Stratford, CT Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)

Stratford Code Chapter 186, Article IV (Driveways, Curbs and Sidewalks) governs the part of a driveway that touches the public street. Section 186-34 calls it the driveway approach: the portion of any means of ingress or egress within, on, through or abutting a public right-of-way, whether improved or in its natural state. Under § 186-35, no person can construct a driveway approach, curb or sidewalk in a Town street without a permit from the Town Engineer, and each separate piece of property needs its own permit. The fee is the $25 that § 62-1 lists for street opening, sewer connection or curb/driveway or sidewalk permits.

Section 186-45 sets the design limits. A grade line comes from the Town Engineer's office before work starts. An approach cannot extend past the curbline, cover a sidewalk, or sit inside a regularly constituted crosswalk, and it cannot be closer than 20 feet to a driveway on the same property. A private approach is capped at 24 feet at the taking line. Public, commercial or industrial driveways can run to 30 feet only with approval from the Chief of Police and the Director of Public Works, and they must stay five feet from a side property line. Where the Chief of Police expects vehicles to enter or leave away from the designated approaches, a curb is required without cost to the Town (§ 186-45(F)).

Two exceptions help homeowners. Repairs to an existing approach need no permit if they meet §§ 186-45 through 186-48 (§ 186-41). An approach made solely by grading the natural surface needs no permit either, though it must still meet the same standards (§ 186-42(B)).