Laserfiche WebLink
September 25, 2018 I Volume 12 I Issue 18 Zoning Bulletin <br />Signs—City's zoning enforcement <br />officer says signs erected on <br />residential property that disparage <br />a commercial vendor violate <br />municipal zoning regulations with <br />regard to height, size, and location <br />Residential property owner contends city Tacks <br />authority to regulate her signs under Connecticut <br />statutory law because they are not "advertising <br />signs" <br />Citation: Kuchta v. Arisian, 329 Conn. 530, 187 A.3d 408 (2018) <br />CONNECTICUT (07/24/18)—This case addressed the issue of <br />whether Connecticut General Statutes § 8-2, which authorizes a <br />municipality's zoning commission to regulate the height, size, and lo- <br />cation of "advertising signs and billboards," permits a municipality to <br />regulate signs erected on residential property that disparage a com- <br />mercial vendor. In essence, the case addressed the issue of what consti- <br />tutes an "advertising sign," for which municipal zoning commissions <br />have statutory authority to regulate the height, size, and location. <br />The Background/Facts: Eileen R. Arisian ("Arisian") contracted <br />with a commercial vendor for certain home improvements. Apparently <br />disappointed with the vendor's performance, Arisian erected three signs <br />on her property that disparaged the vendor. At some point, the zoning <br />enforcement officer ("ZEO") for the City of Milford (the "City") is- <br />sued an order notifying Arisian that her signs violated City zoning <br />regulations "limiting the size, height, and number of signs per street <br />line." The ZEO ordered Arisian to remove her signs. <br />When Arisian failed to comply with the ZEO's order, the ZEO <br />brought a legal action. In that action, the ZEO asked the court to order <br />Arisian to remove her signs because they were not in compliance with <br />the City zoning regulations. <br />Arisian responded by asserting the defense that the City lacked the <br />authority to regulate her signs under Connecticut statutory law —Con- <br />necticut General Statutes § 8-2. Section 8-2 authorizes municipality's <br />zoning commissions to regulate the height, size, and location of <br />"advertising signs and billboards." Here, Arisian maintained that since <br />6 © 2018 Thomson Reuters <br />