[Added effective 8-9-1999, amended effective 7-26-2004]
The purpose of the Hawleyville Center Design District (HCDD) is to encourage and promote the creation of a neighborhood business district that will include mixed use activities, improvements and development typical of a village center. The intent is to promote business activities within the district that will serve the surrounding neighborhoods and, to a lesser degree, accommodate services that are compatible with the district's proximity to Exit 9 of Interstate 84.
Development in the district will be expected to achieve the highest quality of design that will blend the pedestrian scale of a village center with the functions of Route 25, I-84 and the railroad line as regional transportation linkages. Development is expected to respect the environmental conditions and history in the area and will help to achieve an integrated, cohesive New England village center. On site public amenities will be required in order to tie the district together and to provide circulation patterns typical of a business center.
Overall, it is envisioned that the Hawleyville Center Design District will result in the development of a mixture of uses, including 30,000 square feet of retail space, 30,000 square feet of office and personal services space and a total of 24 housing units.
[Added effective 7-26-2004]
The land and buildings shall be used for the principal and accessory uses listed herein. Uses that are not listed shall not be permitted by variance.
In order to achieve the highest quality of design, the Commission created and adopted the Hawleyville Center Design Guidelines. The guidelines describe the elements of context, scale, site design and amenities that are necessary to achieve a cohesive district consistent with and which reflects the character of a New England Village. It is anticipated that all development within the district will be planned to help achieve the purpose and intent of the district. The Hawleyville Center Design Guidelines provide examples of specific design elements that have been found to be important and necessary for ensuring a cohesive and functional district. Proposals for development should incorporate the site design elements described in the guidelines into the project.
One or more of the following principal uses are permitted within a single structure subject to obtaining site development plan approval, if required, in accordance with Article X:
(a) 
Retail: Permanent sales shall be enclosed and no permanent outdoor storage of merchandise. No single retailer may occupy more than 15,000 square feet.
(b) 
Personal service establishments.
(c) 
Banks.
(d) 
Offices.
(e) 
Restaurants, including outside service but excluding drive-through facilities and outside entertainment.
(f) 
Museums, galleries and meeting halls.
(g) 
Places of religious worship.
(h) 
Government buildings and uses, including fire station, post office, library, commuter parking, transportation terminal area but excluding dumps, incinerators and other garbage disposal, transfer and recycling areas, municipal garage, public works storage yard or commercial type recreation facilities.
(i) 
Residential dwellings within a commercial building and above any permitted commercial use. Density of the dwellings shall not exceed 50% of the gross floor area excluding the basement as defined in the Newtown Zoning Regulations. The individual dwelling units shall be a minimum of 800 square feet and a maximum of 1,200 square feet.
[Amended effective 6-12-2017]
(j) 
An existing single-family dwelling can be converted into a two family dwelling
[Added 8-2-2018]
The following principal uses and structures are permitted subject to obtaining a special exception approval in accordance with the standards, criteria, conditions, and procedures set forth in Article XI.
(a) 
Two or more commercial buildings upon a lot containing one or more principal uses as listed in Section 595-6.04.300.
[Added effective 8-9-1999]
(b) 
(Reserved)
[Added effective 8-9-1999, amended effective 7-26-2004]
(c) 
Any building which has more than 10,000 square feet of floor area.
[Added effective 9-8-1999, amended effective 7-26-2004]
(d) 
Residential dwellings within a commercial building and above any permitted commercial use. Density of the dwellings shall not exceed 50% of the gross floor area excluding the basement as defined in the Newtown Zoning Regulations. The individual dwelling units shall be a minimum of 800 square feet and a maximum of 1,200 square feet.
[Added effective 10-12-2019]
(e) 
Brew Pubs and Distilleries.
[Added effective 10-12-2017]
(f) 
Two or more principal uses or special exception uses within a single structure or physical space. Parking shall be provided in accordance with Article VIII, Section 3, for the use or special exception use which requires the greatest number of parking spaces. Each use or special exception use may be operated by separate persons or legal entities.
(g) 
Gas Station or Filling Station, provided that:
(1) 
The minimum lot width at the street line, as provided in Article VII, shall be located on a state highway.
(2) 
The property shall be located at least 2,000 feet from any other property containing a Gas Station or Filling Station, measured at the lot boundaries of each lot.
[Added 9-6-2018]
Accessory uses permitted in business zones are set forth in Article IV, Section 4, of these regulations.
[Added 8-9-1999; amended 7-26-2004]
Article VII, Area, Height and Yard Requirements and all other applicable sections of these regulations apply, and in addition:
(a) 
The maximum number of residential dwellings that may be located upon any single lot shall be computed by deducting the following areas from the total lot area: wetlands, watercourses and areas located within the FEMA flood hazard area.
(b) 
All lots which are adjacent to a residential zone or an existing single-family dwelling shall maintain a twenty-five-foot wide natural or planted buffer along such boundary.
(c) 
Rear and side yard requirements and the buffer as required above may be waived or modified by the Commission provided the Commission finds that the following conditions are or will be met:
1. 
The overall design of the project is appropriate to the site and contributes to the improvement of Hawleyville Center.
2. 
The overall design of the project is consistent with the Hawleyville Center Design Guidelines.
3. 
The project design will enhance or maximize public enjoyment of the property or such a modification will enhance traffic or pedestrian circulation patterns in Hawleyville Center.
4. 
The project design and land use is consistent with the Hawleyville Center Design District.
5. 
That a public accessway may be located within the buffer area provided a planted area no less than 10 feet wide and/or an appropriate screen is installed along the boundary. Such public accessways shall be in the form of landscaped walks, esplanades or other suitable design to encourage active use by the public and shall be dedicated as such in the deed to the property.
[Added effective 8-9-1999, amended effective 7-26-2004]
The Hawleyville Center Design Guidelines and all applicable general provisions of the sign regulations, Article VIII, Section 1, shall apply with the following exceptions:
(a) 
All signs permitted in the HCDD may be externally illuminated.
(b) 
Any wall sign attached perpendicular to the front building wall shall be limited to a thirty-inch projection.
(c) 
No exterior sign shall be internally lit.
(d) 
No sign shall advertise the availability of alcoholic beverages or tobacco, by product name or otherwise, within 300 feet of the nearest property line of land occupied by any school or church.
[Added 8-9-1999, amended effective 7-26-2004]
Article VIII, Section 3, and all applicable sections of these regulations shall apply, and in addition:
(a) 
Parking shall be located to the rear or to the side of buildings which are positioned along the street frontage so as to maintain the street wall and character of the Hawleyville Center.
(b) 
Notwithstanding Section 595-8.03.420, the Commission may approve required parking on a different lot from the principal use provided the following criteria are met:
1. 
That the off-site parking facility is located on a lot which is within the Hawleyville Center Design District.
2. 
That the off-site parking facility is within a reasonable walking distance of the building containing the use being served and there is a sidewalk or accessway between the properties.
3. 
That the off-site parking facility is clearly marked as parking for the commercial use being served.
4. 
That a long term instrument acceptable to the Commission will ensure that the use of such off-site parking remains available to the user. Such instrument shall be filed on the land records.
5. 
That the site design for the principal use and the parking facility shall be consistent with the Hawleyville Center Design Guidelines.
6. 
In no case shall parking be a principal use on any lot.
(c) 
Whenever possible, vehicle access to parking lots shall be shared with adjacent properties and a minimum of curb cuts shall be utilized.
(d) 
All parking lots shall be arranged to promote easy circulation of vehicles and pedestrians.
Article VIII, Supplemental Regulations, including, but not limited to, signs, access management, parking, landscaping, lighting and all other applicable sections of these regulations apply.