Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

General Assembly                      Raised Bill No. 5516
       February Session, 2020               LCO No. 2912
     Referred to Committee on PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
     Introduced by:
       (PD)
 AN ACT CONCERNING CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT.
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
 Assembly convened:
       Section 1. Section 8-35a of the general statutes is repealed and the
    following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2020):
      (a) At least once every ten years, each regional council of
   governments shall [make] adopt a plan of conservation and
   development for its area of operation, showing its recommendations for
   the general use of the area including land use, housing, principal
   highways and freeways, bridges, airports, parks, playgrounds,
   recreational areas, schools, public institutions, public utilities,
   agriculture and such other matters as, in the opinion of the council, will
   be beneficial to the area. Any regional plan so [developed] adopted shall
   be based on studies of physical, social, economic and governmental
   conditions and trends and shall be designed to promote with the
   greatest efficiency and economy the coordinated development of its area
   of operation and the general welfare and prosperity of its people. Such
   plan may encourage energy-efficient patterns of development, the use
   of solar and other renewable forms of energy, and energy conservation.
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 Such plan shall be designed to promote abatement of the pollution of
 the waters and air of the region. Such plan shall consider the need for
 technology infrastructure in the region. The regional plan shall identify
 areas where it is feasible and prudent (1) to have compact, transit
 accessible, pedestrian-oriented mixed use development patterns and
 land reuse, and (2) to promote such development patterns and land
 reuse and shall note any inconsistencies with the following growth
 management principles: (A) Redevelopment and revitalization of
 regional centers and areas of mixed land uses with existing or planned
 physical infrastructure; (B) expansion of housing opportunities and
 design choices to accommodate a variety of household types and needs;
 (C) concentration of development around transportation nodes and
 along major transportation corridors to support the viability of
 transportation options and land reuse; (D) conservation and restoration
 of the natural environment, cultural and historical resources and
 traditional rural lands; (E) protection of environmental assets critical to
 public health and safety; and (F) integration of planning across all levels
 of government to address issues on a local, regional and state-wide
 basis. The plan of each region contiguous to Long Island Sound shall be
 designed to reduce hypoxia, pathogens, toxic contaminants and
 floatable debris in Long Island Sound.
     (b) Before adopting the regional plan of conservation and
 development or any part thereof or amendment thereto the regional
 council of governments shall hold at least one public hearing thereon,
 notice of the time, place and subject of which shall be given in writing
 to the chief executive officer and planning commission, where one
 exists, of each member town, city or borough. Notice of the time, place
 and subject of such hearing shall be published once in a newspaper
 having a substantial circulation in the region. Such notices shall be given
 not more than twenty days or less than ten days before such hearing. At
 least sixty-five days before the public hearing the regional council of
 governments shall post the plan on the Internet web site of the council,
 if any, and submit the plan to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and
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                                                      Raised Bill No.   5516
 Management for findings in the form of comments and
 recommendations. By October 1, 2011, the secretary shall [establish, by
 regulations adopted] adopt regulations, in accordance with the
 provisions of chapter 54, to establish criteria for such findings which
 shall include procedures for a uniform review of regional plans of
 conservation and development to determine if a proposed regional plan
 of conservation and development is not inconsistent with the state plan
 of conservation and development and the state economic strategic plan.
 The regional council of governments shall note on the record any
 inconsistency with the state plan of conservation and development and
 the reasons for such inconsistency. Adoption of the plan or part thereof
 or amendment thereto shall be made by the affirmative vote of not less
 than a majority of the representatives on the council. The plan shall be
 posted on the Internet web site of the council, if any, and a copy of the
 plan or of any amendments thereto, signed by the [chairman]
 chairperson of the council, shall be transmitted to the chief executive
 officers, the town, city or borough clerks, as the case may be, [and to]
 planning commissions, if any, in member towns, cities or boroughs, and
 [to] the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or [his or her]
 the secretary's designee. The regional council of governments shall
 notify the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management of any
 inconsistency with the state plan of conservation and development and
 the reasons therefor.
    (c) The regional council of governments shall assist municipalities
 within its region and state agencies and may assist other public and
 private agencies in developing and carrying out any regional plan or
 plans of such council. The regional council of governments may provide
 administrative, management, technical or planning assistance to
 municipalities within its region and other public agencies under such
 terms as it may determine, provided, prior to entering into an agreement
 for assistance to any municipality or other public agency, the regional
 council of governments shall have adopted a policy governing such
 assistance. The regional council of governments may be compensated
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 by the municipality or other public agency with which an agreement for
 assistance has been made for all or part of the cost of such assistance.
      This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
      sections:
      Section 1           July 1, 2020                           8-35a
     Statement of Purpose:
     To make technical changes.
     [Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
     that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
     underlined.]
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Statutes affected: 
Raised Bill: 8-35a