Frequently Asked Questions

Property mapping is available in the Engineering Division Maps and Records Unit located on the second floor of Lincoln Center (494 Main Street). You can contact Engineering at 860-647-3152 or engineeringdept@manchesterct.gov.

Locating private property lines is the responsibility of the property owner. The Public Works Department’s FAQ page provides helpful information that may assist you in locating your property lines. The most accurate way to identify the property line is to hire a private surveyor.

To see what zone a property is in, refer to the zoning map, available here:  https://www.manchesterct.gov/Government/Departments/Planning-and-Economic-Development/Regulations-and-Maps.  Click Maps and look for Zoning & Aquifer Protection Area, then click the link for color or black & white.

A searchable, interactive map is also available here:  https://gis1.townofmanchester.org/PublicToMMI3/index.html.  Type an address in the search field and hit Enter, then click on the Layer List button .  Check the box next to Planning, click the arrow to expand the list, and make sure the box next to Zoning is checked.  Click the arrow next to Zoning to show the color coded list of zones.

For project design purposes, wetlands need to be delineated by a wetland scientist.  The wetlands mapping available on the Town of Manchester website is not 100% accurate and is not intended for use in designing projects.  It is available only as a guide, and can be found here: https://www.manchesterct.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/planning/documents/wetlands.pdf

To confirm whether a proposed structure would comply with the zoning regulations, contact the Zoning Enforcement Officer, Jim Davis, at 860-647-3057 or jdavis@manchesterct.gov.  You must also obtain the appropriate building permits from the Building Department prior to construction.

For reference, a list of required setbacks for each zoning district can be found in the Zoning Regulations at Art. VII (the last page of the regulations).  To determine which zoning district a property is in, refer to the zoning map.  Both the zoning map and the zoning regulations can be found here: https://www.manchesterct.gov/Government/Departments/Planning-and-Economic-Development/Regulations-and-Maps.

Location requirements for accessory structures (such as sheds and garages) in residential zones can be found in Art. II, Sec. 1.03.04 of the zoning regulations.

Requirements for fences in residential zones can be found in Art. II, Sec. 1.03.05 of the zoning regulations.

To confirm whether you can use a particular property in a particular way, contact the Zoning Enforcement Officer, Jim Davis, at 860-647-3057 or jdavis@manchesterct.gov.

Make sure to obtain any necessary permits from the Building Department as well.

To confirm whether you can use a particular property in a particular way, contact the Zoning Enforcement Officer, Jim Davis, at 860-647-3057 or jdavis@manchesterct.gov. 

To see what uses may be allowed at a particular location, you can check the zoning map to see what zone it is in, and then refer to the section of the zoning regulations for that zone.  Generally, the regulations will list some uses that are permitted for the zone, and some that may be permitted with a “special exception” (which requires an application to be submitted and approved following a public hearing).  The Town of Manchester Zoning Regulations are available on the Planning Department website under Regulations and Maps.  Make sure to confirm with the Zoning Enforcement Officer that your desired use is allowed, and obtain any necessary permits from the Building Department.

Email the Zoning Enforcement Officer, Jim Davis, at jdavis@manchesterct.gov. Make sure to provide the address of the property, and the name and mailing address to send the letter to.

Contact the Zoning Enforcement Officer, Jim Davis, at 860-647-3057 or jdavis@manchesterct.gov.

Please note:  The Zoning Enforcement Officer handles complaints regarding violations of the zoning regulations.  If your complaint relates to property maintenance issues, contact the Building Department at 860-647-3052 and ask to submit a property maintenance complaint.

Applications are submitted online using the Citizen Self Service (CSS) system, which will walk you through the process step-by-step. Please refer to the Online Portal Instructions to help you get started.

Principal Development Planner Megan Pilla will determine the meeting schedule for your application.  A rough estimate is that it will take about 4-6 weeks from submission of a completed application to a final decision.  To help the process run smoothly, you can:

• submit your application as soon as you are able to provide all the required materials;
• ensure you have submitted all of the required documents; and
• respond in a timely fashion to any questions or requests from staff.

You will need to submit an application to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) and present your request at a public hearing before the ZBA decides whether to grant your request.  More information on the process can be found here, and you should review the Variance Application Guide prior to submitting your application.  When you’re ready to apply, ZBA applications are submitted online using the Citizen Self Service (CSS) system, which will walk you through the process step-by-step.  Please refer to the  Online Portal Instructions to help you get started.

Please note:  If your variance request is approved, the approval will not become effective until the Certificate of Approval is filed on the land records in the Town Clerk's office.  The Certificate of Approval will be mailed to the applicant (or their agent) immediately following the expiration of the Superior Court appeal period (i.e., 15 days after the legal decision notice is published in the newspaper).

• The Citizen Self Service (CSS) portal can be found online here:  https://selfserve.townofmanchester.org/EnerGov_Prod/SelfService.
• Click Search in the black menu bar at the top of the page.
• If you want to narrow your search, you can select a category from the dropdown menu at the left.
  • For planning applications, select Plan
  • For building permits, select Permit
  • To see everything, select All
• In the search box, type what you would like to search for, then click the blue Search button.  For example, you may want to search for an address, plan number, or permit number.  If you’re searching for an address, use these tips for formatting your search:
  • Don’t type out Street, Road, East, West etc. – use the abbreviation (ST, RD, E, W…), or leave it out.  (For example:  Type “494 Main St” or “494 Main” but not “494 Main Street”)
  • For Middle Turnpike West, type MIDDLE TPKE W
  • For Middle Turnpike East, type MIDDLE TPKE E
  • For East Center Street, type E CENTER ST
  • For West Center Street, type W CENTER ST
• You can sort the search results using the Sort dropdown menu above the results.  To see the most recent items, sort by date, then descending.  Note:  The sorting options only appear if you narrow your search to a category, such as Plan or Permit.  If you don’t see an option to sort your results, try clicking on one of the categories that appear to the left of the search results.
• Once you find the record you’re interested in, click on the link to see more information.  Below are some notes on where you can find some information you may be looking for:

A public hearing has been scheduled for an application relating to the property where the sign was posted. A public hearing notice with more information can be found on either the PZC or ZBA web page, depending on which agency is holding the hearing. Scroll down until you see upcoming meeting dates, then click on a date to see the documents for that meeting, including notices. The public hearing notice will explain how you can attend the hearing or submit written comments. You can also contact Megan Pilla, Principal Development Planner (860-647-3288), or Katie Williford, Administrative Secretary (860-647-3048) to find out what applications have been scheduled for a public hearing.

Public hearings are currently being held both in person, and virtually using Zoom.  Refer to the public hearing notice for the date, time, and location of the meeting.

• To attend in person:  All you need to do is come to the meeting! 
• To attend virtually using Zoom:  Complete a Request to Attend Virtually form, available at https://manct.us/meeting, by 4:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting.  The Zoom information to access the meeting will be emailed to you.
• You also have the option to submit comments in writing via email to pzccomments@manchesterct.gov, or by mail to the Planning Department, 494 Main Street, P.O. Box 191, Manchester, CT 06045-0191.  All written comments received by 4:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting will be presented and recorded as part of the hearing.

There are several ways to submit comments for a public hearing:

• You can speak at the public hearing.  Public hearings are currently being held both in person, and virtually using Zoom.  Refer to the public hearing notice for the date, time, and location of the meeting. To attend virtually using Zoom, make sure to complete a Request to Attend Virtually form, available at https://manct.us/meeting, by 4:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting.  The Zoom information to access the meeting will be emailed to you.
• You can submit comments in writing via email to pzccomments@manchesterct.gov
• You can mail or hand-deliver comments to the Planning Department, 494 Main Street, P.O. Box 191, Manchester, CT 06045-0191. 
• All written comments received by 4:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting will be presented and recorded as part of the hearing.

Notices of public hearings are published in the Journal Inquirer in the Classifieds section.  The notices are published twice in the weeks leading up to the hearing.

Meeting documents (including notices, agendas, meeting packets, actions, and minutes) can be found on eCode.  Click Public Documents on the lefthand menu, then choose a category and use the filters to find the document you are looking for.

Meeting documents can also be found on the webpages for the following boards and commissions that are overseen by Planning Department staff.  Click a link to open the page, then scroll down until you see the upcoming meeting dates (near the bottom of the page).  Click on a date to see more information, including available meeting documents.

• Cheney Brothers National Historic Landmark District Commission
• Conservation Commission
• Economic Development Commission
• Housing and Fair Rent Commission
• Land Acquisition and Historic Property Investment Committee
• Planning and Zoning Commission
• Redevelopment Agency
• Zoning Board of Appeals

To sign up for the public notice registry, fill in this online form:  https://eservices.townofmanchester.org/pzcnoticeregistry/.  Once enrolled, you will receive emailed notices of public hearings on zoning map changes, zoning regulation changes, wetlands regulation changes, and subdivision regulations changes that are initiated by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Please be aware that certain eligibility criteria apply.  The only person who can make determinations regarding eligibility for these programs is the Community Development Program Manager, Heather Guerette.  She can be reached at 860-647-3106 or hguerette@manchesterct.gov.  For more information, including links to the application forms, click one of the following links:

• Housing Rehabilitation Program
• Emergency Replacement Program

You can also call 860-647-3044 to request a hardcopy of the application packet be mailed to you.

The Building Department is on the 2nd floor of Lincoln Center, 494 Main Street (Room 202). They can be reached at 860-647-3052 or buildingdept@manchesterct.gov.

Call the Planning Department at 860-647-3044 and we will help schedule a time for you to meet with the appropriate staff. Appointments can be in person in the Planning Department office at 494 Main Street, or virtually using Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

Planning Department front desk staff can assist with:

• directing your inquiry to the correct staff person or department
• scheduling an appointment with Planning staff
• confirming what zone a property is in
• looking up information about past or current Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) or Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) applications (Depending on the nature of the request, a formal FOIA request may need to be submitted)
• general questions about submitting applications and troubleshooting issues with the online application portal
• providing an application packet for the Housing Rehabilitation or Emergency Replacement program