Any town, city or borough, unless otherwise provided by special act, may by ordinance or by vote of its legislative body designate its zoning commission or its planning commission as the planning and zoning commission for such municipality, and such commission shall thereupon have all the powers and duties of both a planning commission and a zoning commission and shall supersede any previous planning commission or zoning commission, as the case may be. Such vote shall establish the number of members to comprise such planning and zoning commission, which number of members shall be five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten, not counting nonvoting members. In the establishment of a five-member planning and zoning commission, the provisions of section 8-19 shall apply. In the establishment of a planning and zoning commission with six or more members, the provisions of section 8-19 shall apply except that the terms of office shall be so arranged that not more than three of such terms on a six-member commission, four of such terms on a seven or an eight-member commission, or five of such terms on a nine or ten-member commission shall expire in any one year. Any public hearing conducted by a planning and zoning commission with six or more members shall be held by the commission or a committee thereof appointed for that purpose constituting a majority of the members of the commission. Any combined planning and zoning commission established under the general statutes prior to October 1, 1959, may continue to exist. Upon the establishment of a combined planning and zoning commission, all regulations adopted by the planning commission or the zoning commission which were in effect prior to the establishment of such combined commission shall continue in full force and effect until modified, repealed or superseded in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and chapter 126. A vacancy on such combined planning and zoning commission shall be filled in a manner prescribed by the legislative body of such municipality.
(1959, P.A. 614, S. 6; 679, S. 3; 1971, P.A. 362, S. 1; 763, S. 2; P.A. 75-21, S. 1, 3; P.A. 77-509, S. 10.)
History: 1971 acts added provision continuing regulations of zoning or planning commission in force until modified, repealed or superseded by newly combined commission and extended applicability of section to cities and boroughs; P.A. 75-21 changed maximum numbers of terms to expire in one year from two to three on six-member commission, from three to four on seven or eight-member commission and from four to five on a nine or ten-member commission; P.A. 77-509 added provision concerning filling of vacancies.
See Sec. 8-1b re alternate members of zoning commission or combined planning and zoning commission.
Cited. 154 C. 473; 161 C. 430; 170 C. 62; 186 C. 106. Vote of a salaried municipal officer, although invalid under this statute and Sec. 8-19, did not invalidate commission's entire action in approving a zone reclassification where total valid votes were sufficient. 196 C. 192.
Cited. 2 CA 213; 31 CA 643.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 8 - Zoning, Planning, Housing and Economic and Community Development
Section 8-1. - Zoning commissions.
Section 8-1aa. - Ridgeline protection: Definitions.
Section 8-1b. - Alternate members of zoning commission or combined planning and zoning commission.
Section 8-1bb. - Temporary health care structures. Municipal permit required. Municipal opt-out.
Section 8-1c. - Fees for municipal land use applications.
Section 8-1d. - Hours for holding land use public hearings.
Section 8-2a. - Copies of zoning and subdivision regulations to be available.
Section 8-2b. - Use of maps of Soil Conservation Service as standard.
Section 8-2c. - Payment of a fee in lieu of parking requirements.
Section 8-2d. - Planned unit developments under former chapter 124a continue to be valid.
Section 8-2e. - Municipal agreements regarding development rights.
Section 8-2f. - Joint applications necessary for transfer of development rights.
Section 8-2g. - Special exemption from density limits for construction of affordable housing.
Section 8-2i. - Inclusionary zoning.
Section 8-2k. - Zoning regulations re construction near lakes.
Section 8-2l. - Zoning regulations re structures or uses located in floodplain.
Section 8-2m. - Floating and overlay zones and flexible zoning districts.
Section 8-2n. - Zoning regulations re crematories.
Section 8-2o. - Zoning regulations re accessory apartments. Municipal opt-out; exception.
Section 8-2p. - Municipal opt-out re dwelling unit parking space limitations.
Section 8-3b. - Notice to regional council of governments of proposed zone or zone use change.
Section 8-3g. - Regulation of community residences for mentally ill adults and UCONN 2000 projects.
Section 8-3h. - Notice to adjoining municipalities.
Section 8-3j. - Regulation of family child care homes.
Section 8-4. - Zoning commission may be designated as planning and zoning commission.
Section 8-4a. - Zoning or planning commission may be designated as planning and zoning commission.
Section 8-4b. - Change from combined commission to separate commissions.
Section 8-5. - Zoning board of appeals. Alternate members.
Section 8-5a. - Designation of alternate members to act.
Section 8-5b. - Ordinance may provide for appointment of alternate members.
Section 8-6. - Powers and duties of board of appeals.
Section 8-6a. - Appeal to be heard before variance when both joined.
Section 8-7b. - Notice to contiguous municipalities of variance applications.
Section 8-7c. - Disclosure of beneficiaries of real property held in trust.
Section 8-7e. - Notice to adjoining municipalities of applications or requests.
Section 8-8. - Appeal from board to court. Mediation. Review by Appellate Court.
Section 8-8a. - Process for mediation.
Section 8-10. - Appeals procedure to apply to all municipalities.
Section 8-11. - Disqualification of members of zoning authorities.
Section 8-11a. - Disqualification of board member as enforcement officer.
Section 8-12. - Procedure when regulations are violated.
Section 8-12a. - Establishment of municipal penalties for violations of regulations.
Section 8-13. - Controlling requirement in case of variation.
Section 8-13a. - Nonconforming buildings, structures and land uses.