§ 23-16a — Leasing of camping sites at shore parks. Pilot program.

Connecticut § 23-16a

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 23: Parks, Forests and Public Shade Trees
• Ch. 447: State Parks and Forests

Text

(a) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall not lease camping sites at shore parks to the same camping party for more than three weeks during the camping season. The commissioner shall (1) lease camping sites to the same camping party for additional periods of up to three weeks, provided such camping party vacates the shore park for a minimum of five days between leases, or (2) lease any vacant camping sites on a first come, first served basis. The commissioner may adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to establish limits on the length of camping site leases. The lease length limitation in this subsection shall be effective until June 30, 2013, or until such regulations are adopted, whichever is later. (b) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall establish a pilot program for the 2013 camping season, allowing five per cent of camping sites in shore parks to be leased by the same camping party without a limitation on the number of days leased. Notwithstanding the schedule of fees established pursuant to section 23-16 , the commissioner may charge a nightly fee for such camping sites equal to one hundred fifty per cent of the applicable fee charged during the 2012 camping season. (2) On or before February 1, 2014, said commissioner shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a , to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the environment and finance, revenue and bonding regarding the pilot program established pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection. Such report shall include, but not be limited to, a description of the implementation of the pilot program, its impact upon the availability of camping sites, the reaction of families using the camping sites and recommendations for changes, if any, in the pilot program.

Legislative History

(1969, P.A. 733, S. 2; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 179; P.A. 11-80, S. 1; P.A. 12-98, S. 1.) History: 1971 act replaced reference to state park and forest commission with reference to commissioner of environmental protection and reworded provisions re phasing out extended leases by reducing same in equal numbers each year for 5 years; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 12-98 replaced former provisions re phase out of certain leases of camping sites at shore parks with Subsec. (a) re leasing of camping sites at shore parks to same camping party, leasing camping sites on a first come, first served basis and lease length limits, and Subsec. (b) re establishment of a pilot program for the 2013 camping season, effective June 8, 2012.