Danbury, CT Building Setbacks & Zoning: Lot Coverage Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard
- capped per zoning district
- D-TOD example
- up to 100%
- Historic adaptive reuse cap
- 30% or 12,000 sq ft
- Defined in
- Section 2, Definitions
Summary
Danbury caps how much of a lot a building's ground floor can occupy: the exact percentage is set district-by-district in the zoning table, from 30% for historic adaptive-reuse lots up to 100% in the D-TOD downtown core.
The total ground floor area of all principal and accessory buildings shall not exceed the maximum percent of building coverage of the lot specified for the use in the district regulations. 3.H.3. Lot Frontage and Width.
a. Lot Frontage. No building shall be built on any proposed lot unless said lot has lot frontage (i.e. front/street lot line) on a public street, except that lots with lot frontage (i.e. front/street lot line) on a private street may be built upon if said lot was recorded prior to the enactment of these Regulations. No building shall be built on any proposed lot unless said lot has lot frontage (i.e. front/street lot line) of at least fifty (50) feet in length, except as otherwise provided for herein.
(1) Flag Lots. Flag lots may be permitted within the RA-20, RA-40, and RA-80 zoning districts upon approval of the Planning Commission and provided access ways serving such flag lots meet all requirements of the Subdivision Regulations governing access ways and other lot width requirements of these Regulations. In the case of a first division, flag lots in the RA-20, RA-40 and RA-80 Zoning Districts do not require approval of the Planning Commission if all lot width and access way requirements of the City are met. [Eff. 11/26/2011]
b. Lot Width.
Full Breakdown
Danbury Zoning Regulations §3.H.2 caps building coverage, the ground floor footprint of every principal and accessory building on a lot, at a maximum percentage set individually for each zoning district's table of standards, not one citywide figure. The Downtown Transit Oriented Development District allows up to 100% coverage under §5.F.2, while a lot with an adapted historic structure in the RA-8, RA-20, RA-40, or RA-80 districts is capped at 30% of lot area or 12,000 square feet of ground floor area, whichever is less, under §4.A.5.h(3).
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the maximum building coverage set for the zoning district blocks issuance of a zoning or building permit under §3.H.2 unless the owner obtains a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there one citywide lot coverage limit in Danbury?
What counts toward building coverage in Danbury?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Danbury
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