Bristol, CT Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

Under Article IV of the Code of Ordinances, the Bristol Historic District Commission (created by ordinance effective March 15, 2007) has five regular members and three alternate members, all Bristol electors holding no salaried municipal office, serving without compensation on staggered five-year terms; three members constitute a quorum, and no vote passes without three concurring. The mayor nominates and the city council appoints members. The commission's powers, drawn partly from Connecticut General Statutes Title 7, Chapter 97a, Sections 7-147a through 7-147k, include hearing applications for certificates of appropriateness covering erection, alteration, demolition or removal of a building or structure, or use of premises for parking within the district; adopting rules of procedure; engaging consultants; accepting gifts and grants; and taking legal action to enforce its regulations, including designating an enforcement agent subject to city council approval.

Since June 1, 2007, the building official cannot approve a building or demolition permit for district property unless the commission has issued a certificate of appropriateness, or the activity is unregulated. Unregulated activities (Sec. 18-54) include paint color, interior work, ordinary maintenance, natural landscaping, and exterior features not visible from a public street. Owners of at least ten properties in the district can petition for a special commission meeting, which the commission must call within 45 days. The commission's regulations may not mandate a uniform or traditional architectural style; contemporary design is allowed if compatible in scale, massing and roof line with existing district architecture (Sec. 18-57).