Bill Text: CT HB05534 | 2018 | General Assembly | Chaptered
Bill Title: An Act Concerning The Classification Of Farm Land.
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Passed) 2018-06-13 - Signed by the Governor [HB05534 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2018-HB05534-Chaptered.html
AN ACT CONCERNING THE CLASSIFICATION OF FARM LAND.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 12-107c of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2018):
(a) An owner of land may apply for its classification as farm land on any grand list of a municipality by filing a written application for such classification with the assessor thereof not earlier than thirty days before or later than thirty days after the assessment date, provided in a year in which a revaluation of all real property in accordance with section 12-62 becomes effective such application may be filed not later than ninety days after such assessment date. The assessor shall determine whether such land is farm land and, if such assessor determines that it is farm land, he or she shall classify and include it as such on the grand list. In determining whether such land is farm land, such assessor shall take into account, among other things, the acreage of such land, the portion thereof in actual use for farming or agricultural operations, the productivity of such land, the gross income derived therefrom, the nature and value of the equipment used in connection therewith, and the extent to which the tracts comprising such land are contiguous. The assessor shall not deny the application of an owner of land for classification of such land as farm land if such land meets the criteria for classification as farm land pursuant to this subsection. The assessor shall not deny the application for any portion of such land on account of any minimum acreage requirement for residential parcels or agricultural use established under municipal zoning regulations.
(b) An application for classification of land as farm land shall be made upon a form prescribed by the Commissioner of Agriculture and shall set forth a description of the land, a general description of the use to which it is being put, a statement of the potential liability for tax under the provisions of sections 12-504a to 12-504f, inclusive, and such other information as the assessor may require to aid the assessor in determining whether such land qualifies for such classification.
(c) Failure to file an application for classification of land as farm land within the time limit prescribed in subsection (a) and in the manner and form prescribed in subsection (b) shall be considered a waiver of the right to such classification on such assessment list.
(d) Any person aggrieved by the denial of any application for the classification of land as farm land shall have the same rights and remedies for appeal and relief as are provided in the general statutes for taxpayers claiming to be aggrieved by the doings of assessors or boards of assessment appeals.