Zoning & Building Code

What is Zoning and Building Code? Zoning refers to general regulations that apply to all properties within a specific type of area, or zone - residential and commercial are two common examples. These regulations include setback distances from property lines to various man-made features such as houses and swimming pools, allowable impervious surface coverage (as a percentage of the lot), and additional restrictions for buildings, fences, and walls. Zoning provides a system of checks and balances that helps level the playing field, keep things fair, and prevent activities on one property from adversely affecting neighboring lots. Without zoning, someone could open a nightclub next to a single-family residence.

What Are Regulatory Agencies? Regulatory agencies are established to protect human health, safety and welfare (HSW) as it relates to special environmental concerns like wetlands, coastal areas, and steep slopes. Examples include the Planning Board or Commission, the Coastal Area Management Commission (CAM), the Inland Wetland and Watercourses Agency (IWWA), and the Board of Architectural Review (BAR) or Architectural Review Board (ARB). Because these agencies only consider applications and materials prepared by licensed professionals, the involvement of a landscape architect - or other qualified design professional - is required to obtain approvals for projects in regulated areas.

Landscape Architect: Outdoor living with luxury in-ground swimming pool and spa, retaining wall and terrace, custom patios and walkways, stepping stones with turf joints. native and ornamental plantings, and landscape lighting in a regulated area in Greenwich, Connecticut.