After nearly eight months of comments, revisions, and public hearings, the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Norwalk, Connecticut, adopted a new zoning map and zoning regulations on December 13, 2023. This is the first comprehensive, citywide revision to the zoning regulations in nearly 40 years.
The new map and regulations will become effective on February 19, 2024, and will soon be available on the website of the Norwalk Planning & Zoning Department. Drafts of the zoning regulations are currently available to view on the Department’s website, along with communications sent by property owners and the general public, and staff memoranda.
In addition to new property zone classifications, the new regulations include updated height and bulk requirements, building design standards, sustainability requirements, a revised method to calculate substantial improvements for non-flood compliant structures, and modifications to parking requirements, among other changes. Several of the proposed amendments were not adopted, including proposed regulations and overlay concepts for the 125-acre Manresa Island property and the Merritt 7 complex, and revised daycare regulations in light of the new state requirement that children must be age five (5) by September 1, 2024 to enter kindergarten. Further discussion, revisions, and action on these matters and others will occur in 2024. Any updated or modified regulations will be posted to the Planning and Zoning Department website prior to discussion, public hearings and action next year by the Commission.
During the deliberations on December 13, 2023, the Commission modified some of the proposed regulations to address concerns raised by the public. Notably, these changes included revising the proposed method to calculate substantial improvement for non-flood compliant structures, modifying nonconforming use regulations for permitted uses formerly within the Industrial No. 1 or Restricted Industrial Zone, and adding industrial processing and storage facilities dependent on waterborne transportation to the water dependent use table in the new code.
Administratively-issued permits and applications for site plan review, special permits, variances and other applications may continue to be filed with the Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals under the current regulations and standards of review until the February 19, 2024 effective date of the new zone map and regulations.
Carmody continues to review the citywide zoning rewrite and any revisions that emerge in 2024.
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