Zoning districts.
§ 255-500. Zoning districts. [Amended 3-25-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-06] For the purpose of this chapter, the Town of Coventry is divided into the following districts:
A. Residential.
(1) RR5 - Rural Residential District. These are rural areas, which are not served by public facilities, and in which intensive development should not occur. These areas are characterized by verylow-density development, large estates, agricultural uses and certain low-intensity nonresidential activities incidental to a rural environment. This district is designed to preserve the rural character of the Town and to preserve and protect environmentally sensitive land. The minimum lot size for development is five (5) acres.
(2) RR3 - Rural Residential District. These are rural areas which public water or sewer facilities are not available and in which municipal police, fire, school and recreation opportunities and facilities are limited. This district is designed to minimize intensive development in order to protect surface and groundwater reserves and to promote orderly development in a manner that appropriately reflects the surrounding land use and capacity of the Town to service the resultant development. These areas are characterized by low-density residential development, large estates, and certain low-intensity nonresidential activities incidental to a rural environment. The minimum lot size for development is three (3) acres.
(3) RR2 - Rural Residential District. These are rural areas in which public water or sewer facilities are generally not available. These areas are characterized by low-density single-family residential development, large estates, and certain low-intensity nonresidential activities incidental to a rural environment. The minimum lot size for development is two (2) acres.
(4) R20 - Residential District. These are quiet, higher-density residential areas of the Town, plus certain undeveloped areas where similar residential development will likely occur in the future. Public water is generally available and public sewers are planned. Public facilities and a wide range of services are available. The minimum lot size for development is 20,000 square feet.
(5) RMH - Residential Mobile Home District. These are floating zones limited to use as a mobile home park and associated accessory uses created in accordance with the provisions of Article XI of this chapter.
B. Business.
(1) VRC - Village Rural Commercial District. These districts are defined primarily as traditional mixed-use village nodes in central and western Coventry that support a variety of land uses, including retail, service, light industrial, office, and residential uses. Special development standards are required for the preservation and enhancement of the visual, traditional and historic character of the vicinity.
(2) VMC - Village Main Street Commercial. These districts are defined primarily as traditional mixed-use village nodes in eastern Coventry that support a variety of uses including retail, service, office, and residential. Special development standards are required for the preservation and enhancement of the visual, traditional and historic character of the vicinity.
(3) GB/GB-1 General Business District. These districts are composed of certain land and structures to provide for the retailing of commodities and the furnishing of services which depend primarily on vehicular traffic. GB-1 requires a minimum of one (1) acre for development.
(4) BP - Planned Business Park. This is a floating zone, the purpose of which is to denote major commercial, office and industrial centers for the Town as identified in the Comprehensive Community Plan. Proposals shall ensure a coordinated development plan where uses, traffic controls, open space needs, buffering and site appropriateness can be evaluated. Land uses in this district include all commercial uses other than heavy industrial and certain other uses specifically prohibited. Business Park Districts shall be approved as a land development project through the provisions of Article XIV of this chapter.
C. Industrial.
(1) I1 - These districts are primarily large tracts of land suitable for industrial development in conformance with development standards enumerated in this chapter.
(2) I2 - These districts are older industrial mill complexes in the Town in existence prior to the original enactment of this chapter which may have existing buildings over 35 feet in height.
D. Planned development/planned unit development.
(1) These are floating zones composed of a variety of land uses, including mixed-use, commercial, industrial, and multifamily projects that are created in conformance with Article XIV of this chapter.
E. SPD - Special Planning Overlay District.
(1) This is a design overlay district to provide for the establishment of a design review by the Planning Commission which shall take into consideration the special impact the development will have on this visually prominent location. There shall be a strong emphasis on aesthetics, including design and building layout. Strip development is strongly discouraged. Buffering, access, landscaping, lighting and signage must be oriented to accommodate pedestrian traffic within the site. The uses and dimensions of the underlying zone shall remain in effect.