(a) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall not lease camping sites at shore parks to the same camping party for more than three weeks during the camping season. The commissioner shall (1) lease camping sites to the same camping party for additional periods of up to three weeks, provided such camping party vacates the shore park for a minimum of five days between leases, or (2) lease any vacant camping sites on a first come, first served basis. The commissioner may adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to establish limits on the length of camping site leases. The lease length limitation in this subsection shall be effective until June 30, 2013, or until such regulations are adopted, whichever is later.
(b) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall establish a pilot program for the 2013 camping season, allowing five per cent of camping sites in shore parks to be leased by the same camping party without a limitation on the number of days leased. Notwithstanding the schedule of fees established pursuant to section 23-16, the commissioner may charge a nightly fee for such camping sites equal to one hundred fifty per cent of the applicable fee charged during the 2012 camping season.
(2) On or before February 1, 2014, said commissioner shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the environment and finance, revenue and bonding regarding the pilot program established pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection. Such report shall include, but not be limited to, a description of the implementation of the pilot program, its impact upon the availability of camping sites, the reaction of families using the camping sites and recommendations for changes, if any, in the pilot program.
(1969, P.A. 733, S. 2; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 179; P.A. 11-80, S. 1; P.A. 12-98, S. 1.)
History: 1971 act replaced reference to state park and forest commission with reference to commissioner of environmental protection and reworded provisions re phasing out extended leases by reducing same in equal numbers each year for 5 years; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 12-98 replaced former provisions re phase out of certain leases of camping sites at shore parks with Subsec. (a) re leasing of camping sites at shore parks to same camping party, leasing camping sites on a first come, first served basis and lease length limits, and Subsec. (b) re establishment of a pilot program for the 2013 camping season, effective June 8, 2012.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 23 - Parks, Forests and Public Shade Trees
Chapter 447 - State Parks and Forests
Section 23-5. - Public reservations; supervision.
Section 23-5a. - Natural area preserves. Declaration of policy.
Section 23-5c. - Natural area preserves system.
Section 23-5d. - Approval of preserve.
Section 23-5f. - Advisory committee.
Section 23-5g. - Cooperation with federal agencies.
Section 23-5h. - Acquisition of property.
Section 23-5i. - Responsibility of other public authorities.
Section 23-6. - Maintenance of state park and forest lands adjoining other states.
Section 23-7. - Memorials in state parks and reservations.
Section 23-8a. - Conveyance of certain state land previously held as protected open space.
Section 23-9. - Acquisition of property by eminent domain.
Section 23-9a. - Acquisition of easements for maintenance of dams.
Section 23-10. - Development of recreational areas.
Section 23-10a. - Designation of state hiking trails.
Section 23-10b. - Outdoor recreation-related services.
Section 23-10c. - Designation of trails for use by horseback riders.
Section 23-10d. - Equine Advisory Council.
Section 23-10h. - Heritage parks: Legislative policy.
Section 23-10i. - Designation of heritage parks. Public hearing. Designation of additional sites.
Section 23-11. - Licenses for use of portions of parks or forests.
Section 23-12. - Transfer of control of open spaces.
Section 23-13. - Animals for public parks.
Section 23-14. - Rights-of-way in state parks and forests.
Section 23-15. - State park receipts deposited in Passport to the Parks account.
Section 23-15a. - Use of state parks. Reimbursement of municipalities.
Section 23-15c. - Revenue from food service facilities, vending machines and stands in state parks.
Section 23-15d. - Request for information re state park concessions, services and amenities.
Section 23-15e. - Rents for special events of limited duration.
Section 23-15f. - Adopt-A-Park program. Financial sponsorship.
Section 23-15g. - Per-person admission fee for state parks. Report.
Section 23-15h. - Passport to the Parks account. Established. Subaccounts. Payments from account.
Section 23-16. - Leases of camp sites.
Section 23-16a. - Leasing of camping sites at shore parks. Pilot program.
Section 23-18. - State Park Police.
Section 23-19. - State Forester.
Section 23-20. - Powers and duties of commissioner.
Section 23-21. - Purchase and sale of land by commissioner.
Section 23-22. - Acquisition of land by exchange.
Section 23-23. - Purchase and sale of seeds and seedling stock.
Section 23-24. - Establishment of boundaries.
Section 23-24a. - Survey of boundaries of state parks and forest lands.
Section 23-25. - Granting of leases for public purposes.
Section 23-26a. - “All-terrain vehicle” defined.
Section 23-26b. - Certificate to operate all-terrain vehicles on state land.
Section 23-26c. - Availability of state land for use by persons operating all-terrain vehicles.
Section 23-26d. - Regulations re safety education courses for the operation of all-terrain vehicles.
Section 23-26e. - Operation of all-terrain vehicles on state land by certain minors.
Section 23-26f. - Regulations re operation of all-terrain vehicles.
Section 23-27. - Federal grants.
Section 23-27a to 23-27k. - Registration of private land for recreational purposes.