§ 28-3
Establishment of zoning districts
For the purposes of this chapter, the following zoning districts shall be designated:
(1) Residential zoning districts. Residential zoning districts shall be as follows:
R-80 Zone The R-80 zone is intended for very low density areas comprised of agricultural uses and single household detached structures with a minimum density of 80,000 square feet per dwelling unit. The purpose of this very low residential density zone is to ensure both that areas of town without adequate infrastructure are not developed beyond their capacity and to preserve natural, historical and cultural resources of the town. R-40 Zone This zone is intended for low density areas comprised of agricultural uses and single household detached structures with a minimum density of 40,000 square feet per dwelling unit. The purpose of this low residential density zone is to ensure both that areas of town without adequate infrastructure are not developed beyond their capacity and to preserve natural, historical, and cultural resources of the town. R-40W Zone This zone is intended for low density residential areas comprised of single household detached structures in areas of town where there is a high probability of groundwater contamination because of proximity to a landfill or other contamination source, with a minimum density of 40,000 square feet per dwelling unit, where public water is required. R-20 Zone This zone is intended for medium density residential areas previously lacking infrastructure and already developed to this density, or currently undeveloped and lacking infrastructure, comprised of single household detached structures with a minimum density of 20,000 square feet per dwelling unit. R-15 Zone This zone is intended for medium density residential areas comprised of single household detached structures with a minimum density of 15,000 square feet per dwelling unit where public sewer and/or public water are provided. R-10 Zone This zone is intended for high density residential areas comprised of single household and two-household structures with a minimum density of 10,000 square feet per dwelling unit where public sewer and/or public water are provided. R-10SW Zone This zone is intended for high density residential areas comprised of single household and two-household structures in areas of town where there is a high probability of groundwater contamination because of proximity to a landfill or other contamination source, with a minimum density of 10,000 square feet per dwelling unit where public sewer and public water are required. R-8 Zone This zone is intended for high density residential areas comprised of single household and two-family household structures with a minimum density of 8,000 square feet per dwelling unit. R-6 Zone This R-6 zone is intended for high density residential areas comprised of single household, two household, and multi-household structures with a minimum density of 6,000 square feet for the first dwelling unit and 4,000 square feet per additional dwelling unit where public sewer and public water are required.
(2) Commercial zoning districts. Commercial zoning districts shall be as follows:
LB Zone Limited business. This zoning district is intended for mixed use including neighborhood commercial areas that primarily serve local neighborhood needs for convenience, retail services and professional office establishments, as well as high density multi-household residential use. GB Zone General business. This zoning district is intended for commercial areas that serve town-wide and regional commercial needs for retail services, and professional office establishments. D Zone Downtown. This zoning district is intended for the preservation of downtown commercial areas. MMU Zone Metacom mixed use. This zoning district is intended for designating key areas along the Metacom Avenue (Rt. 136) corridor for focused development or redevelopment in dense mixed-use zones to help create a sense of place and order and encourage the expansion of business use areas on the first floor of buildings with residential on the upper floors which creates vibrant, walkable neighborhoods well served with appropriately scaled retail, services, and other commercial development.
(3) Industrial zoning districts. Industrial zoning districts shall be as follows:
M Zone Manufacturing. This zone is intended for general industrial uses that accommodate a variety of manufacturing, assembly, storage of durable goods and related activities, provided that they do not pose toxic, explosive or environmental hazard in the town.
(4) Open space zoning district. The open space zoning district shall be as follows:
OS Zone Open space. This zone is intended for the preservation of open space in the town. A large-scale, ground-mounted solar photovoltaic facility on town-owned land that is a closed and capped landfill, or on a remediated and restricted contamination site or a contaminated site pending remediation, in the OS zone shall be considered consistent with this purpose.
(5) Waterfront zoning district. The waterfront zoning district shall be as follows:
W Zone Waterfront. This zone is intended for mixed use residential, commercial, and limited industrial use along the downtown waterfront with an emphasis on preservation, economic development, recreation, and open space.
(6) Educational-institutional zoning district. The educational-institutional zoning district shall be as follows:
E-I Zone Educational institutional. This zone is intended for college/university facilities to be used in a planned manner while protecting surrounding cultural, historic and environmental resources.
(6.5) Historic preservation and conservation zoning district. The historic preservation and conservation zoning district shall be as follows:
HPC Zone The purpose of the HPC zone is to preserve and protect the existing uses of historic properties of importance to the town; and to allow them to be used in a planned manner and permit certain minimal additions to those existing uses; while protecting and preserving the cultural, historic and environmental resources of the property and the town.
(6.6) Public institutional zoning district. The public institutional zoning district shall be as follows:
PI Zone The purpose of the PI zone is to preserve and protect the existing institutional uses of town owned property.
(6.7) Agricultural zoning district. The agricultural zoning district shall be as follows:
AG Zone The purpose of the AG zone is intended to zone those properties where there is a conservation easement limiting the use to farming operations only. Uses and dimensional regulations are parcel based per individual conservation agreements.
(7) Special zones. Special zones shall be as follows:
Historic district overlay zone This overlay zoning district is intended to preserve the heritage of the town by placing additional design standards for buildings or other structures and lots, either within an historic district, or designated as an individual historic district. Residential cluster overlay zone This overlay zoning district is intended to allow clustering of dwelling units while promoting the conservation of agricultural use, open space or other resources of natural, cultural or historic significance. Resource conservation and creative development overlay The intent of this overlay zoning district is to require the clustering of dwelling units so that they are located out of agricultural areas, areas of cultural or historic significance; and sensitive natural areas which might otherwise be lost under conventional development. Limited commercial uses designed to serve the needs of the residents and reduce the need for automobile travel may also be permitted. Flood hazard overlay zone This overlay zoning district is intended to protect the floodplain areas in Bristol by placing additional review, construction, and design standards on development in the floodplain. Urban rehab LDP overlay zone Rehab land development project. This zone is intended to encourage the rehabilitation and reuse of deteriorated, underutilized and inefficient historic and/or nonconforming structures of conservation concern to the town. Route 136 (Metacom Avenue) overlay zone This overlay zone is intended to provide for high quality development, mitigation of traffic impacts, protection of residential uses, and preservation of scenic resources along Metacom Avenue by placing additional review criteria and design standards on development in this area.
(Ord. No. 2019-07, 6-26-19; Amend. of 1-27-21)