Westport City Zoning Code

The purpose of the Highway Service District is to provide suitable locations for general commercial, automobile and drive-in type establishments which serve the needs of motorists. These service areas will be limited in number, size and location.

(787, 06/09/2021; 872, 08/15/2026)

In a Highway Service District, no land, building or structure shall be used and no building shall be hereafter erected, altered, or added to, unless otherwise provided in these regulations, except for one (1) or more of the following uses:

Each lot shall have a minimum area of one-half (1/2) acre (21,780 square feet) and shall be of such shape that a square with one hundred (100) feet on each side will fit on the lot.

No principal building, structure or use shall extend closer than thirty (30) feet from any front lot line, fifteen (15) feet from any side lot line, and twenty-five (25) feet from any rear lot line or Residential District Boundary Line. No accessory building or structure shall extend closer than thirty (30) feet from any front lot line or Residential District Boundary Line, and fifteen (15) feet from the side and rear lot lines.(787, 06/09/2021)

No building or other structure shall exceed two (2) stories and a height of either twenty-five (25) feet to the top of a flat roof or thirty (30) feet to the mid-point of a pitched roof.

The building coverage shall not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the area of the lot which lies within the HSD.

No mandatory requirement.

Roof-top mechanical equipment, other than solar energy panels, shall be concealed from all sides.

Signs shall be permitted in accordance with §33 of the Supplementary Regulations.

Off-street parking and loading shall be provided in accordance with §34 of the Supplementary Regulations, as modified herein.

Landscaping, screening and buffer areas shall be provided in accordance with §35 of the Supplementary Regulations.

No lot shall be used for a drive-in restaurant if such lot is located within a radius of 500 feet from any other lot used for drive-in restaurant.

Notwithstanding the above, for residential development including adaptive reuse, redevelopment and expansion, the standards of this subsection shall apply.

(787, 06/09/2021) 

The following uses are permitted subject to Special Permit and Site Plan approval in accordance with §43, herein.

Transit Community Middle Housing Developments pursuant to the standards in §25-14 below.

(872, 08/15/2026) 

Groups of buildings on a single lot shall be so arranged that the minimum horizontal distance between the nearest walls, or corners of any principal and/or accessory buildings shall not be less than one-half the sum of the heights of such adjacent buildings.

No one building shall exceed 10,000 square feet of gross interior floor area.

No buildings or structures shall exceed a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 0.25 on the area of the lot that lies within the Highway Service District (HSD) Zone. Floor area used for parking and loading shall be excluded from the FAR.

All structures shall comply with §25.4 above, except where existing buildings are adaptively reused. Existing non-conforming buildings may be maintained and expanded vertically. Patios and window wells may extend no closer than fifteen (15) feet from any Residential District Boundary Line or five (5) feet from any non-residential District line. Refuse and recycling areas within accessory buildings may be located within the front yard provided it is at the basement level and appropriately screened.

(787, 06/09/2021) 

No building or structure shall exceed two (2) stories and a height of thirty (30) feet to the mid-point of a pitched roof or the top of any flat roof. Mechanical equipment located on the roof shall be exempt from this standard provided the equipment is concealed and that the top of the units are less than six (6) feet above the roof on which they sit.

(787, 06/09/2021) 

The building coverage shall not exceed thirty (30%) percent and total coverage shall not exceed sixty-five (65%) percent.

(787, 06/09/2021) 

The Floor Area Ratio (FAR) shall not exceed 0.50. Floor area associated with basement level parking, enclosed and covered refuse areas, circulation, mechanical, and storage shall be exempt from this calculation.

(787, 06/09/2021) 

The maximum number of market rate units shall not exceed 2,250sf of gross lot area per dwelling unit. Onsite Affordable units shall be exempt from this calculation. Libraries, dens, studios, studies, lofts and other similar spaces shall not be counted as bedrooms.

(787, 06/09/2021) 

Existing parking and drives may remain within buffer areas. A minimum of a five (5) foot buffer shall be required adjacent to any Residence District

(787, 06/09/2021) 

§32-8 of these regulations shall not apply where the PZC, based on review and recommendation from the Town Engineer, makes a finding that the site design is enhanced while not creating any adverse impacts to abutting properties. Such enhancement may include landscaping, buffers, sidewalks, emergency access or other improved design features.

(787, 06/09/2021) 

25-14.8 Affordability Requirement – Prior to a final Zoning Certificate of Compliance (ZCC) for developments an affordability plan for all affordable units to be submitted for review and approval by the Commission. The plan shall include the equivalent of 20% of the proposed units to be provided as affordable to households whose income does not exceed 80% of the State Median Income as provided by CT General Statutes §8-30g. 

(787, 06/09/2021) 

Any use permitted in a Residence AAA District, subject to the same approvals and conditions specified in §11-2, herein.

The following additional uses are permitted subject to Site Plan approval in accordance with §43, herein.

1. Any use permitted in a General Business District.
2. Gasoline filling stations, automobile service establishment, motor vehicle repair garages, any lot, establishment, agency or dealer for new, rental or used motor vehicles, automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, mobile homes, trailers, campers, boats and farm or other heavy equipment. All parking and storage of vehicles shall be on the lot.
3. Motels, hotels or motor inns.
4. Restaurants and Drive-in Restaurants.

Veterinary hospitals and animal clinics. There shall be no more than one outside exercise area for animal runs. The use of such area shall be limited to the period from 8:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.

Bowling alleys, skating rinks, golf driving ranges, paddle tennis courts, tennis courts and other indoor and outdoor commercial recreation and entertainment uses, except game rooms.

Indoor & Outdoor Commercial Recreational & Entertainment Uses.

Commercial Wireless telecommunication service facilities, in conformance with §32-16.

Private Occupational Schools.

Multi-Family housing pursuant to the standards in §25-14 below.

(787, 06/09/2021)

Uses customarily accessory to the permitted principal use including the manufacturing, processing or assembly of goods which is incidental to the conduct of a retail business conducted on the premises, subject to the provisions of §32-7, herein.

Outdoor storage and display is permitted in accordance with §32-6, herein.

Game Rooms, subject to the following conditions:

1. That a Zoning Permit be obtained from the Zoning Enforcement Officer.
2. The number of coin operated amusement devices shall be limited to not more than 3 per lot.
3. The hours of operation of said game room shall not exceed those of the principle use, but in no case shall the hours of operation extend beyond 11:00 P.M., except in establishments with liquor license for on premise consumption.

One dwelling unit per lot to be occupied by a gatekeeper, caretaker or maintenance person.

Uses customarily accessory to a permitted Principal use shall be permitted as specified in §24-2.3 (General Business District Accessory Uses).(814, 04/01/2022)