HB05290 • 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING COASTAL SITE PLAN REVIEWS FOR CERTAIN SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES.

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Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Planning and Development Committee
Last action: 2026-02-20
Official status: Public Hearing 02/27
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text lists specific exemptions for single-family structures under subdivision (7), while other items like decks and pools are listed separately; the summary combines these as eligible uses generally.

Exemptions for Some Coastal Single-Family Homes

This law allows local zoning commissions to skip full coastal site plan reviews for certain single-family homes and instead submit quarterly reports to state officials.

What This Bill Does

Allows zoning commissions to exempt specific uses, including new single-family residential structures, from standard coastal site plan review rules under defined conditions.
Requires commissions that use this exemption for single-family homes to submit a report every three months to the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection detailing approved structures.
Lists eligible exemptions such as minor additions, decks, pools, fences, interior changes, and conservation activities.
Sets limits on when new single-family homes can be exempted based on their location near islands or sensitive coastal areas like wetlands and dunes.
States that shoreline flood and erosion control structures cannot be exempt from review requirements.

Who It Names or Affects

Local zoning commissions responsible for reviewing building plans in coastal zones.
Homeowners planning to build new single-family homes on the coast, provided they meet specific location criteria.
The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection who receives quarterly reports.

Terms To Know

Coastal site plan review: A process where officials check building plans to ensure they do not harm coastal resources or restrict public beach access.
Zoning commission: The local government group that decides if a building project follows land use rules and can grant exemptions under this law.

Limits and Unknowns

The exemption for new single-family homes does not apply if the structure is on an island without a road bridge or causeway connection to the mainland.
New single-family homes located in or within one hundred feet of tidal wetlands, coastal bluffs and escarpments, beaches, or dunes cannot use this exemption.
This law takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Bill History

2026-02-20 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 02/27
2026-02-19 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Planning and Development

Official Summary Text

To allow zoning commissions to exempt certain single-family residential structures from requirements concerning coastal site plan reviews and instead submit quarterly reports to the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection concerning the approval of such structures.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

LCO No. 1571 1 of 3

General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5290
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 1571

Referred to Committee on PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Introduced by:
(PD)

AN ACT CONCERNING COASTAL SITE PLAN REVIEWS FOR
CERTAIN SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (b) of section 22a-109 of the 2026 supplement to 1
the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2
thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 3
(b) The zoning commission may by regulation exempt any or all of 4
the following uses from the coastal site plan review requirements of this 5
chapter: (1) Minor additions to or modifications of existing buildings or 6
detached accessory buildings, such as garages and utility sheds; (2) 7
construction of new or modification of existing structures incidental to 8
the enjoyment and maintenance of residential property including but 9
not limited to walks, terraces, elevated decks, driveways, swimming 10
pools, tennis courts, docks and detached accessory buildings; (3) 11
construction of new or modification of existing on -premise structures 12
including fences, walls, pedestrian walks and terraces, underground 13
utility connections, essential electric, gas, telephone, water and sewer 14
service lines, signs and such other minor structures as will not 15

Raised Bill No. 5290

LCO No. 1571 2 of 3

substantially alter the natural character of coastal resources or restrict 16
access along the public beach; (4) activities conducted for the specific 17
purpose of conserving or preserving soil, vegetation, water, fish, 18
shellfish, wildlife and other coastal land and water resources; (5) interior 19
modifications to buildings; [and] (6) minor changes in use of a building, 20
structure or property except those changes occurring on property 21
adjacent to or abutting coastal waters ; and (7) construction of a single -22
family residential structure except when such structure is (A) located on 23
an island not connected to the mainland by an existing road bridge or 24
causeway, or (B) in or within one hundred feet of the following coastal 25
resource areas: Tidal wetlands, coastal bluffs and escarpments and 26
beaches and dunes . Gardening, grazing and the harvesting of crops 27
shall be exempt from the requirements of this chapter. If a zoning 28
commission adopts an exemption pursuant to subdivision (7) of this 29
subsection, such commission shall, not less than quarterly, submit a 30
report to the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection 31
detailing any such single -family residential structure approved by the 32
commission during the period covered by such report. Notwithstanding 33
the provisions of this subsection, shoreline flood and erosion control 34
structures as defined in subsection (c) of this section shall not be exempt 35
from the requirements of this chapter. 36
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 22a-109(b)

Statement of Purpose:
To allow zoning commissions to exempt certain single -family
residential structures from requirements concerning coastal site plan
reviews and instead submit quarterly reports to the Commissioner of
Energy and Environmental Protection concerning the approval of such
structures.

Raised Bill No. 5290

LCO No. 1571 3 of 3

[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.]