Norfolk City Zoning Code
ARTICLE 12
C-6 Commercial Use District Route 1A, Dedham Street
[Amended 5-17-2023 ATM by Art. 26; 11-12-2024 STM by Art. 5]
§ 310-12.1 Purpose.
The Master Plan of the Town of Norfolk has identified the economic development goal of encouraging commercial growth to increase local services and amenities and reduce tax burden on individual property owners. The Master Plan highlights this area as an opportunity for future development and change with the most potential as a new job center in Norfolk with commercial and light industrial users. In order to implement these goals, the Town establishes this article for the C-6 Commercial Use District.
§ 310-12.2 Local standards.
Article 12 shall supersede the following sections of the Zoning Bylaw: § 310-4.1E (Buffer/green belt/landscaping requirements in nonresidential districts), § 310-5.1B (Schedule of Dimensional Requirements), § 310-5.1C (Lot width; frontage; setback line); § 310-5.1D (yard requirements), § 310-5.1E (build factor), § 310-5.2 (Modifications) except § 310-5.2E (Visual corner clearance), § 310-6.4A (Alteration and enlargement), and § 310-6.5 (Accessory buildings and swimming pools) except § 310-6.5E (Mobile home). For buildings in C-6 Commercial Use District greater than 100,000 SF only, Article 12 shall supersede the following sections of the Zoning Bylaw: § 310-6.7B (Schedule of Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements), § 310-6.7D(1) (Location of parking areas), § 310-6.7H(5) (Landscaping), § 310-6.12 (Design Review). All other sections of the Zoning Bylaw, except where otherwise specifically stated herein, shall apply within the C-6 Commercial Use District.
§ 310-12.3 District boundaries.
The C-6 District has as its nonroad boundaries the Norfolk/Walpole Town line at its northeast limit, the limits of the current R-3 District denoted by the center line of the New York/New Haven Railroad railbed at the southeastern limit, and the C-1 District to the southwest. The district boundaries are more specifically shown on the Norfolk Zoning Map, as most recently amended.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Zoning Map is included as an attachment to this chapter.
§ 310-12.4 Lot and yard requirements and standards.
A.
General C-6 District requirements.
(1)
Subdivision. Applicants shall be allowed to subdivide a lot which may be sold or leased separately. The minimum size for the lot shall be four acres. Subdivided lots may be developed separately and on a different timeline.
(2)
Phased development. Applicants with a site plan that includes more than one building on the same lot shall be allowed to propose a phased construction plan, provided the Town is given surety or other binding assurance, in a form acceptable to the Planning Board, that will ensure that no construction occurs without the necessary infrastructure and that the full construction of the phased plan will occur within a reasonable time frame acceptable to the Planning Board and the applicant.
(3)
Town water. All new water connections for domestic supply or fire protection shall be connected to the Town water supply system, provided sufficient capacity exists at the time of connection. If sufficient capacity does not exist at the time of connection, an alternative public supply shall be allowed. If an alternative public water supply is not available, a private water supply in compliance with all federal, state, and municipal laws, rules and regulations shall be allowed.
(4)
Location of drives and streets. Major street or site entrances shall not be located within 250 feet of each other.
(5)
Street trees. May be required at the discretion of the Planning Board but in no greater density than one tree per 25 linear feet of street frontage. Other than as needed for drives and entrances, a twenty-foot-wide grass strip adjacent and parallel to the frontage of any lot shall be landscaped with high-canopy trees in accordance with the Town's Subdivision Regulations and low-lying plants which will not obstruct sight distances from entry drives. Existing trees and vegetation in this grass strip can be maintained to meet the twenty-foot requirement.
(6)
Building height. Buildings shall not be more than 45 feet in height as of right. Assisted living facilities shall not exceed three stories.
(7)
Building scale. No single building footprint shall exceed 250,000 square feet.
(8)
Utilities. All utilities shall be located underground. All utility outlets, service entrances, transformers and utility services shall generally be centrally clustered in a neat and orderly fashion and shall be located to the rear of buildings or, if located other than the rear of a building, shall be screened from view.
(9)
Site lighting. The applicant shall be responsible for furnishing and erecting site lighting at locations approved by the Planning Board. Lighting fixtures and standards shall be as approved by the Planning Board.
B.
Lot and building requirements and standards.
(1)
General requirements.
(a)
No commercial building, structure, use, parking area, driveway, vehicle circulation area or other vehicle accessway shall be located within 50 feet of a residentially occupied building's property or lot line or within 50 feet of an adjacent parcel within a residential zoning district.
(b)
Any use, except those listed in § 310-4.1C (public, religious, educational, etc.) of this Zoning Bylaw, farmer's markets, open space, village greens and squares shall have a building with a minimum footprint of 1,000 square feet.
(c)
A green belt shall be provided on any commercially or light industrially used lot that abuts a residential district or a lot with a residentially occupied building. A green belt shall be provided on any lot having an assisted living facility.
[1]
Such green belt shall:
[a]
Be located on the lot along the shared property line.
[b]
Have a minimum depth from the shared property line of 50 feet.
[c]
Be used for no purpose other than planting, sidewalks, or trails.
[d]
Constitute a screen of evergreen trees and/or shrubs not more than 15 feet apart planted in two or more staggered rows. The distance between each row shall not be more than 10 feet. Plants shall be no less than six feet in height at the time of planting and shall be continuously maintained.
[2]
In those circumstances where an effective screen of existing plantings already provides an appropriate buffer, the Planning Board has the discretion, during the site plan approval process, to waive strict compliance with Subsection B(1)(c), provided that the intent of Subsection B(1)(c) is met. If such a waiver is granted, the Planning Board shall, in its site plan approval, require that the green belt be maintained and replanted where necessary to provide an effective screen throughout the life of the site and the structure.
(d)
All yard setbacks are to be measured from the lot lines.
(e)
Landscaping requirements. For each foot of frontage the lot shall contain 40 square feet of landscaping. This requirement shall not be conditioned to require landscaping of more than 20% of the lot.
(2)
Lot and yard requirements and standards.
Light Industrial | Commercial | |
|---|---|---|
Minimum front yard setback (feet) | 50 | 25 |
Minimum lot size (acres) | 4 | 4 |
Maximum lot coverage | 60% | 60% |
Minimum side yard setbacks (feet) | 50 | 25 |
Minimum lot frontage (feet) | 200 | 100 |
Minimum rear yard setback (from lot line) (feet) | 50 | 25 |
§ 310-12.5 Sign regulations.
All signs and advertising devices within the C-6 Commercial Use District shall be subject to § 310-6.9, Sign regulations, of the Zoning Bylaw.
§ 310-12.6 Parking requirements.
The requirements of § 310-6.7, Parking requirements, of this Zoning Bylaw are modified by the following subsections. In the event of a conflict between § 310-6.7 and any of the following subsections, the following subsections shall control.
A.
During the site plan approval process and subject to § 310-12.6E below, the Planning Board may determine an appropriate number of parking spaces.
B.
Attribution of parking. Parking spaces may be considered as a part of the requisite parking allocated to a particular lot or use, if those spaces are entirely on that lot or the use of the spaces has been assured by assignment through easement or other legal guaranty on another lot.
C.
Linked parking. Parking areas of adjacent lots shall have reasonable and convenient off-street vehicular connections. Where adjacent property has not been developed, provision shall be made for future off-street connections with adjacent properties; reserved strips of land or other measures which preclude or are designed to prevent such off-street connections shall not be permitted.
D.
Assisted living facility parking shall have one off-street parking space per two residential units adjacent to the building, plus one space per each four units provided within the shared or attributed parking provisions of the C-6 District.
E.
Light industrial buildings in the C-6 District shall be required to maintain 1 1/2 spaces for every 1,000 square feet of building area regardless of use.
F.
During the site plan approval process, the Planning Board may allow parking in the front yard for new light industrial buildings, provided the building is set back from the right-of-way at least 50 feet.
§ 310-12.7 Allowed and special permit allowed regulated uses in C-6 District.
[Amended 5-17-2023 ATM by Art. 26]
No building, structure or land in the C-6 District shall be used for any purpose or in any manner other than as set forth in 310 Attachment 1.[1] All buildings and structures herein permitted shall be subject to § 310-6.11, Site plan approval, and § 310-6.12, Design review.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Schedule of Use Regulations is included as an attachment to this chapter.
