Because we live here

Written By Thomas Mitchell

5th Avenue, NYC, birthplace of American Zoning

The most common form of land use regulation in the United States is known as Euclidean Zoning. This type of zoning is characterized by the separation of land uses, classified under broad categories such as agricultural, residential, commercial, or industrial, among others. Stonington's zoning presently includes seven varieties of commercial, two of industrial, nine of residential and several heritage, greenway, neighborhood and village district zones. Complicated!

How did we get here? It was recognized early in our country's evolution that the federal government had no place in proscribing the makeup of its towns and cities. As Seymour Toll explained in his 1969 book Zoned America, zoning ordinances were actually the brainchild of a handful of early 20th century New York businessmen whose high-fashion shops had recently displaced mansions along the middle section of Fifth Avenue. By 1916, they were at risk of being similarly crowded out by their own suppliers—garment manufacturers whose numerous employees ruined the exclusive Fifth Avenue shopping experience. The city’s zoning code that went into effect that same year proved capable of slowing the rotation of uses and classes—and was immediately copied around the U.S. by cities, towns and boroughs.

Zoning laws defining land use sprouted in Connecticut and elsewhere from such basic exclusionary practices to include protective and proactive regulations designed to manage growth, congestion, safety and property values. They were informed in part by building codes developed over a century before. Driven initially by construction trades, fire districts and new technologies such as the steel industry, building codes in the USA evolved from the first known one in 1788 (Old Salem, North Carolina, written in German) into three distinct code models in the South, Northeast and West. It wasn't until 2000 that US states began adopting the same International Building Code. The IBC is a set of codes that apply to the design and construction of buildings in the United States and some other countries who have adopted it. It is used as a basis for laws and regulations — Zoning codes and building codes work together to enforce safety and quality standards for anyone concerned with erecting, maintaining, or demolishing a building or structure. The IBC also informs building certification programs, the insurance industry, and federal agencies. It is updated every three years to include new construction methods and technologies. Connecticut most recently adopted the 2021 International Building Code as part of the 2022 Connecticut State Building Code, which went into effect on October 1, 2022.

In some ways, nationwide adoption in the early aughts of the IBC was a kick in the pants for Zoning committees everywhere facing the tangled web of a century’s worth of regulation. Stonington jumped in, addressing the development and evolution of our Plan of Conservation and Development. The POCD Implementation Committee continues as a driving force today, working with a robust Planning Department, Planning & Zoning Commission and Town leadership.

Stonington has come a long way since the homesteaders’ cabins of 1649, and our town continues to grow and evolve. In addition to the challenges of growth and affordability, we now face threats of environmental sustainability. That's why Stonington, in preparation for the establishment of the new Plan of Conservation and Development, issued a comprehensive 222-page RFP this past July for professional assistance:

"The selected Consultant shall have extensive experience and knowledge in the fields of municipal planning, zoning, and land use including, but not limited to, land use development trends, housing, economic development, transportation, infrastructure, environmental sustainability, resiliency, and resource conservation."

As residents or property owners in Stonington, we all have a vested interest in how this turns out, and ample opportunities to help the process along by providing our feedback and ideas at the Zoning Regulations Workshops. These are scheduled for the fourth Wednesday of each month, starting September 25 from 6-8PM at Stonington High School Cafeteria.

Mark your calendars. In the meantime, please consider taking the Stonington Zoning Regulations Update Survey:

Thomas Mitchell
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