Sec. 13b-50a. Initiatives for the preservation of airports.

      Sec. 13b-50a. Initiatives for the preservation of airports. The following initiatives shall be established to preserve Connecticut's licensed private owned, public used airports which have a paved runway and a minimum of five thousand operations per year: (1) The state shall have the right of first refusal to purchase, via fair market value and state property acquisition procedures, an airport, if that airport is threatened with sale or closure, for the express purpose in preserving the airport; (2) the Commissioner of Transportation may acquire the development rights, based on fair market value for such rights of such airports, provided the airport remains a public airport; (3) the state shall fund capital improvements to private airports, in which case the state shall participate in ninety per cent of the eligible costs and the balance by the sponsor, with budget and priorities to be determined by the Department of Transportation, and engineering in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circulars; and (4) the establishment of a new airport zoning category for the airport's imaginary surfaces as defined by Federal Aviation Regulations. Development within these surfaces shall require notices for proposed construction and a federal determination of obstructions. Construction of obstructions deemed hazardous to navigation shall not be allowed.

      (P.A. 07-232, S. 50.)

      History: P.A. 07-232 effective July 1, 2007.