Final Draft of Route 1 Zoning Proposal:
Adopted; December 11, 2000
Effective; December 21, 2000
Amendment to Town of Guilford Zoning Code to Create a New Zone District Known as Post Road Village Zone District (PV)
Article XVI
Post Road Village Zone District (PV)
273-112. Purpose.
The PV District is a commercial zoning district designed to permit a variety of small scale commercial uses. The District should establish a sense of entry to Guilford, and foster preservation of historic properties and development that emphasizes traditional building form with consistent signage, landscaping, and building design. It should further foster site planning that encourages pedestrian amenities and streetscape treatments compatible with the Town’s planning and design guidelines established for the District.
273-113. Permitted Uses
The following uses are permitted in the PV District;
- Retail stores
- Business and professional offices
- Financial institutions
- Dwelling units not to exceed a density of 8 (eight) dwelling units per acre.
- Personal service establishments.
- Restaurants excluding drive thru services.
- Buildings, uses and facilities of the Town, State or Federal Government.
- Retail clothes cleaning and or laundering establishments.
- Lodging establishments (by Special Permit in accordance with 273-118).
- Entertainment facilities, including movie theatres (restricted to not more than 2 screens or 400 seats ) and playhouses.
- Places of worship (by Special Permit in accordance with 273-118).
- Recreational facilities including gymnasiums, and physical fitness establishments, and studios for dance, musical and theatrical instruction (not to exceed 10,000 sq. ft.)
- Schools including day-care facilities.
- Funeral Homes
- Long and short term health care facilities
- Non-profit facilities including museums
- Artist studios, galleries, and other establishments where art or crafts merchandise is displayed or sold.
No use may be expanded, altered or created except in conformance with Article IX, Site Plan Review. In addition no use may be expanded, altered or created except in accordance with Article IXX, Design Review.
273-114. Area. Location and Bulk Standards
The following area, location and bulk standards apply in the PV District (see Table 3 for definitions);
Lot area. 10,000 sq. ft.
Lot shape 80 ft.
Lot frontage 80 ft.
Height 35 ft
Setback from street line minimum – 20 ft. / maximum – 30 ft.
(no building or other structure shall be located any closer to the street line than the minimum setback nor any further from the street line than the maximum setback. Where, in a multi-building development, one or more buildings meet the maximum building setback, other buildings may be allowed which do not, subject to review and approval of a Site Plan Application.)
- Setback from rear property line 10 ft. (see also 273-26 through 273-31)
- Setback from side property line 10 ft.
- Setback from residential district boundary line 20 ft.
- Lot coverage 25% ( up to 35% with Special Permit in accordance with 273-118)
- Total floor area 50% (up to 65% with Special Permit in accordance with 273-118)
Maximum impervious surface 75% (the total coverage by impervious surfaces, including buildings, driveways and parking shall not exceed this percentage of the lot area) Where a building or site is non-conforming with respect to this standard, this non-conformity shall not prevent building expansion when in conformance with the other standards of this Section.
Maximum building no building or other structure shall exceed a size total area of 20,000 sq. ft (25,000 sq.ft. with Special Permit in accordance with 273-118) no free-standing retail building shall exceed 15,000 sq.ft. and no single retail store use in a multi-tenant building shall exceed 15,000 sq. ft.
273-115. Sign Requirements
Sign requirements in the PV District shall be in accordance with the standards for the C-1 District.
273-116. Parking Standards
Parking requirements in the PV District shall be in accordance with Article VI except that for retail stores, 4 spaces per 1000 sq. ft. of gross leasable area shall be required and for office uses, 3 spaces per 1000 sq.ft. of gross leasable area shall be required. For retail buildings larger than 5000 sq. ft. there shall be a maximum of 4 spaces per 1000 sq. ft. of gross leasable area except where there is a demonstrated need for additional spaces.
273-117. Non-Conforming Buildings
No building, existing as of the effective date of this regulation, which is non-conforming with respect to maximum building size, maximum coverage, or maximum floor area may expand except by Special Permit in accordance with 273-118 and no such expansion shall exceed 5% of the total floor area of the building.
273-118. Special Permit Criteria
As described in this section, certain activities are authorized by Special Permit. These activities must conform with this Section and with Article X of the Zoning Code. In considering applications for Special Permits under this Section, the Commission shall consider how the application meets the criteria specified below, and as recommended by the Design Review Committee. The Commission may approve a Special Permit only when the application meets the eight mandatory criteria as well as two optional criteria.
All applications must meet the following mandatory criteria:
- plans must be in conformance with the design criteria specified in Planning and Design Guidelines Route 1 East Boston Post Road, dated August 2000, prepared by ICON Architecture and Community Planning Solutions (see pages 6-13, Design Principles and Design Guidelines) as recommended by the Design Review Committee.
- plans must provide for architecture of the highest quality (if applicable), as recommended by the Design Review Committee ; such architecture must go above and beyond the criteria contained in Planning and Design Guidelines Route 1 East Boston Post Road.
- plans must provide for outstanding landscape treatments compatible with the local environment and New England landscape traditions as recommended by the Design Review Committee; such plans may include the planting of large trees and the preservation of existing natural topography and mature trees.
- plans must provide for effective screening of parking areas from public view.
- plans must provide for effective screening of utilities and site infrastructure (air-conditioning units, dumpsters, etc.).
- plans must provide for superior methods of storm water management such as the creation of on-site ponds, or wetlands or other practices, which are in conformance with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Model Storm water Management practice.
- plans should provide for innovative lighting, and energy conserving or light pollution reducing lighting designs.
- for sites that include historic buildings listed in the Survey of the Historic Architecture of Guilford, Connecticut (the 1981-82 version or as amended) prepared by the Guilford Preservation Alliance, plans must provide for the preservation and appropriate rehabilitation of these buildings.
In addition, applications must meet at least two of the optional criteria below:
- the plan results in the preservation and enhancement of significant natural topography or scenic vistas,
- the plan includes reduced parking areas (with fewer spaces than existing conditions and/or fewer than required by this Code) and subordination of parking to buildings and landscaped areas.
- the plans provides for a reduction in the number of curb cuts on the Boston Post Road.
- the plan provides for new or increased access to shared parking with nearby parking areas.
- the plan provides for superior driveway, parking lot or walkway materials, such as brick or stone walkways, granite curbs, or the innovative use of other materials such as pavers, textured surfaces, etc.
- the plan provides for significant enhancement of pedestrian activity (above and beyond the standard requirement for public sidewalks) such as connections between neighboring properties, or provision of pedestrian crossing along walkways, through parking areas and between properties; or which may include facilities and amenities for the use and enjoyment of alternative forms of transportation including public transit or bicycles.
- the plan includes the creation of a public space of unusual merit as recommended by the Design Review Committee.
- the proposed project seems capable of making a significant and positive contribution to Town’s quality of life or the proposed project seems likely to have a significant new positive fiscal impact on the Town’s budget, especially in relation to the costs of municipal services.
- the plan for the building incorporates innovative technologies for energy conservation.
- the plan utilizes advanced on-site wastewater treatment systems.
Adopted; December 11, 2000
Effective; December 21, 2000
Amendment to Town of Guilford Zoning Code to Create a New Zone District Known as Transition and Service Zone District (TS)
Article XVII
Transition and Service Zone District (TS)
273-119. Purpose.
The TS District is a commercial zoning district designed to permit a wide variety of commercial uses including vehicle-oriented uses. It is intended to be an attractive coherent environment with a consistent street edge, high quality and sufficient landscaping, reduced curb cuts and shared parking, sidewalks and a mixture of types of land uses.
273-120. Permitted Uses
The following uses are permitted in the TS District;
- Retail stores
- Business and professional offices
- Financial institutions (including drive-thru)
- Dwelling units not to exceed a density of eight (8) dwelling units per acre
- Personal service establishments
- Restaurants (excluding drive thru service)
- Buildings, uses and facilities of the Town
- Retail clothes cleaning and or laundering establishments
- Lodging establishments (Special Permit in accordance with 273-118)
- Entertainment facilities, including movie theatres (restricted to not more than 2 screens or 400 seats ) and playhouses.
- Places of worship (Special Permit in accordance with 273-118)
- Recreational facilities including gymnasiums, and physical fitness establishments, and studios for dance, musical and theatrical instruction
- Schools including day care facilities
- Funeral homes
- Long and short term health care facilities.
- Motor vehicle repair facilities (by Special Permit in accordance with 273-118)
- Retail sales of motor vehicle fuel (by Special Permit in accordance with 273-118)
- Motor vehicle washing establishments by Special Permit in accordance with 273-118)
- Printing and publishing establishments
- Retail sales of building materials and home improvement products
- Veterinary hospitals
- Retail sales of home heating fuel and propane excluding fuel storage and delivery trucks
- Light manufacturing (with Special Permit) (and as defined by Item # 14, 273-20 Table 2B)
- Non-profit facilities, including museums
- Farms (by Special Permit in accordance with 273-118)
- Retail Sales of Motor Vehicles (by Special Permit in accordance with 273-118) and in accordance with the following standards;
a. all repair and service work shall be conducted entirely within an enclosed building.
b. the outdoor storage of wrecked vehicles shall be appropriately screened.
c. no motor vehicles shall be parked, stored or displayed within 50 feet of the front property line, 25 feet of the side property or 25 feet of any residential zone district line and shall be suitably screened to the satisfaction of the Commission.
d. within the motor vehicle display area, there shall be internal landscaping as recommended by the Design Review Committee and approved by the Commission.
No use may be expanded, altered or created except in conformance with Article IX, Site Plan Review. In addition, no use may be expanded, altered or created except in accordance with Article IXX, Design Review.
273-121 . Area, Location and Bulk Standards
The following area, location and bulk standards apply in the TS District (see Table 3 for definitions);
Lot Area 20,000 sq. ft.
Lot Shape 100 ft.
Lot Frontage 100 ft.
Height 40 ft.
Setback from street line minimum-30 ft. / maximum-50 ft. (no building or other structure shall be located any closer to the street line than the minimum setback nor any further from the street line than the maximum setback. Where, in a multi-building development, one or more buildings meet the maximum building setback, other buildings may be allowed which do not, subject to review and approval of a Site Plan Application).
- Setback from rear property Line 12 ft.
- Setback from side property Line 12 ft.
- Setback from residential district boundary line 30 ft.
- Lot coverage 25% (up to 35% with Special Permit in accordance with 273-118)
- Total floor area 50% (up to 65% with Special Permit in accordance with 273-118)
Maximum impervious surface 70% (the total coverage by impervious surfaces, including buildings, driveways and parking shall not exceed this percentage of the lot area) Where a building or site is non-conforming with respect to this standard, this non-conformity shall not prevent building expansion in conformance with the other standards of this Section.
Maximum building size no building or other structure shall exceed a total floor area of 30,000 sq. ft. (up to 50,000 sq. ft. with a Special Permit in accordance with 273-118) no free standing retail building shall exceed 25,000 sq. ft. and no single retail store use in a multi-tenant building shall exceed 25,000 sq. ft.
273-122 Sign Requirements
Sign requirements in the TS District shall be in accordance with the standards for the C-3 District
273-123. Parking Standards
Parking requirements in the TS District shall be accordance with Article VI except that for retail stores 4 spaces per 1000 sq. ft. of gross leasable area shall be required and for office uses, 3 spaces per 1000 sq. ft. of gross leasable area shall be required. For retail buildings in excess of 5000 sq. ft. there shall be a maximum of 4 spaces per 1000 sq. ft. of gross leasable area except where there is a demonstrated need for additional spaces.
273-124. Non-Conforming Buildings
No building, existing as of the effective date of this regulation, which is non-conforming with respect to maximum building size, maximum coverage, or maximum floor area, may expand except by Special Permit and no such expansion shall exceed 5 % of the total floor area of the building.
273-125. Special Permit Criteria
See 273-118.
Adopted; December 11, 2000
Effective; December 21, 2000
Amendment to Town of Guilford Zoning Code to Create a New Zone District Known as Shopping Center Zone District (SC)
Article XVIII
Shopping Center Zone District (SC)
273-126. Purpose
The SC District is a commercial zoning district designed to permit larger shopping facilities in the context of planned shopping centers. Shopping Centers are to be designed to provide a high quality shopping experience in a well-designed and landscaped facility.
273-127. Permitted Uses
The following uses are permitted in the SC District;
- Retail stores
- Business and professional offices
- Financial institutions
- Personal service establishments
- Restaurants (excluding drive-thru service)
- Retail clothes cleaning and or laundering establishments
- Recreational facilities including gymnasiums and physical fitness establishments, and studios for dance, musical and theatrical instruction (not to exceed 10,000 sq. ft.)
- Schools including day-care facilities
No use may be expanded, altered or created except in conformance with Article IX, Site Plan Review. In addition, no use may be expanded, altered or created except in accordance with Article IXX, Design Review.
273-128. Area, Location and Bulk Standards
The following area, location and bulk standards apply in the SC District (see Table 3 for definitions);
Lot Area 200,000 sq. ft.
Lot Shape 300 ft.
Lot Frontage 300 ft.
Height 40 ft.
Setback from streetline minimum-30 ft. / maximum-50ft.
(no building or other structure shall be located any closer to the streetline than the minimum setback nor any further from the streetline than the maximum setback. Where, in a multi-building development, one or more buildings meet maximum building setback, other buildings may be allowed which do not, subject to review and approval of a Site Plan application.)
- Setback form rear property Line 20 ft.
- Setback from side property Line 15 ft.
- Setback from residential District boundary line 30 ft.
- Lot coverage 25% (up to 35% with Special Permit in accordance with 273-118)
- Total floor area 50% (up to 65% with Special Permit in accordance with 273-118)
Maximum impervious sSurface 70% ( the total coverage by impervious surfaces, including buildings, driveways and parking areas shall not exceed this percentage of the lot area) Where a building or site is non-conforming with respect to this standard, this non-conformity shall not prevent building expansion, which conforms with the other standards of this Section.
Maximum building s
Size no building or other structure shall exceed a total floor area of 150,000 sq. ft (up to 200,000 sq. ft with Special Permit in accordance with 273-118) no free standing retail building shall exceed 60,000 sq.ft. and no single retail store use in a multi-tenant
building shall exceed 60,000 sq.ft.
273-129. Sign Requirements
Sign requirements in the SC District shall be in accordance with the standards for the C-3 District.
273-130. Parking Standards
Parking requirements in the SC District shall be in accordance with Article VI except that for retail stores 4 spaces per 1000 sq.ft. of gross leasable area shall be required and for office uses, 3 spaces per 1000 sq. ft. of gross leasable area shall be required. For retail buildings larger than 5000 sq. ft. there shall be a maximum of 4 spaces per 1000 sq. ft. of gross leasable area except where there is a demonstrated need for additional spaces. For retail buildings larger than 50,000 sq. ft. the minimum standard shall be 3 spaces per 1000 sq. ft. of gross leasable area.
273-131. Non Conforming Buildings
No building, existing as of the effective date of this regulation, which is non-conforming with respect to maximum building size, maximum coverage, or maximum floor area may expand except by Special Permit and no such expansion shall exceed 5% of the total floor area of the building.
273-132. Special Permit Criteria
See 273-118.
Adopted; December 11, 2000
Effective; December 21, 2000
Amendment to Town of Guilford Zoning Code to Create a Design Review Committee and a Design Review Process
Article XIX
Design Review
273-133. Purpose
A Design Review Committee is created in order to assist the Planning and Zoning Commission in administering the Zoning Code. The advice of the Committee is intended to encourage higher quality building and site design and result in commercial development, which is compatible with the character of the Town
273-134. Membership
The Design Review Committee shall be appointed by the Planning and Zoning Commission. Its members shall serve staggered two year terms. The Committee shall have a minimum of 5 members and not more than 7 members, plus 3 alternates. The members shall consist of members of the design and planning professions such as, a landscape architect or landscape designer, architects, an environmental design professional, and a civil engineer, along with other design professions. Members must be residents of the Town of Guilford. Members of the Design Review Committee must avoid conflict of interest and any appearance of conflict of interest and recuse themselves when necessary from the deliberations of the Committee.
273- 135. Procedures
The Design Review Committee shall meet at regularly scheduled meetings to consider applications referred to it by the Planning and Zoning Commission. For any Site Plan or Special Permit Application in a Commercial or Industrial Zone, the Planning and Zoning Commission shall refer the application to the Committee prior to making a decision on the Application. The Design Review Committee shall submit its recommendations to the Commission in writing. The failure of the Design Review Committee to act in a timely manner shall not effect the mandated time requirements for Planning and Zoning Commission action.
273-136. Design Criteria
The Committee shall review architectural designs and site plans and make recommendations to applicants and the Planning and Zoning Commission about proposed designs. In considering these applications the Design Review Committee shall be guided by the design and site planning criteria contained in A Plan for Route 1 East, Planning and Design Guidelines (see specifically pages 6-13), dated August 2000, prepared for the Town of Guilford by Icon Architecture Inc. and Community Planning Solutions and by such other guidelines and criteria as they may from time to time adopt.
Adopted; December 11, 2000
Effective; December 21, 2000
Amendment to Zoning Code regarding Traffic Management District
- Delete 273-10. Traffic Management District. and 273-75 Q. Traffic Management District. from the Zoning Code.
Amendment to Zoning Code to Delete Moratorium on Boston Post Road East
- Delete September 20, 2000 Zoning Code amendment creating moratorium on Site Plan and Special Permit Applications for area shown on “Proposed New Zone Districts, Boston Post Road”, dated October 25, 2000
Amendment to Zoning Map, Town of Guilford
- Adopt amendment to Zoning Map as shown on “Proposed New Zone Districts, Boston Post Road”, dated October 25, 2000.