In-Law Suites and Accessory Apartments, Thoughtfully Designed.

• Accessory apartment · Up to 40% of existing home / 1,000 SF max • Owner occupancy required Salem allows one accessory apartment in association with a single-family dwelling. For an apartment located within an existing residence, the accessory apartment may not exceed 40% of the total floor area of the existing home or 1,000 square feet, whichever is less. One of the two dwelling units must be occupied by the property owner as their primary residence. The accessory apartment is also subject to applicable health, building, and fire-code requirements, and the town requires confirmation that the water supply and sewage-disposal system can adequately serve the proposed apartment. Before design begins, we review the existing home size, allowable apartment area, septic capacity, setbacks, wetlands and site conditions, parking, accessibility needs, and the relationship between the main house and the accessory space. Requirements should be confirmed with the Town of Salem and other applicable reviewing authorities for the specific property.

• Attached, within-home, or detached accessory apartment • 30% of principal home / 1,000 SF maximum Colchester permits one accessory apartment on a property containing a single-family residence. The apartment may be located within the principal home, in an addition to the home, or within a detached accessory building, subject to the applicable zoning requirements. The accessory apartment is limited to one bedroom and generally may not exceed 30% of the floor area of the principal residence or 1,000 square feet, whichever is less. Colchester’s regulations also allow an accessory apartment of up to 500 square feet regardless of the size of the principal residence. The property owner must occupy either the principal residence or the accessory apartment. New construction must comply with the applicable lot coverage, setback, and building-height requirements, and one additional off-street parking space is required for the accessory apartment. Before design begins, we review the existing home and site, allowable apartment size and location, setbacks, septic or utility conditions, parking, wetlands and other property-specific constraints that may affect the project. Requirements should be confirmed with the Town of Colchester and other applicable reviewing authorities for the specific property.

• Within-home, side/rear addition, or over-garage ADU • Property-specific zoning + site review required Montville’s zoning regulations refer to an accessory dwelling unit as an “Accessory Dwelling Unit (In-Law Apartment).” An ADU may be located within a single-family home, in an addition to the side or rear of the home, or over a garage, subject to applicable zoning requirements. Montville previously limited these units to 800 square feet, but that restriction was removed from the current zoning definition. The current regulations also removed the former requirement for the ADU and principal home to share a common utility meter. Side and rear additions must comply with applicable zoning setbacks. For an ADU located over a garage, the unit may not extend above the garage roof line. The current definition does not provide for a separate freestanding detached ADU. Before design begins, we review the zoning district, existing home and site, proposed ADU location, setbacks, septic or sewer capacity, wetlands, parking, utilities, and other property-specific conditions that may affect the project. Requirements should be confirmed with the Town of Montville and other applicable reviewing authorities for the specific property.

• Within-home, attached, or detached accessory apartment • 25% of principal structure / 1,200 SF maximum Lyme permits accessory apartments in its Rural Districts, except Floodplain Districts. An accessory apartment may be located within the principal residence or in an attached or detached accessory building, provided it remains clearly secondary to the principal residential use. Only one accessory apartment is permitted on a lot. For an accessory apartment located within the principal structure, the living area may not exceed 25% of the building’s gross floor area or 1,200 square feet, whichever is less. The minimum size is 400 square feet. An accessory apartment located in an accessory building must also be between 400 and 1,200 square feet. Each accessory apartment must have its own kitchen, bathroom, and separate means of egress, and the property must comply with applicable Connecticut public-health requirements for potable water and sewage disposal. Lyme also requires two off-street parking spaces for the accessory apartment. A zoning permit from the Zoning Enforcement Officer is required. In the R-40 District, an accessory apartment requires a Special Permit. A detached accessory apartment on a lot served by a shared driveway or private road serving two or more building lots also requires a Special Permit. Before design begins, we review the zoning district, existing home and accessory structures, allowable apartment size, setbacks, septic and well capacity, wetlands, parking, access, and other property-specific site conditions. Requirements should be confirmed with the Town of Lyme and other applicable reviewing authorities for the specific property.

• Attached or detached accessory apartment permitted • Up to ⅓ of principal dwelling / 1,000 SF maximum Old Saybrook permits one accessory apartment on a property with a single-family detached dwelling. The accessory apartment may be attached to or detached from the primary residence, provided the applicable zoning and property requirements are satisfied. The accessory apartment may not exceed one-third of the gross floor area of the principal dwelling, including attached or detached garage area serving the principal use, or 1,000 square feet, whichever is less. The unit must contain its own kitchen and full bathroom and have two means of egress, including a separate exterior door. Either the principal residence or the accessory apartment must be occupied by the property owner. The accessory apartment also requires at least one additional independently usable off-street parking space, and neither dwelling may be rented for periods of 30 days or less under the accessory-apartment provisions. For detached accessory apartments, the structure generally must comply with applicable setbacks and other bulk requirements. Old Saybrook also requires health-district documentation demonstrating that the property's septic and water systems are adequate for the proposed use. Before design begins, we review the zoning district, existing home and accessory structures, allowable apartment size and location, setbacks, lot coverage, septic and water capacity, flood and coastal conditions where applicable, parking, and other property-specific constraints. Requirements should be confirmed with the Town of Old Saybrook and other applicable reviewing authorities for the specific property.

• Town opted out of PA 21-29 ADU provisions • Property-specific zoning review required East Lyme opted out of Connecticut’s statewide accessory-apartment provisions under Public Act 21-29. As a result, homeowners should not assume that the state’s standard ADU rules, such as the 30% / 1,000-square-foot framework, automatically apply in East Lyme. The feasibility of an in-law suite or separate living area depends on how the proposed space is configured and how it is classified under East Lyme’s zoning regulations. We review the existing property, zoning district, proposed kitchen and living facilities, building configuration, setbacks, septic or sewer conditions, wetlands, parking, and other applicable requirements before developing the design. Some properties in Niantic are also located within separately regulated beach zoning districts, including areas such as Giants Neck, Crescent Beach, and Black Point, where additional zoning review may apply. Requirements should be confirmed with the Town of East Lyme and other applicable reviewing authorities for the specific property.

• Within-home and detached ADUs permitted • Up to 50% of principal home / 1,500 SF maximum Waterford permits accessory dwelling units in zoning districts where single-family homes are allowed. An ADU may be located within the principal residence or in a detached structure, and the regulations allow no more than one attached and one detached ADU on a single parcel. Under the standard requirements, an ADU may not exceed 50% of the living area of the principal dwelling or 1,500 square feet, whichever is less. Larger detached ADUs may be possible on properties exceeding five acres, subject to additional size standards. An ADU may share the water and sewer or septic system serving the principal residence, provided the system complies with applicable public-health requirements. At least one parking space must also be provided for the ADU. New attached or detached construction must comply with applicable lot coverage, setbacks, height, flood-hazard, and other zoning requirements. Projects involving an expansion of an existing structure or construction of a new structure are also subject to Waterford Design Review Board review before zoning approval. Before design begins, we review the existing home and property, allowable ADU size and location, setbacks, septic or sewer capacity, flood-zone conditions, wetlands, parking, utilities, and other site constraints that may affect the project. Requirements should be confirmed with the Town of Waterford and other applicable reviewing authorities for the specific property.

• RU-40 and RU-80 conforming lots only • 25% of principal home / 800 SF maximum Old Lyme permits one accessory apartment on a conforming lot in the RU-40 or RU-80 Rural Residential Districts, subject to Special Permit approval. The apartment may be located within the single-family dwelling or within an accessory building that existed as of January 1, 1997. The accessory apartment may not exceed 800 square feet or 25% of the total living space of the principal dwelling, whichever is less, and no more than three people may occupy the apartment. Either the principal residence or the accessory apartment must be occupied by the property owner as their principal residence. The regulations require a separate kitchen and full bathroom for the accessory apartment, as well as a separate exterior entrance. Two additional off-street parking spaces are required. The dwelling and accessory apartment must also comply with applicable setback and lot-coverage requirements. As part of the Special Permit application, Old Lyme requires a floor plan, site information showing structures, parking and utilities, and confirmation from the applicable health authority that the water supply and sewage-disposal systems are adequate for both dwelling units. Before design begins, we review the zoning district, existing home and accessory structures, allowable apartment area, setbacks, septic or utility capacity, wetlands, coastal and flood conditions where applicable, parking, and other property-specific constraints. Requirements should be confirmed with the Town of Old Lyme and other applicable reviewing authorities for the specific property.

• Within-home, addition, or detached ADU • Up to 1,250 SF may be possible with additional lot area East Haddam allows accessory dwelling units in residential zones. An ADU may be created within the existing single-family home, through an addition, or within a detached accessory structure, subject to the applicable zoning, building, and public-health requirements. An ADU may contain one or two bedrooms. The regulations establish a standard size framework tied to 30% of the principal dwelling and 1,000 square feet. They also provide a separate allowance for an accessory apartment greater than 1,000 square feet and up to 1,250 square feet when the property contains at least one-half acre more than the minimum acreage required for its zoning district. In all cases, the ADU may not contain more habitable floor area than the first-floor habitable area of the principal dwelling. Detached ADUs are expressly addressed in the regulations. New detached units are expected to use exterior materials, roof forms, windows, and proportions that are compatible with the principal residence or reflect an appropriate traditional New England building form. Existing garages or outbuildings converted to an ADU are treated somewhat differently with respect to architectural compatibility. The property must provide off-street parking for at least three vehicles total for the principal dwelling and accessory apartment. Either the principal residence or the ADU must also be permanently occupied by the property owner, and an ownership affidavit is required as part of the application. Short-term rental use of either unit is prohibited under the ADU provisions. Before design begins, we review the zoning district, lot area, existing home and accessory structures, allowable ADU size, setbacks, septic and well capacity, wetlands, parking, and other property-specific site conditions. Requirements should be confirmed with the Town of East Haddam and other applicable reviewing authorities for the specific property.

• Attached, addition, or detached ADU permitted • Up to 50% of primary residence / 1,100 SF maximum Stonington permits one accessory dwelling unit associated with a principal residence. These requirements also apply to properties on the Stonington side of Mystic. An ADU may be created within the principal residence, through an addition, or within a separate detached accessory structure, subject to the applicable zoning requirements. An ADU must remain subordinate to the primary residence and may contain no more than 50% of the floor area of the primary residential unit, with an overall maximum of 1,100 square feet and no more than two bedrooms. An ADU located within the principal structure is permitted only where the single-family residence contains at least 2,000 square feet of total gross floor area. At least one additional off-street parking space must be provided for the ADU. Where public water or sewer is unavailable, the applicant must provide confirmation that the property is suitable under applicable Public Health Code requirements. The property must also meet the zoning district’s minimum lot-size requirement. Detached ADUs are specifically permitted. Construction of a new detached structure containing an ADU requires a Site Plan Application. Existing garages or barns may also be converted when they comply with applicable setback requirements. New detached ADUs are subject to the district’s bulk requirements and generally must be architecturally compatible with the principal residence and surrounding residential character. Before design begins, we review the zoning district, existing home and accessory structures, allowable ADU size and location, setbacks, septic or sewer conditions, parking, wetlands, flood and coastal considerations, and other property-specific constraints. Requirements should be confirmed with the Town of Stonington and other applicable reviewing authorities for the specific property. Properties on the Groton side of Mystic are governed by Town of Groton regulations rather than Stonington’s regulations.