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Wilton ZBA > Zoning Ordinance > 2004 > Elderly Housing District

This online version of the Zoning Ordinance has not been comprehensively checked against the official version. Neither the Town of Wilton nor the Zoning Board can be responsible for the consequences of any action taken on the basis of any errors in the online text.

This PDF file is the official printable text of the Wilton Zoning Ordinance as prepared for the Town of Wilton. by the Nashua Regional Planning Commission It is also available on the Planning Board page at the official Town of Wilton web site under the “Current Land Use Laws and Regulations” link.

This is the 2004 version of the Zoning Ordinance, including all amendments up to and including those passed by Town Meeting in March, 2004, but not any amendments passed in 2005 or later.

13.0 Elderly Housing District

13.1 Purpose.
13.2 District Location.
13.3 General Standards.
13.4 Review of Site Plans.
13.5 Change of Use.

13.1 Purpose.

The Elderly Housing District is hereby established for the purpose of providing housing specifically designed to meet the needs of the elderly while ensuring compliance with local planning standards and land use policies.

13.2 District Location.

Elderly housing developments are permitted as a special exception by the Zoning Board of Adjustment and Site Plan review and approval by the Planning Board in the residential, general residential and agricultural, and commercial districts. (See also Section 4.4.)

In considering and granting a special exception, the Zoning Board shall determine that:

  1. the proposed elderly housing development will not adversely impact the existing and future land uses in the underlying district;
  2. the proposed location is appropriate for elderly housing and is consistent with the stated intent and standards of Elderly Housing District;
  3. the parcel area is sufficient, appropriate and adequate for the proposed use and the reasonable anticipated operation;
  4. the proposed elderly housing project will provide for the health, safety and welfare of the elderly occupants.

13.3 General Standards.

All housing for the elderly shall conform to the following standards:

  1. Dwelling unit density shall not be greater than twenty-four (24) units/gross tract acre for one (1) bedroom units or twelve (12) dwelling units/gross tract acre for two (2) bedroom units when served by Town water and sewer. For lots not served by Town water and sewer, the dwelling unit density shall not be greater than the density provisions of the underlying district.
  2. Dwelling units shall have a maximum of two (2) bedrooms and shall be designed for and restricted to occupancy by the elderly.
  3. Housing developments for the elderly shall not be required to conform to the requirement that there be one dwelling per lot. Building types permitted are cluster, townhouse and apartment structures. Apartment is defined as a structure with separate living units located adjacent to, below or above other living units.
  4. Occupancy of all units within the development shall be limited to families where the head of household or spouse is at least sixty (60) years of age.
  5. The minimum lot area shall be 1 acre and the lot shall have at least one hundred (100) feet of frontage on a public right-of-way, Class V or better if served by water and sewer, otherwise the minimum lot area shall be at least two (2) acres and the lot shall have two hundred (200) of frontage on a public right-of-way Class V or better. Lot coverage shall not exceed seventy-five (75) percent of the total lot area.
  6. All buildings, driveway and parking areas shall be set back in conformance with the set back requirements of the underlying zoning district where the development is to be located. A vehicular drop-off area to the building may be located within the front yard set back.
  7. Maximum building height is forty-five (45) feet.
  8. Parking shall be provided in conformance with the parking standards established in the Site Plan Review Regulations. During Site Plan Review, the Planning Board may require additional parking for visitors and additional parking based upon distance of the development from the center of Town, income of the residents and access to alternate forms of transportation, shopping areas and other services.
  9. All buildings shall be provided with the following safety features:
    1. ramps to the first floor of each building;
    2. non skid floors;
    3. doors of sufficient width to accommodate wheelchairs;
    4. electric cooking stoves;
    5. electric outlets at levels at least twenty-four (24) inches above the floor;
    6. showers in place of tubs for more than fifty (50) percent of the dwelling units and handicapped showers for twenty-five (25) percent of the dwelling units;
    7. grab bars around tubs (where provided) and toilets;
    8. lever handle-type spigots and door knobs; and
    9. emergency signals which ring in adjoining apartments or at a central location.
  10. Adequate ancillary facilities, usually associated with the group living needs for comfort, health, safety and welfare of elderly persons and not usually constructed for multi-family dwellings shall be provided to meet the need of the proposed population of the development. The floor area of such ancillary facilities shall not be less than five (5) percent of the total floor area of the building. These facilities may include dispensaries, medical facilities, common dining facilities, group recreation facilities, laundry facilities and other similar or related facilities.
  11. The development shall be landscaped so as to be integrated with the Town. The perimeter of the development shall be landscaped with a sufficient buffer strip to minimize its intrusion on neighboring land uses.
  12. The cumulative number of elderly dwelling units constructed in conformance with this Article shall not exceed 6% of the total number of dwelling units in the community.

13.4 Review of Site Plans.

The Planning Board shall review and approve or disapprove the site plans for all proposed elderly housing. The review of any site proposed for elderly housing shall take into account its proximity to those support services (shopping, medical, transportation, etc.) necessary to meet the needs of the elderly in addition to the standards contained in section 13.3. Where support services are absent or remote, provisions for such services shall be provided by the developer.

13.5 Change of Use.

If any structure erected pursuant to a special exception and site plan review in accordance with this section ceases to be used exclusively for elderly housing, then the full zoning ordinance requirements for the new use must be met. Failure to comply with the zoning ordinance may result in a revocation of the certificate of occupancy for the structure.