Meriden City Zoning Code
ARTICLE X
Administration and Enforcement
§ 213-64 Enforcement.
This chapter shall be enforced by the Zoning Enforcement Officer (ZEO) or his/her authorized official. The Zoning Enforcement Officer is authorized to cause any building, structure, place, premises or use to be inspected or examined and to order in writing the remedying of any condition found to exist therein or thereon in violation of any provision of this chapter.
§ 213-64.1 Function of the Design Review Board.
[Added 6-17-2013]
Function and composition of the Design Review Board: The Design Review Board shall serve as an advisory board to the Planning Commission. Said Board shall approve the alterations to exteriors of structures only. All recommendations shall be in conformance with the unified design plan. The Design Review Board shall consist of five members, who shall be appointed by the City Council with advice from the Planning Commission, to serve for a term of three years and until their successors are appointed and qualified, provided that of the five members first appointed, two shall serve for one-year terms, two for two-year terms, and one for a three-year term. Three of the five members shall be a member of any one of the following professions: architect, landscape architect, engineer, or contractor.
§ 213-65 Zoning permit required.
No building or structure shall be erected, added to or structurally altered, no use shall be established and no existing building or land, whether vacant or occupied, shall be converted to a different use until a zoning permit has been issued by the Zoning Enforcement Officer or other authorized official. All applications for such permits shall be in accordance with the requirements of this chapter. Where a certificate of approval or special exception permit is required, the zoning permit shall be issued automatically with such approval.
A.
Application. Every application for a zoning permit shall be accompanied by such information and exhibits, i.e., certified plot plan, soils data, drainage computations, etc., as are required herein or as may be reasonably required by the Zoning Enforcement Officer in order that the proposal of the applicant may be adequately interpreted and judged as to its conformity with the provisions set forth in this chapter.
B.
Plot plan. The application shall be accompanied by three copies of a plot plan based on a survey prepared by a land surveyor and/or engineer registered in the State of Connecticut, drawn to scale, showing the actual dimensions of the lot to be built upon, the size of the building to be erected, the location of the building upon the lot, the dimensions of all open spaces, the setback lines observed by buildings, the location of driveways and curb cuts and such other information as may be necessary. The Zoning Enforcement Officer may waive any of the plot plan requirements in cases where it is not needed to determine conformity with this chapter.
§ 213-66 Certificate of compliance required.
A.
No land shall be occupied or used, and no building hereafter erected or altered shall be occupied or used in whole or in part for any purpose, until a certificate of compliance shall have been issued by the Zoning Enforcement Officer or other authorized official, stating that the premises or building complies with all the provisions of this chapter. Such a certificate is also required for any change, extension or alteration in a use.
B.
Applications for a certificate of compliance shall be accompanied by a certified plot plan of the lot and buildings involved, showing the exact placement of the as-built structures on the lot. The as-built plot plan may be the same document as is submitted for a certificate of occupancy, if all zoning data (i.e., setbacks, etc.) are included. The Zoning Enforcement Officer may waive the requirement for a certified plot plan in cases where it is not needed to determine conformity with this chapter. No such certificate of compliance shall be issued by the Zoning Enforcement Officer until all zoning requirements and conditions, including certificates of approval and/or special exception permits, have been met.
§ 213-67 Fees.
All applications for zoning permits and certificates of compliance shall be accompanied by a fee, in accordance with the Schedule of Fees of the City of Meriden,[1] to cover the cost of administration. Said fee shall be paid at the time of filing the application.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said fee schedule is on file in the Clerk's office.
§ 213-68 Conditions for approval and issuance of permits.
A.
Any maps, plans, documents, statements and stipulations submitted to and approved by the Planning Commission or the Zoning Board of Appeals in connection with certificate of approval (site plan), special exception, variance or other action of said Commission or Board, as required by this chapter, and any conditions of such approval(s) attached by said Commission or Board shall be conditions for the approval of applications for and the issuance of a zoning permit and a certificate of compliance by the Zoning Enforcement Officer. Prior to issuance of a zoning permit or a certificate of compliance, the applicant shall obtain and submit all approvals required by any other municipal, state or federal department, bureau or agency.
B.
No building permit or certificate of occupancy may be issued until all zoning permits have been secured.
§ 213-69 Certificate of occupancy required.
A.
The occupancy and use of a building erected, reconstructed, restored, altered or moved, or any change in use of an existing building, shall be unlawful until a certificate of occupancy shall have been applied for and issued by the Building Official.
B.
A certificate of occupancy is required for and shall be deemed to authorize both initial occupancy and the continued occupancy and use of the building or land to which it applies.
C.
No certificate of occupancy shall be issued for any use requiring the granting of a special exception permit, variance or certificate of approval unless and until such permit approval has been duly granted and the Zoning Enforcement Officer and Building Official have inspected the site to ascertain that all provisions of said approval are complied with.
D.
A nonrenewable temporary certificate of occupancy for a part of a building may be issued by the Zoning Enforcement Officer for a period of not more than six months.
§ 213-70 Records.
A record of all zoning permits, certificates of compliance and certificates of occupancy shall be kept in the office of the Zoning Enforcement Officer.
§ 213-71 Penalties for offenses.
[Amended 10-4-2021]
Any person or corporation, whether as owner, lessee, architect, contractor or builder, or the agent or employee of any of them, who violates or is accessory to the violation of any provision of this chapter or any rule or regulation made under the authority conferred by this chapter or who shall erect, construct, alter, enlarge, convert or move any building or structure or any part thereof without a building permit or in violation of any statement or plans submitted and approved under the provisions of this chapter or who shall use any building, structure or land in violation of this chapter or any rule or regulation made under the authority conferred by this chapter or in violation of the provisions of any zoning permit, building permit or certificate of occupancy or without a zoning permit, building permit, change of use permit or certificate of occupancy where one is required by this chapter and who fails to abate said violation within 30 days after written notice has been served upon him, either by mail or personal service, shall be liable to a penalty in accordance with the statutes of the State of Connecticut. Each day that a violation remains shall constitute a separate offense.
A.
Zoning citation. Citations may be issued for any violation of Chapter 213, Zoning. Violations of any provisions of this chapter may be subject to the issuance of a citation of up to $150 per day per CGS § 8-12a, as amended.
(1)
Issuance of citations.
(a)
Initial notice required. Before a ZEO, or their designee, may issue a citation, he or she must issue a written notice informing the recipient of the nature of the violation. The notice shall state that a violation not remedied within 30 days will result in the issuance of a citation. Any such initial notice may be served either by hand delivery or by certified mail to the person named in such citation. If the person to whom such notice has been sent by certified mail refuses to accept such mail, the original or a certified copy of the original notice may be sent by regular United States mail. The Zoning Officer shall file and retain an original or certified copy of the initial notice, as well as any delivery confirmation or return receipt from certified mail, whether or not the mail was accepted.
(2)
Penalties for offenses; fines. A fine of $150 per day may be assessed by citation for any violation of the Zoning Regulations for as long as such violation continues to exist. Each day that a violation remains shall constitute a separate offense. Penalties by violation type:
(3)
Appeals and hearings. Any person who receives a citation may challenge his or her liability therefor and request a hearing thereon in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 86 of the Meriden Code and § 7-152c of the Connecticut General Statutes, as amended.
(4)
Payment of fines.
(a)
All fines imposed under this article which are uncontested shall be made payable to the City of Meriden and shall be received by the Zoning Enforcement Officer or their agent within 10 business days from receipt of the citation.
(b)
If no payment is received for any fine imposed under this article within the time allowed for payment, then the Zoning Enforcement Officer or their agent shall act in accordance with the procedures established in CGS § 7-152c, as amended.