Planning and zoning review: Stratford completes first comprehensive zoning rewrite in 80 years, staff say

Town staff told the ordinance committee on March 25 that the Planning and Zoning Department completed its first comprehensive rewrite of the zoning regulations in 80 years and that no operating budget increase is being requested beyond contractual salary steps.

"Within the last 16 months, planning and zoning has executed their first comprehensive rewrite of the zoning regs in 80 years," a staff presenter said. The office also completed design and engineering for a Complete Streets project and is moving toward a second Complete Streets phase from Barnum Avenue through Paradise Green, staff said.

The department reported it evaluated 73 commercial projects with the land use board over the prior year. Staff said the proposed budget is essentially flat apart from contractual salary steps; the presenter and committee members explained that salary line changes reflect union step increases rather than new headcount or program expansions.

Committee members asked whether the zoning rewrite incorporated economic development goals such as greater flexibility for mixed‑use development. Mary Dean said staff worked with the planning team and that the rewrite included changes to encourage desired uses and restrict others. As an example, staff said wording was added to limit new vape shop locations; where a vape shop closed at a shopping center, staff said property owners are being encouraged to pursue other end uses rather than re‑tenant with a vape shop.

Why it matters: the zoning rewrite alters the regulatory framework that shapes where housing, retail and industrial uses can locate in Stratford. Staff framed the changes as a tool to encourage mixed use and to exclude uses the town does not want to encourage in commercial cores.

What’s next: staff said they will monitor implementation and consider further targeted tweaks to zoning language if additional flexibility or refinements are needed.