Voluntown City Zoning Code
SECTION 5A
VILLAGE COMMERCIAL OVERLAY DISTRICT REGULATIONS.
This overlay designation is applicable in the area designated on the zoning map at the dimensional requirements, use requirements and standards listed in this section. The dimensional requirements, use requirements and standards of the underlying Rural District are listed in Section 6 of these regulations. The intent of this overlay zoning designation is to allow for the development of light commercial uses to the extent that their specific locations provide opportunities and benefits for the town. Further, it is intended that structures be architecturally designed with site layouts typical of a New England Village setting and enhance the existing well-defined Village Center of town. Village Commercial Overlay District uses shall comply with all other specific standards designed to minimize nuisances between these overlay uses, and the other uses permitted by right in the underlying residential district.
5A.1.
Dimensional Requirements
Minimum Lot Size | 40,000 square feet |
Minimum Street Frontage | 150 feet on accepted Town road, State Highway, or a road shown on an approved subdivision plan |
Minimum Front Yard | 25 feet |
Minimum Side and Rear Yard | 15 feet |
Maximum Lot Coverage by Buildings | 25% |
5A.2.
Permitted uses. The following uses are permitted in this district only after issuance of a special exception from the Zoning Commission as required by Section 9 of these Regulations.
USE | PERMIT TYPE | |
|---|---|---|
1. | Religious, institutional and governmental and public utility uses. | SP |
2. | Retail businesses, such as grocery stores, drug stores, apparel stores, variety stores, antique shops, hardware stores, and sporting goods stores. | SP |
3. | Business services, such as banks and other financial institutions, real estate and insurance offices, business, and professional offices. | SP |
4. | Personal services, such as barber shops, beauty salons, laundry, and dry-cleaning establishments. | SP |
5. | Repair services, such as radio, television, appliance and plumbing shops, upholstery shops and shoe repair shops. This does not include automotive/vehicular repair services. | SP |
6. | Private Schools. | SP |
7. | Senior Housing Communities | SP |
8. | Group Day Care Home. | SP |
9. | Accessory buildings and uses. | SP |
10. | Home businesses, per Section 10.6 of these Regulations. | ZP |
11. | Cannabis Establishments per Section 10.4 | SP |
5A.3.
Use Standards. Lots in this overlay district may be utilized for one or more of the permitted uses provided all dimensional and setback requirements of these regulations are met. In addition, the following requirements are applicable.
A.
Uses permitted in the "Village Commercial Overlay District" and the underlying "Rural District" shall not be combined on the same lot.
B.
Uses permitted in the "Village Commercial Overlay District" may be housed in the same building.
C.
The Commission shall determine that the number and size of buildings are designed and located as to comply with the "intent" of these regulations as stated in the opening paragraph of this section. Normally, no one building shall exceed 10,000 square feet in size regardless of the number of individual "Village Commercial Overlay District" uses allowed in that structure. More than one building is permitted on an individual lot if all the setbacks and other applicable requirements of these Regulations are met.
D.
The building size requirement of this section shall not be applicable to any Elderly Housing development.
5A.4.
Design Standards. The architectural design, and access and traffic standards of Section 10 are the applicable standards in this district. Off-street parking shall be sufficient to the projected parking demand as proposed and justified by the applicant to the satisfaction of the Commission. All signs shall comply with the requirements of Section 11 of these Regulations.
A.
Other Setback: The Commission may require planted buffer strips of twenty-five (25) feet in addition to the required yard setback along a property line where the adjoining property contains or may contain an incompatible or dissimilar land use. Such landscaped buffer strip shall be suitably seeded to grass and/or shall be suitably planted with trees or shrubs. Acceptable existing trees shall be preserved and supplemented by additional plantings as deemed necessary by the Commission to meet the requirements of privacy of adjacent yards and to eliminate noise, dust, and objectionable lighting.
B.
Buildable Area: Each lot shall contain a buildable area in a size and configuration to be suitable for the construction of the principal building/use, accessory uses and on-site water and sewer facilities, as determined by the Town Sanitarian.