West Haven City Zoning Code
RE-15, RE-20
ZONES RESIDENTIAL
§ 157.100 PURPOSE AND INTENT.
The major purpose of the RE-15 and RE-20 Zones is to provide and protect residential development at a low density in a semi-agricultural or rural environment. It is also to provide for certain rural amenities on larger minimum lots, in conjunction with the primary residential nature of the Zone.
(Prior Code, § 10.04.010) (Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 03-2015, passed 1-7-2015)
§ 157.101 PERMITTED USES.
(A) Accessory buildings or uses customarily incidental to a permitted or conditional use:
(B) Agriculture and agricultural experiment station;
(C) Animals and fowl kept for family food production as an incidental and accessory use to the residential use of the lot;
(D) Church, synagogue, or similar building used for regular religious worship;
(E) Cluster subdivision, in accordance with the zoning ordinances of the city;
(F) Corrals, stables, or buildings for the keeping of animals or fowl; provided such building shall be located not less than 100 feet from a public street, and not less than 25 feet from any side or rear lot line.
(G) Golf courses, except miniature golf.
(H) Greenhouses and nurseries limited to the sale of material produced on premises and with no retail shop operation.
(I) Home occupation.
(J) Household pets.
(K) Parking lot accessories to use permitted in this Zone.
(M) Private stables; horses for private use only, and provided that not more than one horse may be kept for each one-half acre within any lot, and no horses shall be kept on any lot of less than one-half acre in area.
(N) Public building; public parks, recreation grounds and associated buildings, public schools; private educational institutions having a curriculum similar to that ordinarily given in public schools.
(O) Single-family dwelling.
(P) Temporary buildings or uses incidental to construction work. Such building shall be removed upon the completion or abandonment of the construction work.
(Prior Code, § 10.04.020) (Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 03-2015, passed 1-7-2015)
§ 157.102 PERMITTED USES REQUIRING 40,000 SQUARE FOOT MINIMUM LOT AREA.
None included.
(Prior Code, § 10.04.030) (Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 03-2015, passed 1-7-2015)
§ 157.103 PERMITTED USES REQUIRING FIVE ACRE MINIMUM LOT AREA.
(A) Farms devoted to the hatching and raising (including fattening as incident to raising) of chickens, turkeys, or other fowl, rabbits, fish, frogs, or beavers hatched or raised on the premises.
(B) Raising and grazing of horses, cattle, sheep, or goats, including the supplementary feeding of such animals; provided, that such raising or grazing is not a part of, nor conducted in conjunction with, any livestock feed yard, livestock sales yard, slaughterhouse, animal by-products business, or commercial riding academy.
(Prior Code, § 10.04.040) (Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 03-2015, passed 1-7-2015)
§ 157.104 CONDITIONAL USES.
(A) Child day cares or nurseries;
(B) Private parks, playgrounds, or recreation grounds and buildings not open to the general public and to which no admission is made, but not including, privately-owned commercial amusement businesses;
(Prior Code, § 10.04.050) (Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 03-2015, passed 1-7-2015)
§ 157.105 SITE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.
Site Development | RE-15 | RE-20 |
Site Development | RE-15 | RE-20 |
Building Height | ||
Maximum | 2 1/2 stories or 35 ft. | 2 1/2 stores or 35 ft. |
Minimum | 1 story | 1 story |
Minimum Lot Area | ||
Minimum lot width | 100 ft. | 100 ft. |
15,000 sq. ft. | 20,000 sq. ft. | |
Uses listed in § 157.102 | ||
Uses listed in § 157.103 | ||
Minimum Yard Setbacks | ||
Front | 30 ft. | 30 ft. |
Side | ||
Accessory building | 10 ft., except 1 ft. if located at 6 ft. in rear of main building | 10 ft., except 1 ft. if located at least 6 ft., in rear of main building |
Dwelling | 10 ft., with total width of two side yards not less than 24 ft. | 10 ft. with total width of two side yards not less than 24 ft. |
Other main building | 20 ft. each side | 20 ft. each side |
Side; facing street on corner lot | 20 ft. | 20 ft. |
Rear | ||
Accessory | 1 ft., except 10 ft. where accessory building rears on side yard of adjacent corner lot | 1 ft., except 10 ft. where accessory building rears on side yard of adjacent corner lot |
Main building | 30 ft. | 30 ft. |
(Prior Code, § 10.04.060) (Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 03-2015, passed 1-7-2015)
§ 157.106 SIGN REGULATIONS.
(A) Business signs. For legal nonconforming commercial or industrial use, including flat, freestanding, projecting, temporary, or wall-type signs;
(B) Name plates. Flat or wall type;
(C) Identification and information signs. Directional, flat, freestanding, projecting, temporary, or wall-type signs;
(D) Property signs. Directional, flat, freestanding, projecting, temporary, or wall-type signs; and
(E) Service signs. Directional, flat, freestanding, or projecting-type signs.
(Prior Code, § 10.04.070) (Ord. 2-92, passed - -1992; Ord. 03-2015, passed 1-7-2015)
§ 157.107 REGULATIONS FOR TEMPORARY STORAGE UNITS, CONTAINERS, AND STRUCTURES.
(A) Temporary storage units, containers, or structures will not be allowed in this Zone except for temporary construction sites with a valid current building permit issue by the city. Temporary storage units, containers, or structures must be removed within 30 days of completion or abandonment of construction or permit expiration, whichever comes first.
(B) Temporary storage units, containers, or structures may be used for moving and are allowed on a hard surface in a Residential Zone for up to 14 days for the outgoing resident and an additional 14 days for the incoming resident.
(C) Temporary storage units, containers, or structures may be used for remodeling projects in established neighborhoods for a period of up to 120 days if placed in the driveway of a residence and up to six months if placed behind a home, solid fence, outbuilding, or other obstruction as to obscure the view of the unit, container, or structure from the road. A valid current building permit is required.
(D) Permanent use of these temporary storage units, containers, or structures shall not be allowed in any Residential or Agricultural Zone on lots of less than one acre. One storage unit may be allowed per acre with a land use permit, which shall include a site plan and any required building permits. A temporary storage unit, container, or structure shall be placed on a hard surface such as gravel, road base, concrete, or asphalt. Note, the maximum number of temporary storage units, containers, or structures is one unit per two acres, then one per additional acre with a conditional use permit. The storage container must be placed behind a home, solid fence, outbuilding, or other obstruction as to obscure the view of the unit, container, or structure from the road.
(E) The city has no obligation or responsibility to research and enforce an applicant’s property’s existing private covenants, conditions, or restrictions prohibiting the use of temporary, or permanent use of, storage units, containers, or structures. It is the exclusive responsibility of a property owner to research and have full knowledge and understanding of those private covenants, conditions, or restrictions that run with, and are attached to, their property. By submitting an application to the city for a permanent or temporary storage unit, container, or structure, the applicant is certifying that he or she has full knowledge and understanding of those private covenants, conditions, or restrictions that run with their property and have a full understanding of whether those items prohibit the use of temporary or permanent storage units, containers, or structures.
(F) All tractor trailers on an agricultural, residential, or commercial parcel shall be licensed and registered with the state and must be actively used. Trailers not involved in a construction project that remain in a fixed location over 30 days shall be subject to fines, impoundment, and removal by the city.
(Prior Code, § 10.04.080) (Ord. 23-2020, passed 6-17-2020; Ord. 29-2021, passed 7-21-2021)
§ 157.108 ENFORCEMENT AND FINES.
(A) Enforcement and fines. Upon a determination that a violation exists, the Code Enforcement Officer, or his or her designee, will contact the owner and shall require such owner to halt, eradicate, destroy, remove, or otherwise cure the violation within 48 hours, or such later as time the Code Enforcement Officer, or his or her designee, may determine.
(B) Pre-existing conditions. In the instance of an existing storage unit, container, or structure that has been established for a permanent use, the owner shall have a pre-existing right, shall be a legally nonconforming use, and shall not be required to come into compliance with the new requirements adopted July 21, 2021. The following conditions do, however, apply to any such unit(s) as of the adoption of the original ordinance on April 10, 2020:
(1) Residential and Agriculture Zones. Temporary storage units, containers, or structures shall not be allowed in any Residential or Agricultural Zone on lots of less than one acre. The storage container must be placed behind a home, solid fence, outbuilding, or other obstruction as to obscure the view of the unit, container, or structure from the road.
(2) Commercial and Manufacturing Zones. A temporary storage unit, container, or structure shall not be allowed in any Commercial or Manufacturing Zone on lots of less than one acre. It must be placed on a hard surface such as gravel, road base, concrete, or asphalt, and made to look like the main structure on the property, including the use of similar building materials and colors.
(C) Temporary storage units. If the temporary storage unit, container, or structure is moved or otherwise modified, the property owner would have to comply to all requirements under the current ordinance.
(Prior Code, § 10.04.080.0100) (Ord. 23-2020, passed 6-17-2020; Ord. 29-2021, passed 7-21-2021)