Land-Use Controls and Property Development

Question 1

Land Use

Answer 1

regulated by both the state and the municipality

Question 2

Home Improvement Guaranty Fund

Answer 2

consumers can seek reimbursement for noncollectable damages

Question 3

Planning

Answer 3

determining a plan of development for the town

Question 4

Zoning

Answer 4

divides the town into various zones and dictates the type of land use that can occur in each zone

Question 5

Zoning Commission

Answer 5

must be resident voters of the town, between five and nine members authorized to control land use by enacting and enforcing zoning regulations that are necessary to safeguard the health and general welfare of the public

Question 6

Zoning Map

Answer 6

divides the town into different zoning districts

Question 7

Zoning Regulations

Answer 7

dictate what type of land use can occur in each district

Question 8

Variance

Answer 8

a permit to employ a particular use in an area that is not zoned for that use and it runs with the land

Question 9

Zoning Board of Appeals

Answer 9

a five to eight member board that may be elected or appointed, must hold a public hearing and act of requests for variances within 65 days after proper applications have been submitted, only group that can approve variances

Question 10

Special Permit

Answer 10

certain uses permitted only if certain standards are met, must apply to the zoning commission, planning commission or zoning board of appeals

Question 11

Cluster Developments

Answer 11

building patterns concentrating units on a parcel with at least one third of the parcel left as open space for recreational, conservation or agricultural purposes

Question 12

Village Districts

Answer 12

part of a municipality’s zoning regulations, can have their own land-use regulations protecting the district’s historic, natural and /or community character

Question 13

Planning Commission

Answer 13

purpose of preparing, adopting and amending a plan of development for the town; plan is a statement of goals, policies and standards relating to the town’s physical and economic development

Question 14

Subdivision Regulations

Answer 14

planning commission will adopt them and evaluate and approve new subdivision proposals submitted to them

Question 15

Subdivision

Answer 15

dividing land into three or more parts must be approved by the local planning commission

Question 16

Open Space

Answer 16

some towns may require a dedication of open space land as part of a subdivision; are exemptions fee can only be up to 10% of the fair market value of the land and the money is required to go into a special account for open space purposes

Question 17

Inland Wetlands

Answer 17

purpose of the committee is to establish the boundaries of inland wetlands and watercourses within the municipality and regulate the types of activities that can be conducted in these areas

Question 18

Feasible and Prudent Alternative

Answer 18

something able to be constructed consistent with sound engineering principles that is an economically reasonable alternative

Question 19

Regional Planning Agencies

Answer 19

allowed in any of the areas defined by the CT Office of Policy and Management; correspond roughly to the county jurisdictions that existed prior to the demise of the county government in CT - prepare comprehensive plans of development that encompass all the towns in the jurisdiction area

Question 20

Affordable Housing Appeals Procedure

Answer 20

used when a municipality denies an affordable housing development application; meant to encourage the development of affordable housing in the state

Question 21

City and Town Development Act (CTDA)

Answer 21

aids municipalities in their attempts to reverse their deteriorating employment, housing and land resource conditions; deals with development properties empowers municipalities to (buy, sell, lease, construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate, improve, finance and foreclose)

Question 22

New Construction Implied Warranty

Answer 22

CT imposes an implied warranty on new homes that the home is free from faulty materials, constructed according to sound engineering standards, constructed in a workmanlike manner and fit for habitation at the time of delivery of a deed; lasts for three years

Question 23

New Home Guaranty Fund

Answer 23

Dept of Consumer Protection maintains if consumers need to seek reimbursement for damages cause by a new home contractor; capped at $30,000

Question 24

Home Improvements

Answer 24

repairs, replacement, remodeling, alteration, modernizing and rehabilitation of any private or public dwelling in which the total cash price for all work agreed on between contractor and owner exceeds $200

Question 25

Home Improvement Contract

Answer 25

requires eight items; in writing, signed by both owner and contractor, contain the entire agreement, contain the date of the transaction, contain the name and address of the contractor, contain a notice of the owner’s cancellation rights, contain a starting date and a completion date, be entered into by a registered contractor

Question 26

CT Eminent Domain

Answer 26

limited for state municipalities, cannot be used solely for the purpose of increasing local property taxes