2019 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 8 - Zoning, Planning, Housing and Economic and Community Development
Chapter 126 - Municipal Planning Commissions
Section 8-23 - Preparation, amendment or adoption of plan of conservation and development.

(a)(1) At least once every ten years, the commission shall prepare or amend and shall adopt a plan of conservation and development for the municipality. Following adoption, the commission shall regularly review and maintain such plan. The commission may adopt such geographical, functional or other amendments to the plan or parts of the plan, in accordance with the provisions of this section, as it deems necessary. The commission may, at any time, prepare, amend and adopt plans for the redevelopment and improvement of districts or neighborhoods which, in its judgment, contain special problems or opportunities or show a trend toward lower land values.

(2) If a plan is not amended decennially, the chief elected official of the municipality shall submit a letter to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and the Commissioners of Transportation, Energy and Environmental Protection and Economic and Community Development that explains why such plan was not amended. A copy of such letter shall be included in each application by the municipality for discretionary state funding submitted to any state agency.

(b) On and after July 1, 2016, a municipality that fails to comply with the requirements of subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of this section shall be ineligible for discretionary state funding unless such prohibition is expressly waived by the secretary.

(c) In the preparation of such plan, the commission may appoint one or more special committees to develop and make recommendations for the plan. The membership of any special committee may include: Residents of the municipality and representatives of local boards dealing with zoning, inland wetlands, conservation, recreation, education, public works, finance, redevelopment, general government and other municipal functions. In performing its duties under this section, the commission or any special committee may accept information from any source or solicit input from any organization or individual. The commission or any special committee may hold public informational meetings or organize other activities to inform residents about the process of preparing the plan.

(d) In preparing such plan, the commission or any special committee shall consider the following: (1) The community development action plan of the municipality, if any, (2) the need for affordable housing, (3) the need for protection of existing and potential public surface and ground drinking water supplies, (4) the use of cluster development and other development patterns to the extent consistent with soil types, terrain and infrastructure capacity within the municipality, (5) the state plan of conservation and development adopted pursuant to chapter 297, (6) the regional plan of conservation and development adopted pursuant to section 8-35a, (7) physical, social, economic and governmental conditions and trends, (8) the needs of the municipality including, but not limited to, human resources, education, health, housing, recreation, social services, public utilities, public protection, transportation and circulation and cultural and interpersonal communications, (9) the objectives of energy-efficient patterns of development, the use of solar and other renewable forms of energy and energy conservation, (10) protection and preservation of agriculture, (11) sea level change scenarios published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Technical Report OAR CPO-1, and (12) the need for technology infrastructure in the municipality.

(e) (1) Such plan of conservation and development shall (A) be a statement of policies, goals and standards for the physical and economic development of the municipality, (B) provide for a system of principal thoroughfares, parkways, bridges, streets, sidewalks, multipurpose trails and other public ways as appropriate, (C) be designed to promote, with the greatest efficiency and economy, the coordinated development of the municipality and the general welfare and prosperity of its people and identify areas where it is feasible and prudent (i) to have compact, transit accessible, pedestrian-oriented mixed use development patterns and land reuse, and (ii) to promote such development patterns and land reuse, (D) recommend the most desirable use of land within the municipality for residential, recreational, commercial, industrial, conservation, agricultural and other purposes and include a map showing such proposed land uses, (E) recommend the most desirable density of population in the several parts of the municipality, (F) note any inconsistencies with the following growth management principles: (i) Redevelopment and revitalization of commercial centers and areas of mixed land uses with existing or planned physical infrastructure; (ii) expansion of housing opportunities and design choices to accommodate a variety of household types and needs; (iii) concentration of development around transportation nodes and along major transportation corridors to support the viability of transportation options and land reuse; (iv) conservation and restoration of the natural environment, cultural and historical resources and existing farmlands; (v) protection of environmental assets critical to public health and safety; and (vi) integration of planning across all levels of government to address issues on a local, regional and state-wide basis, (G) make provision for the development of housing opportunities, including opportunities for multifamily dwellings, consistent with soil types, terrain and infrastructure capacity, for all residents of the municipality and the planning region in which the municipality is located, as designated by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management under section 16a-4a, (H) promote housing choice and economic diversity in housing, including housing for both low and moderate income households, and encourage the development of housing which will meet the housing needs identified in the state’s consolidated plan for housing and community development prepared pursuant to section 8-37t and in the housing component and the other components of the state plan of conservation and development prepared pursuant to chapter 297, and (I) consider allowing older adults and persons with a disability the ability to live in their homes and communities whenever possible. Such plan may: (i) Permit home sharing in single-family zones between up to four adult persons of any age with a disability or who are sixty years of age or older, whether or not related, who receive supportive services in the home; (ii) allow accessory apartments for persons with a disability or persons sixty years of age or older, or their caregivers, in all residential zones, subject to municipal zoning regulations concerning design and long-term use of the principal property after it is no longer in use by such persons; and (iii) expand the definition of “family” in single-family zones to allow for accessory apartments for persons sixty years of age or older, persons with a disability or their caregivers. In preparing such plan the commission shall consider focusing development and revitalization in areas with existing or planned physical infrastructure.

(2) For any municipality that is contiguous to Long Island Sound, such plan shall be (A) consistent with the municipal coastal program requirements of sections 22a-101 to 22a-104, inclusive, (B) made with reasonable consideration for restoration and protection of the ecosystem and habitat of Long Island Sound, and (C) designed to reduce hypoxia, pathogens, toxic contaminants and floatable debris in Long Island Sound.

(f) Such plan may show the commission’s and any special committee’s recommendation for (1) conservation and preservation of traprock and other ridgelines, (2) airports, parks, playgrounds and other public grounds, (3) the general location, relocation and improvement of schools and other public buildings, (4) the general location and extent of public utilities and terminals, whether publicly or privately owned, for water, light, power, transit and other purposes, (5) the extent and location of public housing projects, (6) programs for the implementation of the plan, including (A) a schedule, (B) a budget for public capital projects, (C) a program for enactment and enforcement of zoning and subdivision controls, building and housing codes and safety regulations, (D) plans for implementation of affordable housing, (E) plans for open space acquisition and greenways protection and development, and (F) plans for corridor management areas along limited access highways or rail lines, designated under section 16a-27, (7) proposed priority funding areas, and (8) any other recommendations as will, in the commission’s or any special committee’s judgment, be beneficial to the municipality. The plan may include any necessary and related maps, explanatory material, photographs, charts or other pertinent data and information relative to the past, present and future trends of the municipality.

(g) Any municipal plan of conservation and development scheduled for adoption on or after July 1, 2015, shall identify the general location and extent of any (1) areas served by existing sewerage systems, (2) areas where sewerage systems are planned, and (3) areas where sewers are to be avoided. In identifying such areas, the commission shall consider the provisions of this section and the priority funding area provisions of chapter 297a.

(h) (1) A plan of conservation and development or any part thereof or amendment thereto prepared by the commission or any special committee shall be reviewed, and may be amended, by the commission prior to scheduling at least one public hearing on adoption.

(2) At least sixty-five days prior to the public hearing on adoption, the commission shall submit a copy of such plan or part thereof or amendment thereto for review and comment to the legislative body or, in the case of a municipality for which the legislative body of the municipality is a town meeting or representative town meeting, to the board of selectmen. The legislative body or board of selectmen, as the case may be, may hold one or more public hearings on the plan and shall endorse or reject such entire plan or part thereof or amendment and may submit comments and recommended changes to the commission. The commission may render a decision on the plan without the report of such body or board.

(3) At least thirty-five days prior to the public hearing on adoption, the commission shall post the plan on the Internet web site of the municipality, if any.

(4) At least sixty-five days prior to the public hearing on adoption, the commission shall submit a copy of such plan or part thereof or amendment thereto to the regional council of governments for review and comment. The regional council of governments shall submit an advisory report along with its comments to the commission at or before the hearing. Such comments shall include a finding on the consistency of the plan with (A) the regional plan of conservation and development, adopted under section 8-35a, (B) the state plan of conservation and development, adopted pursuant to chapter 297, and (C) the plans of conservation and development of other municipalities in the area of operation of the regional council of governments. The commission may render a decision on the plan without the report of the regional council of governments.

(5) At least thirty-five days prior to the public hearing on adoption, the commission shall file in the office of the town clerk a copy of such plan or part thereof or amendment thereto but, in the case of a district commission, such commission shall file such information in the offices of both the district clerk and the town clerk.

(6) The commission shall cause to be published in a newspaper having a general circulation in the municipality, at least twice at intervals of not less than two days, the first not more than fifteen days, or less than ten days, and the last not less than two days prior to the date of each such hearing, notice of the time and place of any such public hearing. Such notice shall make reference to the filing of such draft plan in the office of the town clerk, or both the district clerk and the town clerk, as the case may be.

(i) (1) After completion of the public hearing, the commission may revise the plan and may adopt the plan or any part thereof or amendment thereto by a single resolution or may, by successive resolutions, adopt parts of the plan and amendments thereto.

(2) Any plan, section of a plan or recommendation in the plan that is not endorsed in the report of the legislative body or, in the case of a municipality for which the legislative body is a town meeting or representative town meeting, by the board of selectmen, of the municipality may only be adopted by the commission by a vote of not less than two-thirds of all the members of the commission.

(3) Upon adoption by the commission, any plan or part thereof or amendment thereto shall become effective at a time established by the commission, provided notice thereof shall be published in a newspaper having a general circulation in the municipality prior to such effective date.

(4) Not more than thirty days after adoption, any plan or part thereof or amendment thereto shall be posted on the Internet web site of the municipality, if any, and shall be filed in the office of the town clerk, except that, if it is a district plan or amendment, it shall be filed in the offices of both the district and town clerks.

(5) Not more than sixty days after adoption of the plan, the commission shall submit a copy of the plan to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and shall include with such copy a description of any inconsistency between the plan adopted by the commission and the state plan of conservation and development and the reasons therefor.

(j) Any owner or tenant, or authorized agent of such owner or tenant, of real property or buildings thereon located in the municipality may submit a proposal to the commission requesting a change to the plan of conservation and development. Such proposal shall be submitted in writing and on a form prescribed by the commission. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of section 8-7d, the commission shall review and may approve, modify and approve or reject the proposal in accordance with the provisions of subsection (h) of this section.

(1949 Rev., S. 856; 1959, P.A. 577, S. 6; 1969, P.A. 477, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 862, S. 5, 6; P.A. 78-314, S. 3; P.A. 80-327, S. 2; P.A. 85-279, S. 4; P.A. 88-13, S. 1, 3; P.A. 91-392, S. 2; 91-395, S. 3, 11; 91-398, S. 2, 7; P.A. 95-239, S. 3; 95-335, S. 9, 26; P.A. 99-117, S. 1, 2; P.A. 01-197, S. 1, 4; P.A. 03-19, S. 20; P.A. 05-205, S. 1; P.A. 06-17, S. 1; 06-24, S. 1; P.A. 07-239, S. 3; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-5, S. 4; P.A. 08-182, S. 16, 17; P.A. 09-230, S. 7; P.A. 10-138, S. 5; P.A. 11-124, S. 3; 11-188, S. 2; P.A. 13-179, S. 4; 13-247, S. 151, 277; 13-250, S. 2; P.A. 15-95, S. 1; P.A. 16-144, S. 6; P.A. 17-96, S. 40.)

History: 1959 act added provisions re districts; 1969 act substituted “shall” for “may” thereby requiring that recommendation for most desirable land uses and population density be included in development plan, but did leave optional the inclusion of other recommendations re streets, bridges etc. and further clarified contents of plan re economic development, schedules, budgets, various codes and regulations and community needed and deleted requirement that report be filed annually; 1971 act changed public hearing notice requirements from publication at least seven days before hearing to publication “twice at intervals of not less than two days, the first not more than fifteen days nor less than ten days, and the last not less than two days” before hearing; P.A. 78-314 allowed consideration of energy-efficient development, renewable forms of energy and energy conservation in development plan; P.A. 80-327 allowed consideration of water supplies and their protection in development plan; P.A. 85-279 made consideration of surface and ground drinking water supplies in preparation of the plan mandatory rather than discretionary; P.A. 88-13 allowed consideration of affordable housing and open space acquisition in the plan of development and required that the plan of development be reviewed and updated at least once every 10 years; P.A. 91-392 added provisions re development of housing opportunities and promotion of housing choice and economic diversity in housing; P.A. 91-395 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and amended them to require that municipal plans take into account the state plan and that plans adopted under this section be reviewed for consistency with the state plan of development and added Subsec. (b) requiring municipalities to consider use of cluster development; P.A. 91-398 added provision re plans in municipalities contiguous to Long Island Sound; P.A. 95-239 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that the plan may make regulations re traprock ridgelines; P.A. 95-335 amended Subsec. (a) to change the name of the plan of development to the plan of conservation and development and authorized the plan to include provisions re greenways protection and development, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 99-117 divided existing Subsec. (a) into (a) and (b), redesignating existing Subsec. (b) as (c), and amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision regarding explanation of failure to conduct review of the plan, effective January 1, 2000; P.A. 01-197 deleted former provisions and inserted new Subsecs. (a) to (h) which reorganized former provisions and authorized planning commissions to appoint special committees and to submit the plan to the legislative body of the town, broadened the scope of the plan to include cluster development, traprock and other ridgelines and neighborhood and district plans and made technical changes to form and content, effective July 1, 2001, and applicable to municipal plans of conservation and development adopted after that date; P.A. 03-19 made a technical change in Subsecs. (f) and (g), effective May 12, 2003; P.A. 05-205 amended Subsec. (c) to add Subdiv. (10) re protection and preservation of agriculture, amended Subsec. (d)(1) to redesignate subparagraphs and require the commission to consider focusing development and revitalization in areas with infrastructure, adding new Subpara. (B) re system of principal thoroughfares, revising new Subpara. (C) to add provisions re identification and promotion of areas of mixed use development patterns and land reuse, and revising new Subpara. (F) re growth management principles, amended Subsec. (e) to eliminate provisions re principal thoroughfares consistent with changes in Subsec. (d), revising Subdiv. (3) to add recommendations for schools and adding new Subdiv. (6)(F) re corridor management areas and new Subdiv. (7) re priority funding areas, amended Subsec. (f) to require posting of plan on Internet web site of the municipality, change the number of days the regional planning agency has for review from 65 to 35, require the regional planning agency to make specific findings and add provisions re revision of the plan and submission to the legislative body, amended Subsec. (g) to add provisions re Internet posting and notice to the Office of Policy and Management, replaced former Subsec. (h) re hearings and endorsement with new Subsec. (h) authorizing an owner or tenant to request changes to the plan and made technical changes throughout the section, effective July 1, 2005 (Revisor’s note: In Subsec. (d)(1)(C)(ii), the words “land and reuse” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “and land reuse” for consistency); P.A. 06-17 amended Subsec. (f) by revising provisions re submission to the legislative body or board of selectmen and organizing subsection into subdivisions, amended Subsec. (g) by adding requirement that a plan of conservation and development not endorsed by the legislative body or board of selectmen be approved by a two-thirds majority of the commission, making conforming changes and organizing subsection into subdivisions and amended Subsec. (h) by making conforming changes, effective October 1, 2006, and applicable to plans of conservation and development adopted after that date; P.A. 06-24 amended Subsec. (g) by replacing requirement that the commission notify the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management of inconsistencies of the municipal plan with the state plan with requirement that the commission submit to the secretary a copy of the plan and a description of any such inconsistencies not more than 60 days after adoption of the plan; P.A. 07-239 divided existing Subsec. (a) into Subsecs. (a) and (b), added provisions re discretionary funding therein, deleted provision re application for funding for conservation or development submitted to secretary or commissioners in said Subsec. (b) and redesignated existing Subsecs. (b) to (h) as Subsecs. (c) to (i), effective July 1, 2010; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-5 amended Subsec. (a)(2) to insert “state” re discretionary funding, effective July 1, 2010; P.A. 08-182 amended Subsecs. (c)(6) and (f)(4)(A) to change “regional plan of development” to “regional plan of conservation and development” and, effective July 1, 2010, amended Subsecs. (d)(6) and (g)(4)(A) to change “regional plan of development” to “regional plan of conservation and development”; P.A. 09-230 amended Subsec. (b) to delete provision re plan amendment and provide that municipality shall be ineligible for discretionary state funding for failure to comply with Subsec. (a) following adoption of state plan, effective July 1, 2010; P.A. 10-138 added Subsec. (a)(3) providing that no commission shall be obligated to prepare a plan from July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2013, and amended Subsec. (b) to make technical changes and provide that municipalities that do not prepare a plan pursuant to Subsec. (a)(3) shall continue to be eligible for discretionary state funding unless such municipalities fail to comply with Subsec. (a)(1) and (2) on or after July 1, 2014, effective July 1, 2010; P.A. 11-124 amended Subsec. (e)(1)(H) by replacing “housing plan” with “state’s consolidated plan for housing and community development”; P.A. 11-188 amended Subsec. (e)(1)(D) by adding “, agricultural” re use of land; P.A. 13-179 amended Subsec. (d) to add Subdiv. (11) re consideration of sea level change scenarios published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Technical Report OAR-CPO-1; P.A. 13-247 amended Subsec. (a)(3) by changing “2013” to “2014” and amended Subsec. (b) by changing “2014” to “2015”, effective June 19, 2013, and amended Subsec. (g)(4) by substituting “council of governments” for “planning agency”, effective January 1, 2015; P.A. 13-250 amended Subsec. (e)(1) by adding Subpara. (I) re zoning considerations for allowing older adults and persons with a disability to live in their homes and communities whenever possible and by defining “disability”, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 15-95 deleted former Subsec. (a)(3) re plan moratorium, amended Subsec. (b) by deleting former provisions re plan and amendment deadlines and municipal eligibility for state funding and by adding “July 1, 2016”, added new Subsec. (g) re identification of sewerage systems, redesignated existing Subsecs. (g) to (i) as Subsecs. (h) to (j) and made technical and conforming changes, effective June 22, 2015; P.A. 16-144 amended Subsec. (d) to add Subdiv. (12) re need for technology infrastructure in municipality; P.A. 17-96 amended Subsec. (e)(1) to delete provision re definition of “disability”, effective July 1, 2017.