(a) Within thirty days of designation of a river corridor, the river committee shall file the approved map and approved river corridor protection plan in the office of the town clerk of each member municipality.
(b) Within one year of designation of a river corridor, each member municipality shall amend its zoning, subdivision, site plan and wetlands regulations, its municipal plan of conservation and development and any other applicable laws or plans in accordance with the recommendations of the approved river corridor protection plan. The river committee shall assist member municipalities in adopting any such amendments, and on behalf of a member municipality may petition the commissioner for an extension of the one-year deadline specified in this subsection for amending applicable laws. Before adopting any such amendment, a member municipality shall submit the proposed amendment to the commissioner, and such proposed amendment shall not be adopted unless the commissioner finds in writing that it is consistent with the approved river corridor protection plan.
(c) After a member municipality has completed amending applicable laws and plans pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, no zoning variance or other exception to any such amended law shall be granted unless the zoning board of appeals for such municipality, in consultation with the river committee, finds in writing that it is compatible with the approved river corridor protection plan.
(d) (1) Every major state plan other than the state plan of conservation and development, to the extent that it affects a designated river corridor, shall be consistent with the approved river corridor protection plan for such corridor, and any state plan which is inconsistent with such approved river corridor protection plan shall be modified accordingly. Such modifications shall be made in consultation with the commissioner at the next scheduled revision of such plan.
(2) If the commissioner finds that the state plan of conservation and development is inconsistent with an approved river corridor protection plan for a designated river corridor, he shall apply to the secretary for a revision pursuant to section 16a-32.
(3) Every regional plan of conservation and development adopted pursuant to section 8-35a, to the extent that it affects a designated river corridor, shall be consistent with the approved river corridor protection plan for such corridor and any regional plan of conservation and development which is inconsistent with such approved river corridor protection plan shall be modified accordingly. Such modifications shall be made in consultation with the commissioner.
(4) Every municipal plan of conservation and development adopted pursuant to section 8-23, to the extent that it affects a designated river corridor, shall be consistent with the approved river corridor protection plan for such corridor and any municipal plan of conservation and development which is inconsistent with such approved river corridor protection plan shall be modified accordingly. Such modifications shall be made in consultation with the commissioner.
(5) The commissioner may notify any applicable federal agency of the designation of a river corridor and may take any other appropriate action to assure consideration of such designation in federal programs or activities.
(e) (1) Neither the commissioner nor the Connecticut Siting Council shall issue a permit or other approval for any activity within a river corridor designated under section 25-205 unless the commissioner or the council, as the case may be, determines that such activity would not adversely affect any of the resources protected pursuant to the plan for such corridor.
(2) A member municipality may submit written testimony to the commissioner and may appear by right as a party to any hearing before the commissioner concerning any permit or other license to be issued by the commissioner for an activity proposed within a designated river corridor and may appeal any decision of the commissioner concerning such permit or other license to the Superior Court in accordance with the provisions of section 4-183.
(P.A. 94-150, S. 7; P.A. 95-335, S. 25, 26; P.A. 08-182, S. 14; P.A. 22-23, S. 19.)
History: P.A. 95-335 amended Subsec. (b) and Subsec. (d)(4) to change “plan of development” to “plan of conservation and development”, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 08-182 amended Subsec. (d)(3) to change “regional plan of development” to “regional plan of conservation and development”; P.A. 22-23 made technical changes in Subsec. (d).
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 25 - Water Resources. Flood and Erosion Control
Chapter 484 - Protected Rivers
Section 25-200. - Short title: Protected Rivers Act.
Section 25-201. - Definitions.
Section 25-202. - Eligible river corridors.
Section 25-203. - Establishment of river committees.
Section 25-207. - Structures and uses existing at time of designation of river corridor.
Section 25-208. - Acquisition of land within designated river corridor by state or municipality.
Section 25-209. - Commissioner authorized to provide guidance re river corridor protection plans.