Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                        S.294
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                                      S.294
 Introduced by Senator Brock
 Referred to Committee on
 Date:
 Subject: Municipal and county government; municipal and regional planning
          and development; housing
 Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require
 municipalities to act upon applications for the development of housing within
 60 days following the submission of an application for development.
    An act relating to minimum timeframes to act on applications related to the
    development of housing
 It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:
 Sec. 1. 24 V.S.A. § 4456 is added to read:
 § 4456. APPLICATION REVIEW DEADLINE FOR HOUSING
         DEVELOPMENT
    (a)(1) A municipality shall approve or deny any application submitted to
 the municipality for the development of residential or multifamily housing
 within 60 calendar days following the date of submission. Failure of the
 municipality to issue a decision within this period shall be deemed approval
 and shall be effective on the 61st day following submission.
                                                                      VT LEG #372917 v.2
     BILL AS INTRODUCED                                                           S.294
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       (2) If the application is denied, the municipality shall state in writing to
 the applicant the reasons for denial.
    (b)(1) A municipality shall determine and provide notice whether an
 application submitted to the municipality for the development of residential or
 multifamily housing is complete within 15 calendar days following the date of
 submission. Failure of the municipality to issue a determination within this
 period shall be deemed a determination the application is complete.
       (2) If the municipality determines the application does not contain all
 information required by State statute or rule or municipal ordinance, bylaw, or
 policy, the municipality shall state in writing to the applicant the specific
 information required for the application to be determined complete.
       (3) An applicant who receives a determination under subdivision (b)(2)
 of this section may resubmit the application to cure any defects set out in the
 determination, and the date of submission for the application shall be deemed
 to be the date of resubmission.
 Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE
    This act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.
                                                                         VT LEG #372917 v.2