Halston Builders builds new houses, renovations and additions on waterfront and coastal properties along the Connecticut and Westchester shores of Long Island Sound. On these sites the flood zone, the coastal reviews and the salt air shape the project before a finish is chosen, so we establish them first.
- New houses, renovations and additions on coastal and waterfront lots
- Flood zone and coastal review questions answered before the design is fixed
- Coordination with the town's zoning, building, health and wetlands offices
- Exterior materials, fasteners and hardware chosen for salt exposure
- Construction logistics for small lots, short driveways and narrow streets
Coastal review in Connecticut and New York
Connecticut's Coastal Management Act sets two layers of review. Work waterward of the coastal jurisdiction line or in tidal wetlands, such as docks and seawalls, is regulated by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection through its coastal permit program. Landward of that line, within the coastal boundary, the town carries out coastal site plan review, and new seawall construction needs that municipal review as well.
Since October 1, 2025, Public Act 25-33 has ended the option for towns to exempt new single-family houses within the coastal boundary from coastal site plan review, and coastal site plan applications for work in FEMA flood zones are referred to DEEP for comment. How additions and smaller changes are reviewed still varies by town, so we confirm the route with the planning and zoning office before the design is fixed.
Each town adds its own layer. Greenwich's Harbor Management Commission handles dock applications and mooring permits. Stamford's Environmental Protection Board regulates development in designated flood hazard areas. Westport's Conservation Department administers the Waterway Protection Line Ordinance. In Fairfield, the Harbor Management Commission reviews proposals affecting Southport Harbor.
In Westchester, tidal wetlands line much of the salt water shore, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation requires a tidal wetlands permit for almost any activity that alters tidal wetlands or their adjacent areas, including houses, decks, pools and bulkheads. In the City of Rye, the Planning Commission decides wetland permits and coastal consistency determinations, and the Building Department oversees construction in FEMA flood zones. Larchmont shares a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program with the Town of Mamaroneck, and the village code sets out a waterfront consistency review for certain actions.
Flood zones and substantial improvement
The FEMA Flood Map Service Center is the official source for the flood map that applies to an address, and every Connecticut municipality takes part in the National Flood Insurance Program, regulating development in flood zones through its own floodplain rules. In a flood zone, new construction must meet those rules, and so must an existing house undergoing substantial improvement, which FEMA measures by comparing the cost of the work with the market value of the structure. Some towns, Norwalk among them, track improvements over a period of time, including work such as windows, siding and roofing.
So the flood zone comes before the design: if a renovation reaches substantial improvement, the whole house may need to meet current flood standards, which can mean flood vents or breakaway walls, flood-resistant materials and living space above the base flood elevation.
Salt air, access and neighbors
Exterior materials, fasteners and hardware that suit a house inland can wear faster near salt water, so they are specified at the start, when they still affect cost and lead time. Where the lot is small or the street is narrow, staging, deliveries, parking, working hours, noise and dust go into the estimate and the construction plan before work begins, with the neighbors in mind.
Where we build on the waterfront
We build along the shoreline in Greenwich, Old Greenwich and Riverside, Stamford, Darien, Rowayton, Westport, Fairfield and Southport in Fairfield County, and in Rye and Larchmont in Westchester County. Each town page covers the local flood, coastal and wetlands reviews.
Related reading
- Our permits and approvals guides, including Greenwich, Darien, Rowayton and Norwalk, Westport and Rye
- Our coastal living design study, a design study and not a built project
Questions about waterfront and coastal construction
How do we find out whether our house is in a flood zone?
Start with the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, which shows the official flood map for an address. Then confirm with the town, since FEMA has issued preliminary maps in several shoreline towns. An elevation certificate from a licensed land surveyor is often part of the flood review.
What is coastal site plan review?
It is the town's review of work within the coastal boundary, landward of the coastal jurisdiction line, under Connecticut's Coastal Management Act. Since October 1, 2025, towns can no longer exempt new single-family houses from it. Additions and smaller changes are handled differently from town to town, so we confirm the route early.
Who regulates docks and seawalls?
In Connecticut, work waterward of the coastal jurisdiction line or in tidal wetlands, including docks and seawalls, is regulated by DEEP, and seawall construction also needs the town's coastal site plan review. Some towns add a local review, such as the Greenwich Harbor Management Commission for docks. In New York, the DEC tidal wetlands permit covers bulkheads and seawalls along the shore.
What does substantial improvement mean for a renovation?
In a FEMA flood zone, a renovation or addition whose cost reaches FEMA's substantial improvement threshold, measured against the market value of the structure, means the whole house must meet current floodplain requirements. Where a project stands against that threshold is one of the first questions to answer.
Do you build on the New York shoreline?
Yes. We build in Rye and Larchmont as well as along the Connecticut shore. New York has its own coastal rules, so we review the DEC and local waterfront requirements for each property.
Can you build from our architect's coastal design?
Yes. We build to your architect's drawings and work with your design team on the flood, coastal and access questions. If you are still deciding what to build, pre-construction is the place to start.
Start with a free consultation
We can walk the site with you or meet at our Bridgeport design center, 46 Beatrice St, Unit 2, by appointment. Request a free consultation.
