2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 8 - Zoning, Planning, Housing and Economic and Community Development
Chapter 127 - Regional Planning Agencies
Section 8-35a - Regional plan of conservation and development. Assistance to municipalities or other public agencies.

(a) At least once every ten years, each regional planning agency shall make 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 agency, will be beneficial to the area. Any regional plan so developed 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. Such plan shall be designed to promote abatement of the pollution of the waters and air of 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 agency 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 planning agency shall post the plan on the Internet web site of the agency, if any, and submit the plan to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management for findings in the form of comments and recommendations. By October 1, 2011, the secretary shall establish, by regulations adopted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, 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 planning agency 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 agency. The plan shall be posted on the Internet web site of the agency, if any, and a copy of the plan or of any amendments thereto, signed by the chairman of the agency, 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 designee. The regional planning agency 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 planning agency shall revise the plan of conservation and development not more than three years after July 1, 2005.

(d) The regional planning agency 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 regional planning agency. The regional planning agency 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 planning agency shall have adopted a policy governing such assistance. The regional planning agency may be compensated 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.

(1959, P.A. 613, S. 6; 1967, P.A. 232; 1969, P.A. 628, S. 9; P.A. 73-679, S. 33, 43; P.A. 75-537, S. 46, 55; P.A. 77-614, S. 19, 610; P.A. 78-314, S. 5; P.A. 82-411, S. 2, 6; P.A. 87-550, S. 1, 10; P.A. 91-170, S. 2; P.A. 96-68, S. 2; P.A. 05-205, S. 2; P.A. 07-239, S. 6; P.A. 08-182, S. 12.)

History: 1967 act deleted provision concerning assistance to planning commissions of towns and inserted provision for assistance to municipalities, state agencies and other public and private agencies and permitted regional planning agency to provide technical assistance under guidelines set out in section; 1969 act substituted director of the office of state planning for Connecticut development commission; P.A. 73-679 substituted managing director, planning and budgeting division, department of finance and control or his designee for director of planning office; P.A. 75-537 substituted commissioner of planning and energy policy for managing director; P.A. 77-614 substituted secretary of the office of policy and management for commissioner; P.A. 78-314 provided that development plan may encourage energy efficiency, use of renewable forms of energy and energy conservation; P.A. 82-411 provided for the provision of administrative, management and planning assistance by the agencies to municipalities; P.A. 87-550 designated existing section as Subsec. (a), required housing recommendations to be included in regional plans of development, and added Subsec. (b) re housing needs assessments; P.A. 91-170 required that plans be designed to promote pollution abatement and added provisions re content of plans in municipalities contiguous to Long Island Sound; P.A. 96-68 deleted Subsec. (b) re housing needs assessments and eliminated Subsec. (a) designator; P.A. 05-205 designated existing section as Subsecs. (a), (b) and (d), amended Subsec. (a) to require the plan to be prepared at least once every 10 years and add requirements that the plan have recommendations on agriculture, identify areas for mixed use development patterns and land reuse and note inconsistencies with growth management principles, amended Subsec. (b) to require the plan to be posted on the Internet web site of the agency and submitted to the Office of Policy and Management for review and comment and add provisions re inconsistency with state plan of conservation and development, and added Subsec. (c) requiring revision of the plan not more than 3 years after July 1, 2005, effective July 1, 2005; P.A. 07-239 amended Subsec. (b) to require that plan review include a determination that proposed regional plan of development is not inconsistent with state economic strategic plan, effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 08-182 changed “regional plan of development” to “regional plan of conservation and development” in Subsecs. (a), (b), and (c) and amended Subsec. (b) to revise provision re time for notice of public hearing on regional plan and add provision re adoption of regulations by Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management establishing criteria for review of regional plans.

See Sec. 25-206 re consistency of regional plan of conservation and development with approved river corridor protection plan.

See Sec. 25-236 re consistency of regional plan of conservation and development with approved river corridor management plan.

See Sec. 32-7 re Economic and Community Development Department’s assistance to municipal and regional economic development commissions.