields are operational. The Town operates more than 130 programs throughout the year, including action oriented opportunities such as aerobics, backpacking, badminton, dancing, skiing, sailing and swimming.

Social Services Director: The Town employs a full-time Social Services Director to oversee the needs of the needy and/or elderly. There are programs for surplus food and fuel assistance, in addition to financial aid.

Public Works: The Department of Public Works consists of 10 road maintenance workers, one landfill operator, one landfill attendant, an Assistant Town Engineer, an Engineering Inspector and a Secretary, in addition to the Director of Public Works. These divisions are responsible for the various town buildings, grounds and land. The Department operates a brush/stump landfill area and is in partnership with the Town of Guilford in the Guilford/Madison Transfer Station. There are approximately 107 miles of Town roads which are maintained, plowed, patched and swept by the Town crew.

Grounds Maintenance: The Department of Grounds Maintenance consists of 6 building and grounds maintainers, one part-time building and grounds maintainer, and one Manager of Facilities, who serves both the Town and the Board of Education. This Department is responsible for the various town owned buildings, grounds and land.

Youth Services: There is one full-time Youth Services Director with a staff of two full-time counselors, two part-time counselors and one full-time clerical worker. Their function is to work and plan for the youth of the community and his/her problems.

Senior Citizens Coordinator: There is one full-time Senior Citizens Coordinator, one full-time Program Coordinator and one part-time clerical worker. The coordinator and her staff plan and implement programs for the Town's senior citizens, as well as assisting in various problems with the elderly. Two regular part-time bus drivers are also employed to provide transportation.

Town Government: The Town of Madison operates under the provisions of its Charter, most recently revised in 1991, and the Groceries Statutes of the State of Connecticut. The Town Meeting form of government prevails. The legislative body is the Town Meeting. The Executive body consists of a Board of Selectmen, a five member board, with the First Selectman acting as the chief executive officer. Election to the Board of Selectmen is for a two-year term. A six-member Board of Finance is responsible for presenting fiscal operating budgets to the Annual Town Meeting. Board of Finance members are elected for four-year terms. A nine-member elected Board of Education is responsible for the operation of the school system.

The Planning and Zoning Commission is responsible for adopting and enforcing regulations governing the growth of the Town. The Commission is authorized by the Town to retain a Planning Consultant to evaluate the present and future growth of the Town and to study the demographics and recommend changes in the current development regulations. The Economic Development Commission is a seven-member board appointed by the Board of Selectmen. The Town's most recent Comprehensive Plan of Development was adopted in November, 2000.

Directions to Madison, CT and The British Shoppe

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