Raised Bill No. 129 Summary

• Municipalities may establish tax abatement programs for real property taxes on land that qualifies as greenways, terrestrial recreational trails not exceeding 100 feet in width, or is subject to recorded permanent conservation easements conveyed to municipalities, states, or nonprofit land conservation organizations.

• Landowners must submit written applications to municipal assessors including land descriptions, copies of recorded conservation easements, certified land surveys depicting greenway boundaries, and other information required by the assessor.

• Municipal assessors have 30 days to submit applications with their recommendations to the municipal legislative body or board of selectmen, which must vote to approve or deny the tax abatement based on established criteria.

• Tax abatements terminate upon sale or transfer of the land unless the municipality votes to continue them, and conservation easements cannot prohibit public use of greenways for compatible recreation.

• Effective October 1, 2022, and applicable to assessment years commencing on or after that date.