Sec. 10-411. (Formerly Sec. 10-320d). State grants-in-aid for restoration of historic structures and landmarks.
Sec. 10-411. (Formerly Sec. 10-320d). State grants-in-aid for restoration of
historic structures and landmarks. (a) Any municipality or private organization may
acquire, relocate, restore, preserve and maintain historic structures and landmarks and
may receive funds from the state and federal governments for such purposes. Grants-in-aid may be made to owners of historic structures or landmarks in an amount not to
exceed fifty per cent of the nonfederal share of the total cost of such acquisition, relocation, historic preservation and restoration. Grants-in-aid shall be made through an assistance agreement signed by the owner. Subsequent to the execution of any such assistance
agreement, advances of funds may be made by the commission to the owner of such an
historic structure or landmark.
(b) Before executing any such assistance agreement under sections 10-410 to 10-415, inclusive, the commission shall require that (1) the owner has developed a comprehensive historic preservation plan, approved by the commission, together with specific
work plans and specifications; (2) the owner provides payment and performance bonds
to assure the completion of the preservation work in an authentic manner satisfactory
to the commission; (3) the owner has filed with the town clerk in the municipality in
which the property is located a declaration of covenant guaranteeing the preservation
of the historical or architectural qualities of the property in perpetuity or for a period
approved by the commission; (4) the owner receiving funds for the purposes of said
sections plans to and can demonstrate an ability to maintain and operate properly the
historic structure or landmark for an indefinite period of time and that such owner will
open it to the public at reasonable times, free of charge or subject to a reasonable charge
as approved by the commission; (5) the owner maintains sufficient casualty and liability
insurance to render the state harmless in any action arising from the acquisition, relocation, restoration or operation of properties under said sections; and (6) if such historic
structure or landmark lies within the boundaries of any historic district, the proposed
acquisition, relocation, preservation and restoration has been approved by the local historic district commission. Such assistance agreement may require that if the owner receiving funds under said sections fails to operate or maintain properly the historic structure or landmark, title to such property may be acquired by the commission upon
payment to such municipality or private organization of a sum equal to the amount
provided by such municipality or private organization in accordance with such assistance agreement.
(c) Federal grants-in-aid shall be administered by the commission in accordance
with all federal requirements.
(d) The commission shall adopt regulations pursuant to chapter 54 for its guidance
before making such grants-in-aid or advances. Such regulations shall, among other
things, require that the commission determine that the historic structure or landmark to
be acquired, relocated or restored is an authentic historic structure or landmark as identified in the state register of historic places.
(1967, P.A. 521, S. 2-4; P.A. 75-371, S. 3, 10; P.A. 76-163, S. 1, 2.)
History: P.A. 75-371 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) to include preservation grants and to substitute "owner(s)" for
references to "bodies", "municipality or private organization" and "officers empowered to act ...", deleted requirement
that title be in name of municipality, agency or private organization in Subsec. (a), required that owner develop comprehensive historic preservation plan, provide payment and performance bonds and file covenant with town clerk in Subsec. (b)
and amended Subsec. (c) to replace "rules" with "regulations pursuant to chapter 54" and "inventory ..." with "state register
of historic places"; P.A. 76-163 inserted new Subsec. (c) requiring that federal grants be administered according to federal
requirements and relettered former Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (d); Sec. 10-321b transferred to Sec. 10-320d in 2001; Sec. 10-320d transferred to Sec. 10-411 in 2005.
See Sec. 4-66aa re funding from land protection, affordable housing and historic preservation account.