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Stratford staff unveil condensed zoning code draft, aim for adoption by November
Summary
Town planners presented a proposed rewrite of Stratford’s zoning regulations that condenses 32 sections into seven, makes mostly stylistic edits, and includes substantive changes on housing, ADUs, cannabis limits and use tables; adoption is targeted for November with public outreach scheduled.
Town of Stratford planning staff and consultant SLR presented a comprehensive rewrite of the town’s zoning regulations to the Planning Commission on Aug. 20, outlining a reorganization intended to make the code easier to use and bring local rules into alignment with recent state law.
“We are really starting from scratch,” Jay Hebanski, Stratford’s planning and zoning administrator, told commissioners, saying the draft is meant to update rules that “have not been touched significantly or updated in the past 80 years.” Consultant Robert Collins said the rewrite condenses the existing code from 32 sections down to seven to improve clarity and navigation.
The presenters characterized roughly 90% of edits as stylistic and said about 10% are substantive, with the most significant changes addressing housing, how accessory dwelling units are treated, and clearer use and permitting rules. Robert Collins described a new consolidated use table that lists uses, the type of permit required and cross-references special-use regulations, saying the format will reduce time staff and applicants spend searching the code.
On housing, staff proposed removing the town’s former townwide “bedroom equivalents” cap that had limited apartment development, while keeping a special-permit process for multifamily projects so the town retains review authority. Jay Hebanski said the draft removes the arbitrary numerical cap but retains parameters and review steps for apartments.
The draft also includes new sections the presenters described as responses to contemporary demands: regulations for renewable-energy structures (for example, solar canopies over parking), an updated sign code with lighting and electronic-message guidance tied to dark-skies recommendations, clearer coastal-management text to reflect state statutes, and a consolidated boarding/short-term rental section under closer legal review.
On cannabis, the draft proposes a local cap to create zoning clarity: two retail stores and two manufacturing sites, presenters said. The commission discussed the limits as a way to control local land-use impacts while complying with state rules that otherwise allow municipalities to set local standards.
Staff told commissioners they will continue to refine language with municipal attorneys and other stakeholders. For outreach, the project team plans a public open house on Sept. 11 and aims to have the regulations adopted by November if the commissions reach consensus. Consultants said items that prove too controversial during review could be removed from the immediate adoption package and considered separately so as not to delay the broader reorganization.
No formal vote on the zoning rewrite was taken at the Aug. 20 meeting; commissioners were asked to review materials, identify sections for detailed discussion at future meetings and provide feedback. The consultant encouraged commissioners and the public to meet with staff to clarify where particular provisions from the old code have been relocated in the draft.
