Groton, Conn., Code of Ordinances ch. 9 art. IV div. 5 (2026) § 9-180
Space and occupancy (Groton Art. IV Div. 5: Space, Occupancy, Light, Ventilation)
Operative Text
(a) Required space in dwelling unit. Every dwelling unit shall contain a minimal gross floor area equal to but not less than 150 square feet for the first occupant and 100 square feet for each additional occupant. The floor area shall be calculated on the total area of all habitable rooms. (b) Required space in sleeping rooms. In every dwelling unit, every room occupied for sleeping purposes by one occupant shall have a minimum gross floor area of 70 square feet; and every room occupied for sleeping purposes by more than one occupant shall contain at least 50 square feet of floor area for each occupant. (c) Location of bath and second sleeping room. No dwelling or dwelling unit containing two or more sleeping rooms shall have such room arrangement that access to a bathroom or water closet compartment intended for use by occupants of more than one sleeping room can be had only by going through another sleeping room or a bathroom or water closet compartment. (d) Minimum ceiling heights. At least one-half the floor area of every habitable room shall have a ceiling height of no less than seven feet, and the floor area of that part of any room where the ceiling height is less than five feet shall not be considered as part of the floor area of the room for the purpose of determining the maximum permissible occupancy thereof. (e) Occupancy of dwelling units below grade. No dwelling unit partially below grade shall be used for living purposes unless: (1) Floors and walls are watertight. (2) Total openable area and ceiling height are in accordance with this article. (3) Required minimum window area of every habitable room is entirely above the grade of the ground adjoining such window area. (f) Access limitation of dwelling unit to commercial uses. No habitable room, bathroom or water closet compartment which is part of a dwelling unit shall open directly into or shall be used in conjunction with a food store, barber or beauty shop, doctor's or dentist's examination or treatment room or similar room used for public purposes.
Section 9-180 of Groton's Code of Ordinances establishes minimum space and layout standards for dwelling units. It sets floor-area thresholds based on the number of occupants, requires sleeping rooms to meet specific size minimums, and mandates that bathroom access not require passing through another sleeping room. The provision also addresses ceiling heights, below-grade units, and prohibits habitable rooms from opening directly into commercial spaces such as food stores or medical offices.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 9-180, compliant operators ensure that each dwelling unit provides at least 150 square feet of gross floor area for the first occupant and 100 square feet for each additional occupant, with sleeping rooms meeting their own separate minimums. Operators also verify that bathroom access routes do not pass through sleeping rooms, that at least half of every habitable room's floor area has a ceiling height of seven feet or more, and that any below-grade unit meets the watertightness and window-area requirements spelled out in the provision. Rooms that open directly into commercial spaces such as barbershops or medical offices are not permitted to serve as habitable space under this section.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 9-180 gives occupants the right to live in units that meet defined minimum space, layout, and habitability standards, including adequate floor area per person and properly accessible bathrooms. If a unit appears to fall short of these standards—such as a sleeping room that seems undersized or a bathroom reachable only by walking through another bedroom—tenants may consider documenting the conditions and raising the issue with Groton's local housing or code enforcement office. Tenant-rights organizations can also help residents understand how a violation of § 9-180 might be raised as part of a broader habitability concern.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.