VILLAGE DISTRICT OVERLAY ZONE/WESTPORT CENTER (§36)

In 2017 Westport’s Planning and Zoning Commission established a Village District Overlay (VDO) Zone and designated Westport Center as a “Village District” in §36 of its zoning regulations. An overlay zone applies an additional layer of standards to the area within the defined overlay boundary, and unless otherwise specified, the standards of the underlying zone also remain in effect. A map of the Westport Center Village District can be found here, and a list of included properties can be found here. The Village District Overlay Zone was adopted under the authority of Connecticut General Statutes §8-2j.

The purpose of the Village District Overlay Zone/Westport Center is “to protect the distinctive character, landscape, and historic structures and development pattern within this Village District while encouraging a mixed use, walkable district that is attractive to residents, employees, and visitors.” To that end, §36-2 sets forth Design Principles and Design Standards that apply to certain new construction, substantial reconstruction and rehabilitation, and alterations to existing building facades of properties within the Village District (§36-1.3).

The Joint Committee (HDC and ARB), which shall include “at least one member who is an architect, landscape architect, or planner who is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners,” has been designated in §36-1.5 as the Village District Consultant and has been charged with reviewing “all applications for new construction and substantial reconstruction within the district and in view from public streets, public spaces, walkways, bikeways and the Saugatuck River.  The basis for the recommendation of the Joint Committee shall be the compliance of the application with provisions of §36-2.3 Design Standards.” §36-3.1 also states that: “Projects shall be approved if they meet the Design Standards and all other applicable guidelines and requirements.”

The regulations also provide, however, for a Compliance Alternative in §36-2.2. Under §36-2.2, if there is mutual consent between the Joint Committee, Planning and Zoning Commission, and the Applicant, a proposed design may be accepted if it complies with the compatibility objectives of the Design Principles even if it does not meet the requirements of the Design Standards.

BUSINESS CENTER DISTRICT/HISTORIC (BCD/H §29A)

As of 2022, there are two areas in Westport Center which are located in a §29A Business Center District/Historic (BCD/H) zone. Note that these two areas are also within the Village District Overlay Zone/Westport Center §36. Thus, the procedures for review and recommendation by the Joint Committee applying the §36-2 Design Principles and Standards are the same as described in the VDO section above.

The Business Center District/Historic (BCD/H) zone seeks to encourage the preservation of buildings on the Historic Resources Inventory in historic commercial areas by offering more flexible zoning regulations than available to properties in ordinary Business Center District (BCD) zones. Among other things, the BCD/H also allows for the relocation of Historic Structures, as defined in the §5 Definitions of the zoning regulations.