§46-15 Experimental and demonstration housing projects. (a) The mayor of each county, after holding a public hearing on the matter and receiving the approval of the respective council, shall be empowered to designate areas of land for experimental and demonstration housing projects, the purposes of which are to research and develop ideas that would reduce the cost of housing in the State. Except as hereinafter provided, the experimental and demonstration housing projects shall be exempt from all statutes, ordinances, charter provisions, and rules or regulations of any governmental agency or public utility relating to planning, zoning, construction standards for subdivisions, development and improvement of land, and the construction and sale of homes thereon; provided that the experimental and demonstration housing projects shall not affect the safety standards or tariffs approved by the public utility commissions for such public utility.

The mayor of each county with the approval of the respective council may designate a county agency or official who shall have the power to review all plans and specifications for the subdivisions, development and improvement of the land involved, and the construction and sale of homes thereon. The county agency or official shall have the power to approve or disapprove or to make modifications to all or any portion of the plans and specifications.

The county agency or official shall submit preliminary plans and specifications to the legislative body of the respective county for its approval or disapproval. The final plans and specifications for the project shall be deemed approved by the legislative body if the final plans and specifications do not substantially deviate from the approved preliminary plans and specifications. The final plans and specifications shall constitute the standards for the particular project.

No action shall be prosecuted or maintained against any county, its officials or employees, on account of actions taken in reviewing, approving, or disapproving such plans and specifications.

Any experimental or demonstration housing project for the purposes hereinabove mentioned may be sponsored by any state or county agency or any person as defined in section 1-19.

The county agency or official shall apply to the state land use commission for an appropriate land use district classification change, except where a proposed project is located on land within an urban district established by the state land use commission. Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the state land use commission may approve the application at any time after a public hearing held in the county where the land is located upon notice of the time and place of the hearing being published in the same manner as the notice required for a public hearing by the planning commission of the appropriate county.

(b) The experimental and demonstration homes may be sold to the public under terms and conditions approved by the county agency or official who has been designated to review the plans and specifications.

(c) The county agency or official may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations which are necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this section. [L 1970, c 108, §1; am L 1975, c 142, §1; am L 1977, c 207, §1; am L 1984, c 66, §1]