Suffield City Zoning Code
ARTICLE X
Ridgeline Protection Zone
§ 315-92 Statement of purpose.
It is the purpose of this regulation to implement the provisions of Public Act 95-239 which amended §§ 8-2 and 8-23 of the General Statutes to permit regulations concerning the protection of traprock ridgelines. This regulation is intended to provide minimum standards for the preservation of land within the Ridgeline Setback Area and is designed to promote development practices which will support the following goals:
A.
Preservation of the aesthetic beauty and natural environment of the Town;
B.
Preservation of the environmentally sensitive land within and adjacent to the ridgeline area of West Suffield Mountain and Manitook Mountain;
C.
Preservation of the unique flora, fauna and other environmental attributes within and adjacent to the ridgeline area of West Suffield Mountain and Manitook Mountain; and
D.
Preservation of ridgeline vistas of West Suffield Mountain and Manitook Mountain as seen from the Town.
§ 315-93 Definitions.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
Any structure other than:
The harvest of timber in a fashion which removes from any 400 square foot or larger area all or substantially all trees measuring two inches or more in diameter at a height of four feet.
The construction, reconstruction, alteration, or expansion of a building.
Nonmotorized use of the land such as hiking, picnicking or bird watching.
An area extending 250 feet horizontally from a ridgeline to a parallel line on either side of such ridge as shown on the Zoning Map. Said map shall be used as a guide, for general information and illustrative purposes only. The actual presence and location of the Ridgeline Setback Area, as defined in Public Act 95-239, shall be determined by an applicant's qualified technical professionals in connection with a proposed development.
The area bounded by a line that parallels the ridgeline at a distance of 150 feet on the more wooded side of the ridge and the contour line where a ridge of less than 50% is maintained for 50 feet or more on the rockier side of the slope, mapped pursuant to § 8-2 of the General Statutes, as amended by Section 2 of Public Act 95-239.
[Amended 1-4-2019]
The harvesting of trees at least six inches in caliper for purposes other than development.
The line(s) on West Suffield Mountain and Manitook Mountain created by all points at the top of a 50% slope, which is maintained for a distance of 50 horizontal feet perpendicular to the slope and which consists of surficial basalt geology, identified on the map prepared by Stone, et all., U.S. Geological Survey, entitled "Surficial Materials Map of Connecticut."
§ 315-94 Permitted uses.
A.
As of right.
B.
Uses permitted in the underlying zone, including clear-cutting, may be allowed by the Commission as a special permit after public hearing and subject to ridgeline protection standards.
C.
The following may be permitted, subject to ridgeline protection review by the Commission of project site plans prior to the issuance of a building permit:
(1)
Any construction or significant alteration of any dwelling or other structure if any such action affects the exterior appearance. A significant alteration is defined as any alteration which adds to the height of a structure or which substantially alters the visual profile of the property or structures thereon.
(2)
The Commission may waive any and all requirements of the ridgeline protection review for dwelling additions and/or accessory buildings of 400 square feet or less and less than 10 feet in height.
§ 315-95 Ridgeline protection standards.
No roof, antenna, satellite dish, tower or other feature that may be above the roof level shall be visible above the ridgeline when viewed from a public way. Buildings and landscaping are to be designed and located on the site to blend with the natural terrain and vegetation and to preserve the scenic character of the site, conforming to the following standards:
A.
Building characteristics.
B.
Landscaping.
(1)
Removal of native vegetation, especially large timber, shall be minimized and the replacement of vegetation and landscaping shall be compatible with the vegetation of the subject area.
(2)
Trees may only be removed for location and construction of streets, driveways, septic areas or structures. With approval from the Commission, selective clearing for views may be permitted where the view is obstructed by dense vegetation.
(3)
Retaining walls, of natural materials only, may be used to create usable yard space. Retaining walls on the exposed side and downhill portions of a lot which are in view or visible from a public way shall be screened with appropriate landscaping material.
(4)
Landscaping and plantings shall be utilized to screen main buildings in open or prominent areas from significant views, both when installed and when mature.
C.
Grading. Any grading or earth moving operation is to be planned and executed in such a manner that final contours appear to be consistent with the existing terrain, both on and adjacent to the site.
D.
Prevention of erosion and sedimentation. No area of 100 square feet or more on any parcel shall have existing vegetation clear-stripped or be filled six inches or more so as to destroy existing vegetation unless in conjunction with agricultural activity or unless necessarily incidental to construction on the premises under a currently valid building permit. No stripped areas which are allowed shall remain through the winter without a temporary cover of winter rye or similar plant material to provide soil control.
E.
Utilities. The Commission shall determine whether utilities will be constructed and routed underground and will take into consideration those situations where natural features prevent the underground siting or where safety considerations necessitate above ground construction and routing. Above ground utilities shall be constructed and routed to minimize detrimental effects on the visual setting.
F.
Site planning. In the building of more than one structure, variable setbacks, multiple orientations and other site planning techniques shall be incorporated in order to avoid the appearance of a solid line of development.
G.
Accessory structures. Construction of a tower, satellite dish, windmill, antenna, or other installation shall not obstruct the view of or from a public way, or from an abutter's dwelling, or be visible from off the ridge.
§ 315-96 Application.
A.
Application to the Commission is required where a property or a portion of a property lies within the Ridgeline Conservation Area.
B.
Application shall be submitted in accordance with appropriate procedures under § 315-116 of the Suffield Zoning Regulations according to the type of review necessary. To facilitate siting and design of buildings sensitively related to the natural setting, aerial markers shall be placed at points corresponding to the highest point of a proposed building or structure. Applications for ridgeline protection review of proposed development must be accompanied by the following:
[Amended 1-4-2019]
(1)
A site plan or plot plan, as the case may be, in accordance with § 315-116B of the Suffield Zoning Regulations.
(2)
Photographs of the development site with aerial marker(s) in place, taken from points along the street rights-of-way which provide a view of the site together with a map indicating the distance between these points and the site.
(3)
An architectural drawing of all existing and proposed buildings and structures on the site showing how they fit into the ridgeline protection area.