MapLink™ | General Requirements

Hello! Content on this website is provided as a convenience and is for informational use only. Be sure to review the Terms of Use for all of the details related to your use of this website.
Accept
Environmental protection standards
A) Any use which results in the contamination of air, ground, water or the natural environment, beyond the specific limits prescribed below is prohibited. Any use giving off objectionable noise, dust, vibration, light, gases or noisome or noxious fumes and odors noticeable off the premises or other physical hazard is prohibited.
B) When an applicant is required to submit a stormwater management plan they shall prepare pre-development and post-development calculations of the stormwater runoff and provide a design that demonstrates a zero impact to the Town's storm drainage system, including natural waterway systems. Accordingly, the applicant shall evaluate the impacts to downstream conditions. The analysis shall include impacts from the quantity of runoff as well as the quality of the runoff. The drainage collection system shall be designed in accordance with the requirements of the Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual, as amended, as well as the requirements of Town stormwater ordinances. In addition to best management practices currently available and in the absence of specific design criteria which may not be identified in these documents or other requirements of the Town, the applicant shall, at a minimum, design the stormwater collection system to retain the first inch of runoff on site, and provide a zero increase in the peak rate of runoff from the site for the twenty-five-year storm, with an evaluation of the impacts from a fifty- and 100-year storm. After the evaluation is complete, if a larger design storm is warranted as determined in consultation with the Town Engineer, the applicant shall design the drainage for no net increase in the runoff from the 100-year storm.
Incidental Live Music and Entertainment
Any live or recorded music or entertainment, inside or outside a commercial establishment, may be permitted subject to strict compliance with the Town of Stratford's Noise Ordinance, Chapter 142: Noise of the Town Code, and the below criteria. Live entertainment includes any musical act (including karaoke and disc jockey), theatrical act (including standup comedy), play, revue, dance act, or song and dance act or any combination of thereof, performed by one or more persons, whether or not for a private event, whether or not there is compensation for the performance, on a premises that is open to the public or for a private event, whether or not admission is charged. This definition of "live entertainment" does not include adult entertainment or adult-oriented establishments.
1. Any commercial establishment desiring to offer live music or entertainment shall apply to the Office of Planning and Zoning for administrative approval of a live music and entertainment permit. Police Department and Health Department approval shall also be required for permit issuance.
2. The applicant shall be provided with appropriate guidelines including a summary of applicable portions of Chapter 142: Noise of the Town Code.
3. The applicant shall provide the Town with at least two contact numbers, not including the business telephone number, for use in case of any noise complaints.
4. Each permit shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance and must be renewed in the case of a change of ownership.
5. Live entertainment is limited to the lot on which the commercial establishment is physically located and cannot impede parking or pedestrian/vehicular traffic flow.
6. Failure to comply with Chapter 142: Noise or other applicable regulations shall be cause of revocation of the permit.
7. Administrative permits will be approved by Planning and Zoning staff and if a violation exists, staff or a commissioner may refer the applicant to the Zoning Commission for an administrative review, at which point the Zoning Commission may suspend or revoke the live music and entertainment permit. All suspensions of the administrative permit will be referred to the State of Connecticut Department of Liquor Control.
Land under water
The boundary of each district shall be projected in a straight line to the Town boundary line and shall include any land under any lake, pond or stream lying therein, and shall also include any land which extends under navigable waters.
Lots adjacent to a railroad
In the case of that portion of a lot in a district other than a residence district, where contiguous to a railroad right-of-way no side or rear yard shall be required.
Lots lying in more than one district
Where a district boundary line, as appearing on the zoning map, divides a lot in single ownership at the time of the enactment of these Regulations, the requirements for the district in which the greatest portion of the lot lies shall be extended to the balance of the lot, provided that such extension will not include any part of such lot more than 35 feet beyond the district boundary line, and provided further that this provision shall not apply to a through lot. In the case of a through lot, the restriction of the district applying to the adjoining lots which front on the same street as the proposed use of the lot shall apply, a through lot being a lot that runs from street to street.
Lots on narrow streets
In the case of lots fronting on streets containing less than 60 feet in right-of-way width, the required front yard shall be increased by 1/2 the difference between 60 feet and the actual width of the street right-of-way except on streets where dwellings exist, in which case the required setback shall conform to the average of the setbacks of the existing dwellings within 200 feet in either direction along the street line but not required to exceed the minimum setback for the district in which located.
Main Street from Paradise Green to Stratford Avenue
Suitable residential buildings located on lots fronting on Main Street from Paradise Green to Stratford Avenue may be changed to office use without a zone change or an owner-occupancy requirement provided the residential character of the building is retained and, where appropriate, improved, subject to the approval of the Zoning Commission as a special case under Section 20 of the Zoning Regulations. Site plan review shall be required for any of the uses permitted on Main Street with the exception of one- and two-family dwellings.
Medical and Adult-Use Marijuana and Producers
15B.1  Authority; purpose; application.
The use of marijuana for medicinal and adult-use purposes has been authorized by the Connecticut General Statutes and is regulated by the State Department of Consumer Protection. It is the intent of these zoning regulations to accommodate the production and dispensing of such marijuana, with appropriate limitations to acceptable locations, conditions and standards applicable within the Town of Stratford. The purpose of this section is to regulate the location and operation of marijuana dispensary facilities and production facilities, for either medicinal or adult use, in such a manner as to minimize any adverse impacts of such facilities, and to protect and preserve Stratford's public safety and health, residential neighborhoods, commercial districts, property values and quality of life. Such limitations are in addition to all applicable requirements, criteria and standards set forth for the use in the state statutes. In determining whether or not an application would comply with the stated purpose of this section, the Commission shall take into consideration the proximity of the premises to residential areas, religious institutions, schools, playgrounds, parks, public or private recreation areas, substance abuse disorder treatment facilities, community centers, libraries, child day-care facilities or any place primarily frequented by minors. When submitting a special case application to the Zoning Commission for approvals, applicants must disclose distances to residential areas, religious institutions, schools, playgrounds, parks, public or private recreation areas, child day-care facilities or any place frequented by minors. A site plan, indicating the proposed location of the marijuana facility, the location of all other land uses identified in this ordinance, within a one-half-mile radius of the proposed location and the setbacks to those land uses is required. It is the responsibility of the applicant to research the uses on the surrounding properties and accurately identify the distances and separations as required. Failure to accurately document surrounding uses may result in the revocation of any zoning compliance. The applicant shall provide information explaining what methods were used to identify the surrounding uses and distances. This review is necessary to determine the effect that an approval may have on the immediate of general neighborhood or the community.

15B.2  Definitions.
For purposes of this section of the Regulations, the terms "dispensary facility" and "production facility" shall mean as described in the Statutes, which currently define them as follows:
a) "Dispensary facility" means a place of business where cannabis may be dispensed, sold or distributed in accordance with SB 1201 of the General Statutes and any regulations adopted thereunder and to which the department has issued a dispensary facility license under Chapter 420f of the General Statutes and any regulations adopted thereunder.

b) "Producer" means a person that is licensed as a producer pursuant to Section 21a-408i of the General Statutes and any regulations adopted thereunder.

15B.3  Applicability.
a) Marijuana dispensary facilities shall be permitted only in the following zoning districts, subject to special case approval in accordance with SECTION 20: Special Cases Site Plan Review and Unnamed Uses of these Regulations, and the requirements of this section: LBB, CA, CF as allowed under Subsection § A220-7.5142 CNC, MA and MB.

b) Marijuana production facilities shall be permitted only in the following zoning district, subject to special case approval in accordance with SECTION 20: Special Cases Site Plan Review and Unnamed Uses of these Regulations, and the requirements of this section: MA, MB.

15B.4  Separation requirements.
Uses identified in this section shall be subject to the following separation requirements:
a) No marijuana dispensary or production facility shall be permitted on a site that is less than 1,500 feet from any other site containing a marijuana dispensary or production facility measured by taking the nearest straight line between the respective lot boundaries of each site.
b) No marijuana dispensary or production facility shall be permitted within the same building structure or portion thereof that is used for residential purposes.
c) No marijuana dispensary or production facility shall be permitted any closer than 700 feet from any municipal boundary line.
d) No more than one dispensary or one production/grow facility shall be allowed for every 25,000 residents of the municipality, as determined by the most recent census. When determining applicability, the population number will be rounded down to the nearest 25,000 cohort.

15B.5  Signage.
Exterior and interior outward facing signage shall be restricted to a single sign no larger than 24 inches by 36 inches. No graphics of any kind will be allowed, and the text will be limited to the street address of the facility and/or any such other information as may be mandated by the State of Connecticut. Sandwich boards, A-frames, twirlers, flag or other similar forms of signage are prohibited at such establishments.

15B.6  Off-street parking requirements.
Required off-street parking shall be in compliance with SECTION 12: Off-Street Parking of these Regulations.

15B.7  Security requirements.
a) All marijuana dispensary facilities and production facilities shall have an adequate security system to prevent and detect diversion, theft or loss of marijuana, utilizing commercial grade equipment meeting at least the minimum requirements of Section 21a-408-62 of the State of Connecticut General Regulations.
b) A marijuana dispensary shall be located in a permanent building and shall not be located in a trailer, cargo container, mobile or modular unit, mobile home, recreational vehicle or other motor vehicle. "Building" shall mean: A structure having a roof supported by columns, posts, or walls and intended for the shelter, housing, or enclosure of any person, entity, animal, process, equipment, goods, or materials of any kind or nature.
c) The permitted hours of operation of a marijuana dispensary shall be from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
d) A marijuana dispensary shall not have a drive-through service.
e) A marijuana dispensary shall not have outdoor seating areas.
Nonconforming Uses
14.1 Definitions.
A nonconforming use is a use of any lot or building which does not conform to the regulations applicable to the zone in which the same shall be located, but which legally existed at the effective date of these Regulations or at the effective date of any amendment thereto or any change in the boundaries of any zoning district herein or hereafter established which creates the nonconformity. A nonconforming building is one which is arranged, intended or designed for or devoted to a nonconforming use.
 
14.2 Nonconforming use of buildings.
A building or structure, the use of which does not conform to the use regulations for the zone in which it is situated shall not be enlarged or extended unless such building or structure, including such enlargement or extension, is made to conform to all regulations, including use, for the zone in which it is situated.
14.2.1 Such nonconforming building shall not be structurally altered, except in conformity to this section; provided, however, that such maintenance and repairwork as is required to keep a nonconforming building or structure in sound condition shall be permitted; and provided further that any such nonconforming use may be extended throughout any existing parts of the building which were manifestly arranged or designed for such use at the time of the adoption of these Regulations.
14.2.2 If no structural alterations are made, a nonconforming use of a building may be changed to another nonconforming use which under the special case procedure of Section 20, the Zoning Commission finds to be of the same or of a more restricted nature, except that a nonconforming use in a residence, business or light industrial zone shall not be changed to a use permitted only in a heavy industrial zone or excluded from a heavy industrial zone, and except that a nonconforming use in a heavy industrial zone may not be changed to a use excluded from such zone.
14.2.3 If any nonconforming use of a building ceases for any reason for a continuous period of more than one year, or is changed to a conforming use, or if the building in or on which use is conducted or maintained is moved any distance for any reason, then any future use of such building shall be in conformity to the regulations for the zone in which such building is located.
14.2.4 If any building in or on which any nonconforming use is conducted or maintained is hereafter removed, the subsequent use of the land on which such building was located and the subsequent use of any building thereon shall be in conformity with the regulations for the zone in which such land or building is located.

14.3 Reconstruction after damage.
Nothing in these Regulations shall prevent the reconstruction within one year of a building damaged by fire, explosion, accident, the act of God or of the public enemy to its condition and size prior to such damage or prevent the restoration of a wall or structural member.

14.4 Completion of buildings under construction.
Any building for which a permit has been duly granted, and the construction of which shall have been started before the effective date of these Regulations and which building these Regulations make nonconforming, may be completed in accordance with plans on file with the Building Inspector, provided that such construction is diligently prosecuted and such is completed within one year of the date of these Regulations.

14.5 Continuance of nonconforming uses.
Any nonconforming use of buildings lawfully existing at the effective date of these Regulations or of any pertinent amendment thereto, may be continued and any building so existing which was designed, arranged, intended for or devoted to a nonconforming use may be reconstructed and structurally altered and the nonconforming use therein changed, all subject to the provisions of Section 14.
Obstructions at street intersections
No fence, sign, wall, hedge, grading, shrubbery, or other obstruction to vision in excess of three feet above top of curb shall be placed or allowed to grow or exist at street intersections within the area formed by a line joining points on each front lot line 20 feet from the intersection of the street lines.
Open space required for each building
Except as specifically provided herein, no part of any yard or other open space required about any building may be included as part of a yard or other open space required for any other building.
Projection into open spacecs
Nothing in these Regulations shall prohibit the projection not more than two feet into a required open space of pilasters, columns, belt courses, sills, cornices, or other similar architectural features, nor the planting or landscaping of such open spaces except as provided in Section 3.7 Obstructions at street intersections.

Projection into setbacks for ADA compliance.
Nothing in these Regulations shall prohibit the projection of features, such as ramps, lifts and other building access improvements to accommodate provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and are exempt from the required setbacks. In addition, the Zoning Enforcement Officer reserves the right to refer any proposed modification to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a public hearing, if they feel a proposed modification does not meet the intent of this regulation. If the proposed building access modification does not comply with the provisions of the ADA, it shall adhere to all setbacks outlined herein.
Required frontage and access
No building shall be built on any lot unless such lot has a frontage of at least 50 feet upon a street built in accordance with "An Ordinance Providing For the Manner of Acceptance of New Streets, Boulevards, Highways or Public Ways and Establishing Certain Specifications Therefore, in the Town of Stratford, Conn."[1] or upon a street formally accepted by the Town Council as a Town road or a performance bond acceptable to the Planning Commission has been posted therefor and except as provided in Section 3.3.1 of these Regulations.
3.3.1  Rear Lots. Rear lots, as defined in Section 1.24.2 are exempt from the fifty-foot frontage requirement as long as all other standards of Section 3.3 are complied with as well as the following additional standards:
1.  Rear lots are permitted only in an RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RS-4 or RM-1 District.
2.  Only a single-family residence is permitted on a rear lot. No multifamily residences or duplexes are permitted even within an RM-1 District.
3.  Each rear lot shall comply with the following lot area requirements:
A)  RS-1 District: 60,000 square feet.
B)  RS-2 District: 30,000 square feet.
C)  RS-3 District: 15,000 square feet.
D)  RS-4 District: 11,250 square feet.
E)  RM-1 District: 11,250 square feet.
4.  A rectangle meeting the minimum lot width and lot depth of the applicable zoning district must fit within the rear lot.
5.  The minimum front, side and rear yard setback requirements shall be 1 1/2 times the requirement of the applicable zoning district.
6.  Each rear lot shall have access to a street by means of an unobstructed accessway held in the same fee ownership as the rear lot. The area of the accessway shall not be included in the minimum required lot area.
7.  The access way shall be a minimum of 25 feet in width for the entire segment for those under 300 feet in length and 30 feet in width for those over 300 feet in length. The length of the accessway shall extend to the rear lot's front property line but in no event shall it be less than the minimum required lot depth. Within the lines of said accessway there shall be constructed a paved driveway of sufficient thickness to support fire apparatus to Fire Department specifications. Driveways under 300 feet in length shall be a minimum of 12 feet in width and driveways over 300 feet in length shall be a minimum of 16 feet in width.
8.  The maximum number of adjoining accessways shall not exceed two.
9.  At no point shall the thirty-foot accessway exceed a vertical rise of 15%.
10.  A full fire detection system shall be installed to the Fire Department specifications, and all rear lots must be serviced by all utilities available.
11.  A standard type of sign shall be placed at the road indicating the numeric address.
Required living space
A. No dwelling shall be erected, moved or altered structurally unless the finished floor area devoted to living space is 1,000 square feet or more. In the RS-1 and RS-2 District the minimum floor area devoted to living space on the first floor shall be 1,000 square feet. In RS-4 and RM-1 the minimum on the first floor shall be 700 square feet. Where any required living space is located above the first floor it shall be accessible by a permanent stairway.
B. In the case of dwellings for more than one family, the floor area devoted to living space in each family unit shall be not less than 200 square feet for the first room and an additional 120 square feet for each additional living room or bedroom in such unit. One hundred square feet may be deducted from the required first-floor living area of a dwelling, but not from the total living area, for each car space, not to exceed two, in a garage facing a street and attached to the dwelling by enclosure within the same walls or by a covered breezeway. 
Use of land for access or parking
The use of land for access to and for parking in connection with a use shall be considered to be accessory to and part of such use, except that this provision shall not prohibit access across a commercial district to a use lying in a industrial district.
Water body, watercourse, wetland and coastal resource protection
A) No new building construction increasing building area including minor additions to existing buildings or detached accessory buildings, such as garages and sheds, and no pools, tennis courts, driveways, paved parking areas, terraces, or other impervious surfaces shall be permitted within 50 feet of the mean high water line of any water body or watercourse or within 50 feet of any freshwater inland wetland as defined in Chapter 440 of the Connecticut General Statutes except for direct water-dependent/public access structures and uses as defined by the Connecticut Coastal Management Actand when consistent with coastal management policies therewith. Any activity within 50 feet of an inland wetland or inland watercourse, for the purposes of environmental impact mitigation or restoration activities including, but not limited to, stormwater treatment, habitat management, riparian zone restoration or wetland restorations, shall not be required to obtain a variance from the Board of Zoning Appeals. Alterations of existing contours are subject to administrative approval by the Zoning Commission.
B) The provision of this section as they relate to inland wetlands and watercourses as defined in Chapter 440 of the Connecticut General Statutes shall not apply to any property which is the subject of an application for special case under SECTION 20 of these Regulations, provided that an application for said proposed use has been submitted to the Stratford Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission and said application has been approved by that Commission, and provided further that a public hearing had been held by the Inland Wetland and Watercourses Commission on any such application.
C) No new building construction increasing building area including minor additions to existing buildings or detached accessory buildings, such as garages and sheds, and no pools, tennis courts, driveways, paved parking areas, terraces, or other impervious surfaces shall be permitted within 75 feet of the following coastal resources as defined by Section 22a-93(7) of the Connecticut General Statutes: tidal wetlands, coastal bluffs and escarpments, beach and dune systems, except for direct water-dependent/public access structures and uses as defined by the Connecticut Coastal Management Act and when consistent with coastal management policies therewith. Alterations of existing contours are subject to Administrative Approval by the Zoning Commission.
D) All building elevations shall conform to the national flood damage prevention ordinance.
Zoning of streets
The boundary of each district shall include the bed of any street, right-of-way or easement lying therein. When opposite sides of the street lie in different districts, the boundary shall be deemed the center of the right-of-way.