Demolition Delay Ordinance

In 2013, a Demolition Delay Ordinance was enacted in order to aid the Town in its established policies based upon the Town Plan of Conservation and Development to:

A. Encourage the preservation, documentation, and protection of historically sensitive buildings, structures, or parts thereof (Structures) that exhibit distinctive features of the architectural, cultural, economic, political or social history of the Town;

B. To limit the detrimental effect on community character and heritage that may result from the demolition of such Structures;

C. By means of a legally noticed delay period prior to the issuance of a demolition permit, Town residents are alerted to the anticipated demolition of historically sensitive structures, and the owner(s) of such structures are encouraged to consider preservation, documentation, restoration, rehabilitation, relocation or resale as alternatives to demolition; and

D. To establish a Historic Review Committee authorized to advise the appropriate Town officials with respect to demolition permit applications related to historically sensitive Structures.

The Historic Review Committee shall require recommendations from qualified historic, archaeological, and/or historic architectural consultants. Applicants are also encouraged to consult with qualified individuals concerning historic sensitivity, significance or preservation of Structures to be demolished.

Procedures Established by the Ordinance

Upon receipt of an application for demolition by the Land Use Office, a 180 day waiting period (per CGS 29-406) shall begin. The application shall be emailed by the Land Use Office on the same day to the Committee (Section IV).

The Committee and their consultants shall have a maximum of 21 calendar days to document whether historic sensitivity exists. The Committee shall request access from the applicant and their consultants to conduct documentary studies.

After this 21-day period, or sooner if possible, if no historic sensitivity exists, the Committee will email this determination to the Land Use Office and the application will be processed with no further delay.

If historic sensitivity is documented, a written report documenting determination of historic sensitivity shall be e-mailed by the Committee to the Land Use Office.

The applicant shall simultaneously deliver a notice of demolition to abutting property owners stating the intent of demolition.

If historic sensitivity is documented, the Committee shall negotiate with the owner(s) during the remainder of the 180 days to achieve the purpose of this Ordinance as described in Section II, Subsection C.

Whenever a Structure is deemed to possess historic sensitivity or significance, the Committee may contact the Redding Historical Society, the Redding Preservation Society, the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, and other pertinent groups for assistance in negotiating its’ preservation.

The owner(s) of a historically sensitive Structure may consider alternatives to demolition (e.g. preservation, documentation, restoration, rehabilitation, relocation, or resale).

Mitigation of demolition impact may include detailed recording of historic features.

Click here to download the full text of the Demolition Delay Ordinance.