Connecticut § 25-85 - Establishment of flood prevention, climate resilience and erosion control system. Requirements of flood prevention, climate resilience and erosion control boards.

§ 25-85. Establishment of flood prevention, climate resilience and erosion control system. Requirements of flood prevention, climate resilience and erosion control boards.

Sec. 25-85. Establishment of flood prevention, climate resilience and erosion control system. Requirements of flood prevention, climate resilience and erosion control boards. (a) Such board shall have authority, within the limits of appropriations from time to time made by the municipality or municipalities, as applicable, to plan, lay out, acquire, construct, reconstruct, repair, maintain, supervise, operate and manage a flood prevention, climate resilience and erosion control system. As used in sections 25-84 to 25-94, inclusive, “flood prevention, climate resilience and erosion control system” means any dike, berm, dam, piping, groin, jetty, sea wall, embankment, revetment, tide-gate, water storage area, ditch, drain or other structure or facility, and any nonstructural and nature-based measure, including, but not limited to, removal, relocation or modification of existing structures, restoration and maintenance of open floodplain or other water storage area and any feasible, less environmentally damaging alternative, as defined in section 22a-92, that is useful in preventing or ameliorating damage from floods or erosion, whether caused by fresh or salt water, any dam forming a lake or pond that benefits abutting properties or any open space reserved for future accommodation or establishment of wetlands or watercourses, and shall include any easements, rights-of-way and riparian rights which may be required in furtherance of any such system.

(b) In planning for and conducting its activities, such board (1) shall consider all applicable regional and municipal hazard mitigation plans, resilience plans and identifications of vulnerable communities, as defined in subsection (a) of section 16-243y, as well as all applicable municipal plans of conservation and development adopted pursuant to section 8-23, and (2) may consult with the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation.

(1955, S. 2384d; November, 1955, S. N207; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-38, S. 4; P.A. 21-115, S. 5.)

History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-38 provided that the definition of flood or erosion control system includes dams; P.A. 21-115 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and amended same to add “, operate”, change defined term from “flood or erosion control system” to “flood prevention, climate resilience and erosion control system” and redefine same, and make technical and conforming changes, and added Subsec. (b) re planning considerations, effective July 1, 2021.