Southbury residents will have the opportunity later this month to learn more about, and weigh in on, the town’s ongoing efforts to overhaul its zoning regulations, some of which date back more than 50 years.
The town will hold the public open house on Wednesday, January 28, from 4 to 7 p.m. in Room 205 at Southbury Town Hall, 501 Main Street South. The public engagement session aims to inform the public about the goals, background, and current status of the zoning regulation overhaul.
Town officials are working with Cheshire-based SLR Consulting on a comprehensive review and reformatting of the town’s zoning regulations, which were originally adopted in 1966. They have not undergone a full update since 1973, according to the town. As a result, the current regulations have become fragmented with sometimes unclear and structurally outdated language.
In a Baseline Review Report prepared by SLR Consulting in October 2025, the consulting firm states that Southbury’s code “uses lengthy paragraphs to describe content, including definitions, uses, procedures, etc. The length of these sections makes it difficult for the reader to digest material; content may be ‘lost’ within a paragraph, which could be better expressed in a listed format, or fewer words. Stronger organization and definitions could address much of this issue.”
The report also states that Southbury’s code is largely written in a “legalese”, passive voice, whereas an active voice would improve readability.
The zoning update stems from the town’s Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD), adopted by the town’s Planning Commission in 2023. The POCD serves as a guiding document for Southbury’s future growth and development, and calls for zoning regulations to better align with those long-term goals.
More information about the Zoning Regulations Update project is available on the town’s website. https://www.southbury-ct.org/zoning-regulations-update
The Southbury Record 