Norwalk : Building Ban Extended

To buy time to amend the General Plan, the Norwalk City Council has extended a building moratorium for an eight-block area in the city’s southwest corner.

New construction in the area--bounded by Studebaker Road, Barnwall Street, Longworth Avenue and Excelsior Drive--was banned in late April when the city discovered an inconsistency between the General Plan and zoning regulations for the neighborhood.

Housing in the area is largely high density--mostly apartments--which is in line with city zoning laws. But the General Plan for that area calls for low-density residential housing. City planners have recommended changing the General Plan to match zoning laws in the area.

The process, however, takes several months, so the council decided to prohibit any new building until the General Plan can be amended. The moratorium could stand until next March, but officials hope to make the necessary changes in the General Plan by the end of the year.