Title 8 — Title 8: Zoning, Planning, Housing and Economic and Community Development

Sec. 8-1. Zoning commissions. (a) Any municipality may, by vote of its legislative body, adopt the provisions of this chapter and exercise through a zoning commission the powers granted hereunder. On and after July 1, 1974, in each municipality, except as otherwise provided by sp…

Sec. 8-10. Appeals procedure to apply to all municipalities. The provisions of sections 8-8 and 8-9 shall apply to appeals from zoning boards of appeals, zoning commissions or other final zoning authority of any municipality whether or not such municipality has adopted the provis…

Sec. 8-11. Disqualification of members of zoning authorities. No member of any zoning commission or board and no member of any zoning board of appeals or of any municipal agency exercising the powers of any zoning commission or board of appeals, whether existing under the general…

Sec. 8-11a. Disqualification of board member as enforcement officer. No person may serve as zoning enforcement officer in any municipality wherein he is a member of the zoning board of appeals. (1963, P.A. 628.) Cited. 186 C. 106; 221 C. 374.

Sec. 8-12. Procedure when regulations are violated. If any building or structure has been erected, constructed, altered, converted or maintained, or any building, structure or land has been used, in violation of any provision of this chapter or of any bylaw, ordinance, rule or re…

Sec. 8-12a. Establishment of municipal penalties for violations of regulations. (a) Any municipality may, by ordinance adopted by its legislative body, establish penalties for violations of zoning regulations adopted under section 8-2 or by special act. The ordinance shall establ…

Sec. 8-13. Controlling requirement in case of variation. If the regulations made under authority of the provisions of this chapter require a greater width or size of yards, courts or other open spaces or a lower height of building or a fewer number of stories or a greater percent…

Sec. 8-13a. Nonconforming buildings, structures and land uses. (a)(1) When a building or other structure is so situated on a lot that it violates a zoning regulation of a municipality that prescribes the location of such a building or structure in relation to the boundaries of th…

Secs. 8-13b to 8-13l. Planned unit development. Sections 8-13b to 8-13l, inclusive, are repealed. (1969, P.A. 764, S. 1–10; P.A. 76-436, S. 291–293, 681; P.A. 78-280, S. 1, 127; 78-314, S. 2; P.A. 83-388, S. 7, 9; P.A. 84-395, S. 1, 3; P.A. 85-91, S. 3, 5; 85-409, S. 7, 8.)

Sec. 8-13m. Definitions. As used in this section and sections 8-13n to 8-13x, inclusive: (1) “Approved incentive housing zone” means an overlay zone that has been adopted by a zoning commission and for which a letter of final eligibility has been issued by the commissioner under …

Sec. 8-13n. Requirements for incentive housing zones. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of a charter or special act, a zoning commission may adopt, as part of the zoning regulations adopted under section 8-2 or any special act, regulations establishing an incentive housing zone …

Sec. 8-13o. Design standards. (a) A zoning commission, at the time of and as part of its adoption of regulations for an incentive housing zone, may adopt design standards for incentive housing developments within such zone. Such design standards (1) may ensure that construction w…

Sec. 8-13p. Application for preliminary determination of eligibility for zone adoption payment. On or before June 30, 2017, a municipality may file with the Commissioner of Housing an application for preliminary determination of eligibility for a zone adoption payment pursuant to…

Sec. 8-13q. Preliminary determination of eligibility for financial incentive payments. Letter of final approval of incentive housing zone. Waiver of right to receive payment. (a) Upon application by a municipality under section 8-13p, the Commissioner of Housing shall, not later …

Sec. 8-13r. Incentive housing zone certificate of compliance. (a) Each municipality whose zoning commission has received a final determination of eligibility and has adopted an approved incentive housing zone shall annually, in accordance with procedures established by the Commis…

Sec. 8-13s. Zone adoption payments. Building permit payments. (a) Upon the determination that (1) the housing incentive zone has been adopted; (2) the time for appeal of the final adoption of the regulations has expired or a final and unappealable judgment upholding such regulati…

Sec. 8-13t. Application process for incentive housing development. (a) A zoning commission shall prescribe, consistent with the provisions of sections 8-13m to 8-13x, inclusive, the form of an application for approval of an incentive housing development. The time for and procedur…

Sec. 8-13u. Report on incentive housing zone program to Governor and General Assembly. (a) The Commissioner of Housing shall be responsible for the administration, review and reporting on the incentive housing zone program as provided in sections 8-13m to 8-13x, inclusive. (b) On…

Sec. 8-13v. Repayment by municipality of payments or reimbursements. Regulations. (a) The Commissioner of Housing may require the municipality to repay to the state all or part of the payments or reimbursements made to a municipality under sections 8-13m to 8-13x, inclusive, upon…

Sec. 8-13w. Grants for technical assistance and predevelopment funds for incentive housing zones. Within available resources, the Commissioner of Housing may make grants to municipalities for the purpose of providing technical assistance and predevelopment funds in the planning o…

Sec. 8-13x. Grants for housing development. Within available appropriations, the Commissioner of Housing may make grants to nonprofit housing assistance or nonprofit housing development organizations in order to support technical assistance planning, predevelopment, development, …

Sec. 8-1a. “Municipality” and “town” to include district; “selectmen” to include district officers. Definitions. (a) “Municipality” as used in this chapter shall include a district establishing a zoning commission under section 7-326. Wherever the words “town” and “selectmen” app…

Sec. 8-1aa. Ridgeline protection: Definitions. As used in section 8-2: (1) “Traprock ridge” means Beacon Hill, Saltonstall Mountain, Totoket Mountain, Pistapaug Mountain, Fowler Mountain, Beseck Mountain, Higby Mountain, Chauncey Peak, Lamentation Mountain, Cathole Mountain, Sout…

Sec. 8-1b. Alternate members of zoning commission or combined planning and zoning commission. Any town, city or borough, in addition to such powers as it has under the provisions of the general statutes or any special act, shall have the power to provide by ordinance for the appo…

Sec. 8-1bb. Temporary health care structures. Municipal permit required. Municipal opt-out. (a) For the purposes of this section: (1) “Caregiver” means a relative, legal guardian or health care agent who is responsible for the unpaid care of a mentally or physically impaired pers…

Sec. 8-1c. Fees for municipal land use applications. (a) Any municipality may, by ordinance, establish a schedule of reasonable fees for the processing of applications by a municipal zoning commission, planning commission, combined planning and zoning commission, zoning board of …

Sec. 8-1cc. Outdoor food and beverage service as accessory use. (a) For the purposes of this section, “beverage” includes alcoholic liquor or an alcoholic beverage, as defined in section 30-1, “food establishment” means a food establishment that is licensed or permitted to operat…

Sec. 8-1d. Hours for holding land use public hearings. Any municipality may, by ordinance, establish an hour at or after which public hearings shall be held by its planning commission, zoning commission, combined planning and zoning commission, zoning board of appeals and inland …

Secs. 8-1e to 8-1y. Reserved for future use.

Sec. 8-1z. Exclusion of conservation easement from open space percentage allocation required for land use application. For the purpose of final approval of a municipal land use application, including, but not limited to, the open space percentage allocation required for cluster d…

Sec. 8-2. Regulations. (a)(1) The zoning commission of each city, town or borough is authorized to regulate, within the limits of such municipality: (A) The height, number of stories and size of buildings and other structures; (B) the percentage of the area of the lot that may be…

Sec. 8-2a. Copies of zoning and subdivision regulations to be available. The secretary or clerk of each regulatory board of a political subdivision of the state, adopting subdivision or zoning regulations pursuant to the general statutes or a special act, shall make printed copie…

Sec. 8-2b. Use of maps of Soil Conservation Service as standard. Any planning commission, zoning commission or planning and zoning commission of any municipality may use soil survey maps of the Soil Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture as a standard…

Sec. 8-2c. Payment of a fee in lieu of parking requirements. Notwithstanding the provisions of any special act, any town, city or borough having zoning authority pursuant to this chapter or any special act or planning authority pursuant to chapter 126 or any special act may, by r…

Sec. 8-2d. Planned unit developments under former chapter 124a continue to be valid. Any land use regulations concerning planned unit developments or planned residential developments adopted by a municipal zoning commission, planning and zoning commission or other applicable zoni…

Sec. 8-2e. Municipal agreements regarding development rights. Any two or more municipalities which have adopted the provisions of this chapter or chapter 125a or which are exercising zoning power pursuant to any special act may, with the approval of the legislative body of each m…

Sec. 8-2f. Joint applications necessary for transfer of development rights. Any zoning regulations adopted pursuant to section 8-2 concerning development rights shall authorize the transfer of the development rights to land only upon joint application of the transferor and transf…

Sec. 8-2g. Special exemption from density limits for construction of affordable housing. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any special act, any zoning commission existing pursuant to this chapter and any municipal agency exercising the powers of a zoning commission pursuant t…

Sec. 8-2h. Zoning applications filed prior to change in zoning regulations not required to comply with change. Applications for building permit or certificate of occupancy filed prior to adoption of zoning regulations not required to comply with regulations. (a) An application fi…

Sec. 8-2i. Inclusionary zoning. (a) As used in this section, “inclusionary zoning” means any zoning regulation, requirement or condition of development imposed by ordinance, regulation or pursuant to any special permit, special exception or subdivision plan which promotes the dev…

Sec. 8-2j. Village districts. Compatibility objectives with other uses in immediate neighborhood. Applications. Village district consultant. (a) The zoning commission of each municipality may establish village districts as part of the zoning regulations adopted under section 8-2 …

Sec. 8-2k. Zoning regulations re construction near lakes. Section 8-2k is repealed, effective October 1, 2006. (P.A. 04-248, S. 3; P.A. 05-263, S. 2, 3.)

Sec. 8-2l. Zoning regulations re structures or uses located in floodplain. (a) As used in this section and section 25-68i, “floodplain” means that area of a municipality located within the real or theoretical limits of the base flood or base flood for a critical activity, as dete…

Sec. 8-2m. Floating and overlay zones and flexible zoning districts. The zoning authority of any municipality that (1) was incorporated in 1784, (2) has a mayor and board of alderman form of government, and (3) exercises zoning power pursuant to a special act, may provide for flo…

Sec. 8-2n. Zoning regulations re crematories. The zoning regulations adopted under section 8-2 or any special act shall not authorize the location of a crematory within five hundred feet of any residential structure or land zoned for residential purposes not owned by the owner of…

Sec. 8-2o. Zoning regulations re accessory apartments. Municipal opt-out; exception. (a) Any zoning regulations adopted pursuant to section 8-2 shall: (1) Designate locations or zoning districts within the municipality in which accessory apartments are allowed, provided at least …

Sec. 8-2p. Municipal opt-out re dwelling unit parking space limitations. The zoning commission or combined planning and zoning commission, as applicable, of a municipality, by a two-thirds vote, may initiate the process by which such municipality opts out of the provision of subd…

Sec. 8-2q. Simplified approval process re solar canopies. (a) As used in this section, “solar canopy” means an outdoor, shade-providing structure that hosts solar photovoltaic panels located above a parking or driving area, pedestrian walkway, courtyard, canal or other utilized s…

Sec. 8-2r. Zoning regulations re vacant nursing home conversions into multifamily housing. Summary review process. (a) For the purposes of this section, (1) “summary review” means able to be approved in accordance with the terms of a zoning regulation or regulations and without r…

Sec. 8-2s. Zoning regulations re middle housing development. Housing unit-equivalent points. (a) Any zoning regulations adopted pursuant to section 8-2 may allow for the as-of-right development of any type of middle housing on any lot that allows for residential use, commercial u…