For purposes of these regulations, the Town of Thompson is hereby
divided into the following zoning districts:
A.
The boundaries of districts are established as shown on the Town
of Thompson Official Zoning Map (Zoning Map).
(1)
The Zoning Map shall be at a scale of one inch equals 1,000
feet, identified by the signature of the Chairperson of the Commission
and bearing the date of the most recent Zoning Map amendments.
(2)
When, in accordance with the provisions of these regulations,
changes are made in district boundaries or other matter portrayed
on the Zoning Map, such changes shall be made together with an entry
on the Zoning Map as follows: "As amended to (date) [such date to
be that of the most recent amendment]." The Zoning Map shall be filed
in the office of the Thompson Town Clerk and an updated copy shall
be displayed in the Thompson Land Use office and the Building office.
B.
The boundaries between districts are, unless otherwise indicated,
either the center line of streets; watercourses; rights-of-way of
power lines, railroads and other public utilities; other such lines
extended or lines parallel thereto. Where the boundaries of a single
district are indicated as including directly opposite sides of a street,
lane, lake or watercourse or right-of-way of a power line, railroad
or other public utility for any portion of the length, the district
so indicated shall be construed to apply to the entire bed of such
street, lane, lake or watercourse or right-of-way of such power line,
railroad or other public utility lying within such portion of its
length. Where uncertainty exists as to the location of any said boundaries
as shown on the Zoning Map, the following rules shall apply:
(1)
Where a district boundary is indicated as approximately following
the center line of a street, lane, lake or watercourse or the right-of-way
of a power line, railroad or other public utility, such center line
shall be construed to be such a boundary.
(2)
Where a district boundary is indicated as approximately following
a lot or other property line, such lot or property line shall be construed
to be such a boundary.
(3)
Where a district boundary divides a lot or runs through undivided
property, the location of such a boundary shall be determined by using
the scale appearing on said map, unless distances are specified on
the map.
(4)
Where distances are specified on the map between a street and
a district boundary, they shall indicate that the district boundary
runs parallel to the street line at a distance therefrom equivalent
to the number of feet so indicated, unless otherwise specified. Where
scaled distances do not agree with such figures, the figures shall
control.
(5)
Where a district boundary divides a lot under one ownership
into a residential and a nonresidential district or into two nonresidential
districts, the area and frontage requirements for that lot shall comply
with those that are more restrictive as set forth for such districts.
All other building requirements shall correspond with those of the
particular district in which a use, structure or building is established
or constructed.
(6)
Where physical or cultural features existing on the ground are
at variance with those shown on the Zoning Map or in other circumstances
not anticipated by the above subsections, the Commission shall interpret
the district boundaries.
Whenever federal- or state-owned property is included in one
or more zoning districts, it shall be subject to the provisions of
these regulations only insofar as permitted by the Constitution and
laws of the United States of America and of the Constitution and laws
of the State of Connecticut.
A.
Accessory dwelling units.
(1)
No more than two accessory dwelling units shall be permitted
on any single lot or parcel.
(2)
The ADU shall be subordinate in size to the primary dwelling.
(3)
The ADU shall incorporate space for sleeping, cooking/eating
and sanitation and shall have a private entrance.
(4)
An ADU is subject to all applicable Northeast District Department
of Health (NDDH) standards for private wells and septic, where public
water and sewage facilities are not available. An ADU may share a
septic system and electrical service with the primary dwelling or
it may have separate septic and electrical service.
(5)
An ADU is subject to all setback requirements for the district
in which it is situated.
B.
Interior lots.
(1)
In the interest of preserving wildlife corridors, no more than
one interior lot (flag lot) may be stacked behind any single front
lot.
(2)
An interior lot shall have an unobstructed right of access to
a public road that is at least 50 feet in width.
(3)
The lot line from which the right of access leads shall be considered
the frontage line of the interior lot.
(4)
An interior lot shall otherwise conform to all dimensional requirements
for the district in which it is located.
(5)
For the purposes of these regulations, where five or fewer lots
are arranged along a shared driveway, they shall not be considered
interior lots.
C.
Shared driveways. All developments consisting of two or more buildings,
or attached units (e.g., townhouses or professional office buildings)
shall utilize shared driveways to provide access to their developments
in order to limit curb cuts.
D.
Fences.
[Amended 8-28-2023]
(1)
A fence seven feet in height or less does not require a zoning
permit, therefore there is no local regulation governing specific
setbacks.
(2)
A fence or structure over seven feet in height requires both
a building permit and a zoning permit, and shall meet building setbacks
for a structure of less than 200 square feet.
(3)
Fence setback from a Town road shall be determined by the Director
of Public Works. Placement of the fence shall not obstruct sight lines
for any road or other right-of-way.
E.
As-of-right poultry and livestock.
(1)
In furtherance of Thompson’s commitment as a right-to-farm
community, the keeping of poultry and livestock for recreation, food
and fiber is considered an as-of-right use.
(2)
Where the keeping of more than the as-of-right number of poultry or livestock is proposed, whether for an agricultural business or for more intensive homestead farming, the applicant shall be subject to the provisions described in Article 7, § 275-7.4D, Livestock. For as-of-right levels of poultry and livestock, the following conditions and limitations apply:
(3)
The maximum as-of-right number of poultry or livestock permitted
shall be determined by the actual dimensions of the subject property
as follows:
|
Use
|
Less than 15,000 sq. ft.
|
15,000 sq. ft. to 39,999 sq. ft.
|
40,000 sq. ft.* to 110,000 sq. ft.
|
Greater than 110,000 sq. ft.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Poultry, small
|
12
|
25
|
50
|
150
|
|
Poultry, large
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
12
|
|
Livestock, honey bees
|
3 colonies, plus 2 nucs
|
5 colonies, plus 5 nucs
|
Unlimited
|
Unlimited
|
|
Livestock, non-swine, small
|
0
|
3
|
6
|
25
|
|
Livestock, non-swine, large
|
0
|
1
|
4
|
10
|
|
Livestock, swine
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
|
*1 acre = 43,560.04 sq. ft.
|
(4)
The categories of poultry and livestock are delineated as follows:
(a)
"Poultry, small" are domesticated chickens, ducks, geese, guinea
hens, partridges, pheasants, quails and turkeys. This category also
includes rabbits, to conform to USDA classifications.
(b)
"Poultry, large" are domesticated emu, ostrich, peacocks and any
similarly sized species.
(c)
"Livestock, honey bees" are any of the domesticated subspecies of
Apis mellifera.
(d)
"Livestock, non-swine, small" are domesticated animals, other than
those fitting the definition of household pets, with an average mature
weight between 30 pounds and 500 pounds. Examples include, but are
not limited to: alpacas, goats, ponies, sheep and miniature breeds
of livestock otherwise classified as "large."
(e)
"Livestock, non-swine, large" are domesticated animals with an average
mature weight over 500 pounds. Examples include, but are not limited
to: camels, cows, donkeys, horses, llamas and mules.
(f)
"Livestock, swine" are domesticated animals belonging to the taxonomic
family Suidae, other than those fitting the definition of household
pets.
(5)
Livestock
housed on a property on a temporary basis (less than 60 days) are
exempted from as-of-right limitations. Juvenile livestock shall be
exempted from as-of-right limits until such time as they reach maturity.
(6)
Roosters
are not permitted on any property which is less than one acre in size.
(7)
Setbacks
for any structures to house the as-of-right number of non-swine livestock
or poultry shall be as for an accessory structure to the primary building
greater than 200 square feet, regardless of the dimensions of the
structure.
(8)
Setbacks
for any structures to house the as-of-right number of swine shall
be not less than 300 feet from any property line. The keeping of swine
as-of-right, thus, is limited to properties of 110,000 square feet
in size or greater.
