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Planning staff’s Downtown TOD zoning rewrite gets positive referral to zoning commission
Summary
The commission gave a favorable referral to a large zoning amendment that would rename Danbury’s Central Business District to 'Downtown TOD,' expand the downtown boundary to roughly 450 acres, add mixed‑use allowances, height incentives tied to affordable housing and reduce parking requirements in core areas; matters will move to the zoning commission for formal action.
The Danbury Planning Commission on Jan. 15 voted to send a major referral to the zoning commission that would rewrite downtown zoning to promote transit‑oriented development (TOD), expand the downtown boundary and create incentives for housing and design improvements.
Planning Director Bridal Bakay presented the referral as the product of several background studies (including a 2019 TOD study and the 2023 POCD) and said staff propose renaming the Central Business District to "Downtown TOD" and nearly doubling its area from about 210 acres to roughly 450 acres to create a more cohesive downtown zoning framework. "Our goal is to modernize the downtown regulations, expand the boundaries, and also create more opportunities for housing, different development, and businesses," Bakay said.
The referral would consolidate confusing overlays, allow mixed‑use development, and include a table of incentives tying additional height to percentages of affordable housing: a 10‑foot height bonus for 5% affordable units, 20 feet for 10%, up to a 40‑foot bonus for 20% affordable units with a 125‑foot absolute cap. Staff also proposed reducing minimum parking by about 50% outside the main historic area and eliminating minimum parking within the core historic district, while offering alternatives such as cash‑in‑lieu, proximity to public parking structures or public‑realm improvements.
Commissioners asked about sequencing infrastructure and zoning changes, sewer/water capacity, and comparisons to other municipalities. Bakay said zoning changes are intended to catalyze investment that then helps the city obtain funding for infrastructure upgrades and noted the planning department is coordinating with engineering, the mayor's office and other agencies to study capacity and technical mitigation strategies (for example, infiltration and I&I reduction techniques) that can increase usable capacity without immediate wholesale pipe replacement.
After discussion, a commissioner moved, seconded and the commission voted in favor of a positive referral to the zoning commission; the proposed amendments will now proceed through the zoning commission and public hearing process.
