September 3, 2012
From: The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer
Organizations
Contact: Susan Kniep, President
Website: http://ctact.org/
Email: fctopresident@aol.com
Telephone: 860-841-8032
Are You a Proud Connecticut Homeowner or Business Owner Who is
Dedicated to Keeping Your Home and Property in Pristine Condition?
Well, You May
Be Surprised to Learn that there is a Little Known State Statute Which Will
Allow Your Municipal Government to Place Your Property within a Rehabilition
Area with No Requirement that you be Personally notified, other than through a
Legal Ad in the newspaper!
The State Law
is Sec. 12-65d. Designation of rehabilitation
area. Criteria for deferral of assessment increase.
The Law – Sec.
12-65d Encompasses State Laws 12-65c to 12-65f.
Connecticut State Law 12-65c defines a Rehabilitation Area as
“Deteriorated, Deteriorating, Substandard or Detrimental to the
safety, health, welfare or general economic well being of the community”
As State Law 12-65d encompasses 12-65c to 12-65f, I suggest you take the time to
scroll up and down at the following web link and study each section of the
law. http://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap203.htm#Sec12-65d.htm
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Is this Happening Now in Connecticut?
Although we are unaware of other towns impacted, if any, the Town Council of East Hartford, under the
leadership of Attorney Richard Kehoe, who is also an aide to Congressman
Richard Blumenthal, will hold a public hearing on a Resolution captioned The
Improve East Hartford Program which would be facilitated under Sec. 12-65d to
include 12-65c to 12-65f. Initially, the Town Council’s intent was to place the entire
Town within a Rehabilitation Area. Revisions
to the Resolution were made following property owners concerns, and the most recent
proposal includes Two Plans. One includes
several streets as noted within the link ImproveEHAlternativeA.doc The other includes several zones as noted within the link ImproveEHAlternativeB.doc
The Public Hearing by East Hartford’s
Town Council will be held on Tuesday evening, September 4, 2012, at 7 PM in the
Town Council Chambers, Town Hall, 740 Main St. The
Plan, the two (2) Proposals, and a zoning map can be accessed at the following
web link. http://easthartfordct.gov/Public_Documents/EastHartfordCT_Agendas/I0194DDE5
I also arranged for a map to be stationed outside the Town
Council office.
If you reside in one of the other 168 towns throughout Connecticut, you may
wish to determine if a similar plan is being considered for your town.
If you are aware that such a plan has already been
implemented, please notify us at fctopresident@aol.com.
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Are Their Other Plans I Should be Concerned
With?
If you own a home or business within the “Capital Region”
which is comprised of The City of Hartford, Bloomfield,
East Hartford, Newington, South Windsor, West
Hartford, Wethersfield, Windsor you
should become familiar with the recently created Quasi Public Agency entitled
THE CAPITAL
REGION DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
On June 15, 2012 State Senate Bill 22 Was Signed into Law by
the Governor. The following is the Bill Analysis for SB-22, as amended by Senate "A"
The history of the bill can be found here http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=sb22&which_year=2012&SUBMIT1.x=11&SUBMIT1.y=12
The Bill Analysis includes
the following: This bill
redesignates the quasi-public Capital City Economic Development Authority
(CCEDA) as the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA), preserving many of
CCEDA's powers, duties, and functions, including the authority to issue bonds.
CCEDA currently oversees several completed and ongoing development projects in
a statutorily designated area in Hartford
(i. e. , the Capital City Economic Development
District). Its duties include advising state agencies on development projects
proposed in the district.
The bill expands the district and the range of eligible
projects and allows CRDA to plan and implement some of these projects outside
the district. It authorizes CRDA to (1) develop and redevelop property anywhere
in Hartford, (2) develop riverfront improvements
anywhere in Hartford and East Hartford, (3)
demolish and redevelop vacant buildings in East Hartford, and (4) increases the number of housing
units CRDA may construct or rehabilitate in the district. To plan and implement
these projects, the bill gives CRDA the same powers current law gives CCEDA to
plan and implement specified capital district projects. You can read the full analysis at http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/BA/2012SB-00022-R01-BA.htm
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Should Property
Owners Impacted by SB22 Be Concerned for the Possible Implementation of Eminent
Domain if they are not willing to relinquish their property to CRDA?
Do Property
Owners Need to be Concerned if their Properties are designated “Deteriorated, Deteriorating, Substandard or Detrimental to the
safety, health, welfare or general economic well being of the community” as a
result of State Statutes 12-65c to 12-65f.
This
is a fair question based on the aforementioned analysis which expounds upon the
powers of CRDA. It is therefore
important that the public be provided with answers to the following: How
does CRDA intend to acquire the property on which they intend to construct or
rehabilitate housing within the District?
In East Hartford and Hartford,
will CRDA’s plan impact privately owned property along or near the Riverfront? If CRDA
intends to demolish property in East Hartford
to rehab it, what if the property owner does not want to relinquish his
property? With the newspapers refusing
to even acknowledge the impact SB22 can have on individual properties, and
municipal officials remaining silent on the issue, the Federation is attempting
to obtain answers to these questions and more.
As it
relates to 12-65c to 12-65f, we feel it is never good to have a property defined
under a blight designation, especially as it relates to Eminent Domain as we
explain in Will Your Town Follow East Hartford Lead .
If you have any questions or comments, please write to fctopresident@aol.com
You May Also Wish to Refer to Two Previous Publications on
these issues by the Federation at
|
Will Your Town Follow East Hartford Lead
|
|
And Designate Your Town as Deteriorated Deteriorating
Substandard or Detrimental to the safety health welfare or general economic
well being of the community - And It Is Legal
Susan Kniep - FCTO - May 2012
|
It is
important to be proactive when it involves some of your most valuable resources
– your home, business and property. Ask
questions of your Town officials as it relates to these two issues especially
if your live within the District under the auspices of
CRDA.
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