Connecticut Statutes
§ 7-148 — Scope of municipal powers.
Connecticut § 7-148
This text of Connecticut § 7-148 (Scope of municipal powers.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.
Bluebook
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-148 (2026).
Text
(a)Definitions. Whenever used in this section, “municipality” means any town, city or borough, consolidated town and city or consolidated town and borough.
(b)Ordinances. Powers granted to any municipality under the general statutes or by any charter or special act, unless the charter or special act provides to the contrary, shall be exercised by ordinance when the exercise of such powers has the effect of:
(1)Establishing rules or regulations of general municipal application, the violation of which may result in the imposition of a fine or other penalty including community service for not more than twenty hours; or (2) Creating a permanent local law of general applicability.
(c)Powers. Any municipality shall have the power to do any of the following, in addition to all powers granted
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1996 Conn. Super. Ct. 2832 (Connecticut Superior Court, 1996)
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Legislative History
(1949 Rev., S. 619; 1953, 1955, S. 248d; 1957, P.A. 13, S. 7; 201; 354, S. 1; 1959, P.A. 359, S. 1; 1961, P.A. 187; 570; 1963, P.A. 434; 626; February, 1965, P.A. 582; 1967, P.A. 126; 805, S. 3; 830; 1969, P.A. 694, S. 20; 1971, P.A. 389, S. 1; 802, S. 1; P.A. 73-614, S. 2, 3; P.A. 75-178, S. 1, 2; P.A. 76-32; P.A. 78-331, S. 4, 58; P.A. 79-531, S. 1; 79-618, S. 1; P.A. 80-403, S. 7, 10; P.A. 81-219, S. 1, 3; P.A. 82-327, S. 5; P.A. 83-168, S. 3; 83-188, S. 1; 83-587, S. 78, 96; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-3, S. 1; P.A. 84-232, S. 1–3; P.A. 86-97, S. 2, 3; 86-229, S. 1, 2; P.A. 87-278, S. 1, 5; P.A. 88-213, S. 1, 2; 88-221, S. 1; P.A. 90-334, S. 1; P.A. 93-434, S. 18, 20; P.A. 95-7; 95-320; P.A. 97-199, S. 5; 97-320, S. 4, 11; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-11, S. 62, 65; P.A. 98-188, S. 2; P.A. 99-129; 99-188, S. 3, 6; P.A. 00-136, S. 7, 10; P.A. 01-128, S. 1; P.A. 03-19, S. 19; P.A. 06-185, S. 7; P.A. 07-141, S. 4; P.A. 08-184, S. 34; P.A. 10-152, S. 7; P.A. 11-80, S. 122; P.A. 12-146, S. 2; P.A. 13-103, S. 1; 13-181, S. 1; P.A. 15-42, S. 9; 15-100, S. 1; P.A. 16-208, S. 3; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-1, S. 84; P.A. 23-33, S. 2; 23-207, S. 3; P.A. 24-143, S. 5.) History: 1959 act authorized establishment and maintenance of parks, etc., “by a board, commission or otherwise”; 1961 acts deleted semicolon between the words “mobile home parks” and “and regulate the removal of soil, loam,” etc. and added provision regulations enacted by local zoning commission would have same effect as ordinance; 1963 acts added provision for improvement of waterfronts “by a board, commission or otherwise” and added power to enact ordinances re sewer and drainage systems and sewage disposal plants and entry on land to correct surface water flow; 1965 act authorized zoning commission to regulate the filling of land not in public use; 1967 acts added power to furnish ambulance service, deleted power to set poll hours for elections and added power to regulate loitering; 1969 act deleted power to set poll hours for electors' meetings and referenda; 1971 acts added power to fix hours of operation of amusement parks and arcades and to establish commission or board to protect and improve environment and deleted power to regulate building construction; P.A. 73-614 added power to regulate off-street parking available to public on private property; P.A. 75-178 added power to acquire and sell personal and real property for benefit of the municipality; P.A. 76-32 replaced power to regulate loitering on public property with broader power to regulate use of streets, sidewalks, etc.; P.A. 78-331 divided section into subsecs. and subdivs. and restored power to acquire and sell real and personal property which was inadvertently dropped in 1976 act; P.A. 79-531 added power to provide fair housing and to perform data processing services for other towns in Subsec. (a); P.A. 79-618 added power to adopt ethics code in Subsec. (a); P.A. 80-403 added power to adopt code of discriminatory practices in Subsec. (a); P.A. 81-219 reorganized the section and included powers previously reserved for charter towns under Sec. 7-194, effective October 1, 1982; P.A. 82-327 completed the revision of power begun by P.A. 81-219; P.A. 83-168 added power to regulate automatic calling devices, designated as Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xiv); P.A. 83-188 made technical changes in Subdiv. (c)(5)(C); P.A. 83-587 substituted “7-282b” for “7-282a” in Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xiv); June Sp. Sess. 83-3 changed term “mobile home” to “mobile manufactured home” in Subsec. (c)(7)(A)(iv); P.A. 84-232 amended Subsec. (c)(3) to include encouragement of private commercial development and amended Subsec. (c)(6)(C) to authorize grants of limited property or leasehold interests in streets and sidewalks to abutting property owners; P.A. 86-97 amended Subsec. (c)(5) to include authorization to establish pension systems for members of volunteer fire departments; P.A. 86-229 amended Subsec. (c)(2)(K) to include references to trust funds and to funds which do not lapse at the end of the municipal fiscal year and added Subsec. (c)(4)(I) re housing for those with low or moderate incomes; P.A. 87-278 added Subsec. (c)(5)(D) re appointment of municipal historians; P.A. 88-213 added provision in Subsec. (c)(7)(B) to allow municipalities to regulate and prohibit on-street residential neighborhood parking; P.A. 88-221 amended Subsec. (c)(10)(A) to provide that regulations and ordinances may be enforced by citations by designated municipal officers, provided the regulations and ordinances are so designated and the written warning is issued before issuance of citation; P.A. 90-334 added provision in Subsec. (c)(7)(H) to allow municipalities to make and enforce regulations preventing housing blight; P.A. 93-434 added provision in Subsec. (c)(2)(L) to allow municipalities to assign tax liens on real property, effective June 30, 1993; P.A. 95-7 amended Subsec. (c) (5) (A) to authorize municipalities to establish pensions for active members of volunteer ambulance associations; P.A. 95-320 amended Subsec. (c)(2)(B) to allow municipalities to withhold approval of building application when taxes are delinquent on the property; P.A. 97-199 amended Subsec. (b)(1) by adding “including community service for not more than twenty hours”; P.A. 97-320 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xv) to authorize blight ordinance to include provision re reduction of assessments, effective July 1, 1997; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-11 changed effective date of P.A. 97-199 from October 1, 1997, to July 1, 1997, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-188 added provision in Subsec. (c)(2)(B) re delinquent water or sewer rates, charges or assessments; P.A. 99-129 added provision in Subsec. (c)(7)(H) to allow municipalities to impose fines for violation of blight regulations; P.A. 99-188 amended Subsec. (c)(4)(C) to allow towns to purchase, own and operate sports franchises, effective June 23, 1999; P.A. 00-136 amended Subsec. (c)(10) to add new Subpara. (E) re municipal freedom of information advisory boards, effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 01-128 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xv) to authorize regulations to establish a duty to maintain property and to specify standards to determine neglect; P.A. 03-19 made a technical change in Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xv), effective May 12, 2003; P.A. 06-185 amended Subsec. (c)(10)(A) to increase maximum penalty for violation of regulations and ordinances from $100 to $250; P.A. 07-141 amended Subsec. (c)(3)(A) to delete “or the encouragement of private commercial development” re power to take or acquire property, effective June 25, 2007, and applicable to property acquired on or after that date; P.A. 08-184 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(H) to add clause (xvi) re regulation on municipally owned property of any activity deemed to be deleterious to public health; P.A. 10-152 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xv) to authorize regulations for the remediation of housing blight, to provide that regulations may authorize designated agents of municipalities to enter property for purpose of remediating blighted conditions and to prohibit regulations from authorizing entry into dwelling house or structure on such property; P.A. 11-80 amended Subsec. (c)(6)(B) to add clause (v) re energy-savings performance contracts, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 12-146 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xv) by providing that regulations require municipality to give written notice of housing blight violation and reasonable opportunity to remediate blighted conditions and by changing “fines” to “civil penalties”; P.A. 13-103 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(D) by adding provision prohibiting adoption of breed-specific dog ordinances; P.A. 13-181 amended Subsec. (c)(10) by adding Subpara. (F) re protection of historic or architectural character of properties or districts; P.A. 15-42 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(B) to add clause (iii) re signs for towing or use of wheel-locking devices; P.A. 15-100 amended Subsec. (c)(10)(A) by exempting dirt bike and all-terrain vehicle ordinance violations from written warning requirement; P.A. 16-208 amended Subsec. (c)(10)(A) by adding reference to mini-motorcycle in provision re exception to written warning requirement; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-1 amended Subsec. (c)(H)(xvi) by adding “or under the control of”, replacing “lighting or carrying” with “burning” and adding provisions re cannabis, electronic cannabis delivery systems and vapor products containing cannabis and authorization for fine of up to $50 for individual or $1,000 for business violations of regulations; P.A. 23-33 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(H) to allow municipalities to adopt blight ordinances re commercial real property, to take immediate enforcement action for certain blight violations and increase maximum fines for certain blight violations; P.A. 23-207 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(A) to allow municipalities to establish civil penalties for violations of ordinances concerning safe and sanitary housing; P.A. 24-143 amended Subsec. (c)(7)(H)(xv) by adding provisions re fines for blight violations based on square footage of certain structures as subclauses (I) to (IV) and making conforming and technical changes. For constitutionality, see 95 C. 365. Cited. 102 C. 228. Vote to change compensation of town officers under section discussed. 103 C. 424, see also 104 C. 255. Grant of power to enact ordinances ordinarily implies power to repeal them. 118 C. 11. Cited. 119 C. 603. State delegated power to make traffic rules applying to all vehicles alike, but retained special power to regulate motor vehicles with specific exceptions noted in Sec. 14-162. 125 C. 501; 135 C. 71. Cited. 129 C. 109; 133 C. 29; 135 C. 421. “Regulate” does not so much imply creating a new thing as arranging and controlling that which already exists. 143 C. 152. Confers necessary power to adopt legislation regulating auctions. Id., 698. Ordinance imposing time limitations on the occupancy of land by trailers and mobile homes held constitutional. 146 C. 697. Constitutionality of ordinance licensing and regulating trailer and mobile home parks discussed; towns without zoning authorities should have power to deal with trailers and mobile homes not only in matters narrowly concerned with public health and safety but in matters concerned with economic and esthetic considerations which can affect public welfare; if ordinance which is police measure imposes a fee, such fee must be reasonably proportionate to cost of administering and enforcing the ordinance. Id., 720. Power to adopt rent control not within general delegation of police power. 147 C. 60. If charter empowers legislative body of municipality to adopt and amend its own rules of order in exercising certain legislative functions, such body need not act by ordinance or resolution. 148 C. 33. Cited. Id., 233. Attempt by common council to establish law department by ordinance ineffective where charter provisions were inconsistent with the exercise of such power. 152 C. 287; Id., 318; 158 C. 100. Cited. 166 C. 376; 181 C. 114; 183 C. 495; 203 C. 267; 227 C. 363; 234 C. 513, 538. Cited. 1 CA 505; 13 CA 1; 17 CA 17; judgment reversed, see 212 C. 570. Town limited in authority where city or borough has duplicate power. 14 CS 258. Test for powers by implication is necessity not convenience. 15 CS 344. Cited. 20 CS 464. Omission of any direct mention of a mobile home park as a permitted use of land anywhere in a town does not render zoning law void or unconstitutional. 21 CS 275. Town may regulate garbage disposal business; it cannot prohibit it; ordinance prohibiting transportation into a town of garbage from any other town held void. Id., 347. Zoning regulation requiring permit for commercial removal of sand and gravel not taking of property without due process; proper exercise of police power. 25 CS 125. Does not permit adoption of original “special event” ordinance. 29 CS 48. Cited. 36 CS 74. Cited as authority for municipality to establish monetary fine for violation of housing code. 4 Conn. Cir. Ct. 244. Subsec. (c): Cited. 192 C. 399; 195 C. 524; 201 C. 700; 203 C. 14; 208 C. 543; 212 C. 147; 217 C. 447; 237 C. 135. Subdiv. (7)(H)(xi): Ordinance banning all cigarette vending machines was valid exercise of town's police power, and legislative enactment of Sec. 12-289a was intended to ensure that municipalities remained free to decide if local conditions warranted additional regulation of cigarette vending machines, up to and including an outright ban. 256 C. 105. In Subdiv. (1)(A), general power to sue and be sued does not mean that municipality may bring suit that it otherwise would have no standing to bring; in Subdiv. (7)(H)(xi), general power to protect health and welfare of municipal inhabitants does not mean that municipality may bring suit with that aim that it otherwise would have no standing to bring. 258 C. 313. “Public improvement”, as used in Subdiv. (6)(A)(iii), is not limited to projects that either already exist or have been approved and funded by municipality; accordingly, Subdiv. (6)(A)(iii) includes within its ambit studies intended to determine feasibility of a particular project. 274 C. 483. The grant of police powers to municipalities under section is sufficiently broad to encompass the power to require licensing and inspections of residential rental real estate. 288 C. 181. Although statutes confer on municipalities the power to control streets and to regulate traffic in order to prevent unsafe traffic conditions, under present facts, town's closure of road to prevent access from subdivision in adjoining town was inconsistent with statutes governing review of subdivision applications. 295 C. 802. Cited. 4 CA 261; 10 CA 209; 29 CA 207. Provision enabling municipality to adopt an ordinance providing for the furnishing of water did not authorize planning commission to adopt subdivision regulations that address issues re water supply and water main extensions in a proposed subdivision. 114 CA 509. Cited. 37 CS 124; 44 CS 389.
Nearby Sections
15
§ 7-10
Oath.§ 7-101
Town seal.§ 7-102
Signposts.§ 7-105a
Office of grand juror abolished.§ 7-106
Oath of grand jurors.Cite This Page — Counsel Stack
Bluebook (online)
Connecticut § 7-148, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/statute/ct/7-148.