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Ordinance committee advances updated farm-building tax-exemption to council; public hearing set for April 6
Summary
The ordinance committee approved updated local language to take advantage of a state law that allows municipalities to raise farm-building exemptions from $100,000 up to $500,000 per building; the change will go to the full council and a public hearing is scheduled for April 6.
The ordinance committee voted to advance updated language to chapter 187 (taxation) that would allow Torington to adopt local farm-building exemptions up to $500,000 per building, a change enabled by recent state legislation. Stacy Maldonado, who presented the ordinance language to the committee, said the update can be applied for the 2025 grand list and would be retroactive to Oct. 1, 2025.
Maldonado said the local option lets municipalities choose any exemption amount between the current $100,000 and the statutory maximum of $500,000 per farm building; she told the committee the municipal revenue impact for 2025 would be roughly $12,000. “The exemptions allow the local option to go from a $100,000 each farm building up to $500,000 each farm building,” Maldonado said while reviewing the proposal.
Committee members expressed support for preserving farmland and said the change was intended to reflect rising construction and land values. The committee moved, seconded and voted to approve the updated ordinance language and to place the item on the council agenda; the mayor and members agreed to add a public hearing for April 6 so the council can hear public testimony and consider final approval at that meeting.
The ordinance committee also discussed seeking additional stale or outdated ordinances from department heads and corporate counsel for review and possible update. The committee adjourned following that housekeeping business.
Next steps: The full council will hold a public hearing on April 6 on the amended chapter 187 exemption language and may consider formal adoption afterward.
