General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7034 seeks to amend the existing laws governing land subdivision approval by prohibiting the requirement of land donations as a condition for such approvals. The bill modifies Section 8-25 of the general statutes, mandating that all subdivision plans receive commission approval prior to any land subdivision activities. Key insertions include the establishment of regulations to ensure that subdivided land is suitable for building and includes necessary infrastructure, such as water and drainage systems. The bill also clarifies the conditions for granting conditional approvals and ensures that manufactured homes are not subjected to different requirements than single-family or multifamily dwellings.

A significant deletion in the bill is the removal of the previous option for applicants to either pay a fee or transfer land to municipalities in lieu of providing open spaces, parks, or playgrounds. This change aims to reinforce the requirement for developers to contribute to open space, thereby enhancing community development and environmental considerations. Additional provisions include the ability for the commission to set shorter periods for conditional approvals, the right for buyers to rescind contracts for subdivided lots under certain conditions, and the imposition of fines for transferring titles before final approval. The bill also allows for various financial guarantees to ensure public improvements are completed and includes a provision for the timely release of these guarantees. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 8-25, 8-25b
HSG Joint Favorable: 8-25, 8-25b
File No. 244: 8-25, 8-25b
PD Joint Favorable: 8-25, 8-25b