(a) As used in this section: (1) “Eligible owner” means an owner described in section 13a-80 who (A) retained residency on the property for a period of ten years or more following the date on which the state notified such owner that the property was to be obtained by the state for highway purposes, (B) was notified that such property is not needed by the Department of Transportation for highway purposes, and (C) failed to negotiate the purchase of property pursuant to section 13a-80, and (2) “property” means any land and buildings owned by the state and obtained for or in connection with highway purposes or for the efficient accomplishment of such purposes or formerly used for highway purposes, which real property is not required for such purposes, and is subject to the provisions of section 13a-80.

(b) On or before January 1, 2010, the Commissioner of Administrative Services, or said commissioner's designee, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, or said commissioner's designee, and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or said secretary's designee, in conjunction with the State Properties Review Board, shall serve as mediators for the purpose of conducting mediations pursuant to this section. All persons serving as mediators shall have mediation training and experience in real estate transactions and real estate valuation.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 13a-80, if the Department of Transportation and an eligible owner are unable to negotiate the purchase of the property pursuant to said section 13a-80, the eligible owner or such owner's designee may, on or after January 1, 2010, submit a written request for mediation to the State Properties Review Board. Upon receipt by the board of such request, said board shall notify the Commissioner of Transportation, or said commissioner's designee, of such request and shall convene the individuals serving pursuant to subsection (b) of this section to mediate the purchase of property from the state by the eligible owner. The topics to be mediated shall be limited to the value of the property and the purchase price. The costs of the mediation shall be borne equally by the eligible owner and the state.

(d) Upon assignment by the State Properties Review Board to conduct mediation, a person assigned as mediator shall contact the eligible owner, or such owner's designee, and the Commissioner of Transportation, or said commissioner's designee, to schedule the mediation. Such mediation shall be scheduled and completed within ninety days following the State Properties Review Board's receipt of the request for mediation from the eligible owner.

(e) Within thirty days following completion of such mediation, the mediators shall submit to the legislative committees having cognizance of matters pertaining to transportation and government administration, for approval, a written summary of the agreement reached in the mediation. The committees shall approve or disapprove such agreement during a joint meeting conducted during a regular session of the General Assembly.

(f) If the agreement is approved, the eligible owner shall have fifteen days in which to sign a purchase agreement for the purchase of the property from the state. If the agreement is disapproved or if no purchase agreement is signed by the eligible owner within fifteen days following the expiration of the comment period, the state shall dispose of the property as provided in section 13a-80.

(P.A. 09-186, S. 9; P.A. 10-110, S. 53, 54; P.A. 11-51, S. 44; 11-80, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 09-186 effective July 20, 2009; P.A. 10-110 made technical changes in Subsecs. (b) and (f); pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Commissioner of Public Works” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Administrative Services” in Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 2011; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” in Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 2011.