AN ACT CONCERNING SMART GROWTH AND PLANS OF CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT.

This bill specifies smart growth principles that must be incorporated in state, regional, and local plans of conservation and development (plans of C&D). Those incorporated in the regional and municipal plans must be consistent with those incorporated in the state plan. The bill also requires the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) to develop model zoning regulations incorporating these principles.

The bill requires state, regional, and municipal planning bodies to develop smart growth principles based on its definition of “smart growth. ” It defines that term as an economic, social, and environmental development that:

1. simultaneously promotes economic competitiveness and preserves natural resources and

2. allows state, regional, and municipal officials to collaboratively plan, make decisions, and evaluate policies.

The development must use financial or other incentives to promote competitiveness and resource preservation.

The principles must be in the form of standards and objectives that can help policy makers act and decide in ways that support and encourage smart growth. The standards and criteria may include:

1. integrating planning in a way that coordinates state and local tax, transportation, housing, and environmental policies;

2. reducing the extent to which municipalities depend on the property tax and compete against each other for new growth by delivering services regionally;

3. redeveloping existing infrastructure and resources, including brownfields and historic places;

4. providing rail, bikeways, walking, and other transportation alternatives to automobile travel while reducing energy consumption;

5. developing or preserving housing for workers or households with different incomes near transportation nodes, job sites, or other eligible locations (which the bill does not define);

6. concentrating mixed use development around transportation nodes and civic and cultural centers; and

7. conserving and protecting natural resources by preserving open space, farmland, and historic property and furthering energy efficiency.

The bill requires state, regional, and municipal plans of C&D to incorporate smart growth principles. OPM must incorporate principles consistent with the bill's definition of smart growth any time it revises the five-year State Plan of C&D after October 1, 2009. The next scheduled revision is for 2011.

The plan's policies and guidelines encourage state agencies to develop or fund infrastructure in densely populated areas where the roads, sewers, and other supporting infrastructure already exist.

The bill requires regional planning organizations (RPOs) to incorporate smart growth principles in their 10-year regional plans of C&D that are consistent with those in the State Plan of C&D. By law, RPOs must submit these plans to OPM, which must determine if they are not inconsistent with the State Plan of C&D and the State Strategic Economic Development Plan. Before adopting a plan, an RPO must note any inconsistencies between it and the state plan (CGS § 35a (b)).

The bill similarly requires the 10-year municipal plan of C&D to incorporate smart growth principles that are consistent with those in the State Plan of C&D. By law, municipalities must consider the state plan when revising their plans (CGS § 23 (c)).

The Planning and Development Committee favorably reported three bills concerning smart growth principles or the State Plan of C&D. sHB 6464 allows state agencies to fund projects under specified programs only if they are consistent with its smart growth principles. sHB 6465 requires the Transportation Strategy Board to include a capital plan for transportation investments that incorporates those principles. sHB 6467 pushes back the deadline, from March 1, 2009 to March 1, 2011, for the next revision of the state C&D plan.

Yea

Nay

(03/20/2009)