Newtown’s Office Research (OR) District Workshop

When you hear the term “Office Research District,” a specific image likely comes to mind: sleek glass buildings, landscaped corporate campuses, and professionals collaborating on the next big innovation. But zoning regulations can tell a much different—and more eclectic—story.

A close read of ordinance (§ 501) reveals a surprisingly flexible mix of permitted uses, where commerce coexists with community in unexpected ways. Below are five counter-intuitive examples pulled directly from the code.

1) Forget the Office—You Can Start a Farm

In a district designed (at least by name) for cubicles and laboratories, some of the most fundamental land uses are allowed by right, including:

• Agriculture and horticulture (Use A-1)
• Forestry (Use A-3)
• Roadside stands (Use H-15.A)

Yes—this creates the possibility of a farm or managed forest existing next to corporate buildings, and the code even contemplates uses like a private swimming pool (Use H-8) alongside office and R&D activity.

2) It’s an Office Park Where You Can Live

This district isn’t necessarily a 9-to-5 zone. The ordinance explicitly permits residential use, including:

• Single-family detached dwelling (Use B-1) — by right
• Boarding (Use H-4) — by right

There’s also a key twist: the code cross-references another district for residential dimensional and performance rules—meaning you may need to consult the CM Conservation Management District requirements to fully understand how residential development would be regulated here.

3) A Gas Station + Convenience Store Is on the Table (By Special Exception)

While not allowed automatically, the ordinance allows a developer to seek a special exception for a Motor Vehicle Fueling and Convenience Store (Use E-30)—with detailed site requirements, including:

• Minimum lot area: 4 acres (1–6 dispensers), plus an additional acre for each dispenser beyond that
• Minimum lot width: 150 feet
• Maximum building height: 35 feet
• Maximum impervious surface ratio: 0.50 (at least half the site must remain pervious)
• Minimum setbacks: 100 feet (front), 100 feet (rear), 100 feet (side)

In plain terms: the code anticipates a large, buffered, campus-style commercial site—so even a gas station would be designed to “sit back” from neighbors rather than crowd them.

4) Light Manufacturing Is Allowed (With a Big Catch)

Manufacturing can also be permitted by special exception as Manufacturing (Use G-1), but only under a significant limitation:

The manufacturing activity must be an accessory use and cannot utilize more than 30% of the total floor area of all buildings on the tract.

That limitation suggests the district is intended to accommodate things like prototyping, fabrication, or small-scale production that directly supports research and development—without turning the district into a full industrial zone. 

5) The Required Scale Is Massive

Even with a wide range of allowed uses, the dimensional rules make one thing crystal clear: this district is built for large-scale development. The table of area and dimensional regulations sets a high bar for non-residential projects, including:

• Minimum lot area: 15 acres
• Minimum lot width: 400 feet
• Maximum building height: 50 feet
• Maximum impervious surface ratio: 0.50
• Minimum setbacks: 150 feet (front), 120 feet (side), 150 feet (rear)

Those yard requirements effectively mandate a park-like, low-density campus layout—discouraging smaller lots and signaling that only major, capital-intensive developments are likely to fit the district’s intended form.