(a) After at least five of the towns to which this chapter applies have voted to be so governed, the planning commission and the zoning commission, or the combined planning and zoning commission, of each town which so votes shall promptly revise the zoning ordinances or plan of development and planning and subdivision regulations, relating to land within the conservation zone of such town to meet the minimum standards established under the provisions of section 25-102d, and thereafter shall promptly make further revisions to meet any revised standards adopted by the commission pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.

(b) No adoption, amendment or repeal of a local zoning, subdivision or planning regulation with respect to property within the conservation zone within such town shall be effective which has not received the approval of the Connecticut River Gateway Commission. Each local zoning commission, planning commission or combined planning and zoning commission shall submit its decision by certified mail to the Connecticut River Gateway Commission for approval. If, within thirty-five days after receipt of such submission, said commission has failed to approve or disapprove such submission, it shall be deemed to be so approved; provided, the Connecticut River Gateway Commission may within said time period reserve decision thereon and schedule the matter for a public hearing. Notice of the Gateway Commission's decision on the submission or of its determination to hold a public hearing shall be made in writing to the commission referring the submission. Such public hearing shall commence within sixty-five days after receipt of the submission and shall terminate within sixty days of its commencement and shall be held by a majority of the members of the Connecticut River Gateway Commission, with representatives of at least five member towns present, at which parties in interest and citizens shall have an opportunity to be heard. Notice of the time and place of such hearing shall be published in the form of a legal advertisement in a newspaper having a substantial circulation in the town from which the submission was referred, two times, at intervals of not less than two days, the first not more than fifteen days nor less than ten days, and the last not less than two days, before such hearing. The action of the Connecticut River Gateway Commission shall have the object of regulating the uses of such property consistent with the purposes of this chapter and promoting the protection and development for purposes of this chapter of such property by means of classification of zoning districts according to types of land usage permitted therein, land coverage, frontage, setback, design and building height and by regulating the cutting of timber, burning of undergrowth, removing soil or other earth materials and dumping or storing refuse in a manner that would detract from the natural or traditional riverway scene, provided such action shall not discourage constructive development and uses of such property which are consistent with the purposes of this chapter. The commission shall render a decision on the submission within sixty-five days after completion of the hearing. The submitting commission may consent to an extension of any period specified in this subsection, provided such extension shall not be for longer than double the period specified, or it may withdraw such submission. The Gateway Commission shall publish notice of its decision in a newspaper having substantial circulation in the town from which the submission was received.

(c) The commission shall, from time to time, review, and may, after public hearing of which at least fifteen days' notice has been given in a newspaper or newspapers having a circulation in the conservation zone, revise the standards established under the provisions of section 25-102d consistent with the purposes of this chapter. A copy of the proposed revisions to be presented at such public hearing shall be furnished at least fifteen days prior thereto to the conservation commissions, zoning commissions, planning commissions or combined planning and zoning commissions of the towns to be affected thereby.

(P.A. 73-349, S. 6, 11; P.A. 74-103, S. 4, 10; P.A. 79-319, S. 2, 5.)

History: P.A. 74-103 added references to planning and subdivision regulations, clarified which local commissions are involved under section, required that regulations be revised to meet revised standards adopted by Commission, changed time after which actions deemed approved in Subsec. (b) from 65 to 35 days after their submission and added reference to classification of zoning districts by types of land usage and amended Subsec. (c) to require that copies of proposed revisions be supplied to local commissions at least 15 days before hearing is to be held; P.A. 79-319 added provisions in Subsec. (b) re public hearings held when Commission decides to reserve decision for the purpose, set deadline for decision after conclusion of hearing, allowed extensions of deadline and required Commission to publish its decision.