Land Use Development Guide

The common City departments involved in the permitting process and primary point of contact is provided below.  General application coordination however is done through Planning or Building and Zoning Department, depending upon the type of application.

Building and Zoning (includes Wetlands and Historic)
Joseph Summers, Building & Zoning Official/Wetlands Enforcement Agent
860-446-4104 summersj@cityofgroton-ct.gov

Planning and Economic Development
Leslie Creane, City Planner
860-446-4169
creanel@cityofgroton-ct.gov

Cierra Patrick, Economic Development Manager
860-446-4066
patrickc@cityofgroton-ct.gov

Fire Department
Robert Tompkins, Fire Chief/Fire Marshall
860-446-4106
TompkinsR@cityofgroton-ct.gov

Edward ‘Ted’ Sargent, Deputy Fire Marshall
860-446-4106
sargente@cityofgroton-ct.gov

Police Department
Eric Jenkins, Police Chief
860-446-4181
JenkinsE@cityofgroton-ct.gov

Groton Utilities
Water/Sanitary
Ray Valentini, Manager Water
860-446-4032
valentinir@grotonutilities.com

Electric
Brian Roche, Manager of Engineering
860-446-4051
rocheb@grotonutilities.com

Public Works
Bill Robarge, Director
860-446-4126
RobargeW@cityofgroton-ct.gov

The following are the boards and commissions involved in the permitting process, their responsibilities and meeting schedule. Note that the meeting date may vary based upon holidays and other events.  You are encouraged to visit their respective website for the adopted schedule.

Overview

Getting started requires a small amount of knowledge of land use procedures.  This brief overview provides some guidance to assist you.  More information on the topics touched upon in this section are discussed in latter sections and in the Zoning Regulations.

Site Selections, Districts and Uses

The first step is to determine the zoning district your building or property is located within.  This is done by locating your property on the Zoning Map and use the color coded legend to determine your zoning district.  Referring to the Zoning Regulations, review the applicable section for your zone and list of uses that are permitted.  There are generally two or three subsections listing uses.  They will be classified as requiring a zoning permit, site plan permit or special permit.  If your use is listed it is allowed in the zone.  When a use is not listed then that generally means it is not permitted (see note below).  You are encouraged to read about the differences of each permit in the ‘Types of Permits’ tab below.

On occasion a use is allowed in the district but the building or property is not conducive to accommodating the use.  For instance, there may not be enough room for parking, storage, and circulation.  Therefore, understanding the use requirements is an important part of the initial due diligence to ensure the selected site can achieve your requirements.  You are encouraged to review Sections 6 and 7 of the Zoning Regulations.

A note about uses:  It is not possible to list all uses.  In the case a specific use is not listed, staff often searches to see if a similar use is listed.  This is not always easy and it requires a comprehensive understanding of the proposed use.  We recommend you contact staff to discuss this either via phone or to schedule a meeting to ensure this very important first step is done accurately.

Natural Resources

Once it has been determined the use is allowed in the district and the site appears to be capable of accommodating the necessary improvements, consideration should be given to its proximity to the shoreline, floodplains, and inland wetlands and watercourses.

• Properties within 1000′ of the shoreline will require knowledge of possible impacts to coastal resources and mitigation of impacts.
• Improvements within a floodplain may require a Flood Development Permit.
• Improvements within 200′ of an inland wetland or watercourse will require special attention be given to conservation of this resource.  This includes inland wetland and watercourse systems that may not be on your site.

More information on these matters are provided in the ‘Types of Permits’ tab below.  Remember, it is always advisable to consult with City staff.

Pre-application reviews are very important to a successful land use permitting experience.  It provides a time for staff to understand your project and vision, while identifying opportunities and possible hurdles that need to be overcome.  At this time  we will provide guidance on how to proceed.  We will also work with you to understand if your use can be accommodated in one of our districts.  We recommend you make an appointment as early in the process as possible.  Initial discussions should begin while your project is in its very early stages, preferably before the start of design and engineering.  Following this initial meeting we will continue to work with you, be available to answer questions, and conduct initial reviews of your design, as may be applicable and based upon the complexity of your project.  Depending upon your proposed project we will coordinate the attendance of necessary departments at a meeting with you and your team.

To reach us and schedule a meeting refer to the contacts provided above.

The following provides a list of local permits and guidance associated when they are required.  For detailed information select a the link to the corresponding Fact Sheet.

Exempt Activities

Some activities/improvements do not require a site plan permit.  An outline of these situations can be found in Section 9.3.B.2 of the Zoning Regulations.

Staff Decisions

To assist in streamlining the application process and expedite permit requests that have minor alterations to a building or site the Commission adopted new regulatory guidance in January 2019 to expand the City Planner’s authority to make a decision to review and decide upon an application avoiding the need for Planning and Zoning Commission review. Section 9.3.B.3 of the Zoning Regulations describes this discretion.

How to Apply

Applications are filed at 295 Meridian Street, Groton CT between the hours of 8am – 4pm, M-F at the Building and Zoning Department and requires a complete application form, payment of a fee and any necessary supporting information such as site plans, floor plans and reports.  See Submission Requirements below.

Required Forms

Application forms for Coastal Site Plans, Site Plans and Special Permits can be downloaded here.

Application forms for variances, inland wetlands and watercourse, historic district commission and building permits can be downloaded here.

Fees

Fees are required.  The costs are nominal when compared to the time invested by staff to review and coordinate an application.  The fee table can be downloaded here.  When multiple applications are filed the fee is the total of all applications filed. All checks are made payable to the City of Groton, including the required CT DEEP fee.  The CT DEEP fee is paid for each application filed.

Submission Requirements

Submission requirements vary based upon the application type and scope of work.  Submission requirements can be found within the respective regulations.  Appendix A of the Zoning Regulations lists the minimum requirements for site plans, coastal site plans, floodplain development permits and special permits.

The following table provides a summary of the legal requirements associated with application reviews.  The City makes every attempt to ensure the full length of time is not necessary.  The complexity of the project, thoroughness of the application, ability for an applicant to respond to staff comments, and staff workload will determine the overall schedule.

Notes:

1. Date of receipt is the date from which the timeframe to render a decision is determined, no the date the application was provided to the City offices.
2. Staff is responsible for legal notices for publication.  Applicant is responsible for all other notices including signs and mailing to property owners.  See applicable regulations.

Depending upon the nature of an application will determine who is best qualified to assist in preparing the application and representing the application when it goes before a board or commission.  However, the following provides general guidance to assist in your planning.  Please note we do not recommend design professionals but all design professionals must be licensed/registered with the State of Connecticut.

Sequence

Certain actions must occur prior to others.  In summary they are as follows:

Variances: If a variance is required, it must be approved before an application is filed for another permit.  If a variance is not approved, then the application cannot move forward since it does not conform to the zoning regulations.  If a variance is approved, there may be conditions placed upon the approval that impact the overall design, which in turn, influences the design of a project and preparation of other permit applications.

Inland Wetlands and Watercourses (IWWC):  A zoning permit, site plan permit, or special permit cannot be approved until the Conservation Commission approves an inland wetland and watercourse application, if required.  Applications for zoning, site plan and special permit may be filed at the same time as an IWWC application, but the Conservation Commission must act prior to the Planning and Zoning Commission acting.

Building Permits:  You may not file for a building permit until all other local permits are received.

Office of State Traffic Commission (OSTA): OSTA will not act upon a major traffic generator until the local zoning commission has approved the application.

Applications will be distributed to various departments before staff or a board or commission makes a decision.  Each department will review the materials as it pertains to their particular area of expertise and issue a report to the lead department.

If staff reports are not complete, a board or commission may still review the application at their next regular meeting, but will generally not make a decision.

Once staff reports are complete, they will be compiled and distributed to the application.  If applicable, the applicant must address the comments in writing, by revising and resubmitting drawings and reports or both.  A new submission and further staff review may be required.

Depending upon the complexity of the application and the amount of coordination that has been completed before the application was filed will determine the length of a review.  Review time is also dependent upon staff workload.  In the end, we must follow the statutory timelines, however we make every attempt to be more expeditious than the maximum allowed by law.

Meetings (No hearing)

For applications to a board or commission that do not require a public hearing, an application will be reviewed by the board or commission based upon where the application is on the meeting agenda.  Agendas can be found on the City Calendar on the City’s home page.  Typically, the applicant is asked to present their application(s).  Following the presentation, staff and members of the board or commission may ask additional questions.  If all items have been addressed for a particular application the commission may vote to make a decision for approval or denial.  The public is not allowed to speak nor submit information about a particular application when a public hearing is not conducted.

Public Hearings

Public hearings are formal matters.  Hearings are listed on the agenda and require formal notices both via the newspaper and mailings to nearby property owners (see Section 9.9 Procedural Matters of the Zoning Regulations or the IWWC Regulations).

The ‘opening’ of a hearing is formal and typically begins with the chairman reading the standard instructions followed for all public hearings, ensuring consistency between applications.  First, the City Planner will take care of house keeping matters such as reading the legal notice, exhibit list and other relevant matters.  The applicant will then make a formal presentation.  This will be followed with the members of the board or commission and staff asking questions and the public offered an opportunity to provide opinion.

When a hearing is open the board or commission can receive information from the applicant, staff or a member of the public.  Once the hearing is closed, no additional information can be submitted and the board or commission will begin deliberations, leading to a decision.  Deliberations and possible decisions must be listed on the agenda.

After an Approval

Following a decision, and assuming an approval, a board or commission may impose certain conditions or modifications to the site plans or supporting documentation.  The conditions or modifications, if any, must be addressed to receive final approval.  It is generally staff’s responsibility to review the plans at this stage.  Once staff has confirmed these final revisions are made, the applicant will be notified and the appropriate number of copies of finalized documents will be provided by the applicant to the City.  The respective chair of the board or commission will then be notified, he/she will review the final plans, and sign and date the drawings.  Once signed, the applicant may proceed to apply for the next application or building permit.

Depending upon the type of permit, there are legal notices that must be published and an appeal period may apply.  An appeal period means a timeframe that a person(s) may appeal a decision of a board or commission to the courts.  In this case, the decision does not become valid until the appeal is decided upon by the courts, or the appeal is withdrawn.  Please consult with your legal counsel for more information.

Expiration of a Permit and Extensions

Once a Site Plan Permit is approved, construction must be complete within five (5) years from the approval date.  One or more extensions can be requested for up to a total of ten years, subject to Planning and Zoning Commission approval.  If the project has not been completed within any of the above timeframes, the permit becomes void.  In that case a new permit is required it must be applied for under the regulations that are in effect at the time of the new permit application(s).

After approvals from the land use commissions are received and conditions that may have been placed upon the approval(s) addressed you may proceed with applying for a Building Permit.  Applying for a Building Permit can only occur after all required land use permits are obtained.  For more information on filing for a building permit refer to the Building and Zoning webpage.  For more information please contact the Building Official:

Joseph Summers, Building Official
860-446-4104
summersj@cityofgroton-ct.gov

During Construction

During construction staff will make periodic visits to review progress and ensure the project is being constructed as depicted on the approved plans.  If field conditions warrant a change to the approved plans, the changes must be brought to staff’s attention prior to the change being implemented.  This can usually be reviewed by staff to maintain progress during construction but may require commission review if the change is extensive.

Occupying your Site/Building

The Building Official has the authority to issue a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) for any construction that requires a Building Permit.  When only site improvements are required, the City Planner issuance a Certificate of Site Compliance.  For both situations, the City Planner must review the built improvements to ensure they were constructed per the approved plans, or approved modifications based upon field conditions.  A CO or Certificate of Site Compliance must be received prior to occupying the building or site.  Failure to do so would be considered a violation.

Enforcement of zoning and building codes is not a responsibility the City takes lightly.  We understand it can have significant implications to a business or residence.  Prior to issuing any written notices we take every step to work with the owner or tenant to remedy the issue.  In most cases, this collaborative approach is effective and achieves the outcome both parties desire to reach.  In some instance, a more formal response may be taken.  Depending upon the violation, enforcement is the responsibility of the Building and Zoning Official or Wetlands Enforcement Agent.