New Haven, CT Holiday Decorations: Lawn Ornament Rules (2026)

New Haven's Code of Ordinances does not contain a discrete provision regulating residential lawn ornaments by type, size, count, or aesthetic. Residents may display statues, flag poles, religious displays, garden gnomes, pink flamingos, painted rocks, ceramic deer, and other yard art on their private property without obtaining permits or approvals. New Haven Code nuisance provisions: backstop authority against conditions that injuriously affect health, safety, comfort, or property of others — extraordinarily oversized ornaments that block sight lines at intersections, harbor pests, or accumulate to the point of constituting junk-yard conditions can be cited. Right-of-way: the strip between the sidewalk and curb (the 'tree belt' in Connecticut usage), the sidewalk itself, and other public street furniture are city right-of-way under CGS Section 13a-149 and the New Haven Code. Anchored ornaments, rocks, or decorative items placed in the right-of-way are subject to removal by the Department of Public Works with cleanup costs charged to the property owner. New Haven Zoning Ordinance dimensional standards: a very large ornament that functions as an accessory structure (a permanent gazebo, large fountain with foundation, masonry shrine) is treated as an accessory structure subject to setback and lot-coverage limits in the underlying district. Historic district overlays in New Haven — designated under CGS Section 7-147a et seq. and including the East Rock Historic District, Wooster Square Historic District, Westville Village Historic District, Hillhouse Avenue Historic District, Howe Street Historic District, and several other locally designated areas — add design review through the New Haven Historic District Commission for permanent installations visible from the public way. Movable decorative ornaments are typically outside the HDC's review jurisdiction, but permanent installations affecting the historic character of the property require a Certificate of Appropriateness under CGS Section 7-147c. Condominium and HOA covenants under CGS Chapter 825 (Common Interest Ownership Act) may restrict type, count, or placement of ornaments in some New Haven communities. First Amendment and Connecticut religious-freedom protections preserve the right to display religious symbols on private property; the religious-display protections override most aesthetic-only objections by HOAs.