Westport P&Z Announces Public Hearing on Text Amendment to Modify Bus Shelter Regulations

Text Amendment to Modify Bus Shelter Regulations

Planning and Zoning Department Planner Michael Kiselak has announced that on Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 6:00 PM, the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission is holding a public hearing on a Text Amendment to the Planning & Zoning Regulations. Proposed Text Amendment #795 will define Bus Shelters, exempt them from Coverage requirements, and permit them within the front landscape area setbacks. See text here.

The Explanatory Statement for Text Amendment #795, available here, describes that in Westport, bus shelters are considered structures with no special exemptions per §5-2. As such, the installation of bus shelters adjacent to the roadway and within the 30-foot front landscape area requires a variance from §35-2.2 from the Zoning Board of Appeals.

The proposal will explicitly define “Bus Shelters,” specify what features are permitted at bus shelters, and specify which agencies are responsible for overseeing the locations of such shelters. Language is also proposed to exempt bus shelters from coverage requirements and allow them to be located within the 30-foot front landscape area setbacks adjacent to the roadway without a variance.

The P&Z Commission’s June 24, 2021, meeting will be live streamed at 6:00 PM on the Town’s website at www.westportct.gov, and accessible on Optimum Government Access Channel 79 and Frontier Channel 6020.  Comments may be sent prior to the meeting at PandZ@westportct.gov, and during the meeting at PandZComments@westportct.gov. Interested parties may join virtually to offer live testimony during the meeting if the meeting link is requested by sending an email to maryyoung@westportct.gov by noontime on the day of the meeting.