It is hereby declared (1) that it is in the public interest to encourage the preservation of farm land, forest land, open space land and maritime heritage land in order to maintain a readily available source of food and farm products close to the metropolitan areas of the state, to conserve the state's natural resources and to provide for the welfare and happiness of the inhabitants of the state, (2) that it is in the public interest to prevent the forced conversion of farm land, forest land, open space land and maritime heritage land to more intensive uses as the result of economic pressures caused by the assessment thereof for purposes of property taxation at values incompatible with their preservation as such farm land, forest land, open space land and maritime heritage land, and (3) that the necessity in the public interest of the enactment of the provisions of sections 12-107b to 12-107e, inclusive, 12-107g and 12-504f is a matter of legislative determination.

(1963, P.A. 490, S. 1; P.A. 98-157, S. 14(b), 15; P.A. 05-190, S. 2; P.A. 07-127, S. 3.)

History: P.A. 98-157 repealed Sec. 7-131c and specifically mandated deletion of reference to that section in Sec. 12-107a, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 05-190 added reference to Sec. 12-504f and changed alphabetic designators to numeric designators, effective July 1, 2005, and applicable to sales, transfers or changes in use of land classified as farm land, forest land or open space land that occur on or after that date; P.A. 07-127 added references to maritime heritage land and reference to Sec. 12-107g, effective July 1, 2007.

Favorable tax treatment of farm land is intended to prevent its forced conversion to more intensive uses as the result of an assessment based on its market value rather than its current use. 156 C. 107. Cited. Id., 440. Purpose of act is to aid conservation and not merely to aid food production alone. 160 C. 71. Cited. 168 C. 319; Id., 466; 173 C. 328; 174 C. 10; 178 C. 100; 195 C. 368; 199 C. 294; 212 C. 727.

Cited. 3 CA 53.

Loam and gravel business defeats purpose set forth in section and land used for “loam farming” does not qualify as farm land. 26 CS 162. Intention of legislature was to grant special tax treatment privileges for land devoted for agricultural use. 28 CS 97. Cited. 34 CS 52.