CHAPTER 203
PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT

Table of Contents

Sec. 12-62. Revaluation of real estate.
Sec. 12-63f. Payment to state of receipts from certain properties subjected to environmental pollution remediation projects.
Sec. 12-63g. Assessment of buffers to inland wetlands or watercourses.
Sec. 12-81. Exemptions.
Sec. 12-81r. Municipal option to abate or forgive taxes on contaminated real property undergoing remediation.
Sec. 12-91. Exemption for farm machinery, horses or ponies. Additional optional exemption for farm buildings or buildings used for housing for seasonal employees.
Sec. 12-94a. State reimbursement in lieu of tax revenue from totally disabled persons.
Sec. 12-107a. Declaration of policy.
Sec. 12-107c. Classification of land as farm land.
Sec. 12-107d. Regulations re evaluation of land as forest land. Implementation of standards and procedures. Certification requirements. Fees. Notice of termination of forest land classification. Application for classification as forest land. Appeal. Report to State Forester.
Sec. 12-107e. Classification of land as open space land.
Sec. 12-117a. Appeals from boards of tax review or boards of assessment appeals.
Sec. 12-119. Remedy when property wrongfully assessed.

      Sec. 12-62. Revaluation of real estate.

      Town assessor's duties under statute are mandatory, not discretionary, and failure to make and complete another revaluation by statutorily mandated revaluation date constitutes a disregard of statute's mandate. 85 CA 480.

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      Sec. 12-63f. Payment to state of receipts from certain properties subjected to environmental pollution remediation projects. Section 12-63f is repealed, effective July 13, 2005.

      (P.A. 96-250, S. 2, 7; P.A. 99-225, S. 5; P.A. 01-204, S. 25, 29; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 73, 131; P.A. 05-285, S. 4.)

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      Sec. 12-63g. Assessment of buffers to inland wetlands or watercourses. Property required as a buffer pursuant to any permit issued by an inland wetlands agency under regulations adopted under section 22a-42a shall be assessed at a value equal to the value of such property if it were an inland wetland or watercourse area.

      (P.A. 05-190, S. 1.)

      History: P.A. 05-190 effective July 1, 2005.

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      Sec. 12-81. Exemptions. The following-described property shall be exempt from taxation:

      (1) Property of the United States. Property belonging to, or held in trust for, the United States, the taxation of which has not been authorized by Congress;

      (2) State property and reservation land. Property belonging to, or held in trust for, this state and reservation land held in trust by the state for an Indian tribe;

      (3) County property. Repealed;

      (4) Municipal property. Except as otherwise provided by law, property belonging to, or held in trust for, a municipal corporation of this state and used for a public purpose, including real and personal property used for cemetery purposes;

      (5) Property held by trustees for public purposes. As long as used by the public for public purposes, property held by trustees named in a will or deed of trust and their successors for this state or its people, one of its counties or its people or one of its municipal corporations or its people;

      (6) Property of volunteer fire companies and property devoted to public use. The property of any volunteer fire company used for fire protection or for other public purposes, if such company receives any annual appropriation from the town; and, as long as the owner thereof makes only a nominal charge not in excess of twenty-five dollars annually for its use, property not owned by a Connecticut municipality wherein the same is situated, provided such property is exclusively used by the public in lieu of public property which would otherwise be required, as authorized by any general statute or special act;

      (7) Property used for scientific, educational, literary, historical or charitable purposes. Exception. Subject to the provisions of sections 12-87 and 12-88, the real property of, or held in trust for, a corporation organized exclusively for scientific, educational, literary, historical or charitable purposes or for two or more such purposes and used exclusively for carrying out one or more of such purposes and the personal property of, or held in trust for, any such corporation, provided (A) any officer, member or employee thereof does not receive or at any future time shall not receive any pecuniary profit from the operations thereof, except reasonable compensation for services in effecting one or more of such purposes or as proper beneficiary of its strictly charitable purposes, and (B) in 1965, and quadrennially thereafter, a statement shall be filed on or before the first day of November with the assessor or board of assessors of any town, consolidated town and city or consolidated town and borough, in which any of its property claimed to be exempt is situated. Such statement shall be filed on a form provided by such assessor or board of assessors. On and after July 1, 1967, housing subsidized, in whole or in part, by federal, state or local government and housing for persons or families of low and moderate income shall not constitute a charitable purpose under this section. As used in this subdivision, "housing" shall not include real property used for temporary housing belonging to, or held in trust for, any corporation organized exclusively for charitable purposes and exempt from taxation for federal income tax purposes, the primary use of which property is one or more of the following: (i) An orphanage; (ii) a drug or alcohol treatment or rehabilitation facility; (iii) housing for homeless, retarded or mentally or physically handicapped individuals, or for battered or abused women and children; (iv) housing for ex-offenders or for individuals participating in a program sponsored by the state Department of Correction or judicial branch; and (v) short-term housing operated by a charitable organization where the average length of stay is less than six months. The operation of such housing, including the receipt of any rental payments, by such charitable organization shall be deemed to be an exclusively charitable purpose;

      (8) College property. The funds and estate which have been or may be granted, provided by the state, or given by any person or persons to the Trustees of the Berkeley Divinity School, the board of trustees of Connecticut College for Women, the Hartford Seminary Foundation, Sheffield Scientific School, Trinity College, Wesleyan University or The President and Fellows of Yale College in New Haven, and by them respectively invested and held for the use of such institutions, with the income thereof; provided none of said corporations shall hold in this state real estate free from taxation affording an annual income of more than six thousand dollars. Such exemption shall not apply to any real estate which said Trustees of the Berkeley Divinity School own, control or hold in trust, and which is situated in the city of Middletown. No other provision of this section concerning exemption of property used for educational purposes shall be construed to affect any provision of this subdivision;

      (9) Personal property loaned to tax-exempt educational institutions. Personal property while it is loaned without charge or leased at a nominal charge of one dollar per year to any tax-exempt educational institution above secondary level and used exclusively by such institution for teaching, research or teaching demonstration purposes;

      (10) Property belonging to agricultural or horticultural societies. Subject to the provisions of sections 12-87 and 12-88, property belonging to, or held in trust for, an agricultural or horticultural society incorporated by this state which is used in connection with an annual agricultural fair held by a nonprofit incorporated agricultural society of this state or any nonprofit incorporated society of this state carrying on or promoting any branch of agriculture, provided (A) said society shall pay cash premiums at such fair amounting to at least two hundred dollars, (B) said society shall file with the Commissioner of Agriculture on or before the thirtieth of December following said fair a report in such detail as the commissioner may require giving the names of all exhibitors and the amount of premiums, with the objects for which they have been paid, which statement shall be sworn to by the president, secretary or treasurer of the society, (C) any officer, member or employee thereof does not receive or at any future time shall not receive any pecuniary profit from the operations thereof except reasonable compensation for services in the conduct of its affairs, and (D) in 1965, and quadrennially thereafter, a statement shall be filed on or before the first day of November with the assessor or board of assessors of any town, consolidated town and city or consolidated town and borough in which any of its property claimed to be exempt is situated. Such statement shall be filed on a form provided by such assessor or board of assessors. For purposes of this subsection, "fair" means a bona fide agricultural exhibition designed, arranged and operated to promote, encourage and improve agriculture by offering premiums and awards for the best exhibits of two or more by the following branches of agriculture: Crops, livestock, poultry, dairy products and homemaking;

      (11) Property held for cemetery use. Subject to the provisions of section 12-88, tangible property owned by, or held in trust for, a religious organization, provided such tangible property is used exclusively for cemetery purposes; donations held in trust by a municipality, an ecclesiastical society or a cemetery association, the income of which is to be used for the care or improvement of its cemetery, or of one or more private burial lots within such cemetery. Subject to the provisions of sections 12-87 and 12-88, any other tangible property used for cemetery purposes shall not be exempt, unless (a) such tangible property is exclusively so used, and (b) no officer, member or employee of the organization owning such property receives or, at any future time, shall receive any pecuniary profit from the cemetery operations thereof except reasonable compensation for services in the conduct of its cemetery affairs, and (c) in 1965, and quadrennially thereafter, a statement on forms prepared by the assessor shall be filed on or before the last day required by law for the filing of assessment returns with the local board of assessors of any town, consolidated town and city or consolidated town and borough, in which any of its property claimed to be exempt is situated;

      (12) Personal property of religious organizations devoted to religious or charitable use. Personal property within the state owned by, or held in trust for, a Connecticut religious organization, whether or not incorporated, if the principal or income is used or appropriated for religious or charitable purposes or both;

      (13) Houses of religious worship. Subject to the provisions of section 12-88, houses of religious worship, the land on which they stand, their pews, furniture and equipment owned by, or held in trust for the use of, any religious organization;

      (14) Property of religious organizations used for certain purposes. Subject to the provisions of section 12-88, real property and its equipment owned by, or held in trust for, any religious organization and exclusively used as a school, a Connecticut nonprofit camp or recreational facility for religious purposes, a parish house, an orphan asylum, a home for children, a thrift shop, the proceeds of which are used for charitable purposes, a reformatory or an infirmary or for two or more of such purposes;

      (15) Houses used by officiating clergymen as dwellings. Subject to the provisions of section 12-88, dwelling houses and the land on which they stand owned by, or held in trust for, any religious organization and actually used by its officiating clergymen;

      (16) Hospitals and sanatoriums. Subject to the provisions of section 12-88, all property of, or held in trust for, any Connecticut hospital society or corporation or sanatorium, provided (A) no officer, member or employee thereof receives or, at any future time, shall receive any pecuniary profit from the operations thereof, except reasonable compensation for services in the conduct of its affairs, and (B) in 1967, and quadrennially thereafter, a statement shall be filed by such hospital society, corporation or sanatorium on or before the first day of November with the assessor or board of assessors of any town, consolidated town and city or consolidated town and borough, in which any of its property claimed to be exempt is situated. Such statement shall be filed on a form provided by such assessor or board of assessors;

      (17) Blind persons. Subject to the provisions of sections 12-89, 12-90 and 12-92, property to the amount of three thousand dollars belonging to, or held in trust for, any blind person, resident of this state; or, lacking said amount of property in his own name, so much of the property belonging to, or held in trust for, his spouse, who is domiciled with him, as is necessary to equal said amount;

      (18) Property of veterans' organizations. (a) Property of bona fide war veterans' organization. Subject to the provisions of section 12-88, property owned by, or held in trust for, any bona fide war veterans' organization or any of its local posts, which organization shall be composed in whole or in major part of veterans of the military or naval service or both of the United States in any war, except the Civil War; provided such property shall be actually and exclusively used and occupied by such organization;

      (b) Property of the Grand Army of the Republic. Property belonging to the Grand Army of the Republic, or owned by, or held in trust for, any local post thereof, shall continue to be exempt from taxation in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (27);

      (19) Veterans. Subject to the provisions of sections 12-89, 12-90 and 12-95, property to the amount of one thousand dollars belonging to, or held in trust for, any resident of this state who (a) is a veteran of the armed forces in service in time of war, (b) any resident of this state who was a citizen of the United States at the time of his enlistment and who was in the military or naval service of a government allied or associated with that of the United States during the Second World War and received an honorable discharge therefrom, (c) any resident of this state who served during the Second World War as a member of any armed force of any government signatory to the United Nations Declaration of January 1, 1942, and participated in armed conflict with an enemy of the United States and who has been a citizen of the United States for at least ten years and presents satisfactory evidence of such service, (d) any resident of this state who served as a member of the crew of a merchant vessel during the Second World War and is qualified with respect to such service as a member of the group known as the "American Merchant Marine in ocean-going service during the period of armed conflict, December 7, 1941, to August 15, 1945", members of which are deemed to be eligible for certain veterans benefits under a determination in the United States Department of Defense, as recorded in the Federal Register of February 1, 1988, provided such resident has received an armed forces discharge certificate from the Department of Defense on the basis of such service, (e) any member of the armed forces who was in service in time of war and is still in the service and by reason of continuous service has not as yet received a discharge, (f) any person who is retired from the armed forces after thirty years of service because he has reached the age limit prescribed by law or because he suffers from mental or physical disability, or (g) any person who is serving in the armed services in time of war; or lacking said amount of property in his own name, so much of the property belonging to, or held in trust for, his spouse, who is domiciled with him, as is necessary to equal said amount. For the purposes of this subdivision, "veteran", "armed forces" and "service in time of war" have the same meaning as in section 27-103;

      (20) Servicemen and veterans having disability ratings. Subject to the provisions hereinafter stated, property not exceeding three thousand dollars in amount shall be exempt from taxation, which property belongs to, or is held in trust for, any resident of this state who has served, or is serving, in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or Air Force of the United States and (1) has a disability rating by the Veterans' Administration of the United States amounting to ten per cent or more of total disability, provided such exemption shall be fifteen hundred dollars in any case in which such rating is between ten per cent and twenty-five per cent; two thousand dollars in any case in which such rating is more than twenty-five per cent but not more than fifty per cent; twenty-five hundred dollars in any case in which such rating is more than fifty per cent but not more than seventy-five per cent; and three thousand dollars in any case in which such person has attained sixty-five years of age or such rating is more than seventy-five per cent; or (2) is receiving a pension, annuity or compensation from the United States because of the loss in service of a leg or arm or that which is considered by the rules of the United States Pension Office or the Bureau of War Risk Insurance the equivalent of such loss. If such veteran lacks such amount of property in his or her name, so much of the property belonging to, or held in trust for, his or her spouse, who is domiciled with him or her, as is necessary to equal such amount shall also be so exempt. When any veteran entitled to an exemption under the provisions of this section has died, property belonging to, or held in trust for, his or her surviving spouse, while such spouse remains a widow or widower, or belonging to or held in trust for his or her minor children during their minority, or both, while they are residents of this state, shall be exempt in the same aggregate amount as that to which the disabled veteran was or would have been entitled at the time of his or her death. No individual entitled to exemption under this subdivision and under one or more of subdivisions (19), (22), (23), (25) and (26) of this section shall receive more than one exemption. No individual shall receive any exemption to which he or she is entitled under this subdivision until he or she has complied with section 12-95 and until he or she has, in each year in which such exemption is being sought, submitted evidence satisfactory to the assessors as to his or her actual disability rating on the assessment day as of which such exemption is being sought, except that proof of disability of persons who have attained the age of sixty-five years or who have presented Veterans' Administration certificates showing permanent total disability need be filed but once. Any person who has been unable to submit evidence of disability rating in the manner required by this subdivision, or who has failed to submit such evidence as provided in section 12-95, may, when he or she obtains such evidence satisfactory to the assessors, make application to the collector of taxes within one year after he or she obtains such proof or within one year after the expiration of the time limited in section 12-95, as the case may be, for abatement in case the tax has not been paid, or for refund in case the whole tax has been paid, of such part or the whole of such tax as represents the service exemption. Such abatement or refund may be granted retroactively to include the assessment day next succeeding the date as of which such person was entitled to such disability rating as determined by the Veterans' Administration of the United States, but in no case shall any abatement or refund be made for a period greater than three years. The collector shall, after examination of such application, refer the same, with his recommendations thereon, to the board of selectmen of a town or to the corresponding authority of any other municipality, and shall certify to the amount of abatement or refund to which the applicant is entitled. Upon receipt of such application and certification, the selectmen or other duly constituted authority shall, in case the tax has not been paid, issue a certificate of abatement or, in case the whole tax has been paid, draw an order upon the treasurer in favor of such applicant for the amount without interest which represents the service exemption. Any action so taken by such selectmen or other authority shall be a matter of record and the tax collector shall be notified in writing of such action;

      (21) Disabled veteran with severe disability. (A) Disabilities. The dwelling house, and the lot whereupon the same is erected, belonging to or held in trust for any person who is a citizen and resident of this state, occupied as such person's domicile, shall be exempt from local property taxation to the extent of ten thousand dollars of its assessed valuation or, lacking said amount in property in such person's own name, so much of the property belonging to, or held in trust for, such person's spouse, who is domiciled with such person, as is necessary to equal said amount, if such person is a veteran who served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or Air Force of the United States and has been declared by the United States Veterans' Administration or its successors to have a service-connected disability from paraplegia or osteochondritis resulting in permanent loss of the use of both legs or permanent paralysis of both legs and lower parts of the body; or from hemiplegia and has permanent paralysis of one leg and one arm or either side of the body resulting from injury to the spinal cord, skeletal structure or brain or from disease of the spinal cord not resulting from any form of syphilis; or from total blindness as defined in section 12-92; or from the amputation of both arms, both legs, both hands or both feet, or the combination of a hand and a foot; sustained through enemy action, or resulting from accident occurring or disease contracted in such active service. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to include paraplegia or hemiplegia resulting from locomotor ataxia or other forms of syphilis of the central nervous system, or from chronic alcoholism, or to include other forms of disease resulting from the veteran's own misconduct which may produce signs and symptoms similar to those resulting from paraplegia, osteochondritis or hemiplegia. The loss of the use of one arm or one leg because of service related injuries specified in this subdivision shall qualify a veteran for a property tax exemption in the same manner as hereinabove, provided such exemption shall be for five thousand dollars;

      (B) Exemptions hereunder additional to others. Surviving spouse's rights. The exemption provided for in this subdivision shall be in addition to any other exemption of such person's real and personal property allowed by law, but no taxpayer shall be allowed more than one exemption under this subdivision. No person shall be entitled to receive any exemption under this subdivision until such person has satisfied the requirements of subdivision (20) of this section. The surviving spouse of any such person who at the time of such person's death was entitled to and had the exemption provided under this subdivision shall be entitled to the same exemption, (i) while such spouse remains a widow or widower, or (ii) upon the termination of any subsequent marriage of such spouse by dissolution, annulment or death and while a resident of this state, for the time that such person is the legal owner of and actually occupies a dwelling house and premises intended to be exempted hereunder. When the property which is the subject of the claim for exemption provided for in this subdivision is greater than a single family house, the assessor shall aggregate the assessment on the lot and building and allow an exemption of that percentage of the aggregate assessment which the value of the portion of the building occupied by the claimant bears to the value of the entire building;

      (C) Municipal option to allow total exemption for residence with respect to which veteran has received assistance for special housing under Title 38 of United States Code. Subject to the approval of the legislative body of the municipality, the dwelling house and the lot whereupon the same is erected, belonging to or held in trust for any citizen and resident of this state, occupied as such person's domicile shall be fully exempt from local property taxation, if such person is a veteran who served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or Air Force of the United States and has received financial assistance for specially adapted housing under the provisions of Section 801 of Title 38 of the United States Code and has applied such assistance toward the acquisition or modification of such dwelling house. The same exemption may also be allowed on such housing units owned by the surviving spouse of such veteran (i) while such spouse remains a widow or widower, or (ii) upon the termination of any subsequent marriage of such spouse by dissolution, annulment or death, or by such veteran and spouse while occupying such premises as a residence;

      (22) Surviving spouse or minor child of serviceman or veteran. Subject to the provisions of sections 12-89, 12-90 and 12-95, property to the amount of one thousand dollars belonging to, or held in trust for, any surviving spouse while such person remains a widow or widower, or a minor child or both, residing in this state, of one who has served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or Air Force of the United States or of any citizen of the United States who served in the military or naval service of a government allied or associated with the United States, as provided by subdivision (19) of this section, and has died either during his or her term of service or after receiving an honorable discharge therefrom, provided such amount shall be three thousand dollars if death was due to service and occurred while on active duty;

      (23) Serviceman's surviving spouse receiving federal benefits. Subject to the provisions of sections 12-89, 12-90 and 12-95, property to the amount of one thousand dollars belonging to, or held in trust for, any surviving spouse, while such spouse remains a widow or widower, resident of this state, of one who has served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or Air Force of the United States, which surviving spouse is receiving or has received a pension, annuity or compensation from the United States;

      (24) Surviving spouse and minor child of veteran receiving compensation from Veterans' Administration. The exemption from taxation granted by subdivision (22) of this section, to the amount of three thousand dollars allowable to the widow or widower or minor child or both of a veteran whose death was due to service and occurred on active duty shall be granted to any widow or widower drawing compensation from the Veterans' Administration, upon verification of such fact by letter from the Veterans' Administration;

      (25) Surviving parent of deceased serviceman or veteran. Subject to the provisions of sections 12-89, 12-90 and 12-95, property to the amount of one thousand dollars belonging to, or held in trust for, a sole surviving parent, while such parent remains a widow or widower, resident of this state, of one who has left no widow or widower, or whose widow or widower has remarried or died, and who has served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or Air Force of the United States as provided by subdivision (19) of this section and has died during his or her term of service or after receiving an honorable discharge therefrom, provided, property belonging to, or held in trust for, such parent of more than one serviceman or servicewoman who has left no widow or widower, or whose widow or widower has remarried or died, and who has served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or Air Force of the United States as provided in subdivision (19) of this section and has died during his or her term of service shall be subject to an exemption of one thousand dollars for each such serviceman or servicewoman;

      (26) Parents of veterans. Subject to the provisions of sections 12-89, 12-90 and 12-95, property to the amount of one thousand dollars belonging to, or held in trust for, any father or mother, resident of this state, of one who served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or Air Force of the United States as long as such father or mother receives, or has received, a pension, annuity or compensation from the United States; or if such parent lacks said amount of property in his own name, so much of the property belonging to, or held in trust for, his spouse, who is domiciled with him, as is necessary to equal said amount;

      (27) Property of Grand Army posts. Property owned by, or held in trust for, a Connecticut Grand Army post, provided the major use of such property shall be as a meeting place for its members or for the members of the Woman's Relief Corps or both, or provided the income from such property is being entirely devoted to its upkeep and improvement and to the relief of such soldiers of the Civil War or their dependents or both as are receiving or are entitled to receive benefits or pensions from the federal or state government or both;

      (28) Property of United States Army instructors. Subject to the provisions of sections 12-89, 12-90 and 12-95, property to the amount of one thousand dollars, which property belongs to, or is held in trust for, any resident or nonresident of this state who was in the regular Army of the United States on the assessment day and who has been detailed by the Secretary of the Army for duty in this state for the instruction of the Connecticut National Guard. Any person receiving the foregoing exemption shall be entitled to an additional exemption of two thousand dollars on tangible personal property belonging to, or held in trust for, him, which property is necessary or convenient for the use of such person in the performance of his official duties and which property shall consist of military equipment, horses, vehicles and furniture;

      (29) Property of American National Red Cross. Subject to the provisions of section 12-88, all real estate and tangible property owned by or held in trust for the American National Red Cross;

      (30) Fuel and provisions. Fuel and provisions for the use of any family;

      (31) Household furniture. Household furniture, used by or held in storage for and belonging to any family;

      (32) Private libraries. Private libraries and books;

      (33) Musical instruments. Musical instruments, inclusive of radios and television sets, used by and belonging to any family;

      (34) Watches and jewelry. Watches and jewelry used by any individual;

      (35) Wearing apparel. All other wearing apparel of every person and family;

      (36) Commercial fishing apparatus. Fishing apparatus belonging to any person or company to the value of five hundred dollars, providing such apparatus was purchased for use in the main business of such person or company at the time of purchase;

      (37) Mechanic's tools. Tools of a mechanic, actually used by him in his trade, to the value of five hundred dollars;

      (38) Farming tools. Farming tools actually and exclusively used in the business of farming on any farm to the value of five hundred dollars;

      (39) Farm produce. Produce of a farm, actually grown, growing or produced, including colts, calves and lambs, while owned and held by the producer or by a cooperative marketing corporation organized under the provisions of chapter 596, when delivered to it by such producer;

      (40) Sheep, goats and swine. Sheep, goats and swine owned and kept in this state;

      (41) Dairy and beef cattle, oxen, asses and mules. Dairy and beef cattle, oxen, asses and mules, owned and kept in this state;

      (42) Poultry. Poultry owned and kept in this state;

      (43) Cash. Cash on hand or on deposit;

      (44) Nursery products. Produce or products growing in any nursery, and any shrub and any forest, ornamental or fruit trees while growing in a nursery;

      (45) Property of units of Connecticut National Guard. The property of any unit of the Connecticut National Guard, while being used for military purposes, or for other public purposes;

      (46) Watercraft owned by nonresident. Repealed;

      (47) Carriages, wagons and bicycles. Carriages, wagons and bicycles, owned and used by any person but not held for sale or rent in the regular course of business;

      (48) Airport improvements. Improvements on or to the landing area of a privately-owned airport, provided the owner shall grant free use of such landing area to the general public for the landing, taking off and taxiing of aircraft and such airport shall have been approved and licensed for use by the Commissioner of Transportation, if a majority of those qualified to vote as provided by section 7-6 in the town wherein such airport is located, voting at a town meeting or general or special election warned for the purpose, so determine. The question of granting such exemption shall be submitted to the voters if a petition containing the names of at least ten per cent of such voters has been presented to the town clerk, who shall determine the sufficiency of such petition;

      (49) Nonprofit camps or recreational facilities for charitable purposes. Subject to the provisions of subdivision (7) of this section and section 12-88, real property and its equipment owned by or held in trust for any charitable corporation exclusively used as a nonprofit camp or recreational facility for charitable purposes; provided at least seventy-five per cent of the beneficiaries of its strictly charitable purposes using such property and equipment in each taxable year were bona fide residents of the state at the time of such use. During the month preceding the assessment date of the town or towns where such camp or facilities are located, such charitable corporation shall submit to the assessors of such town or towns a statement under oath in respect to such residence of such beneficiaries using such facilities during the taxable year ending with the month in which such statement is rendered, and, if the number of such beneficiaries so resident in Connecticut did not equal or exceed such seventy-five per cent, such real property and equipment shall not be exempt during the next ensuing taxable year. This subdivision shall not affect the exemption of any such real property or equipment of any such charitable corporation incorporated under the laws of this state granted prior to May 26, 1961, where such property and equipment was actually in use for such recreational purposes prior to said date;

      (50) Manufacturers' inventories. The monthly average quantity of goods of any manufacturing business, comprising raw materials, purchased parts and supplies acquired for consumption during the manufacture of or for incorporation in goods to be manufactured for sale in such business, goods in process of manufacture, and finished goods manufactured in and held for sale in such business, to the extent of forty per cent of their valuation for purposes of assessment in the year 1970, fifty per cent in the year 1971, sixty per cent in the year 1972, seventy per cent in the year 1973, eighty per cent in the year 1974, ninety per cent in the year 1975, and one hundred per cent in the year 1976 and each year thereafter. As used herein the term "manufacturing business" means a business the principal activity of which is the mechanical or chemical transformation of inorganic or organic substances into new products or the assembling of component parts of manufactured products;

      (51) Water pollution control structures and equipment. (a) Structures and equipment acquired by purchase or lease after July 1, 1965, for the treatment of industrial waste before the discharge thereof into any waters of the state or into any sewerage system emptying into such waters, the primary purpose of which is the reduction, control or elimination of pollution of such waters, certified as approved for such purpose by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection. For the purpose of this subdivision "industrial waste" means any harmful thermal effect or any liquid, gaseous or solid substance or combination thereof resulting from any process of industry, manufacture, trade or business, or from the development or recovery of any natural resource;

      (b) Any owner or lessee of such structures or equipment who wishes to claim the exemption provided under this subdivision for any assessment year shall, on or before the first day of November in such assessment year, file an application for such exemption with the assessor or board of assessors in the town in which such structures or equipment are located, in the form and manner said assessor or assessors shall prescribe, together with such certification by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, as required under subparagraph (a) of this subdivision. Failure to file such certification within the time limitation prescribed herein shall constitute a waiver of the right to such exemption for such assessment year. Such certification shall not be required for any assessment year following that for which initial certification is filed, provided if such structures and equipment are altered in any manner, such alteration shall be deemed a waiver of the right to such exemption until such certification, applicable with respect to the altered structures and equipment, is filed and the right to such exemption is established as required initially;

      (c) In the event there is a change in the name of the owner or lessee of any structure or equipment for which an exemption is granted pursuant to this subdivision, the new owner or lessee of such structure or equipment shall be required to file a revised application with the assessor or board of assessors on or before the first day of November immediately following the end of the assessment year during which such change occurs, except that for the assessment year commencing October 1, 2005, a revised application may be filed when there has been a change in the name of the owner or lessee of such structure or equipment during any assessment year and the exemption under this subdivision continued to be granted for each assessment year following such change. If such structures or equipment have not been altered in any manner, such new owner or lessee shall be entitled to a continuation of the exemption under this subdivision and shall not be required to obtain or provide a certification of approval from the Commissioner of Environmental Protection;

      (52) Structures and equipment for air pollution control. (a) Structures and equipment acquired by purchase or lease after July 1, 1967, for the primary purpose of reducing, controlling or eliminating air pollution, certified as approved for such purpose by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection. Said commissioner may certify to a portion of structures and equipment so acquired to the extent that such portion shall have as its primary purpose the reduction, control or elimination of air pollution;

      (b) Any owner or lessee of such structures or equipment who wishes to claim the exemption provided under this subdivision for any assessment year shall, on or before the first day of November in such assessment year, file an application for such exemption with the assessor or board of assessors in the town in which such structures and equipment are located, in the form and manner said assessor or assessors shall prescribe together with such certification by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, as required under subparagraph (a) of this subdivision. Failure to file such certification within the time limitation prescribed herein shall constitute a waiver of the right to such exemption for such assessment year. Such certification shall not be required for any assessment year following that for which initial certification is filed, provided if such structures and equipment are altered in any manner, such alteration shall be deemed a waiver of the right to such exemption until such certification, applicable with respect to the altered structures and equipment, is filed and the right to such exemption is established as required initially;

      (c) In the event there is a change in the name of the owner or lessee of any structure or equipment for which an exemption is granted pursuant to this subdivision, the new owner or lessee of such structure or equipment shall be required to file a revised application with the assessor or board of assessors on or before the first day of November immediately following the end of the assessment year during which such change occurs, except that for the assessment year commencing October 1, 2005, a revised application may be filed when there has been a change in the name of the owner or lessee of such structure or equipment during any assessment year and the exemption under this subdivision continued to be granted for each assessment year following such change. If such structures or equipment have not been altered in any manner, such new owner or lessee shall be entitled to a continuation of the exemption under this subdivision and shall not be required to obtain or provide a certification of approval from the Commissioner of Environmental Protection;

      (53) Motor vehicle of member of the armed forces. (a) One motor vehicle belonging to, leased to or held in trust for, any member of the United States armed forces, if such motor vehicle is garaged outside the state;

      (b) Any person claiming the exemption provided under this subdivision for any assessment year shall, not later than the thirty-first day of December next following the date on which property tax is due in such assessment year, file with the assessor or board of assessors, in the town in which such motor vehicle is registered, written application claiming such exemption on a form approved for such purpose by such assessor or board. Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, any person claiming the exemption under this subdivision for a leased motor vehicle shall be entitled to a refund of the tax paid with respect to such vehicle, whether such tax was paid by the lessee or by the lessor pursuant to the terms of the lease. Upon approving such person's exemption claim, the assessor shall certify the amount of refund to which the applicant is entitled and shall notify the tax collector of such amount. The tax collector shall refer such certification to the board of selectmen in a town or to the corresponding authority in any other municipality. Upon receipt of such certification, the selectmen or such other authority shall draw an order on the Treasurer in favor of such person for the amount of refund so certified. Failure to file such application as prescribed herein with respect to any assessment year shall constitute a waiver of the right to such exemption for such assessment year;

      (54) Wholesale and retail business inventory. The monthly average quantity of goods of any wholesale and retail business to the extent of one-twelfth of their valuation for purposes of assessment in the year 1971, two-twelfths in the year 1972, three-twelfths in the year 1973, four-twelfths in the year 1974, five-twelfths in the year 1975, six-twelfths in the year 1976, seven-twelfths in the year 1977, eight-twelfths in the year 1978, nine-twelfths in the year 1979, ten-twelfths in the year 1980, eleven-twelfths in the year 1981 and one hundred per cent in the year 1982 and each year thereafter. As used in this subdivision, "wholesale and retail business" means a business the principal activity of which is making sales of tangible personal property with the object of gain, benefit or advantage, either direct or indirect;

      (55) Property of totally disabled persons. Property to the amount of one thousand dollars belonging to, or held in trust for, any resident of this state who (1) is eligible, in accordance with applicable federal regulations, to receive permanent total disability benefits under Social Security, (2) has not been engaged in employment covered by Social Security and accordingly has not qualified for benefits thereunder but who has become qualified for permanent total disability benefits under any federal, state or local government retirement or disability plan, including the Railroad Retirement Act and any government-related teacher's retirement plan, determined by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to contain requirements in respect to qualification for such permanent total disability benefits which are comparable to such requirements under Social Security, or (3) has attained age sixty-five or over and would be eligible in accordance with applicable federal regulations to receive permanent total disability benefits under Social Security or any such federal, state or local government retirement or disability plan as described in subparagraph (2) of this subdivision, except that such resident has attained age sixty-five or over and accordingly is no longer eligible to receive benefits under the disability benefit provisions of Social Security or such other plan because of payments received under retirement provisions thereof; or, lacking said amount of property in his own name, so much of the property belonging to, or held in trust for, his spouse, who is domiciled with him, as is necessary to equal said amount. Each assessor shall issue a certificate of correction with respect to the property of a person who would have been eligible, except for the provisions of section 40 of public act 03-6 of the June 30 special session*, to receive the exemption under this subdivision for the assessment year commencing October 1, 2003. Such certificate shall reduce the assessment of such eligible person's property by the amount of said exemption;

      (56) Active solar energy heating or cooling systems. (a) Subject to authorization of the exemption by ordinance in any municipality, any building, the construction of which is commenced on or after October 1, 1976, and before October 1, 2006, which is equipped with an active solar energy heating or cooling system, or any building to which a solar energy heating or cooling system is added on or after October 1, 1976, and before October 1, 2006, to the extent of the amount by which the assessed valuation of such real property equipped with such solar heating or cooling system exceeds the assessed valuation of such real property equipped with the conventional portion of the heating or cooling system, exclusive of any portion of such system related to solar energy, provided this exemption shall only apply to the first fifteen assessment years following construction of such building or addition of any such system to a building;

      (b) As used in this subdivision, "active solar energy heating or cooling system" means equipment which (1) provides for the collection, transfer, storage and use of incident solar energy for water heating, space heating or cooling which absent such solar energy system would require a conventional energy resource, such as petroleum products, natural gas or electricity, (2) employs mechanical means such as fans or pumps to transfer energy, and (3) meets standards established by regulation, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management;

      (c) Any person claiming the exemption provided in this subdivision for any assessment year shall, on or before the first day of November in such assessment year, file with the assessor or board of assessors in the town in which such real property is located written application claiming such exemption. Failure to file such application in the manner and form as provided by such assessor or board within the time limit prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the right to such exemption for such assessment year. Such application shall not be required for any assessment year following that for which the initial application is filed, provided if such solar energy heating or cooling system is altered in a manner which would require a building permit, such alteration shall be deemed a waiver of the right to such exemption until a new application, applicable with respect to such altered system, is filed and the right to such exemption is established as required initially;

      (57) Class I renewable energy sources and hydropower facilities. (a) Subject to authorization of the exemption by ordinance in any municipality, any Class I renewable energy source, as defined in section 16-1, or any hydropower facility described in subdivision (27) of said section 16-1, installed for the generation of electricity for private residential use, provided such installation occurs on or after October 1, 1977, and further provided such installation is for a single family dwelling or multifamily dwelling consisting of two to four units;

      (b) Any person claiming the exemption provided in this subdivision for any assessment year shall, on or before the first day of November in such assessment year, file with the assessor or board of assessors in the town in which such Class I renewable energy source is located, written application claiming such exemption. Failure to file such application in the manner and form as provided by such assessor or board within the time limit prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the right to such exemption for such assessment year. Such application shall not be required for any assessment year following that for which the initial application is filed, provided if such Class I renewable energy source is altered in a manner which would require a building permit, such alteration shall be deemed a waiver of the right to such exemption until a new application, applicable with respect to such altered source, is filed and the right to such exemption is established as required initially;

      (58) Property leased to a charitable, religious or nonprofit organization. Subject to authorization of the exemption by ordinance in any municipality, any real or personal property leased to a charitable, religious or nonprofit organization, exempt from taxation for federal income tax purposes, provided such property is used exclusively for the purposes of such charitable, religious or nonprofit organization;

      (59) Manufacturing facility in a distressed municipality, targeted investment community or enterprise zone. Designated manufacturing plant. Service facility. (a) Any manufacturing facility, as defined in section 32-9p, acquired, constructed, substantially renovated or expanded on or after July 1, 1978, in a distressed municipality, as defined in said section or in a targeted investment community, as defined in section 32-222, or in an enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 and for which an eligibility certificate has been issued by the Department of Economic and Community Development, and any manufacturing plant designated by the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development under subsection (a) of section 32-75c as follows: To the extent of eighty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years following the assessment year in which the acquisition, construction, renovation or expansion of the manufacturing facility is completed, except that a manufacturing facility having a standard industrial classification code of 2833 or 2834 and having at least one thousand full-time employees, as defined in subsection (f) of section 32-9j, shall be eligible to have the assessment period extended for five additional years upon approval of the commissioner, in accordance with all applicable regulations, provided such full-time employees have not been relocated from another facility in the state operated by the same eligible applicant;

      (b) Any service facility, as defined in section 32-9p, acquired, constructed, substantially renovated or expanded on or after July 1, 1996, and for which an eligibility certificate has been issued by the Department of Economic and Community Development, as follows: (i) In the case of an investment of twenty million dollars or more but not more than thirty-nine million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of forty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years following the assessment year in which the acquisition, construction, renovation or expansion of the service facility is completed; (ii) in the case of an investment of more than thirty-nine million dollars but not more than fifty-nine million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of fifty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years following the assessment year in which the acquisition, construction, renovation or expansion of the service facility is completed; (iii) in the case of an investment of more than fifty-nine million dollars but not more than seventy-nine million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of sixty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years following the assessment year in which the acquisition, construction, renovation or expansion of the service facility is completed; (iv) in the case of an investment of more than seventy-nine million dollars but not more than ninety million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of seventy per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years following the assessment year in which the acquisition, construction, renovation or expansion of the service facility is completed; or (v) in the case of an investment of more than ninety million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of eighty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years following the assessment year in which the acquisition, construction, renovation or expansion of the service facility is completed, except that any financial institution, as defined in section 12-217u, having at least four thousand qualified employees, as determined in accordance with an agreement pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection (n) of section 12-217u, shall be eligible to have the assessment period extended for five additional years upon approval of the commissioner, in accordance with all applicable regulations, provided such full-time employees have not been relocated from another facility in the state operated by the same eligible applicant. In no event shall the definition of qualified employee be more favorable to the employer than the definition provided in section 12-217u;

      (c) The completion date of a manufacturing facility, manufacturing plant or a service facility will be determined by the Department of Economic and Community Development taking into account the issuance of occupancy certificates and such other factors as it deems relevant. In the case of a manufacturing facility, manufacturing plant or a service facility which consists of a constructed, renovated or expanded portion of an existing plant, the assessed valuation of the facility or manufacturing plant is the difference between the assessed valuation of the plant prior to its being improved and the assessed valuation of the plant upon completion of the improvements. In the case of a manufacturing facility, manufacturing plant or a service facility which consists of an acquired portion of an existing plant, the assessed valuation of the facility or manufacturing plant is the assessed valuation of the portion acquired. This exemption shall be applicable during each such assessment year regardless of any change in the ownership or occupancy of the facility or manufacturing plant. If during any such assessment year, however, any facility for which an eligibility certificate has been issued ceases to qualify as a manufacturing facility, manufacturing plant or a service facility, the entitlement to the exemption allowed by this subdivision shall terminate for the assessment year following the date on which the qualification ceases, and there shall not be a pro rata application of the exemption. Any person who desires to claim the exemption provided in this subdivision shall file annually with the assessor or board of assessors in the distressed municipality, targeted investment community or enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 in which the manufacturing facility or service facility is located, on or before the first day of November, written application claiming such exemption on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. Failure to file such application in this manner and form within the time limit prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the right to such exemption for such assessment year, unless an extension of time is allowed pursuant to section 12-81k, and upon payment of the required fee for late filing;

      (60) Machinery and equipment in a manufacturing facility in a distressed municipality, targeted investment community or enterprise zone. Machinery and equipment in a service facility. (a)(1) Machinery and equipment which represents an addition to the assessment or grand list of the municipality in which this exemption is claimed and is installed in any manufacturing facility, as defined in section 32-9p, which facility is or has been constructed, or substantially renovated or expanded on or after July 1, 1978, in a distressed municipality or targeted investment community or enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 and for which an eligibility certificate has been issued by the Department of Economic and Community Development, concurrently with and directly attributable to such construction, renovation or expansion, (2) machinery and equipment which represents an addition to the assessment or grand list of the municipality in which this exemption is claimed and is installed, or machinery and equipment existing, in any manufacturing facility, as defined in section 32-9p, which facility is or has been acquired on or after July 1, 1978, in a distressed municipality, targeted investment community or enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 and for which an eligibility certificate has been issued by the Department of Economic and Community Development, and (3) machinery and equipment acquired and installed on or after October 1, 1986, in a manufacturing facility that is or has at one time been certified as eligible for the exemption under this subparagraph in accordance with section 32-9r, and which continues to be used for manufacturing purposes, provided such machinery and equipment is installed in conjunction with an expansion program that satisfies the requirements for a manufacturing facility, as defined in section 32-9p, and is contiguous to and represents an increase in square feet of floor space of not less than fifty per cent of the floor space in the certified manufacturing facility, as follows: To the extent of eighty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years for which the manufacturing facility in which it is installed qualifies for an exemption under subdivision (59) of this section, except that a facility having a code classification 2833 or 2834 in the Standard Industrial Code Classification Manual, United States Office of Management and Budget, 1987 edition, wherein at least one thousand new full-time employees, as defined in subsection (f) of section 32-9j, are employed, shall be eligible to have the assessment period under this subdivision extended for five additional years upon approval of the commissioner, provided the commissioner approves an extension of the assessment period under subdivision (59) of this section for said facility;

      (b) (1) Machinery and equipment which represents an addition to the assessment or grand list of the municipality in which this exemption is claimed and is installed in any service facility, as defined in section 32-9p, which facility is or has been constructed, or substantially renovated or expanded on or after July 1, 1996, and for which an eligibility certificate has been issued by the Department of Economic and Community Development, concurrently with and directly attributable to such construction, renovation or expansion, (2) machinery and equipment which represents an addition to the assessment or grand list of the municipality in which this exemption is claimed and is installed, or machinery and equipment existing, in any service facility, as defined in section 32-9p, which facility is or has been acquired on or after July 1, 1996, and for which an eligibility certificate has been issued by the department, and (3) machinery and equipment acquired and installed on or after July 1, 1996, in a service facility that is or has at one time been certified as eligible for the exemption under this subparagraph in accordance with section 32-9r and which continues to be used for service purposes, provided such machinery and equipment is installed in conjunction with an expansion program that satisfies the requirements for a service facility, as defined in section 32-9p, and is contiguous to and represents an increase in square feet of floor space of not less than fifty per cent of the floor space in the certified service facility, as follows: (i) In the case of an investment of twenty million dollars or more but not more than thirty-nine million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of forty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years for which the service facility in which it is installed qualifies for an exemption under subdivision (59) of this section; (ii) in the case of an investment of more than thirty-nine million dollars but not more than fifty-nine million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of fifty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years for which the service facility in which it is installed qualifies for an exemption under subdivision (59) of this section; (iii) in the case of an investment of more than fifty-nine million dollars but not more than seventy-nine million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of sixty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years for which the service facility in which it is installed qualifies for an exemption under subdivision (59) of this section; (iv) in the case of an investment of more than seventy-nine million dollars but not more than ninety million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of seventy per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years for which the service facility in which it is installed qualifies for an exemption under subdivision (59) of this section; or (v) in the case of an investment of more than ninety million dollars in the service facility, to the extent of eighty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years for which the service facility in which it is installed qualifies for an exemption under subdivision (59) of this section, except that any financial institution, as defined in section 12-217u, having at least four thousand qualified employees, as determined in accordance with an agreement pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection (n) of section 12-217u, shall be eligible to have the assessment period extended for five additional years upon approval of the commissioner, in accordance with all applicable regulations, provided such full-time employees have not been relocated from another facility in the state operated by the same eligible applicant. In no event shall the definition of qualified employee be more favorable to the employer than the definition provided in section 12-217u;

      (c) This exemption shall terminate for the assessment year next following if the manufacturing facility or service facility in which such machinery and equipment is installed no longer qualifies for an exemption under said subdivision (59), and there shall not be a pro rata application of the exemption of such machinery and equipment in the assessment year of such termination. Any person who desires to claim the exemption provided in this subdivision shall file annually with the assessor or board of assessors in the distressed municipality, targeted investment community or enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 in which the manufacturing facility or service facility is located, on or before the first day of November, written application claiming such exemption on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. Failure to file such application in this manner and form within the time limit prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the right to such exemption for such assessment year, unless an extension of time is allowed pursuant to section 12-81k, and upon payment of the required fee for late filing. This exemption shall not apply to rolling stock;

      (61) Vessels used primarily for commercial fishing. Any vessel as defined in section 15-127 used primarily for purposes of commercial fishing, provided in the tax year of the owner ending immediately prior to any assessment date with respect to which application is submitted for the exemption provided in this subdivision not less than fifty per cent of the adjusted gross income of such owner, as determined for purposes of the federal income tax, is derived from commercial fishing subject to proof satisfactory to the assessor in the town in which such application is submitted;

      (62) Passive solar energy heating or cooling systems and hybrid systems. (a) Subject to authorization of the exemption by ordinance in any municipality, any building, the construction of which is commenced on or after April 20, 1977, and before October 1, 2006, which is equipped with a passive or hybrid solar energy heating or cooling system, or any building to which such a system is added on or after April 20, 1977, and before October 1, 2006, to the extent of any amount by which the assessed valuation of such real property equipped with such a system exceeds the valuation at which such real property would be assessed if built using conventional construction techniques in lieu of construction related to such a system, as determined by the assessing officer of the municipality, provided this exemption shall only apply to the first fifteen assessment years following construction of such building or addition of any such system to a building. Any portion of a hybrid solar energy heating or cooling system which is allowed an exemption under subdivision (56) of this section shall not be eligible for exemption under this subdivision;

      (b) As used in this subdivision, (A) "passive solar energy heating or cooling system" means a system which utilizes the structural elements of a building for the collection of incident solar energy and its storage and distribution for use in water heating or space heating or cooling, which building absent such system would require a conventional energy resource, such as petroleum products, natural gas or electricity, and which system meets standards established by regulation, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, and (B) "hybrid system" means a solar energy heating or cooling system which consists of both active and passive elements and which meets the standards established for both;

      (c) Any person claiming the exemption provided in this subdivision for any assessment year shall, on or before the first day of November in such assessment year, file with the assessor or board of assessors in the town in which such real property is located written application claiming such exemption. Failure to file such application in the manner and form as provided by such assessor or board within the time limit prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the right to such exemption for such assessment year. Such application shall not be required for any assessment year following that for which the initial application is filed, provided if such passive or hybrid solar energy heating or cooling system is altered in a manner which would require a building permit, such alteration shall be deemed a waiver of the right to such exemption until a new application, applicable with respect to such altered system, is filed and the right to such exemption is established as required initially;

      (63) Solar energy electricity generating systems and cogeneration systems. (a) Subject to authorization of the exemption by ordinance in any municipality and to the provisions of subparagraph (b) of this subdivision, any solar energy electricity generating system which is not eligible for exemption under subdivision (57) of this section, any cogeneration system, or both, installed on or after July 1, 1981, and before October 1, 2006. The ordinance shall establish the number of years that a system will be exempt from taxation, except that it may not provide for an exemption beyond the first fifteen assessment years following the installation of a system. The ordinance shall prohibit the exemption from applying to additions to resources recovery facilities operating on October 1, 1994, or to resources recovery facilities constructed on and after that date and may prohibit the exemption from applying to property acquired by eminent domain for the purpose of qualifying for the exemption;

      (b) As used in this subdivision, (A) "solar energy electricity generating system" means equipment which is designed, operated and installed as a system which utilizes solar energy as the energy source for at least seventy-five per cent of the electricity produced by the system and meets the standards established by regulation, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, and (B) "cogeneration system" means equipment which is designed, operated and installed as a system which produces, in the same process, electricity and exhaust steam, waste steam, heat or other resultant thermal energy which is used for space or water heating or cooling, industrial, commercial, manufacturing or other useful purposes and which meets standards established by regulation, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management;

      (c) Any municipality which adopts an ordinance authorizing an exemption provided by this subdivision may enter into a written agreement with an applicant for the exemption, which may require the applicant to make payments to the municipality in lieu of taxes. The agreement may vary the amount of the payments in lieu of taxes in each assessment year of the agreement, provided the payment in any assessment year is not greater than the taxes which would otherwise be due in the absence of the exemption. Any agreement negotiated under this subdivision shall be submitted to the legislative body of the municipality for its approval or rejection;

      (d) Any person claiming the exemption provided in this subdivision for any assessment year and whose application has been approved in accordance with subparagraph (c) of this subdivision shall, on or before the first day of November in such assessment year, file with the assessor or board of assessors in the town in which the system is located written application claiming the exemption. Failure to file the application in the manner and form as provided by such assessor or board within the time limit prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the right to the exemption for such assessment year. Such application shall not be required for any assessment year following that for which the initial application is filed, provided if such solar energy electricity generating system or cogeneration system is altered in a manner which would require a building permit, such alteration shall be deemed a waiver of the right to such exemption until a new application, applicable with respect to such altered system, is filed and the right to such exemption is established as required initially;

      (64) Vessels. In the assessment year commencing October 1, 1981, and each assessment year thereafter, any vessel as defined in section 15-127;

      (65) Vanpool vehicles. Any vanpool vehicle as defined in section 14-1;

      (66) Motor vehicles leased to state agencies. Motor vehicles leased to an agency of this state on or after June 4, 1982;

      (67) Beach property belonging to or held in trust for cities. Except as otherwise provided by law, beach property belonging to, or held in trust for, a city within the territorial limits of, but not coterminous with, a town, which property is within the territorial limits of such city and is used for any public purposes of such city;

      (68) Livestock totally exempt except that exemption for horses and ponies limited to one thousand dollars in value unless used in farming. Any livestock owned and kept in this state, except that any horse or pony shall be exempt from local property tax up to the assessed value of one thousand dollars, with such exempt value applicable in the case of each such horse or pony, provided any horse or pony used in farming, in the manner required in section 12-91, shall be totally exempt from local property tax as provided in said section 12-91;

      (69) Property of Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Property belonging to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority or any of its subsidiaries, provided such property is used for the operation, maintenance, repair or improvement of the New Haven commuter railroad service or the facilities of such service;

      (70) Machinery and equipment acquired as part of a technological upgrading of a manufacturing process. (A) New machinery and equipment used directly in the manufacturing of goods or products and acquired through purchase by any business organization or any affiliate of such business organization as part of a technological upgrading of the manufacturing process at a location in a distressed municipality, targeted investment community, as defined in section 32-222, or enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70, and for which an eligibility certificate has been issued by the Department of Economic and Community Development, which business organization (i) is engaged in the manufacturing, processing or assembling of raw materials, parts or manufactured products, (ii) has been in continuous operation in the state for a period not less than five years prior to claiming the exemption provided in this subdivision, (iii) had gross receipts in an amount less than twenty million dollars in the year prior to claiming the exemption provided in this subdivision, including receipts of any affiliates of the business organization, and (iv) has incurred costs in acquiring such machinery and equipment not less than the greater of (I) two hundred thousand dollars, or (II) two hundred per cent of the business organization's and affiliate's average expenditure for the acquisition of machinery and equipment used directly in the manufacturing of goods or products at the location in the distressed municipality, targeted investment community or enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 during the three years prior to claiming the exemption provided in this subdivision, as follows: To the extent of fifty per cent of its valuation for purposes of assessment in each of the five full assessment years following the assessment year in which such machinery and equipment is acquired;

      (B) Any person who desires to claim the exemption provided in this subdivision shall file annually with the assessor or board of assessors in the distressed municipality, targeted investment community or enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 in which the business organization is located, on or before the first day of November, written application claiming such exemption on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. Failure to file such application in this manner and form within the time limit prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the right to such exemption for such assessment year, unless an extension of time is allowed pursuant to section 12-81k, and upon payment of the required fee for late filing. No person shall be eligible to receive the exemption provided in this subdivision if such exemption is sought for machinery and equipment located in a manufacturing facility, as defined in subsection (d) of section 32-9p, currently receiving assistance under subdivisions (59) and (60) of this section, and no person shall receive such exemption for eligible machinery or equipment at each location in a distressed municipality, targeted investment community or enterprise zone designated pursuant to section 32-70 more than once in any continuous five-year period;

      (C) The state and the municipality and district shall hold a security interest, as defined in subdivision (35) of subsection (b) of section 42a-1-201, in any machinery or equipment which is exempt from taxation pursuant to this subdivision, in an amount equal to the tax revenue reimbursed or lost, as the case may be, which shall be subordinate to any purchase money security interest, as defined in section 42a-9-103a. Such security interest shall be enforceable against the taxpayer for a period of five years after the last assessment year in which such exemption was received in any case in which the business organization ceases all business operations or moves its business operations entirely out of this state. Any assessor who has granted an exemption under this subdivision shall provide written notification to the secretary of the cessation of such operations or the move of such operations entirely out of this state. Such notification may be made at any time after the October first of the last assessment year in which such exemption is granted and before the September thirtieth that is five years after the conclusion of said assessment year. Upon receiving such notification and complying with the provisions of section 12-35a, the state shall have a lien upon the machinery or equipment situated in this state and owned by the person that ceased all business operations or moved such operations entirely out of this state. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 12-35a, the total amount of the reimbursement made by the state for the property tax exemptions granted to the person under the provisions of this subdivision, shall be deemed to be the amount of the tax which such person failed to pay. Notwithstanding said section 12-35a, the information required to be included in the notice of lien for said tax shall be as follows: (i) The owner of the property upon which the lien is claimed, (ii) the business address or residence address of such owner, (iii) the specific property claimed to be subject to such lien, (iv) the location of such property at the time it was last made tax-exempt pursuant to this subdivision, (v) the total amount of the reimbursement made by the state for the property tax exemptions granted to such owner under the provisions of this subdivision, and (vi) the tax period or periods for which such lien is claimed. If more than one agency of the state perfects such a notice of lien on the same day, the priority of such liens shall be determined by the time of day such liens were perfected, and if perfected at the same time, the lien for the highest amount shall have priority. In addition to the other remedies provided in this subdivision, the Attorney General, upon request of the secretary, may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover the amount of tax revenue reimbursed by the state from any person who received an exemption under this subdivision;

      (71) Motor vehicles owned by American Indians. Any motor vehicle owned by a member of an indigenous Indian tribe or spouse and garaged on the reservation of the tribe;

      (72) Machinery and equipment in manufacturing facilities, including machinery and equipment used in the biotechnology industry. (A) Effective for assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2002, new machinery and equipment, as defined in this subdivision, acquired after October 1, 1990, and newly-acquired machinery and equipment, as defined in this subdivision, acquired on or after July 1, 1992, by the person claiming exemption under this subdivision, provided this exemption shall only be applicable in the five full assessment years following the assessment year in which such machinery or equipment is acquired, subject to the provisions of subparagraph (B) of this subdivision. Machinery and equipment acquired on or after July 1, 1996, and used in connection with biotechnology shall qualify for the exemption under this subsection. For the purposes of this subdivision: (i) "Machinery" and "equipment" means tangible personal property which is installed in a manufacturing facility and claimed on the owner's federal income tax return as either five-year property or seven-year property, as those terms are defined in Section 168(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended, and the predominant use of which is for manufacturing, processing or fabricating; for research and development, including experimental or laboratory research and development, design or engineering directly related to manufacturing; for the significant servicing, overhauling or rebuilding of machinery and equipment for industrial use or the significant overhauling or rebuilding of other products on a factory basis; for measuring or testing or for metal finishing; or used in the production of motion pictures, video and sound re:CHY:cordings. "Machinery" means the basic machine itself, including all of its component parts and contrivances such as belts, pulleys, shafts, moving parts, operating structures and all equipment or devices used or required to control, regulate or operate the machinery, including, without limitation, computers and data processing equipment, together with all replacement and repair parts therefor, whether purchased separately or in conjunction with a complete machine, and regardless of whether the machine or component parts thereof are assembled by the taxpayer or another party. "Equipment" means any device separate from machinery but essential to a manufacturing, processing or fabricating process. (ii) "Manufacturing facility" means that portion of a plant, building or other real property improvement used for manufacturing, processing or fabricating, for research and development, including experimental or laboratory research and development, design or engineering directly related to manufacturing, for the significant servicing, overhauling or rebuilding of machinery and equipment for industrial use or the significant overhauling or rebuilding of other products on a factory basis, for measuring or testing or for metal finishing. (iii) "Manufacturing" means the activity of converting or conditioning tangible personal property by changing the form, composition, quality or character of the property for ultimate sale at retail or use in the manufacturing of a product to be ultimately sold at retail. Changing the quality of property shall include any substantial overhaul of the property that results in a significantly greater service life than such property would have had in the absence of such overhaul or with significantly greater functionality within the original service life of the property, beyond merely restoring the original functionality for the balance of the original service life. (iv) "Fabricating" means to make, build, create, produce or assemble components or tangible personal property work in a new or different manner, but does not include the presorting, sorting, coding, folding, stuffing or delivery of direct or indirect mail distribution services. (v) "Processing" means the physical application of the materials and labor in a manufacturing process necessary to modify or change the characteristics of tangible personal property. (vi) "Measuring or testing" includes both nondestructive and destructive measuring or testing, and the alignment and calibration of machinery, equipment and tools, in the furtherance of the manufacturing, processing or fabricating of tangible personal property. (vii) "Biotechnology" means the application of technologies, including recombinant DNA techniques, biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, genetics and genetic engineering, biological cell fusion techniques, and new bioprocesses, using living organisms, or parts of organisms, to produce or modify products, to improve plants or animals, to develop microorganisms for specific uses, to identify targets for small molecule pharmaceutical development, or to transform biological systems into useful processes and products;

      (B) Any person who on October first in any year holds title to machinery and equipment for which such person desires to claim the exemption provided in this subdivision shall file with the assessor or board of assessors in the municipality in which the machinery or equipment is located, on or before the first day of November in such year, a list of such machinery or equipment together with written application claiming such exemption on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. Such application shall include the taxpayer identification number assigned to the claimant by the Commissioner of Revenue Services and the federal employer identification number assigned to the claimant by the Secretary of the Treasury. If title to such equipment is held by a person other than the person claiming the exemption, the claimant shall include on such person's application information as to the portion of the total acquisition cost incurred by such person, and on or before the first day of November in such year, the person holding title to such machinery and equipment shall file a list of such machinery with the assessor of the municipality in which the manufacturing facility of the claimant is located. Such person shall include on the list information as to the portion of the total acquisition cost incurred by such person. Commercial or financial information in any application or list filed under this section shall not be open for public inspection, provided such information is given in confidence and is not available to the public from any other source. The provisions of this subdivision regarding the filing of lists and information shall not supersede the requirements to file tax lists under sections 12-41, 12-42 and 12-57a. In substantiation of such claim, the claimant and the person holding title to machinery and equipment for which exemption is claimed shall present to the assessor or board of assessors such supporting documentation as said secretary may require, including, but not limited to, invoices, bills of sale, contracts for lease and bills of lading and shall, upon request, present to the secretary or the secretary's designee a copy of each applicable federal income tax return and accompanying schedules. In lieu of submitting each applicable federal income tax return and accompanying schedules, a claimant and person holding title to machinery and equipment for which an exemption is claimed may, upon approval of said secretary, submit copies of applicable schedules accompanied by a sworn affidavit stating that such schedules were filed as part of such claimant's or person's federal income tax return. Failure to file such application in this manner and form within the time limit prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the right to such exemption for such assessment year, unless an extension of time is allowed pursuant to section 12-81k. If title to exempt machinery is conveyed subsequent to October first in any assessment year, entitlement to such exemption shall terminate for the next assessment year and there shall be no pro rata application of the exemption unless such machinery or equipment continues to be leased by the manufacturer who claimed and was approved for the exemption in the previous assessment year. Machinery or equipment shall not be eligible for exemption upon transfer from a seller to a related business or from a lessor to a lessee except to the extent it would have been eligible for exemption by the seller or the lessor, as the case may be. For the purposes of this subdivision, "related business" means: (i) A corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or trust controlled by the taxpayer; (ii) an individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or trust that is in control of the taxpayer; (iii) a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or trust controlled by an individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or trust that is in control of the taxpayer; or (iv) a member of the same controlled group as the taxpayer. For purposes of this subdivision, "control", with respect to a corporation, means ownership, directly or indirectly, of stock possessing fifty per cent or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of the stock of such corporation entitled to vote. "Control", with respect to a trust, means ownership, directly or indirectly, of fifty per cent or more of the beneficial interest in the principal or income of such trust. The ownership of stock in a corporation, of a capital or profits interest in a partnership or association or of a beneficial interest in a trust shall be determined in accordance with the rules for constructive ownership of stock provided in Section 267(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended, other than paragraph (3) of said Section 267(c);

      (C) Any person claiming the exemption provided under this subdivision for machinery or equipment shall not be eligible to claim the exemption provided under subdivision (60) of this section or subdivision (70) of this section for the same machinery or equipment. The state and the municipality and district shall hold a security interest, as defined in subdivision (35) of subsection (b) of section 42a-1-201, in any machinery or equipment which is exempt from taxation pursuant to this subdivision, in an amount equal to the tax revenue reimbursed or lost, as the case may be, which shall be subordinate to any purchase money security interest, as defined in section 42a-9-103a. Such security interest shall be enforceable against the claimant for a period of five years after the last assessment year in which such exemption was received in any case in which such person ceases all manufacturing or biotechnology operations or moves such manufacturing or biotechnology operations entirely out of this state. Any assessor who has granted an exemption under this subdivision shall provide written notification to the secretary of the cessation of such operations or the move of such operations entirely out of this state. Such notification may be made at any time after the October first of the last assessment year in which such exemption is granted and before the September thirtieth that is five years after the conclusion of said assessment year. Upon receiving such notification and complying with the provisions of section 12-35a, the state shall have a lien upon the machinery or equipment situated in this state and owned by the person that ceased all business operations or moved such operations entirely out of this state. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 12-35a, the total amount of the reimbursement made by the state for the property tax exemptions granted to the person under the provisions of this subdivision, shall be deemed to be the amount of the tax which such person failed to pay. Notwithstanding said section 12-35a, the information required to be included in the notice of lien for such tax shall be as follows: (i) The owner of the property upon which the lien is claimed, (ii) the business address or residence address of such owner, (iii) the specific property claimed to be subject to such lien, (iv) the location of such property at the time it was last made tax-exempt pursuant to this subdivision, (v) the total amount of the reimbursement made by the state for the property tax exemptions granted to such owner under the provisions of this subdivision, and (vi) the tax period or periods for which such lien is claimed. If more than one agency of the state perfects such a notice of lien on the same day, the priority of such liens shall be determined by the time of day such liens were perfected, and if perfected at the same time, the lien for the highest amount shall have priority. In addition to the other remedies provided in this subdivision, the Attorney General, upon request of the secretary, may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover the amount of tax revenue reimbursed by the state from any person who received an exemption under this subdivision. The following shall not be eligible for the exemption provided under this subdivision: (I) A public service company, as defined in section 16-1; and (II) any provider, directly or indirectly, of electricity, oil, water or gas;

      (D) A claim for property tax exemption under this subdivision may be denied by the assessor or board of assessors of a town, consolidated town and city or consolidated town and borough, with the consent of the chief executive officer thereof, if the claimant is delinquent in a property tax payment to such town, consolidated town and city or consolidated town and borough, pursuant to section 12-146, for property owned by such claimant. Before any such claim is denied, the assessor or board of assessors shall send written notice to the claimant, stating that the claimant may pay the amount of such delinquent tax or enter into an agreement with such town, consolidated town and city or consolidated town and borough for the payment thereof, by the date set forth in such notice, provided, such date shall not be less than thirty days after the date of such notice. Failure on the part of the claimant to pay the amount of the delinquent tax or enter into an agreement to pay the amount thereof by said date shall result in a disallowance of the exemption being claimed;

      (E) The secretary, in the secretary's discretion, may deny any claim for exemption under the provisions of this subdivision for new machinery and equipment by a claimant who is delinquent in the payment of corporation business tax imposed under chapter 208, as reported on the list provided by the Commissioner of Revenue Services pursuant to subsection (b) of section 12-7a and who qualified for exemption under this subdivision in the preceding year. On or before September first annually, commencing September 1, 1998, the secretary shall send a written notice to any claimant identified on said list and to the assessor of the town in which the property is subject to taxation, stating that the property tax exemption allowed by this subdivision for the assessment date following the date on which such notice is sent, shall be denied by the assessor of the town in which the property of the taxpayer is subject to taxation unless the taxpayer provides written documentation from the Department of Revenue Services that the delinquency has been cleared. Such written documentation shall substantiate that the delinquency was cleared on or before the statutory date for the filing of an application for exemption under this subdivision, provided, if a taxpayer receives an extension of the filing date pursuant to section 12-81k, the date by which the taxpayer shall be required to clear such tax delinquency shall be extended for a like period of time. No assessor shall approve an application for the exemption under this subdivision that is not accompanied by the written documentation required from a claimant who was sent a notification by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management;

      (73) Temporary devices or structures for seasonal production, storage or protection of plants or plant material. Temporary devices or structures used in the seasonal production, storage or protection of plants or plant material, including, but not limited to, hoop houses, poly houses, high tunnels, overwintering structures and shade houses;

      (74) Certain vehicles used to transport freight for hire. (A)(i) For a period not to exceed five assessment years following the assessment year in which it is first registered, any new commercial truck, truck tractor, tractor and semitrailer, and vehicle used in combination therewith, which is used exclusively to transport freight for hire and: Is either subject to the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Transportation pursuant to Chapter 135 of Title 49, United States Code, or any successor thereto, or would otherwise be subject to said jurisdiction except for the fact that the vehicle is used exclusively in intrastate commerce; has a gross vehicle weight rating in excess of twenty-six thousand pounds; and prior to August 1, 1996, was not registered in this state or in any other jurisdiction but was registered in this state on or after said date. (ii) For a period not to exceed five assessment years following the assessment year in which it is first registered, any new commercial truck, truck tractor, tractor and semitrailer, and vehicle used in combination therewith, not eligible under subparagraph (A)(i) of this subdivision, that has a gross vehicle weight rating in excess of fifty-five thousand pounds and was not registered in this state or in any other jurisdiction but was registered in this state on or after August 1, 1999. As used in this subdivision, "gross vehicle weight rating" shall have the same meaning as in section 14-1;

      (B) Any person who on October first in any year holds title to or is the registrant of a vehicle for which such person intends to claim the exemption provided in this subdivision shall file with the assessor or board of assessors in the municipality in which the vehicle is subject to property taxation, on or before the first day of November in such year, a written application claiming such exemption on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. Such person shall include information as to the make, model, year and vehicle identification number of each such vehicle, and any appurtenances attached thereto, in such application. The person holding title to or the registrant of such vehicle for which exemption is claimed shall furnish the assessor or board of assessors with such supporting documentation as said secretary may require, including, but not limited to, evidence of vehicle use, acquisition cost and registration. Failure to file such application in this manner and form within the time limit prescribed shall constitute a waiver of the right to such exemption for such assessment year, unless an extension of time is allowed as provided in section 12-81k. Such application shall not be required for any assessment year following that for which the initial application is filed, provided if the vehicle is modified, such modification shall be deemed a waiver of the right to such exemption until a new application is filed and the right to such exemption is established as required initially. With respect to any vehicle for which the exemption under this subdivision has previously been claimed in a town other than that in which the vehicle is registered on any assessment date, the person shall not be entitled to such exemption until a new application is filed and the right to such exemption is established in said town;

      (C) With respect to any vehicle which is not registered on the first day of October in any assessment year and which is registered subsequent to said first day of October but prior to the first day of August in such assessment year, the value of such vehicle for property tax exemption purposes shall be a pro rata portion of the value determined in accordance with subparagraph (D) of this subdivision, to be determined by a ratio, the numerator of which shall be the number of months from the date of such registration, including the month in which registration occurs, to the first day of October next succeeding and the denominator of which shall be twelve. For purposes of this subdivision the term "assessment year" means the period of twelve full months commencing with October first each year;

      (D) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 12-71d, the assessor or board of assessors shall determine the value for each vehicle with respect to which a claim for exemption under this subdivision is approved, based on the vehicle's cost of acquisition, including costs related to the modification of such vehicle, adjusted for depreciation in accordance with the schedule set forth in section 12-94c;

      (75) Certain health care institutions. Any real or personal property which (1) is owned or leased by an entity considered to be a nonprofit organization for purposes of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended, and (2) is the location of or located at an institution licensed by the state pursuant to chapter 368v and described in subsection (c) of section 19a-490. This subdivision shall not affect (1) the taxability in assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2000, of any such property that was taxable on the net grand list, as adjusted by the board of assessment appeals, next preceding June 1, 2000, or (2) any time-limited written agreement in existence on June 1, 2000, with any municipality regarding the taxability of any such property.

      (1949 Rev., S. 1761, 1766, 1767, 1773, 1774, 1775; 1949, 1951, June, 1955, S. 1061d; 1951, S. 1056d, 1058d; 1951, 1953, June, 1955, S. 1054d; 1953, S. 1057d; 1953, 1955, S. 1053d; 1955, S. 1052d; 1957, P.A. 166; 388; 453; 572; September, 1957, P.A. 16, S. 8; 1959, P.A. 152, S. 99; 239, S. 2; 1961, P.A. 235, S. 1; 245; February, 1965, P.A. 461, S. 3; 465, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 57, S. 27; 425, S. 1, 2; 738; 754, S. 19; 1969, P.A. 630, S. 2; 657, S. 2; 758, S. 13; 768, S. 67; 1971, P.A. 234; 872, S. 31, 144; P.A. 73-435; P.A. 74-123, S. 1, 4; 74-207, S. 1-6; P.A. 75-483, S. 3, 4, 10; 75-500, S. 1, 2; P.A. 76-409, S. 1; P.A. 77-490, S. 1, 2; 77-533, S. 1, 3; 77-614, S. 19, 139, 587, 610; P.A. 78-267, S. 2, 3; 78-296, S. 1-5; 78-303, S. 85, 136; 78-357, S. 8, 16; P.A. 79-82, S. 1, 2; 79-472, S. 1, 2; 79-479; 79-492, S. 2-4; 79-610, S. 3, 47; P.A. 80-406, S. 1; 80-412, S. 1, 2; P.A. 81-333, S. 2, 3; 81-423, S. 18, 25; 81-439, S. 13, 14; P.A. 82-318, S. 2, 3; 82-382, S. 1, 4; 82-449, S. 1, 5; P.A. 83-75, S. 1, 3; 83-485, S. 4-7, 12, 13; 83-568, S. 1, 2; P.A. 84-429, S. 48; 84-533, S. 1-3; P.A. 85-593, S. 1, 2; P.A. 86-153, S. 1, 5; 86-273, S. 1, 2; 86-394, S. 2, 3; P.A. 87-240, S. 2-4; 87-346, S. 1, 2, 4; 87-584, S. 10, 18; P.A. 88-134, S. 1, 3; 88-287, S. 1, 5; 88-342, S. 2, 4; P.A. 89-235, S. 1, 5; 89-368, S. 25, 26, 30; P.A. 90-270, S. 19, 20, 28, 38; P.A. 91-257, S. 1, 2; 91-307, S. 1; P.A. 92-64, S. 1, 3; 92-193, S. 1, 8; P.A. 93-434, S. 5, 6, 20; P.A. 94-157, S. 1, 2, 4; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-6, S. 16, 28; P.A. 95-283, S. 9, 68; P.A. 96-180, S. 18, 19, 166; 96-208, S. 1, 2; 96-222, S. 34, 41; 96-239, S. 11, 17; 96-252, S. 6, 8; 96-265, S. 1, 5; P.A. 97-193, S. 1, 5; 97-282, S. 4, 5, 6; P.A. 98-28, S. 45, 117; 98-146, S. 2, 5; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1, S. 98, 121; P.A. 99-272, S. 1, 7; 99-280, S. 1, 2; P.A. 00-120, S. 5, 13; 00-169, S. 23, 36; 00-170, S. 27, 28, 42; 00-215, S. 3-9, 11; 00-229, S. 1, 7; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 00-1, S. 26, 46; P.A. 01-132, S. 156, 157; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-6, S. 17, 83, 85; P.A. 02-49, S. 5; 02-143, S. 1, 2; P.A. 03-269, S. 5; 03-270, S. 1; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 40, 53, 146(e); P.A. 04-72, S. 1, 2; 04-189, S. 1; 04-240, S. 35; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2, S. 76; P.A. 05-109, S. 43, 44; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-1, S. 37, 38.)

      History: 1959 acts repealed exemptions for county property (county government abolished) and watercraft owned by nonresidents; 1961 acts added Subsecs. (48) and (49); 1965 acts added Subsecs. (50) and (51); 1967 acts replaced former provisions of Subsec. (51) with wholly new provisions, amended Subsecs. (19) and (21) to include references to the Vietnam era, and added Subsecs. (52) and (53); 1969 acts amended Subsec. (50) to delete per cent figures for 1967, 1968 and 1969, to decrease by ten per cent the figures for 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975 and to add "one hundred per cent in the year 1976", added Subsec. (54), amended Subsec. (52) to specify structures or equipment acquired "by lease or purchase", to substitute clean air commission for air pollution control commission and to allow certification of a portion of structures and equipment acquired, and substituted commissioner of transportation for Connecticut aeronautics commission in Subsec. (48); 1971 acts deleted reference to (17) in Subsec. (20) and substituted commissioner of environmental protection for clean air commission in Subsec. (52); P.A. 73-435 amended Subsec. (21) to include exemption for loss of use of one arm or one leg because of service-related injury; P.A. 74-123 added Subsec. (55); P.A. 74-207 amended Subsecs. (20) to (25) to include both widows and widowers; P.A. 75-483 simplified reference to Vietnam era in Subsecs. (19) and (21); P.A. 75-500 excluded subsidized housing for low and moderate income persons or families from consideration as charitable purpose in Subsec. (7); P.A. 76-409 added Subsec. (56); P.A. 77-490 clarified Subsec. (56)(a) by deleting reference to "addition to a building" and inserting "building to which a solar heating or cooling system is added...", deleted reference to windmills and water wheels in (b), and added Subsec. (57); P.A. 77-533 added Subsec. (58); P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 substituted secretary of the office of policy and management for commissioner of planning and energy policy and, effective January 1, 1979 substituted commissioner of revenue services for tax commissioner; P.A. 78-267 removed requirement that veteran have served in time of war and listed eligible branches of service in Subsec. (21); P.A. 78-296 removed "Connecticut" in Subsecs. (7), (13), (18) and (49) thus making out-of-state organizations eligible, effective May 31, 1978, and applicable to assessment list in any town for assessment date next following May 31, 1978, and each assessment date thereafter; P.A. 78-357 added Subsecs. (59) and (60); P.A. 79-82 added Subsec. (61), effective May 3, 1979, and applicable to assessment list in any town for 1979 and any assessment list thereafter; P.A. 79-472 included in Subsec. (19) state residents who served in forces of Czechoslovakia or Poland in WWII and included parents of more than one serviceman or woman under certain conditions in Subsec. (25); P.A. 79-479 added Subsec. (62); P.A. 79-492 amended Subsecs. (59) and (60) to detail exemptions further; P.A. 79-610 substituted secretary of the office of policy and management for commissioner of revenue services, effective July 1, 1980; P.A. 80-406 replaced "October 1, 1980" with "April 20, 1977" in Subsec. (61); P.A. 80-412 amended Subsec. (55) to replace requirements for federal old-age, survivors and disability insurance with requirements for social security or other permanent total disability payments comparable with social security, effective June 6, 1980, and applicable in any town to the assessment year commencing October 1, 1980, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 81-333 amended Subsec. (60) to allow exemption for existing machinery in newly purchased manufacturing facility in distressed municipality: P.A. 81-423 added Subsec. (64) providing exemption for vessels, effective July 1, 1981, and applicable in any municipality to the assessment year commencing October 1, 1981, and thereafter; P.A. 81-439 added Subsec. (63), authorizing municipalities to adopt ordinance exempting from property tax solar energy electricity generating systems not eligible for exemption under subsection (57), cogeneration systems or both, effective July 1, 1981; P.A. 82-318 amended Subdiv. (21) to allow municipalities to provide total exemption for the residence of a veteran with respect to which such veteran has received assistance for specially adapted housing under title 38 of United States Code, effective June 9, 1982 and applicable to assessment years in municipalities commencing October 1, 1982, and thereafter; P.A. 82-382 added Subdiv. (66) re motor vehicles leased to state agencies; P.A. 82-449 added Subdiv. (65) re exemption for certain vanpool vehicles, effective July 1, 1982 and applicable to assessment year commencing October 1, 1982, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 83-75 amended Subdiv. (19) to allow exemption for service during period beginning June 27, 1950, and ending January 31, 1955, in lieu of the period "between June 27, 1950 and October 27, 1953" as previously provided, effective May 10, 1983, and applicable in any town to the assessment year commencing October 1, 1983, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 83-485 amended Subdiv. (14) by adding thereto exemption with respect to real property and equipment owned by any religious organization and exclusively used as a thrift shop, the proceeds of which are used for charitable purposes and amended Subdivs. (51), (52) and (53) by the addition of Subpara. (b) to each of said subdivisions, which subparagraph in Subdivs. (51) and (52) concerns requirements related to certification of the exempt property by the commissioner of environmental protection and in Subdiv. (53) concerns time requirements applicable to claims for the exemption and the result of failure to file such application as prescribed; P.A. 83-485 amended Subdivs. (56) and (57) by providing in Subpara. (c) of each of said subdivisions that application for exemption shall not be required for any assessment year following that for which the initial application is filed unless the exempt property is altered in any manner and amended Subpara. (d) of Subdivs. (62) and (63) to provide that application for exemption shall not be required for any assessment year following that for which the initial application is filed unless the exempt property is altered in any manner, effective June 30, 1983, and applicable in any town to the assessment year commencing October 1, 1983, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 83-568 amended Subdivs. (59) and (60) to provide that the exemptions in those Subdivs. terminate for the assessment year following the date that the facility no longer qualifies for the exemption; P.A. 84-429 made technical changes in Subdiv. (65) for statutory consistency; P.A. 84-533 amended Subdivs. (40) and (41) to remove the fifty dollar specific exemption for swine in Subdiv. (41) and include it with sheep and goats in an exemption in Subdiv. (40) which was increased from two hundred to five hundred dollars and to insert in Subdiv. (41) an exemption for dairy and beef cattle and oxen and added Subdiv. (67) re exemption of city beach property, effective June 4, 1984, and applicable to the assessment year commencing October 1, 1984, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 85-593 amended Subdiv. (55) by adding Subpara. (3), clarifying that a person who has attained age sixty-five or over and because of payments received as retirement benefits, is no longer eligible to receive benefits under the disability benefit provisions of Social Security or any federal, state or local government retirement or disability plan, in accordance with which such person would be eligible under such disability benefit provisions except for having attained age sixty-five or over, shall be eligible for the exemption provided under said Subdiv. (55), effective July 8, 1985, and applicable in any municipality to the assessment year commencing October 1, 1985, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 86-153 amended Subdivs. (59) and (60) by clarifying filing requirements for the exemption under each of said subdivisions by inserting the provision that any person claiming the exemption shall file "annually" with the assessor "on or before the first day of November", effective April 28, 1986, and applicable in any municipality for purposes of the assessment year commencing October 1, 1986, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 86-273 amended Subparas. (b) and (c) of Subdiv. (21) to provide for reinstatement of exemption of a surviving spouse after the termination of a subsequent marriage, effective June 4, 1986, and applicable for the assessment year of any municipality commencing October 1, 1986, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 86-394 amended Subdiv. (19) to eliminate reference to state residents who served in forces of Czechoslovakia or Poland in World War II and included residents who served in forces of any government signatory to United Nations Declaration of January 1, 1942, effective June 9, 1986, and applicable in any municipality to the assessment year commencing October 1, 1987, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 87-240 amended Subdiv. (59) by adding reference to the extension of time that may be allowed for filing the application for exemption as required under said Subdiv. (59), and amended Subdiv. (60) by (1) adding provisions allowing exemption for machinery and equipment acquired and installed on or after October 1, 1986, in a manufacturing facility eligible for exemption under Subdiv. (59), when such machinery and equipment is installed in conjunction with an expansion of such facility contiguous to and representing an increase of not less than fifty per cent of the floor space in the certified manufacturing facility and (2) adding reference to the extension of time that may be allowed for filing the application for exemption as required under said Subdiv. (60), effective June 1, 1987, and applicable to the assessment year commencing October 1, 1987, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 87-346 amended (1) Subdiv. (40) by allowing complete exemption for sheep, goats and swine in the state, eliminating the maximum amount of exemption previously applicable to assessed value of such livestock, except when totally exempt as a result of being used in farming, (2) Subdiv. (41) by allowing complete exemption for dairy and beef cattle and oxen, eliminating the maximum amount of exemption previously applicable to assessed value of such livestock, except when totally exempt as a result of being used in farming, and by allowing complete exemption for asses and mules and (3) Subdiv. (43) by allowing complete exemption for poultry, eliminating the maximum exemption previously applicable to poultry except when used in farming, and added Subdiv. (68) allowing total exemption for all livestock except that the exemption for horses and ponies shall be limited to one thousand dollars in assessed value unless used in farming, effective June 10, 1987, and applicable to the assessment year commencing October 1, 1987, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 87-584 amended Subdiv. (54) by deleting reference to Sec. 12-24c and by incorporating a definition of "wholesale and retail business"; P.A. 88-134 added Subdiv. (69) exempting certain property belonging to the metropolitan transportation authority, effective May 6, 1988, and applicable to assessment year commencing October 1, 1988, and thereafter; P.A. 88-287 added Subdiv. (70) re exemption for machinery and equipment used in manufacturing goods or products and acquired as part of a technological upgrading of the manufacturing process, effective June 6, 1988, and applicable to assessment years of municipalities commencing on or after October 1, 1988; P.A. 88-342 added certain members of the merchant marine to Subdiv. (19), effective June 6, 1988, and applicable to assessment years commencing on and after October 1, 1988; P.A. 89-235 amended Subdiv. (60) to require in Subparas. (1) and (2) that machinery and equipment eligible for an exemption represent an addition to the assessment or grand list of the municipality, and to provide in Subpara. (3) that the manufacturing facility is or has at one time been certified for an exemption, effective June 16, 1989, and applicable to assessment years commencing on and after October 1, 1989; P.A. 89-368 amended Subdiv. (2) by exempting reservation land held in trust by the state for Indian tribes and added Subdiv. (71) allowing exemption for motor vehicles owned by member of indigenous Indian tribe or spouse and garaged on the reservation of the tribe; P.A. 90-270 amended Subdivs. (59) and (60) by expanding exemption to facilities, machinery and equipment in municipalities located in a targeted investment community or enterprise zone, amended Subdiv. (70) to expand exemption to new machinery and equipment located in a targeted investment community or enterprise zone and made technical changes and added Subdiv. (72) re exemption for new machinery and equipment in manufacturing facilities, effective January 1, 1991, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 1991; P.A. 91-257 added Subdiv. (73) concerning temporary devices or structures used in the seasonal production, storage or protection of plants or plant material, effective June 19, 1991, and applicable to assessment years of municipalities commencing on or after October 1, 1991; P.A. 91-307 amended Subdiv. (10) concerning property belonging to agricultural or horticultural societies to revise the requirements for exemption thereunder; P.A. 92-64 amended Subsec. (39) to remove the requirement that produce be grown in the season next preceding the assessment date to qualify for the exemption, effective May 20, 1992, and applicable to assessment years of municipalities commencing on or after October 1, 1992; P.A. 92-193 amended Subsec. (72) by (1) adding provisions allowing exemption for "newly-acquired machinery and equipment, as defined herein, acquired on or after July 1, 1992", (2) substituting "fabricating" for "assembling of raw materials, parts or manufactured products" and inserting "for measuring or testing or for metal finishing" in definitions of "machinery", "equipment" and "manufacturing facility", (3) adding further definitions of "machinery" and "equipment", (4) repealing definition of "manufacturer" and (5) adding definition of "manufacturing", "fabricating", "processing" and "measuring or testing", effective July 1, 1992, and applicable to assessment years of municipalities commencing on and after October 1, 1992; P.A. 93-434 amended Subpara. (c) of Subdivs. (56) and (57) by deleting obsolete reference to forms prescribed by the secretary and providing that such forms be approved by the assessor, effective June 30, 1993, and amended Subpara. (a) of Subdiv. (72) by inserting reference to Subpara. (b) and amended Subpara. (b) of Subdiv. (72) by establishing a procedure to claim exemption for leased machinery or equipment, effective June 30, 1993, and applicable to assessment years commencing on and after October 1, 1992; P.A. 94-157 (1) amended Subdiv. (56) by extending end date of construction or addition from 1991 to 2006, adding "active" before "solar energy heating or cooling system", dividing Subpara. (b) into numbered subparagraphs, adding Subpara. (2) re mechanical means to transfer energy in Subpara. (b), adding reference to chapter 54 in Subpara. (3) of Subpara. (b) and adding provision re building permit in Subpara. (c), (2) amended Subdiv. (57) by extending end date of installation from 1991 to 2006, adding reference to chapter 54 in Subpara. (b) and adding provision re building permit in Subpara. (c), (3) amended Subdiv. (62) by extending end date of construction or addition from 1991 to 2006, deleting Subpara. (b) re regulations to define and set standards for passive and hybrid solar energy heating or cooling systems and adding new Subpara. (b) defining "passive solar energy heating or cooling system" and "hybrid system", requiring application in manner and form as provided by assessor or board rather than on form prescribed by the office of policy and management in Subpara. (c) and adding provision re building permit in Subpara. (c), and (4) amended Subdiv. (63) by extending end date of installation from 1991 to 2006, making prohibition of applicability in Subpara. (a) mandatory rather than permissive, adding provision re resources recovery facilities in Subpara. (a), adding references to chapter 54 in Subpara. (b), changing "energy which is used for heating, cooling" to "thermal energy which is used for space or water heating or cooling," in Subpara. (b), requiring application in manner and form as provided by assessor or board rather than on form prescribed by the office of policy and management in Subpara. (d) and adding provision re building permit in Subpara. (d), effective October 1, 1994, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after that date; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-6 amended Subpara. (c) of Subdiv. (72) to exclude public service companies defined in Sec. 16-1, effective June 21, 1994, and applicable for the assessment year commencing October 1, 1993, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 95-283 amended Subdiv. (72) to extend exemption period from four years to five years, effective July 6, 1995, and applicable to assessment years of municipalities commencing on or after October 1, 1996; P.A. 96-180 amended Subdivs. (59), (60) and (70) by substituting "Department of Economic and Community Development" for "department", effective June 3, 1996; P.A. 96-208 amended Subdiv. (72) to require taxpayer identification number and federal employer identification number on application and to add provision allowing denial of exemption if the claimant is delinquent in a property tax payment, effective June 4, 1996, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 1996; P.A. 96-222 amended Subdiv. (60) to provide that exemption shall not apply to rolling stock, effective October 1, 1996, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after said date; P.A. 96-239 amended Subdivs. (59) and (60) by dividing the Subdivs. into Subparas., adding Subpara. (b) re tax exemption for service facilities and adding references to "service facility" in Subpara. (c) of both, effective July 1, 1996 (Revisor's note: In Subparas. (b) of both Subdivs. (59) and (60) "department" was replaced editorially by the Revisors with "Department of Economic and Community Development" to mirror technical change enacted in P.A. 96-180); P.A. 96-252 amended Subdiv. (a) of Subsec. (72) by adding provisions re machinery and equipment used in the biotechnology industry, effective July 1, 1996, and applicable to assessment years of municipalities commencing on or after October 1, 1996; P.A. 96-265 added Subdiv. (74) re exemption for certain commercial motor vehicles, effective October 1, 1996, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after said date; P.A. 97-193 amended Subdiv. (72) to add new Subpara. (E) re denial of exemption if applicant delinquent in corporation business tax and to make technical and renumbering changes, effective June 24, 1997, and applicable to income years commencing on or after January 1, 1998; P.A. 97-282 amended Subdiv. (72) to make assessors instead of the Office of Policy and Management responsible for granting extensions, to provide that machinery or equipment that is transferred by sale or lease is only eligible for the exemption only to the extent it would be exempt for the seller or lessor and to make technical changes and amended Subdiv. (74) to require commercial vehicles to be valued on the basis of their acquisition costs and depreciated in accordance with the schedule in Sec. 12-94c, to provide for prorating the value of vehicles that appear on the supplemental motor vehicle list, and to make technical changes, effective June 26, 1997, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 1996 (Revisor's note: In Subdiv. (72)(A)(vii) the phrase "to development microorganisms" was replaced editorially by the Revisors with "to develop microorganisms" for grammatical accuracy); P.A. 98-28 amended Subdiv. (57) by replacing solar energy electricity generating systems with Class I renewable energy sources and certain hydropower facilities, by deleting October 1, 2006 sunset date in Subsec. (a), by deleting Subsec. (b) and by relettering former Subsec. (c) as (b), effective April 29, 1998, and applicable to assessment years of municipalities commencing on or after October 1, 1999; P.A. 98-146 amended Subpar. (a) of Subdiv. (59) by applying exemption to properties designated as manufacturing plants under Sec. 32-75c and authorized extention of assessment period for manufacturing facilities with a Standard Industrial Classification Code of 2833, effective July 1, 1998, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 98-1 amended Subdiv. (a) of Subsec. (59) by adding reference to Standard Industrial Classification Code 2834 and making a technical change, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 99-272 amended Subdiv. (21) to allow exemption for modification of dwelling house in Subpara. (C) and to make technical changes, effective June 15, 1999, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 1998; P.A. 99-280 amended Subdiv. (74) by requiring the five-year assessment period of a new commercial truck, truck tractor, tractor and semitrailer, and vehicle used in combination therewith, to begin following the assessment year in which such a vehicle was "first registered" in lieu of "purchased" in Subpara. (A)(i), added Subpara. (A)(ii) re vehicles not eligible under Subpara. (A)(i) and made technical changes, effective October 1, 2000, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after that date; P.A. 00-120 amended Subdiv. (19) to define "veteran", "service in time of war", and "armed forces" and to make technical changes, effective May 26, 2000, and applicable to assessment years commencing October 1, 2000; P.A. 00-169 amended Subdiv. (74)(A) by making a technical change; P.A. 00-170 amended Subdivs. (59)(b) and (60)(b) to allow certain financial institutions receiving state assistance to extend the assessment period for five years, effective May 26, 2000; P.A. 00-215 amended Subdivs. (7), (10) and (16) to require that the assessor provide the statement form under those Subdivs. and to provide that the statement is due on November first quadrennially, amended Subdivs. (59)(c), (60)(c) and (70) to provide that extensions of deadlines for applications under those Subdivs. be in accordance with Sec. 12-81k and amended Subdiv. (74)(B) to make a technical change and to modify the filing requirements for new commercial vehicles, effective June 1, 2000, and applicable to assessment years commencing on and after October 1, 2000 (Revisor's note: In 2001 the word "if" in the phrase "sworn to by the president, secretary or treasurer if the society" in Subdiv. (10) was changed editorially by the Revisors to "of" to conform provision with P.A. 91-307, thereby correcting a clerical error first published in the 1993 edition of the general statutes); P.A. 00-229 provided an exemption for certain health care institutions, effective June 1, 2000, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 1998 (Revisor's note: P.A. 00-229 was designated editorially by the Revisors as Subdiv. (75) and the words "... shall be exempt from taxation under chapter 203 of the general statutes," were deleted editorially by the Revisors since they were no longer needed in the Subdiv. as codified); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 00-1 amended Subdiv. (36) to replace fishing apparatus "actually used in the main business of" with fishing apparatus "belonging to" and to add proviso that such apparatus was purchased for use in the main business of such business or company at the time of purchase, effective June 21, 2000, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2000; P.A. 01-132 amended Subdivs. (70) and (72) to replace Sec. 42a-9-107 with Sec. 42a-9-103a as the statutory reference for the definition of "purchase money security interest" and to make technical changes; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-6 amended Subdiv. (60)(a) to provide for a five-year extension of the assessment period for facilities having code classification 2833 or 2834 in the Standard Industrial Code Classification Manual and employing at least one thousand new full-time employees and amended Subdiv. (72)(B) to provide definitions of "related business" and "control" for purposes of subdivision, to add provisions re determination of stock or interest ownership and to make technical changes for purposes of gender neutrality, effective July 1, 2001 (Revisor's note: In Subdiv. (75), "This section" was changed editorially by the Revisors to "This subdivision" for clarity and accuracy); P.A. 02-49 amended Subdiv. (11) to require quadrennial statements be filed with the assessor rather than the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and to make technical changes, effective May 9, 2002; P.A. 02-143 amended Subdivs. (70) and (72)(C) to add provisions re enforcement of the state's security interest established under said Subdivs. and to make technical changes, effective July 1, 2002, and applicable with respect to personal property tax exemptions in which the state has a security interest for the assessment year commencing October 1, 2001, and each assessment year thereafter; (Revisor's note: In 2003 a reference in Subdiv. (59) to "Commissioner of Economic Development" was changed editorially by the Revisors to "Commissioner of Economic and Community Development"); P.A. 03-269 amended Subdiv. (53) to provide exemption for leased vehicles and to delete requirement that vehicle be for passengers, effective October 1, 2003, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after that date; P.A. 03-270 amended Subdiv. (7) to make a technical change and define "housing" for purposes of that subdivision, effective July 9, 2003, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2002; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 amended Subdiv. (10) to replace Commissioner of Agriculture with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004, and amended Subdiv. (55) to suspend the exemption for property of totally disabled persons for the 2003 assessment year and make a technical change, and amended Subdiv. (72)(A) to make Subpara. effective for assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2002, redefine "fabricating" to exclude presorting, sorting, coding, folding, stuffing or delivery of certain mail services, limit definition of "processing" to manufacturing and make technical changes, both effective August 20, 2003, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2002; P.A. 04-72 amended Subdiv. (72)(A)(i) to provide that "machinery" and "equipment" must be claimed on the owner's federal income tax return, and amended Subdiv. (72)(B) to revise reference to certain other sections requiring lists of property to be filed and to add provisions re reporting of certain information on a claimant's federal income tax return, effective May 10, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 04-240 amended Subdiv. (7) by making technical changes and adding provision re operation of housing by charitable organization deemed an exclusively charitable purpose, effective October 1, 2002, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after that date; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2 amended Subdiv. (55) to restore exemption for the 2003 assessment year and to provide for the issuance of certificates of correction, effective May 12, 2004, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2003; P.A. 05-109 amended Subdivs. (70)(C) and (72)(C) by replacing references to Sec. 42a-1-201(37) with references to Sec. 42a-1-201(b)(35); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-1 amended Subdiv. (51) to add "by purchase or lease" in Subpara. (a), to substitute "owner or lessee of such structures or equipment who wishes to claim" for "person claiming", add application requirement and make technical changes in Subpara. (b), and to add new Subpara. (c) re revised application for a change in the name of the owner or lessee, and amended Subdiv. (52) to make changes in Subpara. (b) identical to those in Subdiv. (51) and add identical provisions as new Subpara. (c), effective July 21, 2005.

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      Sec. 12-81r. Municipal option to abate or forgive taxes on contaminated real property undergoing remediation. (a) Any municipality may (1) enter into an agreement with the owner of any real property to abate the property tax due as of the date of the agreement for a period not to exceed seven years if the property has been subject to a spill, as defined in section 22a-452c, and the owner agrees to conduct any environmental site assessment, demolition and remediation of the spill necessary to redevelop the property. Any such tax abatement shall only be for the period of remediation and redevelopment and shall be contingent upon the continuation and completion of the remediation and redevelopment process with respect to the purposes specified in the agreement. The abatement shall cease upon the sale or transfer of the property for any other purpose unless the municipality consents to its continuation. The municipality may also establish a recapture provision in the event of sale provided such recapture shall not exceed the original amount of taxes abated and may not go back further than the date of the agreement; or (2) forgive all or a portion of the principal balance and interest due on delinquent property taxes for the benefit of any prospective purchaser who has obtained an environmental investigation or remediation plan approved by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection or a licensed environmental professional under section 22a-133w, 22a-133x or 22a-133y and completes such remediation plan for an establishment, as defined in section 22a-134, deemed by the municipality to be abandoned.

      (b) Any abatement or forgiveness of taxes under subsection (a) of this section shall be approved by vote of the board of finance and the legislative body of the municipality, or by vote of the board of finance and the board of selectmen in a municipality where the legislative body is a town meeting and contingent upon any other conditions deemed appropriate by such body.

      (c) A municipality shall notify the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management not later than thirty days after granting any abatement or forgiveness of taxes under subsection (a) of this section. Such notice shall provide the owner or purchaser's name, as the case may be, and the address of the property.

      (P.A. 97-109, S. 1, 2; P.A. 98-253, S. 1; P.A. 05-288, S. 51.)

      History: P.A. 97-109 effective June 6, 1997, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 1997; P.A. 98-253 entirely replaced previous provisions re property tax abatement on environmentally impacted sites with new Subsecs. (a) to (c), inclusive, adding provision in new Subsec. (a) re forgiveness of taxes, and provisions of new Subsec. (c) re notification of state officials; P.A. 05-288 made a technical change in Subsec. (c), effective July 13, 2005.

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      Sec. 12-91. Exemption for farm machinery, horses or ponies. Additional optional exemption for farm buildings or buildings used for housing for seasonal employees. (a) All farm machinery, except motor vehicles, as defined in section 14-1, to the value of one hundred thousand dollars, any horse or pony which is actually and exclusively used in farming, as defined in section 1-1, when owned and kept in this state by, or when held in trust for, any farmer or group of farmers operating as a unit, a partnership or a corporation, a majority of the stock of which corporation is held by members of a family actively engaged in farm operations, shall be exempt from local property taxation; provided each such farmer, whether operating individually or as one of a group, partnership or corporation, shall qualify for such exemption in accordance with the standards set forth in subsection (d) of this section for the assessment year for which such exemption is sought. Only one such exemption shall be allowed to each such farmer, group of farmers, partnership or corporation. Subdivision (38) of section 12-81 shall not apply to any person, group, partnership or corporation receiving the exemption provided for in this subsection.

      (b) Any municipality, upon approval by its legislative body, may provide an additional exemption from property tax for such machinery to the extent of an additional assessed value of one hundred thousand dollars. Any such exemption shall be subject to the same limitations as the exemption provided under subsection (a) of this section and the application and qualification process provided in subsection (d) of this section.

      (c) Any municipality, upon approval by its legislative body, may provide an exemption from property tax for any building used actually and exclusively in farming, as defined in section 1-1, or for any building used to provide housing for seasonal employees of such farmer. The municipality shall establish the amount of such exemption from the assessed value, provided such amount may not exceed one hundred thousand dollars with respect to each eligible building. Such exemption shall not apply to the residence of such farmer and shall be subject to the application and qualification process provided in subsection (d) of this section.

      (d) Annually, within thirty days after the assessment date in each town, city or borough, each such individual farmer, group of farmers, partnership or corporation shall make written application for the exemption provided for in subsection (a) of this section to the assessor or board of assessors in the town in which such farm is located, including therewith a notarized affidavit certifying that such farmer, individually or as part of a group, partnership or corporation, derived at least fifteen thousand dollars in gross sales from such farming operation, or incurred at least fifteen thousand dollars in expenses related to such farming operation, with respect to the most recently completed taxable year of such farmer prior to the commencement of the assessment year for which such application is made, on forms to be prescribed by the Commissioner of Agriculture. Failure to file such application in said manner and form within the time limit prescribed shall be considered a waiver of the right to such exemption for the assessment year. Any person aggrieved by any action of the assessors 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 the assessors or board of assessment appeals.

      (September, 1957, P.A. 18; 1959, P.A. 191, S. 1, 2, 3; 1961, P.A. 477; 1963, P.A. 510; 1971, P.A. 358, S. 1; P.A. 77-614, S. 139, 610; P.A. 79-610, S. 3, 47; P.A. 80-393, S. 1, 2; P.A. 85-572, S. 1, 3; P.A. 87-346, S. 3, 4; P.A. 92-64, S. 2, 3; P.A. 94-201, S. 5, 7; P.A. 95-283, S. 41, 68; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-6, S. 82, 85; P.A. 03-234, S. 1; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 05-228, S. 8; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 113.)

      History: 1959 act extended section's application to include farm machinery and removed limitation of application to assessment lists of 1957 and 1958; 1961 act extended section's application to include corporations, and added that subdivisions (38), (40), (41), and (42) of section 12-81 shall not apply to groups of farmers; 1963 act deleted exception of fur breeders; 1971 act amended Subsec. (a) to include property held in trust; P.A. 77-614 substituted commissioner of revenue services for tax commissioner, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-610 substituted Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management for Commissioner of Revenue Services, effective July 1, 1980; P.A. 80-393 changed maximum value exempted from three to ten thousand dollars, effective May 23, 1980, and applicable in any town to the assessment year commencing October 1, 1980, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 85-572 amended (1) Subsec. (a) so as to increase the amount of exemption for farm machinery from a value up to ten thousand dollars to a value up to one hundred thousand dollars and (2) Subsec. (b) by requiring that the farmer claiming the exemption submit a notarized affidavit certifying that the principal means of livelihood of such farmer is derived from such farming operation, effective July 3, 1985, and applicable in any town, city or borough for the assessment year commencing October 1, 1985, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 87-346 amended Subsec. (a) to allow complete exemption for any horse or pony used exclusively in farming and provided that Subdiv. (38) of Sec. 12-81, allowing exemption for farming tools to a value of five hundred dollars, shall not apply to any person or organization eligible for the exemption under this section for all farm machinery to the value of one hundred thousand dollars, effective June 10, 1987, and applicable to the assessment year commencing October 1, 1987, and each assessment year thereafter; P.A. 92-64 amended section to remove the requirement that the farmer's principal means of livelihood be derived from farming and inserted in lieu thereof monetary standards of fifteen thousand dollars in sales or expenses, effective May 20, 1992, and applicable to assessment years of municipalities commencing on or after October 1, 1992; P.A. 94-201 amended Subsec. (b) to change the officer responsible for administration of that subsection from the Secretary of Policy and Management to the Commissioner of Agriculture, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-283 amended Subsec. (b) to replace board of tax review with board of assessment appeals, effective July 6, 1995; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-6 added new Subsec. (b) re option for a municipality to provide an additional exemption for machinery and redesigned former Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c), effective July 1, 2001, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2001; P.A. 03-234 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (b), added new Subsec. (c) re authority for municipalities to exempt farm buildings to the extent of assessed value of one hundred thousand dollars from property tax and redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (d), effective July 1, 2003; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Agriculture with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 05-228 amended Subsec. (c) by giving municipalities the option to provide an additional exemption for housing for seasonal employees, effective July 11, 2005, and applicable to assessment years commencing on and after October 1, 2005; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 changed effective date of P.A. 05-228 to October 1, 2005, effective June 30, 2005.

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      Sec. 12-94a. State reimbursement in lieu of tax revenue from totally disabled persons. On or before July first, annually, the tax collector of each municipality shall certify to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, on a form furnished by said secretary, the amount of tax revenue which such municipality, except for the provisions of subdivision (55) of section 12-81, would have received, together with such supporting information as said secretary may require, except that for the assessment year commencing October 1, 2003, such certification shall be made to the secretary on or before August 1, 2004. Any municipality which neglects to transmit to said secretary such claim and supporting documentation as required by this section shall forfeit two hundred fifty dollars to the state, provided said secretary may waive such forfeiture in accordance with procedures and standards adopted by regulation in accordance with chapter 54. Said secretary shall review each such claim as provided in section 12-120b. Any claimant aggrieved by the results of the secretary's review shall have the rights of appeal as set forth in section 12-120b. The secretary shall, on or before December fifteenth, annually, certify to the Comptroller the amount due each municipality under the provisions of this section, including any modification of such claim made prior to December fifteenth, and the Comptroller shall draw an order on the Treasurer on the fifth business day following and the Treasurer shall pay the amount thereof to such municipality on or before the thirty-first day of December following. If any modification is made as the result of the provisions of this section on or after the December fifteenth following the date on which the tax collector has provided the amount of tax revenue in question, any adjustments to the amount due to any municipality for the period for which such modification was made shall be made in the next payment the Treasurer shall make to such municipality pursuant to this section. For the purposes of this section, "municipality" means a town, city, borough, consolidated town and city or consolidated town and borough. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the assessment year commencing on October 1, 2002. In the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2004, and in each fiscal year thereafter, the amount of the grant payable to each municipality in accordance with this section shall be reduced proportionately in the event that the total amount of the grants payable to all municipalities exceeds the amount appropriated.

      (P.A. 74-123, S. 3, 4; P.A. 77-614, S. 139, 610; P.A. 79-610, S. 3, 47; P.A. 85-371, S. 4, 10; P.A. 88-230, S. 1, 12; P.A. 90-73, S. 1, 5; 90-98, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-142, S. 4, 7, 8; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-6, S. 17, 28; P.A. 95-220, S. 4-6; 95-283, S. 15, 68; P.A. 96-261, S. 3, 4; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-6, S. 48, 85; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 41; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2, S. 77; P.A. 05-287, S. 13.)

      History: P.A. 77-614 substituted commissioner of revenue services for tax commissioner, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-610 substituted secretary of the office of policy and management for commissioner of revenue services; P.A. 85-371 extended final date for review by secretary from November first following deadline for receipt of claims to July first following said deadline and added provisions re payments of adjustments in amounts due to municipalities resulting from modifications of claims occurring after December first, effective July 1, 1985, and applicable to any grant or claim information received by the secretary of the office of policy and management on or after that date; P.A. 90-73 added the provision for municipal forfeiture in the event of failure to submit the required documentation and the related waiver procedure; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-6 added the definition of "municipality", effective June 21, 1994, and applicable to the grant-in-lieu of taxes made in the fiscal year commencing July 1, 1994, and each fiscal year thereafter; P.A. 95-283 changed location of appeal from the judicial district in which the municipality is located to the judicial district of Hartford-New Britain, effective October 1, 1996 (Revisor's note: P.A. 88-230, 90-98, 93-142 and 95-220 authorized substitution of "judicial district of Hartford" for "judicial district of Hartford-New Britain" in 1995 public and special acts, effective September 1, 1998); P.A. 96-261 repealed changes made by P.A. 95-283, effective June 10, 1996; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-6 replaced former provision re administrative review of claims with uniform process provided for in Sec. 12-120b and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2001; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 suspended reimbursement for the 2002 and 2003 assessment years, effective August 20, 2003, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2002; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2 specified the time period for the towns' certification for the 2003 assessment year and added provision re pro rata reduction of payments when the total amount due exceeds the amount appropriated, effective May 12, 2004, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after October 1, 2003; P.A. 05-287 replaced references to "December first" with references to "December fifteenth" and changed "or before the fifteenth day of December" to "the fifth business day", effective July 13, 2005.

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      Sec. 12-107a. Declaration of policy. It is hereby declared (1) that it is in the public interest to encourage the preservation of farm land, forest land and open space land in order to maintain a readily available source of food and farm products close to the metropolitan areas of the state, to conserve the state's natural resources and to provide for the welfare and happiness of the inhabitants of the state, (2) that it is in the public interest to prevent the forced conversion of farm land, forest land and open space land to more intensive uses as the result of economic pressures caused by the assessment thereof for purposes of property taxation at values incompatible with their preservation as such farm land, forest land and open space land, and (3) that the necessity in the public interest of the enactment of the provisions of sections 12-107b to 12-107e, inclusive, and section 12-504f, is a matter of legislative determination.

      (1963, P.A. 490, S. 1; P.A. 98-157, S. 14(b), 15; P.A. 05-190, S. 2.)

      History: P.A. 98-157 repealed Sec. 7-131c and specifically mandated deletion of reference to that section in Sec. 12-107a, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 05-190 added reference to Sec. 12-504f and changed alphabetic designators to numeric designators, effective July 1, 2005, and applicable to sales, transfers or changes in use of land classified as farm land, forest land or open space land that occur on or after that date.

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      Sec. 12-107c. Classification of land as farm land. (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.

      (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.

      (1963, P.A. 490, S. 3; P.A. 73-585, S. 3; P.A. 77-614, S. 139, 610; P.A. 79-513, S. 1, 6; 79-610, S. 3, 47; P.A. 94-201, S. 1, 7; P.A. 95-283, S. 45, 68; P.A. 00-120, S. 2, 13; P.A. 01-195, S. 116, 181; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 05-190, S. 3.)

      History: P.A. 73-585 required that application include statement of potential tax liability under Secs. 12-504a to 12-504e; P.A. 77-614 substituted commissioner of revenue services for tax commissioner, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-513 allowed filing of application within ninety days after assessment date in years in which revaluations become effective, effective July 1, 1979, and applicable to sale of any land classified for first time as farm, forest or open space land on or after that date; P.A. 79-610 substituted secretary of the office of policy and management for commissioner of revenue services, effective July 1, 1980; P.A. 94-201 amended Subsec. (b) to change the officer responsible for administration of that Subsec. from the secretary of policy and management to the commissioner of agriculture, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-283 amended Subsec. (d) to replace board of tax review with board of assessment appeals, effective July 6, 1995; P.A. 00-120 amended Subsec. (a) by substituting grand list for assessment list and making technical changes, effective May 26, 2000, and applicable to assessment years commencing October 1, 2000; P.A. 01-195 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (b), effective July 11, 2001; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Agriculture with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 05-190 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing reference to Sec. 12-504e with reference to Sec. 12-504f, effective July 1, 2005, and applicable to sales, transfers or changes in use of land classified as farm land, forest land or open space land that occur on or after that date.

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      Sec. 12-107d. Regulations re evaluation of land as forest land. Implementation of standards and procedures. Certification requirements. Fees. Notice of termination of forest land classification. Application for classification as forest land. Appeal. Report to State Forester. (a) Not later than June 1, 2006, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, regarding standards for forest stocking, distribution and conditions and procedures for evaluation by a certified forester of land proposed for classification as forest land. Standards and procedures regarding forest stocking, distribution and conditions and procedures for evaluation by a certified forester of land proposed for classification as forest land shall be implemented by the State Forester while the commissioner is in the process of establishing such regulations, provided notice of intent to adopt the regulations is published not later than twenty days after the date of implementation. The standards and procedures implemented by the State Forester shall be valid until June 1, 2006, or until regulations are adopted, whichever date is earlier.

      (b) A certified forester may evaluate land proposed for classification as forest land and attest to the qualifications of such land for classification as forest land, provided such certified forester has satisfactorily completed training by and obtained a certificate from the State Forester or his or her designee related to policies and standards for evaluating land proposed for classification as forest land and, in the opinion of the State Forester, the certified forester acts in conformance with such policies and standards.

      (c) An owner of land seeking classification of such land as forest land shall employ a certified forester to examine the land to determine if it conforms to forest stocking, distribution and condition standards established by the State Forester pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. If the certified forester determines that such land conforms to such standards, such forester shall issue a report to the owner of the land pursuant to subsection (g) of this section and retain one copy of the report.

      (d) Fees charged by a certified forester for services to examine land and determine if said land conforms to the standards of forest stocking, distribution and condition established by the State Forester shall not be contingent upon or otherwise influenced by the classification of the land as forest land or the failure of such land to qualify for said classification.

      (e) Upon termination of classification as forest land, the assessor of the municipality in which the land is located shall issue a notice of cancellation and provide a copy of such notice to the owner of the land and to the office of the assessor of any other municipality in which the owner's land is classified as forest land.

      (f) An owner of land may apply for its classification as forest land on any grand list of a municipality by filing a written application for such classification accompanied by a copy of the certified forester's report described in subsection (g) of this section with the assessor thereof not earlier than thirty days before or later than thirty days after the assessment date and, if the assessor determines that the use of such land as forest land has not changed as of a date at or prior to the assessment date such assessor shall classify such land as forest land and include it as such on the grand list, 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 in such year.

      (g) A report issued by a certified forester pursuant to subsection (c) of this section shall be on a form prescribed by the State Forester and shall set forth a description of the land, a description of the forest growth upon the land, a description of forest management activities recommended to be undertaken to maintain the land in a state of proper forest condition and such other information as the State Forester may require as measures of forest stocking, distribution and condition and shall include the name, address and certificate number of the certified forester and a signed, sworn statement that the certified forester has determined that the land proposed for classification conforms to the standards of forest stocking, distribution and condition established by the State Forester. An application to an assessor for classification of land as forest land shall be made upon a form prescribed by such assessor and approved by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection and shall set forth a description of the land and the date of the issuance of the certified forester's report and a statement of the potential liability for tax under the provisions of sections 12-504a to 12-504e, inclusive. The certified forester's report shall be attached to and made a part of such application. No later than October first, such application shall be submitted to the assessor.

      (h) Failure to file an application for classification of land as forest land within the time limit prescribed in subsection (f) of this section and in the manner and form prescribed in subsection (g) of this section shall be considered a waiver of the right to such classification on such assessment list.

      (i) The municipality within which land proposed for classification as forest land is situated or the owner of such land may appeal to the State Forester for a review of the findings of the certified forester as issued in the certified forester's report. Such appeal shall be filed with the State Forester not later than thirty business days after the issuance of the report and shall be brought by petition in writing. The State Forester shall review the report of the certified forester and any information the certified forester relied upon in developing his or her findings and may gather additional information at his or her discretion. The State Forester shall render the results of his or her review of the certified forester's report not later than sixty calendar days after the appeal was filed.

      (j) An owner of land aggrieved by the denial of any application to the assessor of a municipality for classification of land as forest 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.

      (k) During the month of June each year the assessor of a municipality within which land classified as forest land is situated shall report to the State Forester, in a format prescribed by the State Forester, the total number of owners of land classified as farm land, forest land or open space land as of the most recent grand list and a listing of the parcels of land so classified showing the acreage of each parcel, the total acreage of all such parcels, the number of acres of each parcel classified as farm land, forest land or open space land, and the total acreage for all such parcels.

      (1963, P.A. 490, S. 4; P.A. 73-585, S. 4; P.A. 74-187, S. 3; P.A. 76-436, S. 304, 681; P.A. 77-614, S. 139, 610; P.A. 78-280, S. 1, 127; P.A. 79-513, S. 2, 6; 79-610, S. 3, 47; P.A. 95-283, S. 46, 68; 95-307, S. 6, 14; P.A. 00-120, S. 3, 13; P.A. 01-195, S. 117, 181; P.A. 04-115, S. 3; P.A. 05-190, S. 4.)

      History: P.A. 73-585 amended Subsec. (d) to require that application include statement of potential tax liability under Secs. 12-504a to 12-504e; P.A. 74-187 deleted provisions concerning examination or reexamination of the land itself in Subsecs. (a) and (b) by state forester; P.A. 76-436 substituted superior court for court of common pleas in Subsec. (f) and included reference to judicial districts, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-614 substituted commissioner of revenue services for tax commissioner, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-280 deleted reference to counties; P.A. 79-513 amended Subsec. (c) to allow filing within ninety days after assessment date in years in which revaluations become effective, effective July 1, 1979, and applicable to sale of any land classified for first time as farm, forest or open space land on or after that date; P.A. 79-610 substituted secretary of the office of policy and management for commissioner of revenue services, effective July 1, 1980; P.A. 95-283 amended Subsecs. (f) and (g) to replace board of tax review with board of assessment appeals, effective July 6, 1995; P.A. 95-307, in Subsec. (d), transferred authority to approve the form from the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, effective July 6, 1995; P.A. 00-120 amended Subsec. (c) by substituting grand list for assessment list and making technical changes, effective May 26, 2000, and applicable to assessment years commencing October 1, 2000; P.A. 01-195 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) to (d), effective July 11, 2001; P.A. 04-115 added new Subsec. (a) re adoption of regulations re standards of forest stocking, distribution and conditions and procedures for evaluation of land by certified forester and implementation of standards and procedures by State Forester, added new Subsec. (b) re certified forester to evaluate land for classification as forest land, and re training and mandated certification of certified foresters, redesignated existing Subsec. (a) as new Subsec. (c) and amended same to require owner of land to employ a certified forester, added new Subsec. (d) prohibiting certified forester contingent fees, deleted former Subsec. (b) re issuance of triplicate certificate, added new Subsec. (e) re municipal assessors to provide notice re termination of forest land classification, redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as new Subsec. (f) and amended provisions therein re copy of certified forester's report and assessor's determination, deleted former Subsec. (d) re application, added new Subsec. (g) re contents of certified forester's report, deleted, redesignated existing Subsec. (e) as new Subsec. (h) and made technical changes therein, added new Subsec. (i) re appeals to the State Forester, deleted former Subsec. (f) re appeals, redesignated existing Subsec. (g) as new Subsec. (j) and added new Subsec. (k) re municipal assessors to report to State Forester, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 05-190 amended Subsec. (g) to require that application be submitted to the assessor no later than October first, effective July 1, 2005, and applicable to sales, transfers or changes in use of land classified as farm land, forest land or open space land that occur on or after that date.

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      Sec. 12-107e. Classification of land as open space land. (a) The planning commission of any municipality in preparing a plan of conservation and development for such municipality may designate upon such plan areas which it recommends for preservation as areas of open space land, provided such designation is approved by a majority vote of the legislative body of such municipality. Land included in any area so designated upon such plan as finally adopted may be classified as open space land for purposes of property taxation or payments in lieu thereof if there has been no change in the use of such area which has adversely affected its essential character as an area of open space land between the date of the adoption of such plan and the date of such classification.

      (b) An owner of land included in any area designated as open space land upon any plan as finally adopted may apply for its classification as open space 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 there has been any change in the area designated as an area of open space land upon the plan of development which adversely affects its essential character as an area of open space land and, if the assessor determines that there has been no such change, said assessor shall classify such land as open space land and include it as such on the grand list. An application for classification of land as open space 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 section 12-504a to 12-504f, inclusive, and such other information as the assessor may require to aid in determining whether such land qualifies for such classification.

      (c) Failure to file an application for classification of land as open space land within the time limit prescribed in subsection (b) of this section and in the manner and form prescribed in said subsection (b) shall be considered a waiver of the right to such classification on such assessment list.

      (d) Any person aggrieved by the denial by an assessor of any application for the classification of land as open space 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.

      (1963, P.A. 490, S. 5; P.A. 73-585, S. 5; 73-616, S. 10; P.A. 77-614, S. 139, 610; P.A. 79-513, S. 3, 6; 79-610, S. 3, 47; P.A. 94-201, S. 2, 7; P.A. 95-283, S. 47, 68; P.A. 00-120, S. 4, 13; P.A. 01-195, S. 118, 181; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 05-190, S. 5.)

      History: P.A. 73-585 amended Subsec. (b) to require that application include statement of potential tax liability under Secs. 12-504a to 12-504e; P.A. 73-616 substituted "(b)" for "(a)" in Subsec. (c) re time limit; P.A. 77-614 substituted commissioner of revenue services for tax commissioner, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-513 amended Subsec. (a) to require approval of designation as open space land by legislative body of municipality and amended Subsec. (b) to allow application within ninety days after assessment date in years in which revaluation becomes effective, effective July 1, 1979, and applicable to sale of any land classified for first time as farm, forest or open space land on or after that date; P.A. 79-610 substituted secretary of the office of policy and management for commissioner of revenue services, effective July 1, 1980; P.A. 94-201 amended Subsec. (b) to change the officer responsible for administration of that Subsec. from the secretary of policy and management to the commissioner of agriculture, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-283 amended Subsec. (d) to replace board of tax review with board of assessment appeals, effective July 6, 1995; P.A. 00-120 amended Subsec. (a) to allow designation of open space land for purposes of payments in lieu of taxes and amended Subsec. (b) by substituting grand list for assessment list and making technical changes, effective May 26, 2000, and applicable to assessment years commencing October 1, 2000; P.A. 01-195 made technical changes in Subsec. (b), effective July 11, 2001; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Agriculture with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 05-190 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing reference to Sec. 12-504e with reference to Sec. 12-504f and made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (c), effective July 1, 2005, and applicable to sales, transfers or changes in use of land classified as farm land, forest land or open space land that occur on or after that date.

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      Sec. 12-117a. Appeals from boards of tax review or boards of assessment appeals.

      Statute allows taxpayer to challenge an illegal assessment outside prior statutorily mandated revaluation period and such appeal does not constitute impermissible request for interim revaluation. 85 CA 480.

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      Sec. 12-119. Remedy when property wrongfully assessed.

      Statute allows taxpayer to challenge illegal assessment outside prior statutorily mandated revaluation period and such appeal does not constitute impermissible request for interim revaluation. 85 CA 480.

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