Sec. 7-273e. Acquisition or establishment of transit districts and transportation centers. Eminent domain.
Sec. 7-273e. Acquisition or establishment of transit districts and transportation centers. Eminent domain. (a) If the directors deem it necessary to preserve or to
develop a transit system, the district may establish, operate and maintain a transit system
within the district or between the district and any municipality contiguous with its service
area with which it contracts to furnish transit service, and for this purpose may establish
a new system, or may acquire all or a portion of the property and franchises of any
company or companies operating a transit service in the district, including that portion
of the property and franchises used for operation within the district and also that portion
of the property and franchises which is used outside the district but which is integrated
into the service provided in the district. The district may establish, construct, acquire,
operate and maintain transportation centers and parking facilities, as defined in subsection (b) of section 7-273b, in the district, and for such purposes may acquire, by purchase
or otherwise, hold, sell, convey and obtain and exercise any and all rights of ownership
or interest in or to any real or personal property as provided by this section, apply for
and accept grants and gifts, lease all or any portion of such centers and parking facilities,
charge and collect rent, use or other fees, make contracts and enter into management
agreements and arrangements with others with respect to any transaction, operation or
venture which the district has the power to conduct by itself in connection with exercising
its powers under this section. Thereafter the district may contract, after competitive
bidding, for the operation of all or any portion of the system and any transportation
centers and parking facilities located therein by private management, under suitable
incentives. The district shall fix the terms and conditions upon which transit services
shall be provided, whether operated directly by the district or indirectly by contract,
including the fixing of passenger fares and any other rates to be charged. The district
shall, for its purposes under this section, so far as applicable, have the authority conferred
on the Department of Transportation by the general statutes as applied to local transit.
(b) In order to insure the continuance of adequate transit services when it appears
that the holder of the franchise is or will be incapable of continuing to offer satisfactory
service to meet present or future public passenger transportation requirements and it is
improbable that such franchise will be sought by any other private concern, the Department of Transportation, on its own initiative, may or, on request of the transit district
or the legislative body of one or more municipalities in the area served, shall fix a time
and place for a hearing as to whether such franchise is suitable for acquisition by a
transit district. Said department shall give written notice of such hearing to the board
of selectmen of each town, or in the case of cities and boroughs to the chief executive
of each, within the area not less than fourteen days prior to such hearing, and shall cause
to be published twice, not more than fourteen nor less than seven days prior to such
hearing, notice of such hearing in a newspaper or newspapers having a substantial circulation in each municipality within such area. Suitability of a franchise for acquisition
by a transit district shall be determined from the following considerations: (1) That
public convenience and necessity require the continuance of transit service within the
area, (2) that the present franchise holder is or will be incapable of continuing to offer
satisfactory service, (3) that it is improbable that such franchise will be sought by a
private concern and (4) that continuance of transit service may require the operation of
such service by a transit district. After a public hearing thereon and consideration of
the above-mentioned factors, the department may declare such franchise suitable for
acquisition by a transit district, provided such declaration shall not affect the authority
of the municipalities in the area to establish such a district. Ability to offer satisfactory
service shall be based upon the financial stability of the franchise holder as determined
from past, current and projected net income and from an estimate of financial ability to
meet future public passenger transportation requirements in the area. The department
may make periodic inspections of transit system franchise holders to determine the
financial stability of each and for this purpose may examine the books, accounts and
other pertinent documents of such franchise holders and shall have the power to compel
the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, accounts and other pertinent
documents by the issuance of a subpoena. With the written consent of the chief executive
officer of each municipality within the area served, the district and the transit system
franchise holder may execute an agreement to waive the holding of a hearing by the
department, as described in this subsection and may exercise its power to acquire real
property and interests and rights in real property in accordance with subsection (c) of
this section.
(c) A transit district shall have the power to acquire real property and interests and
rights in real property by eminent domain in the name of the transit district for the
purposes of the transit district subject to the prior approval of the legislative body or
bodies of the municipality or municipalities in which the real property is located. The
owner shall be paid by the transit district for all damages. Where the transit district and
the owner of such property cannot agree upon the amount to be paid to the owner for
any property thus taken, the transit district shall proceed in the same manner specified
for redevelopment agencies in accordance with sections 8-129 to 8-133, inclusive.
Where either by hearing or waiver it has been determined that a franchise is suitable for
acquisition pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, the transit district shall have the
power to acquire by eminent domain all or any part of the franchise and of the holder's
transit system, including the holder's real estate or interests therein, personal property,
and funds under the control or held for the use of or the benefit of such holder. Where
the transit district and the holder of such franchise and property cannot agree upon the
amount to be paid to the holder for any franchise or property thus taken, the transit
district shall proceed in the same manner specified for redevelopment agencies in accordance with sections 8-129 to 8-133, inclusive.
(1961, P.A. 507, S. 4; 1972, P.A. 261, S. 4; P.A. 75-486, S. 25, 69; P.A. 77-463, S. 2; 77-614, S. 162, 610; P.A. 79-246, S. 1, 2; P.A. 80-94, S. 2, 3; 80-482, S. 12, 348; P.A. 83-469, S. 3, 5.)
History: 1972 act added provisions allowing acquisition of property and franchises of companies operating within the
district and added Subsecs. (b) and (c) elaborating on acquisition procedure; P.A. 75-486 substituted public utilities control
authority for public utilities commission; P.A. 77-463 added provisions concerning transportation centers in Subsec. (a);
P.A. 77-614 substituted division of public utility control within the department of business regulation for public utilities
control authority, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-246 added provision allowing waiver of hearing in Subsec. (b); P.A.
80-94 substituted department of transportation for division of public utility control and deleted references to abolished
business regulation department; technical amendments in P.A. 80-482 were not enacted; P.A. 83-469 gave transit districts
authority over parking facilities.
Cited. 235 C. 1.
Subsec. (a):
Cited. 188 C. 417.