Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Enforcement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission discusses excavation fee definitions and state law alignment for group homes
Summary
Commissioners debated whether excavation fees should be based on gross excavation or net export and directed staff to clarify the regulation; they also discussed conforming local rules to state statute CGS 8‑3j on group and family child care homes while protecting confidentiality for domestic‑violence shelters.
The commission held two policy‑oriented discussions: how to define and charge excavation fees, and whether local regulations need to be amended to conform with state law on group homes.
On excavation fees, staff and commissioners noted inconsistent past practice in calculating fees for projects that excavate and backfill material. Commissioners reviewed whether the fee schedule should apply to gross excavation, net export, or some other metric tied to wear‑and‑tear on town roads, and suggested codifying a consistent definition in the excavation/permit fee schedule.
On group homes, commissioners reviewed Connecticut statute CGS 8‑3j and discussed removing a local special‑exception requirement while maintaining requirements that protect residents and facilitate emergency and safety inspections. Members emphasized the need to preserve confidentiality for domestic‑violence shelters while ensuring authorities know the location and occupancy limits of group homes for emergency response. Staff was asked to draft regulation edits to implement these changes and return to the commission.
