A Guide to Land Use Permits

Thank you for your interest in developing in the Town of Wethersfield. The town staff is here to guide and assist you through the development permitting process. Our goal is to get you through the process as smoothly and quickly as possible. This narrative provides a general overview of the development permitting procedures. Also included are the names and phone numbers of key town and MDC staff, along with the meeting dates of the various Boards and Commissions.

If you need to identify a site please contact the Economic Development Manager/Town Planner, who has a database of available industrial and commercial properties in town. The Economic Development Manager/Town Planner is also available to assist you in determining the general feasibility of the site for your purposes and to discuss the requirements for the permit review process. Town staff, including the Town Engineer, Economic Development Manager/Town Planner, Chief Building and Zoning Official and Fire Marshal are available to meet with applicants informally to review plans at any time. We encourage you to meet with town staff to review your application and plans prior to submitting an application.

The town has provided a number of guides and forms to further explain the requirements for the permit process:

• Home Occupation
• Sign Requirements
• Sign Application
• Special Permit
• Request for Extension/Withdrawal
• Neighbor Notification
• PZC Rules and Procedures
• PZC Meeting Procedures
• Plot Plan Requirements
• Post Approval Requirements
• Lot Splits

The Economic Development Manager/Town Planner will review your proposal and advise you as to which permits may be required and which town and state agencies may be reviewing your application. Depending on the use, nature and location of the site, applications may be required by the Planning and Zoning Commission, Historic District Commission, Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission, and the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Residential and commercial interior construction and remodeling usually require only a building permit.

After submittal of an application, plans are reviewed by town staff. The staff comments are forwarded to the appropriate Boards and Commissions as well as the applicant. You will be notified as to the dates your applications will be heard by each of the Boards/Commissions and as to whether or not your application will be considered at a public hearing or public meeting. A public hearing is a legally noticed meeting at which all interested parties have an opportunity to address the Commission, while a public meeting is a meeting at which only the applicant may address the Commission. You or your representative (attorney/engineer/architect) should be in attendance at these meetings to present your application and answer any questions the Commission members may have. Once your applications have been approved by the various Commissions, there may be follow-up items to address.

For example:

• Approved site plan and design review, special exception and subdivision applications require submission of mylar plans for signature by the Planning & Zoning Commission and filing on the land records in the Town Clerk's office.
• Approved applications containing easements and/or rights-of-way require deeds or easements to be filed on the land records, in the Town Clerk's office.
• Approved applications with new road construction require a bond to be posted with the Engineering Division.
• Approved applications with new utilities will require the applicant to contact the local utility companies to coordinate hook-up or tie-ins.

Building permits are required for any new construction. The Chief Building and Zoning Official, Fire Marshal, and Engineering Division staff will review building plans and the Building Division will issue the permits. After construction is completed an "as-built" drawing of the site showing the improvements is submitted to the Building Division. The Chief Building and Zoning Official, Fire Marshal and Town Engineer will make a final inspection prior to the Chief Building and Zoning Official issuing a Certificate of Occupancy. Bonds are required to be posted for new road construction and any unfinished work.

Application Review Process

1. Discuss proposal with the Director of Planning & Economic Development.
2. Review plans with staff. Staff explains which permits may be necessary.
3. Submit applications to town and if necessary to the Dept. of Environmental Protection and the Dept. of Transportation
4. Staff reviews applications & plans and forwards comments to applicant and appropriate Boards and/or Commissions.
5. Applicant makes presentation to Boards and/or Commissions for their consideration and action.
6. Application is approved. If necessary the applicants file plans for signing by the PZC, file easements on land records and post bonds for road construction.
7. File application & plans for building permits. Staff reviews plans and issues permits. Begin construction.