St. John's Peak Community is a very special and unique place in Connecticut.  Our by-laws include a process for building or changing a home in St. John's Peak. Outside the usual town driven permitting processes, we add a few steps which are designed to make sure each home in St. John's Peak helps maintain the unique character of our community. The review process is outlined as follows:

When to submit documents for review by Saint John’s Peak

Prior to constructing, erecting, or commencing any improvements (including initial construction and/or renovations), clearing, excavating, digging, removing, reducing, cutting down, altering of topography and general vegetation or general clearing of a lot, or a portion thereof (including removal of earth or topsoil on any portion thereof), 

Improvements shall include, but not be limited to, buildings, fences, walls, swimming pools, tennis or basketball courts, exterior lighting, exterior painting, siding or similar treatment, and any other exterior construction, improvement, exterior addition to, or alteration of any lot or building thereon.

What documents should be submitted

Full and complete plans and specifications showing kind, shape, height, materials, and location of the same shall first be submitted to the Executive Board of Saint John’s Peak for approval.

The following documents should be submitted in PDF form as prepared by a licensed design or engineering professional

  • Siteplan: A scaled site plan based on a site survey showing all improvements to the lot. This should include but is not limited to the following:

    • Property Lines, setback and easements

    • Conservation restrictions

    • Structures

    • Site features such as swimming pools and tennis courts

    • Fences

    • Well

    • Septic system location

    • Prominent existing site features

    • Extent of clearing

    • Driveways and paths

    • Landscape/vegetation changes

    • Material notes for all improvement

    • House Plans

    • Scaled house plan for all levels of the house

    • Area calculations for the living space of the house

  • Elevations

    • Scaled elevations for all elevations of the house

    • Includes material notes for all elevations

    • Elevation height markers

  • Specifications

    • Provide a summary of the material specifications for all materials on the exterior of structures and for all site improvements. 

    • Provide specific color information when applicable

    • Provide photos of the selected materials

Where to send the submission package of documents

All documents should be sent digitally to the Executive Board.

How long will the review take

The Executive Board shall answer any written request for such approval within forty (40) days after said plans and specifications have been submitted to it. 

What criteria will be used to evaluate the lot improvements

The Executive Board will review the submissions on the basis of the by-laws for Saint John’s Peak. The full by-laws can be requested in writing. The following are some, but not all of the relevant information in the by-laws that could be of concern to anyone looking to build in St. John’s Peak:

In reviewing said plans and specifications the Executive Board shall consider the harmony of external designs and colors, the location of the proposed improvements in relation to surrounding structures and topography, and any restrictions placed on said lots by the Town of Kent. The construction shall conform to the following standards:

  • All pools shall be in-ground pools.

  • All utilities on the lot including junction boxes and associated utility equipment shall be underground.

  • Driveways shall be of asphalt, pea stone, or gravel

  • All buildings shall be backfilled to expose a minimum of bare concrete foundation unless the foundation is faced;

  • Fences and/or walls that are visible from any road or any other lot shall be of wood, stone, brick, wrought iron, or any substitute material which conveys the appearance of the listed materials. Chain link fences that are visible from any road or any other lot are prohibited.

  • All exterior and interior lighting including pool lighting and the lighting of a tennis court shall be controlled in a manner such that the lighting shall not extend or reflect onto an adjacent lot.

  • No television or radio antenna, satellite dish, solar panel, or similar device shall be attached to or installed on the exterior portion of any dwelling or on any lot if said device is visible from the road or from any other lot.

  • Building exteriors shall be of brick, stone, wood, or stucco. James Hardie Siding is also acceptable. Vinyl, aluminum, or other sidings not specifically permitted shall be prohibited.

  • The exterior color of all buildings, structures, fences, and walls must be in harmony with other buildings in the common interest community and must be of such a shade as not to detrimentally affect the property values of other lot owners. Specifically, but not by way of limitation, vivid shades of pink, purple, yellow, orange, or red shall be prohibited.

  • Specifically but not by way of limitation, no A-frame house, raised ranches, or split-level houses shall be permitted.

  • Any dwelling constructed on a lot shall have a minimum "Living Space" of the lesser of (i) 2,200 square feet; (ii) that lesser amount mandated by the Torrington Health District. "Living Space" shall include above-ground space suitable for year-round occupancy. "Living Space" shall not include basements, attics, or garages.

In order to ensure that buildings and other structures will be located so that the maximum view and privacy will be available to each building or structure and that structures will be located with regard to the topography of each lot taking into consideration the location and preservation of large trees and other aesthetic and environmental considerations, the Executive Board reserves the right to control and decide the precise site and location of any building or structure on any Lot. A vegetative visual buffer along the roads and between properties should be maintained.

Approval of any documents is not intended to imply that the Town of Kent or any other permitting approval authority has reviewed or approved these plans for site preparation and construction of an on-site septic system, well, driveway, or building structure. It is the lot owner’s responsibility to make the appropriate applications for all necessary permits.

What happens after the review

You will be informed by the Executive Board if and when the submission is approved. 

If approved a security deposit will be required before receiving the final approval letter. In accordance with the Saint John’s Peak By-Laws, the lot owner will be responsible for any damage done to common areas in the development including roads during construction. SJP will therefore hold a  $5,000 security deposit which will be released upon satisfactory completion of construction without damage to the SJP roads and common areas. Damage caused by construction that is not repaired by the landowner will be repaired at the land owner’s expense. 

Construction Rules:

  • Stone apron anti-tracking pads are required at the start of construction

  • proper drainage must be designed and added at the end of any driveway that intersects a roadside drainage swale

  • All construction traffic must adhere to the speed limit on SJP roads. violators will not be allowed to work at SJP.

  • No vehicles or material will be staged or remain outside of property lines on the HOA roads and shoulders

  • If construction is stopped or paused all equipment and material MUST be removed and the site returned to a stable and  presentable condition

  • All aprons that join paved roads must be paved 30 feet in from the edge of the road. 

Permitted Construction hours are as follows:

  • Monday through Friday: 7:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.

  • Saturdays: Interior construction permitted between 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Exterior construction is not permitted

  • Sundays and National Holidays: No Work Permitted

Please inform the Executive Board when construction is ready to start and the anticipated schedule of construction