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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1559
January Session, 2025
LCO No. 7144
Referred to Committee on FINANCE, REVENUE AND
BONDING
Introduced by:
(FIN)
AN ACT CONCERNING CAPITAL CITY REDEVELOPMENT AND
ESTABLISHING THE SOUTH MEADOWS DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT
BOUNDARIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective June 30, 2025) (a) The Capital Region 1
Development Authority shall constitute a successor authority to the 2
Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority in accordance with the 3
provisions of subsections (a) to (d), inclusive, and (f) of section 4-38d 4
and section 4-38e of the general statutes with respect to the ownership, 5
functions, powers and duties of the Materials Innovation and Recycling 6
Authority with respect to the South Meadows site. As used in this 7
section, "South Meadows site" means the properties located at 300 8
Maxim Road in Hartford and 100 Reserve Road in Hartford. 9
(b) On June 30, 2025, the South Meadows site, and any tangible or 10
intangible personal property associated therewith, shall be transferred 11
from the MIRA Dissolution Authority to the Capital Region 12
Development Authority and the balance of the resources of the MIRA 13
Dissolution Authority, after the transfer under section 2 of this act has 14
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been made, shall be transferred to the Capital Region Development 15
Authority. The transferred funds shall be deposited in a separate bank 16
account or accounts from all other funds of the Capital Region 17
Development Authority and shall be used in such amounts and at such 18
times as determined by the Capital Region Development Authority for 19
the purposes of maintaining, remediating, developing, redeveloping or 20
taking any other action associated with the South Meadows site that is 21
deemed necessary by the Capital Region Development Authority. The 22
Capital Region Development Authority may hire individuals 23
previously employed by the MIRA Dissolution Authority to carry out 24
any activity the Capital Region Development Authority is authorized or 25
required to undertake with respect to the South Meadows site. 26
(c) Any state tax revenue generated within the South Meadows site 27
by any completed project under section 4 of this act shall be retained by 28
the Capital Region Development Authority to be reinvested in said site. 29
(d) The Capital Region Development Authority may enter into one or 30
more memoranda of understanding with any state agency to facilitate 31
said authority's functions, powers and duties with respect to the South 32
Meadows site. 33
(e) Commencing June 30, 2025, the South Meadows site and any 34
personal property located thereon shall not be subject to the tax imposed 35
by chapter 203 of the general statutes until the commencement of a 36
development or redevelopment project under section 4 of this act. 37
Sec. 2. (Effective June 30, 2025) On June 30, 2025, five million dollars of 38
the resources of the MIRA Dissolution Authority shall be transferred to 39
and deposited in the account established pursuant to section 12 of public 40
act 23-170, as amended by this act. 41
Sec. 3. Section 12 of public act 23-170 is repealed and the following is 42
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective June 30, 2025): 43
Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the sum of 44
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two million dollars shall be transferred from the resources of the MIRA 45
Dissolution Authority and shall be deposited into a nonlapsing account 46
of the General Fund established by the Secretary of the Office of Policy 47
and Management. Moneys in the account shall be allocated in such 48
amounts and at such times as determined by the Secretary of the Office 49
of Policy and Management [to fund activities related to the provisions 50
of sections 8 to 15, inclusive, of this act] for the purposes of operating, 51
maintaining, remediating or taking any other action associated with the 52
activities formerly conducted by or properties formerly owned by said 53
authority, other than the activities associated with and the properties 54
comprising the South Meadows site, as defined in section 1 of this act. 55
Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective June 30, 2025) (a) For purposes of this section: 56
(1) "Commissioner" means the commissioner that has jurisdiction 57
over the specific subject matter and such commissioner's designee or, if 58
more than one commissioner has jurisdiction, each commissioner that 59
has jurisdiction over the specific subject matter and their designees; 60
(2) "Project" means the development, redevelopment, remediation or 61
any other work performed by the Capital Region Development 62
Authority at the South Meadows site; and 63
(3) "South Meadows site" has the same meaning as provided in 64
section 1 of this act. 65
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes other than 66
section 22a-284c of the general statutes, as amended by this act, any 67
license, permit or approval required or permitted to be issued and any 68
administrative action required or permitted to be taken, in connection 69
with any work concerning a project under this section that is supervised 70
by a state agency, as defined in section 1-79 of the general statutes, shall 71
be in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section, to the 72
extent not inconsistent with the state's delegated authority under federal 73
law. Any agreement or memorandum of understanding entered into by 74
the Capital Region Development Authority with a state agency or a 75
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political subdivision of the state for work to be performed for any part 76
of a project under this section, including, but not limited to, licensing, 77
permitting, receiving governmental approvals and the construction of 78
sewer, water, steam or other utility connections, shall be in accordance 79
with the provisions of this section, to the extent not inconsistent with the 80
state's delegated authority under federal law or with any contract by 81
which such agency or political subdivision is bound. 82
(c) For a project under this section: 83
(1) Each license, permit or approval required or permitted to be 84
issued and each administrative action required or permitted to be taken 85
pursuant to the general statutes shall be issued or taken upon 86
application to the commissioner. Such commissioner or commissioners, 87
as applicable, shall have sole jurisdiction over any licenses, permits, 88
approvals or administrative action concerning such project. 89
(2) No notice of any tentative or final determination regarding any 90
such license, permit, approval or administrative action shall be required 91
except as expressly provided under this section. No ordinance or 92
regulation adopted by, nor authority granted to, a municipality or other 93
political subdivision of the state shall apply to a project under this 94
section. No municipality shall impose, as a condition of the availability 95
of state or federal funds under a program administered by such 96
municipality, any requirement that such municipality would not have 97
the authority to impose directly under the provisions of this section, 98
except as otherwise required by federal law. 99
(3) All applications, supporting documentation and other records 100
submitted to the commissioner that pertain to any license, permit, 101
approval or administrative action, together with all records of 102
proceedings related to such license, permit, approval or administrative 103
action, shall be made available for public inspection in accordance with 104
the Freedom of Information Act, as defined in section 1-200 of the 105
general statutes. 106
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(d) (1) Each commissioner having jurisdiction over any license, 107
permit, approval or administrative action for a project under this section 108
shall adopt a master process to consider multiple licenses, permits, 109
approvals and administrative actions for any such project, to the extent 110
practicable. Except as provided in subsection (i) of this section, licenses, 111
permits, approvals and administrative actions under this section shall 112
be issued or taken not later than ten business days after the date of 113
submission of any application to the commissioner for such license, 114
permit, approval or administrative action. If such license, permit, 115
approval or administrative action has not been issued or taken by the 116
close of business on such tenth business day, such application shall be 117
deemed approved unless such application has been denied or 118
conditionally issued or a hearing held on such application prior to the 119
close of business on such tenth business day. Nothing in this section 120
shall be deemed to require that applications for licenses, permits, 121
approvals or administration action connected with all aspects of a 122
project under this section be submitted or acted upon at the same time 123
if not otherwise required by law. 124
(2) Any requirement for a permit or an inspection by the State 125
Building Inspector or the State Fire Marshal shall be satisfied if the 126
Capital Region Development Authority obtains a certification from an 127
engineer or other appropriate professional duly certified or licensed in 128
the state that such work, to the extent such work is subject to approval 129
by the State Building Inspector or the State Fire Marshal, complies with 130
state building codes or fire laws and regulations, as applicable. 131
(e) Any hearing regarding all or any part of a project under this 132
section shall be conducted by the particular commissioner having 133
jurisdiction over the applicable license, permit, approval or 134
administrative action. The commissioner shall publish notice of such 135
hearing, not more than ten days and not less than five days in advance 136
of such hearing, in a newspaper having a general circulation in the city 137
of Hartford. 138
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(f) The commissioner shall, in rendering any decision in connection 139
with a project under this section, weigh all competent material and 140
substantial evidence presented by the applicant and the public in 141
accordance with procedures specified by the commissioner. The 142
commissioner shall issue written findings and determinations on which 143
the decision is based. Such findings and determinations shall consist of 144
the evidence presented, including such matters the commissioner 145
deems appropriate and that are related to the nature of any major 146
adverse health effect or environmental impact of the project, to the 147
extent applicable to a particular license, permit, approval or 148
administrative action. The commissioner may reverse or modify an 149
order or action of the commissioner at any time, in the same manner as 150
the original proceeding. 151
(g) (1) Any party aggrieved by any administrative action taken by a 152
commissioner in connection with a project under this section may 153
appeal to the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford in 154
accordance with the provisions of section 4-183 of the general statutes. 155
Such appeal shall be brought not later than ten days after the date of 156
mailing to the parties to the proceeding of a notice of such action by 157
certified mail, return receipt requested, and the appellant shall serve a 158
copy of the appeal on each party listed in the final decision at the 159
address shown in such decision. Failure to make such service within the 160
period specified on parties other than the commissioner who rendered 161
the final decision shall not deprive the court of jurisdiction over the 162
appeal. 163
(2) Not later than ten days after the service of such appeal, or within 164
such further time as may be allowed by the court, the commissioner who 165
rendered such decision shall transcribe any portion of the record that 166
had not been transcribed and shall transmit the original or a certified 167
copy of the entire record of the proceeding appealed from to the court. 168
Such record shall include the commissioner's findings of fact and 169
conclusions of law, separately stated. If more than one commissioner 170
has jurisdiction over the matter, such commissioners shall issue joint 171
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findings of fact and conclusions of law. Such appeal shall state the 172
reasons upon which it is predicated and, notwithstanding any provision 173
of the general statutes, shall not stay the development of the project. 174
(3) The commissioner who rendered the final decision shall appear as 175
the respondent. Appeals to the Superior Court shall each be a privileged 176
matter and shall be heard as soon after the return date as practicable. A 177
court shall render its decision not later than twenty-one days after the 178
date that the entire record, with the transcript, is filed with the court by 179
the commissioner who rendered the decision. 180
(4) The court shall not substitute its judgment for that of the 181
commissioner as to the weight of the evidence presented on a question 182
of fact. The court shall affirm the decision of the commissioner unless 183
the court finds that substantial rights of the party appealing the decision 184
have been materially prejudiced because the findings, inferences, 185
conclusions or decisions of the commissioner are (A) in violation of 186
constitutional or statutory provisions, (B) in excess of the statutory 187
authority of the commissioner, (C) made upon unlawful procedure, (D) 188
affected by an error of law, (E) clearly erroneous in view of the reliable, 189
probative and substantial evidence on the whole record, or (F) arbitrary, 190
capricious or characterized by abuse of discretion or clearly 191
unwarranted exercise of discretion. 192
(5) If the court finds material prejudice, it may sustain the appeal and, 193
upon sustaining an appeal, may render a judgment that modifies the 194
decision of the commissioner, orders particular action of the 195
commissioner or orders the commissioner to take such action as may be 196
necessary to effect a particular action and the commissioner may issue a 197
license, permit or approval or take an administrative action consistent 198
with such judgment. An applicant may file an amended application and 199
the commissioner may consider an amended application for a license, a 200
permit, an approval or an administrative action following court action. 201
(h) (1) The Capital Region Development authority shall be considered 202
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the state agency responsible for preparing any required written 203
evaluation of the impact of a project under this section on the 204
environment in accordance with the requirements set forth in section 205
22a-1b of the general statutes and regulations adopted thereunder. Said 206
authority shall hold a public hearing on the evaluation and shall publish 207
notice of such hearing, not more than ten days and not less than five 208
days in advance of such hearing, and the availability of such evaluation, 209
in a newspaper having a general circulation in the city of Hartford. Any 210
person may comment at the public hearing or in writing not later than 211
the second day following the close of the public hearing. All public 212
comments received by said authority shall be promptly forwarded to 213
the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection and the 214
Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and shall be made 215
available for public inspection. Nothing in subsection (b) of section 22a-216
1b of the general statutes shall be deemed to require that such written 217
evaluations be completed prior to (A) the awarding of contracts, (B) the 218
incurrence of obligations or the expenditure of funds in connection with 219
planning and engineering studies for site preparation, or (C) 220
preliminary site preparation work not requiring licenses, permits or 221
approvals not yet obtained. 222
(2) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall review 223
the evaluation and the public comments submitted and shall make a 224
written determination as to whether such evaluation satisfies the 225
requirements of sections 22a-1a to 22a-1c, inclusive, of the general 226
statutes, which determination shall be made public and forwarded to 227
the Capital Region Development Authority not later than ten days after 228
said authority forwarded the public comments pursuant to subdivision 229
(1) of this subsection. The secretary may require the revision of the 230
evaluation if, after taking into account all public and state agency 231
comments, the secretary finds that the evaluation does not satisfy the 232
requirement of said sections. 233
(i) (1) In exercising jurisdiction over any licenses, permits or 234
approvals required in connection with a project under this section, the 235
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Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall take into 236
consideration all public comments submitted by the Capital Region 237
Development Authority pursuant to subsection (h) of this section if and 238
to the extent such public comments are available at such time. Said 239
commissioner shall make written findings with respect to any such 240
comments that are relevant to the issuance or denial of any such license, 241
permit or approval. For any applications submitted under this section 242
that require a public hearing said commissioner shall adopt a master 243
administrative process that shall not be subject to the provisions of 244
chapter 54 of the general statutes and shall provide for a single public 245
hearing at which public comments on all pending applications shall be 246
heard. Any such public hearing shall be limited to the consideration of 247
issues or factors not included in the related environmental evaluation. 248
The provisions of subsection (d) of this section regarding deadlines for 249
licenses, permits, approvals or administrative action shall not apply to 250
licenses, permits, approvals or administrative actions issued or taken by 251
said commissioner. 252
(2) Said commissioner and said authority shall enter into a 253
memorandum of understanding regarding a master administrative 254
process for a project under this section. Such memorandum of 255
understanding shall (A) identify the proposed use after the 256
development, redevelopment or remediation associated with such 257
project and the license, permit, approval or administrative action 258
necessary for such project, with the goal of expediting the process of 259
issuing each such license, permit or approval or taking each such 260
administrative action as soon as is reasonably practicable, and (B) 261
provide (i) timelines for said commissioner to issue a notice of 262
sufficiency concerning the completeness of any application, Department 263
of Energy and Environmental Protection review, the holding of a public 264
hearing and receiving of public comments and the issuance of a decision 265
by said commissioner, or (ii) for applications for which a public hearing 266
is not required, timelines for said commissioner to issue a decision or 267
take administrative action. 268
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(j) All municipal corporations, including the Metropolitan District of 269
Hartford County, that exercise jurisdiction over the planning, 270
environmental testing and assessment, permitting, engineering, site 271
preparation and private and public infrastructure improvements related 272
to a project under this section, shall cooperate with the Capital Region 273
Development Authority in carrying out the provisions of this section, 274
including expedited consideration for licenses, permits, approvals and 275
administrative action. 276
(k) (1) The state shall hold harmless and indemnify the Capital 277
Region Development Authority and any employee and any director of 278
said authority from any liability, financial loss and expense, including 279
legal fees and costs, if any, arising out of any claim, demand, order, 280
penalty, lien, assessment, suit or judgment by reason of any title defects 281
relating to, or any pollution, contamination, hazardous waste, 282
hazardous substance or hazardous building material, including, but not 283
limited to, asbestos, asbestos-containing materials, lead or lead-284
containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polyfluoroalkyl 285
substances (PFAS), mold, fluorescent and high-intensity discharge 286
(HID) lamps, mercury, PCB ballasts, lead-acid battery electrolytes, 287
fluorocarbons, equipment coolant, hydraulic fluids, radioactive 288
materials, explosives, military ordinance, gasoline and petroleum 289
products or any other environmental condition existing at, originating 290
or emanating from or relating to, the real property, facilities and other 291
improvements at the South Meadows site, to the extent such title defect 292
or environmental issues were in existence on June 30, 2025. The state 293
shall not hold harmless nor indemnify said authority for any title defects 294
or environmental issues, arising after the date of any lease, assignment, 295
transfer, sale or other disposition concerning the South Meadows site, 296
that are not related to or attributable to any preexisting title defects or 297
environmental issues. Said authority shall use funds transferred 298
pursuant to subsection (b) of section 1 of this act prior to seeking 299
indemnification under this subsection. 300
(2) Said authority or any such employee or director may bring an 301
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action in the Superior Court against the state to enforce the provisions 302
of this section. 303
(3) For purposes of this subsection, "pollution", "contamination", 304
"hazardous waste", "hazardous substance" and "environmental 305
condition" have the same meanings as in applicable federal, state or 306
local laws pertaining to public health or the environment and including, 307
without limitation, title 22a of the general statutes and any regulations 308
or guidance promulgated by the Department of Energy and 309
Environmental Protection, the Comprehensive Environmental 310
Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, the Resource 311
Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 and the Superfund 312
Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1987, as each may be amended 313
from time to time, and "hazardous building material" has the same 314
meaning commonly ascribed to it in the environmental remediation 315
context and in any regulations or guidance promulgated by the 316
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection or the Department 317
of Administrative Services. 318
Sec. 5. Section 22a-284c of the general statutes is repealed and the 319
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective June 30, 2025): 320
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the 321
provisions of sections 22a-261, 22a-262, 22a-284a to 22a-284e, inclusive, 322
as amended by this act, [and] section 12 of public act 23-170, as amended 323
by this act, and sections 1 to 3, inclusive, of this act shall not be construed 324
to modify the liability of any person who: (1) Established a resources 325
recovery facility, (2) created a condition or who is maintaining any such 326
facility or condition that may reasonably be expected to create a source 327
of pollution to the waters of the state, or (3) is the certifying party to the 328
transfer of such a facility. 329
(b) Notwithstanding the requirements of sections 22a-134a to 22a-330
134e, inclusive, 22a-134h and 22a-134i, any conveyance of real property 331
or business operations authorized or required by the provisions of 332
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sections 22a-261, 22a-262, 22a-284a to 22a-284e, inclusive, as amended 333
by this act, [and] section 12 of public act 23-170, as amended by this act, 334
and sections 1 and 2 of this act from the Materials Innovation and 335
Recycling Authority to the MIRA Dissolution Authority, [or] from the 336
MIRA Dissolution Authority to the Department of Administrative 337
Services or from the MIRA Dissolution Authority to the Capital Region 338
Development Authority, shall not constitute the transfer of an 339
establishment for purposes of chapter 445. 340
(c) [(1)] Notwithstanding the requirements of section 22a-6o: [, upon] 341
(1) Upon transfer of ownership or oversight of a permitted facility 342
owned or operated by the Materials Innovation and Recycling 343
Authority to the MIRA Dissolution Authority any permits or licenses 344
held by the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority shall be 345
deemed to be transferred to the MIRA Dissolution Authority and shall 346
continue in full force and effect; [.] 347
(2) [Notwithstanding the requirements of section 22a-6o, upon] Upon 348
transfer of ownership or oversight of a permitted facility [owner] owned 349
or operated by the MIRA Dissolution Authority to the Department of 350
Administrative Services, any permits or licenses held by the MIRA 351
Dissolution Authority shall be deemed to be transferred to the 352
Department of Administrative Services and shall continue in full force 353
and effect; and 354
(3) Upon transfer of ownership or oversight of a permitted facility 355
owned or operated by the MIRA Dissolution Authority to the Capital 356
Region Development Authority, any permits of licenses held by the 357
MIRA Dissolution Authority shall be deemed to be transferred to the 358
Capital Region Development Authority and shall continue in full force 359
and effect. 360
Sec. 6. Section 22a-284e of the general statutes is repealed and the 361
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective June 30, 2025): 362
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The Department of Administrative Services shall constitute a 363
successor agency to the MIRA Dissolution Authority in accordance with 364
the provisions of subsections (a) to (d), inclusive, and [subsection] (f) of 365
section 4-38d and section 4-38e, except with respect to the ownership, 366
functions, powers and duties of the MIRA Dissolution Authority that 367
are assigned or transferred to the Capital Region Development 368
Authority pursuant to section 1 of this act. 369
Sec. 7. Subsection (i) of section 22a-261 of the general statutes is 370
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective June 371
30, 2025): 372
(i) The authority shall terminate on July 1, [2026] 2025. Upon the 373
termination of the authority, all of such authority's rights and properties 374
shall pass to and be vested in the state of Connecticut in accordance with 375
the provisions of section 22a-284e, as amended by this act. 376
Sec. 8. (NEW) (Effective June 30, 2025) There is hereby established a 377
South Meadows development district as follows: The area bounded and 378
described as follows: The intersection of Victoria Road and Wethersfield 379
Avenue, proceeding northerly along Wethersfield Avenue to Wawarme 380
Avenue, proceeding easterly along Wawarme Avenue to Curcombe 381
Street, proceeding on Curcombe Street to Hendricxson Avenue then 382
northwest on Hendricxson Avenue to Masseek Street, proceeding 383
northeasterly along Masseek Street to Van Block Avenue, proceeding 384
along Van Block Avenue to Sequassen Street, proceeding on Sequassen 385
Street towards the Connecticut River then southeasterly along Charter 386
Oak Landing to Reserve Road, proceeding on Reserve Road to Maxim 387
Road, proceeding northeasterly on Maxim Road towards the 388
Connecticut River then south along the Connecticut River to the 389
southeast corner of the area known as South Meadows, proceeding 390
westerly to the Exit 27 on ramp to Interstate 91, proceeding westerly to 391
the Exit 86 off ramp from U.S. Route 5 and proceeding southwesterly to 392
the intersection of Victoria Road and Wethersfield Avenue. 393
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This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 June 30, 2025 New section
Sec. 2 June 30, 2025 New section
Sec. 3 June 30, 2025 PA 23-170, Sec. 12
Sec. 4 June 30, 2025 New section
Sec. 5 June 30, 2025 22a-284c
Sec. 6 June 30, 2025 22a-284e
Sec. 7 June 30, 2025 22a-261(i)
Sec. 8 June 30, 2025 New section
Statement of Purpose:
To (1) transfer real property comprising the South Meadows site in the
city of Hartford to the Capital Region Development Authority and
establish provisions for the development, redevelopment or
remediation of such site, and (2) establish the boundaries of the South
Meadows development district.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]