2021 Legislative Activity
Acts Signed Into Law
6610- AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROVISION OF OUTDOOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE BY RESTAURANTS. To require municipal zoning commissions to permit restaurants to engage in outdoor food and beverage service as an accessory use of such restaurant's permitted use.
Proposed Bills
Housing
1024- AN ACT CONCERNING ZONING AUTHORITY, CERTAIN DESIGN GUIDELINES, QUALIFICATIONS OF CERTAIN LAND USE OFFICIALS AND CERTAIN SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS. To (1) allow municipalities to require that land use applicants pay the costs of any technical review of applications, (2) make several changes to the Zoning Enabling Act, (3) establish requirements for zoning regulations concerning accessory apartments, mixed-use developments and multifamily housing, (4) convene a working group to develop model design guidelines for buildings and context-appropriate streets, (5) require certain qualifications of certain land use officials, and (6) address the jurisdiction and capacities of certain sewage disposal systems. [Desegregate CT Bill]
S.B. 1025- AN ACT CONCERNING SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES. To (1) require that (A) short-term rental properties be licensed by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection, (B) short-term rental operators notify owners of abutting and adjacent properties regarding use of a dwelling unit as a short-term rental property, and (C) short-term rental operators maintain minimum insurance coverage and the Insurance Commissioner adopt regulations concerning such coverage, (2) permit municipalities to tax short-term rental operators, and (3) subject short-term rental transactions to the sales and use tax.
S.B. 1027- AN ACT CONCERNING ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS AND ZONING REGULATIONS. To require (1) municipalities to permit accessory dwelling units, and (2) a majority vote of the members of a zoning commission to adopt a protested zoning regulation or zoning district boundary change.
S.B. No. 1068 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING PROPERTY TAXES AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
CCAPA Testimony 3/22/2021
5683 – AN ACT CONCERNING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
CCAPA Testimony: "This bill would amend CGS §8-30g, adding a new item 6 to Subsection k that allows for including what is commonly referred to as “naturally-occurring affordable housing” to a community’s documented affordable housing unit supply under the Affordable Housing Appeals Statute (8-30g). CCAPA supports the Proposed Bill, but suggests that some additional discussion may be required to workout the mechanics of implementation." (excerpt)
H.B. 6107- AN ACT CONCERNING THE REORGANIZATION OF THE ZONING ENABLING ACT AND THE PROMOTION OF MUNICIPAL COMPLIANCE. To (1) restructure the Zoning Enabling Act for clarity, (2) promote the purposes of the federal Fair Housing Act, (3) provide an administrative mechanism to promote compliance with municipal affordable housing plans, and (4) require the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to convene a working group to study municipal affordable housing plans and zoning regulations.
6570- AN ACT CONCERNING TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND MUNICIPAL ZONING.
CCAPA6570Testimony2021: "CCAPA supports the overall changes of CGS §8-2 that clean up the flow and clarity of the statutory language itself. These changes have been introduced for several years and we hope they can be adopted. CCAPA supports the portions of this bill that amend CGS §8-2 to support TOD projects in two ways..." (excerpt)
6611- AN ACT CONCERNING A NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND OTHER POLICIES REGARDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT. To provide for (1) an assessment of the state-wide need for affordable housing and an allocation of such need to planning regions and municipalities, (2) the creation of affordable housing planning and zoning goals for each municipality, (3) the implementation schedule for such goals, (4) enforcement of such goals, and (5) state support to meet affordable housing needs beyond those met through such goals. [Fair Share Bill]
6611 Testimony Public Hearing 3/15/2021
6612- AN ACT CONCERNING PROTECTIONS FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE HOMES AND THE ZONING ENABLING ACT. To (1) clarify and enforce protections for licensed family child care homes and prevent landlords and certain homeowners associations from placing restrictions on the operation of such homes, and (2) reorganize the zoning enabling act.
Public Hearing 3/15/21
6613. AN ACT CONCERNING ACCESSORY APARTMENTS, MIDDLE HOUSING AND MULTIFAMILY HOUSING. To require municipal zoning commissions to adopt regulations allowing accessory apartments, middle housing and multifamily housing.
804- AN ACT CONCERNING INCLUSION IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES.
CCAPA Testimony: "This Proposed Bill appears to be a placeholder for a broad
and much more specific proposal to advance something like the Desegregate CT
agenda. We would respectfully suggest that the Committee either defer to a
different piece of legislation that promotes these goals with much more
specificity, or to postpone action on this Proposed Bill until it is given the
necessary detail to be considered a complete legislative proposal." (excerpt)
Procedures
SB 183 AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTRONIC MEETINGS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
698 AN ACT CONCERNING THE ONLINE PUBLICATION OF LEGAL NOTICES BY MUNICIPALITIES
699 AN ACT CONCERNING ALTERNATE MEMBERS OF MUNICIPAL PLANNING COMMISSIONS.
S.B. 1026- AN ACT CONCERNING TRAINING FOR CERTAIN PLANNING AND ZONING OFFICIALS. To permit municipalities to require training for members of planning commissions, zoning commissions, combined planning and zoning commissions and zoning boards of appeals.
H.B. No. 6641 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING THE REMOTE AND ONLINE PROVISION OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES.
Public Hearing 3/22
Environment & Climate Change
6441- AN ACT CONCERNING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION.
CCAPA6441Testimony2021: "CCAPA recognizes that climate change will significantly affect Connecticut in the coming years and strongly supports the Governor’s overall changes to CGS §22a-498 that add additional capacity to local authorities tasked with addressing these challenges as follows and grouped where needed for clarity. Please note our comments where slight revisions to this language may be needed." (excerpt)
700 AN ACT CONCERNING THE DISCLOSURE OF DAMS AND SIMILAR STRUCTURES BY SELLERS OF REAL PROPERTY.
Other
Proposed CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT POLICIES: THE PLAN FOR CONNECTICUT 2018-2023
CCAPAPOCDTestimony2021: "CCAPA supports the adoption of the 2018-2023 Conservation & Development Policies Plan... Given that we are now into year four of this five-year Plan, we find the action by the legislature to be well past due, and encourage the Plan’s swift adoption.... . We strongly urge that OPM redouble its efforts to produce a fully re-imagined approach to the State Conservation & Development Policies Plan that thoughtfully incorporates [additional elements] and includes an inclusive stakeholder engagement process." (excerpt)
6610- AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROVISION OF OUTDOOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICE BY RESTAURANTS. To require municipal zoning commissions to permit restaurants to engage in outdoor food and beverage service as an accessory use of such restaurant's permitted use.
H.B. No. 6448 (COMM) AN ACT EXPANDING ACCESS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND MODERNIZING LOCAL GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
Public Hearing 3/22
HB 6647 AN ACT CONCERNING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
CCAPA Testimony 6647 3/22/2021