Connecticut § 8-18 - Definitions.

§ 8-18. Definitions.

Sec. 8-18. Definitions. As used in this chapter: “Commission” means a planning commission; “municipality” includes a city, town or borough or a district establishing a planning commission under section 7-326; “subdivision” means the division of a tract or parcel of land into three or more parts or lots made subsequent to the adoption of subdivision regulations by the commission, for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of sale or building development expressly excluding development for municipal, conservation or agricultural purposes, and includes resubdivision; “resubdivision” means a change in a map of an approved or recorded subdivision or resubdivision if such change (a) affects any street layout shown on such map, (b) affects any area reserved thereon for public use or (c) diminishes the size of any lot shown thereon and creates an additional building lot, if any of the lots shown thereon have been conveyed after the approval or recording of such map; “cluster development” means a building pattern concentrating units on a particular portion of a parcel so that at least one-third of the parcel remains as open space to be used exclusively for recreational, conservation and agricultural purposes except that nothing herein shall prevent any municipality from requiring more than one-third open space in any particular cluster development; “town” and “selectmen” include district and officers of such district, respectively.

(1949 Rev., S. 853; 1953, S. 384d; 1959, P.A. 577, S. 2; 679, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 221; 677, S. 1; P.A. 77-545, S. 1; P.A. 91-395, S. 2, 11.)

History: 1959 acts added district to definition of municipality, added words “parts or” before “lots” in definition of subdivision and added definition of town and selectmen; 1967 acts included changes which create additional building lot or lots in definition of “resubdivision” and excluded development for municipal and conservation purposes from definition of “subdivision”; P.A. 77-545 redefined “subdivision” to specify divisions made after adoption of subdivision regulations by commission; P.A. 91-395 added the definition of “cluster development”.

Definition of subdivision and resubdivision discussed. 146 C. 570. Cited. 149 C. 630. There is no authority for commission to adopt as a regulation definition of “subdivision” which modifies, restricts or enlarges upon statutory definition. 151 C. 450. Cited. 172 C. 60; 219 C. 303; 222 C. 216; Id., 294; 227 C. 601. Appropriate inquiry under section is whether one lot has been divided into 3 or more units, not whether topography of lot is maintained or the degree of lot line adjustment. 330 C. 502.

Cited. 5 CA 509; 8 CA 556; 18 CA 159; 20 CA 462; 23 CA 75; 29 CA 28. A map is not a resubdivision unless it alters a “subdivision”. 173 CA 256. The mere changing of lot lines or adding additional land to lots, no matter how sizeable, does not constitute a “subdivision”; Legislature intended the word “parts” to refer to separate but whole, not fractional, members of a tract of land, thus, when the word “parts” is read in light of its commonly approved usage and together with the definition of “resubdivision” under this section, its meaning is plain and unambiguous, and is to be read together with the word “lots” so as to clarify the latter's meaning. 199 CA 115.

Cited. 43 CS 508.