Sec. 8-189. Project plan. Approval. Notice. Review.

(a) The development agency may initiate a development project by preparing a project plan in accordance with regulations adopted by the commissioner pursuant to section 8-198. The project plan shall meet an identified public need and include: (1) A legal description of the land within the project area; (2) a description of the present condition and uses of such land or building; (3) a description of the process utilized by the agency to prepare the plan and a description of alternative approaches considered to achieve project objectives; (4) a description of the types and locations of land uses or building uses proposed for the project area; (5) a description of the types and locations of present and proposed streets, sidewalks and sanitary, utility and other facilities and the types and locations of other proposed site improvements; (6) statements of the present and proposed zoning classification and subdivision status of the project area and the areas adjacent to the project area; (7) a plan for relocating project-area occupants; (8) a financing plan; (9) an administrative plan; (10) a marketability and proposed land-use study or building use study if required by the commissioner; (11) appraisal reports and title searches; (12) a description of the public benefits of the project including, but not limited to, (A) the number of jobs which the development agency anticipates would be created by the project; (B) the estimated property tax benefits; (C) the number and types of existing housing units in the municipality in which the project would be located, and in contiguous municipalities, which would be available to employees filling such jobs; (D) a general description of infrastructure improvements, including public access, facilities or use, that the development agency anticipates may be needed to implement the development plan; (E) a general description of the development agency's goals for blight remediation or, if known, environmental remediation; (F) a general description of any aesthetic improvements that the development agency anticipates may be generated by the project; (G) a general description of the project's intended role in increasing or sustaining market value of land in the municipality; (H) a general description of the project's intended role in assisting residents of the municipality to improve their standard of living; and (I) a general statement of the project's role in maintaining or enhancing the competitiveness of the municipality; (13) findings that (A) the land and buildings within the project area will be used principally for industrial or business purposes; (B) the plan is in accordance with the plan of conservation and development for the municipality adopted by its planning commission under section 8-23, and the plan of development of the regional council of governments adopted under section 8-35a, if any, for the region within which the municipality is located; (C) the plan was prepared giving due consideration to the state plan of conservation and development adopted under chapter 297 and any other state-wide planning program objectives of the state or state agencies as coordinated by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management; and (D) the project will contribute to the economic welfare of the municipality and the state; and that to carry out and administer the project, public action under this chapter is required; and (14) a preliminary statement describing the proposed process for acquiring each parcel of real property, including findings that (A) public benefits resulting from the development plan will outweigh any private benefits; (B) existing use of the real property cannot be feasibly integrated into the overall development plan for the project; (C) acquisition by eminent domain is reasonably necessary to successfully achieve the objectives of such development plan; and (D) the development plan is not for the primary purpose of increasing local tax revenues. Any plan that has been prepared by a redevelopment agency under chapter 130 may be submitted by the development agency to the legislative body and to the commissioner for approval in lieu of a plan initiated and prepared in accordance with this section, provided all other requirements of this chapter for obtaining the approval of the commissioner of the project plan are satisfied.

(b) (1) The approval of a development plan shall be given by the legislative body pursuant to section 8-191.

(2) The plan shall be effective for a period of ten years after the date of approval and may be amended in accordance with this section. The legislative body shall review the plan at least once every ten years after the initial approval, and shall reapprove the plan or an amended plan at least once every ten years after the initial approval in accordance with this section in order for the plan or amended plan to remain in effect. With respect to a development plan for a project that is funded in whole or in part by federal funds, the provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to the extent that such provisions are prohibited by federal law.

(3) The development agency shall cause notice of the initial approval of the plan to be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the municipality.

(1967, P.A. 760, S. 4; 1969, P.A. 628, S. 14; 1971, P.A. 505, S. 2; P.A. 74-184, S. 3, 10; P.A. 75-480, S. 3, 8; 75-537, S. 48, 55; P.A. 77-614, S. 19, 610; P.A. 81-98, S. 2; P.A. 86-232, S. 1; P.A. 07-141, S. 10; P.A. 13-247, S. 312.)

History: 1969 act substituted “state or state agencies as coordinated by the state planning council” for “Connecticut interregional planning program”; 1971 act substituted Connecticut development commission for commissioner of community affairs; P.A. 74-184 substituted commissioner of commerce for Connecticut development commission, included building description in Subdiv. (b), building use study in Subdiv. (i) and findings concerning buildings in Subdiv. (j) and substituted planning and budgeting division, department of finance and control for state planning council; P.A. 75-480 made studies under Subdiv. (i) necessary only if required by commissioner, made appraisal reports and title searches new Subdiv. (j) and relettered former Subdiv. (j) as Subdiv. (k); P.A. 75-537 substituted department of planning and energy policy for planning and budgeting division of finance and control department; P.A. 77-614 substituted commissioner of economic development for commissioner of commerce, effective January 1, 1979, and substituted secretary of the office of policy and management for department of planning and energy policy; P.A. 81-98 allowed for use of plans prepared under chapter 130; P.A. 86-232 added new Subdiv. (k) requiring statement re jobs and housing to be included in project plan and relettered remaining Subdiv. accordingly; P.A. 07-141 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and amended same to substitute “regulations adopted by the commissioner pursuant to section 8-198” for “regulations of the commissioner”, add “meet an identified public need”, insert new provisions as Subdiv. (3) re description of process utilized and alternative approaches considered, insert new provisions as Subdiv. (12) re public benefits and estimated property tax benefits and insert new provisions therein as Subparas. (D) to (I) re general descriptions and statements, substitute “plan of conservation and development” for “plan of development” and “prepared giving due consideration” for “is not inimical to” re plan in Subdiv. (13), insert new provisions as Subdiv. (14) re public benefits, integration of existing use, reasonable necessity of acquisition by eminent domain, and primary purpose of plan not being to increase tax revenue, and make technical changes, and added Subsec. (b) re approval, effective period and review, and notice of approval, effective October 1, 2007, and applicable to development plans adopted on or after that date; pursuant to P.A. 13-247, “regional planning agency” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “regional council of governments” in Subsec. (a)(13)(B), effective January 1, 2015.

Notation

Cited. 184 C. 51. Court found project plan that was hastily assembled and lacking in detail to be a pretext in trying to thwart affordable housing. 256 C. 557.