Connecticut General Statutes 47-90h – Electric vehicle charging station in unit parking space or limited common element parking space
(a) As used in this section:
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 47-90h
- Association of unit owners: means all of the unit owners acting as a group in accordance with the condominium instruments. See Connecticut General Statutes 47-68a
- Board of directors: means an entity consisting of natural persons elected by the unit owners to direct the operation of the condominium. See Connecticut General Statutes 47-68a
- Common elements: means all portions of the condominium other than the units. See Connecticut General Statutes 47-68a
- Common expenses: means and includes: (1) Expenses of administration, maintenance, repair or replacement of the common elements. See Connecticut General Statutes 47-68a
- Condominium: means real property and any incidents thereto and interests therein, lawfully submitted to this chapter by the recordation of condominium instruments pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. See Connecticut General Statutes 47-68a
- Ordinance: means an enactment under the provisions of section 7-157. See Connecticut General Statutes 1-1
- Property: means and includes the land, all buildings, all improvements and structures thereon, and all easements, rights and appurtenances belonging thereto, which have been or are intended to be submitted to the provisions of this chapter. See Connecticut General Statutes 47-68a
- Purchaser: means any person or persons who acquire, or enter into a nonbinding reservation agreement, bond for deed or contract for the purchase of, a condominium unit, including any person or persons who acquire or enter into a contract for the right to occupy a nonresidential condominium unit as a lessee in exchange for an initial payment to the seller of greater than twice the periodical payments and periodical payments thereafter. See Connecticut General Statutes 47-68a
- Unit: means a part of the property including one or more rooms or designated spaces located on one or more floors or a part or parts thereof in a building, intended for any type of independent use, and with a direct exit to a public street or highway or to common elements leading to such street or highway. See Connecticut General Statutes 47-68a
- Unit owner: means the person or persons owning a condominium unit or leasing a unit in a leasehold condominium, as hereinafter provided, and an undivided interest in the common elements specified and established in the declaration and the heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns of such person or persons, and a mortgagee or lienholder holding both legal and equitable title. See Connecticut General Statutes 47-68a
(1) “Association of unit owners”, “board of directors”, “common elements”, “condominium instruments”, “limited common elements”, “unit” and “unit owner” have the same meanings as provided in section 47-68a;
(2) “Electric vehicle charging station” has the same meaning as provided in section 16-19f; and
(3) “Reasonable restrictions” means a restriction that does not significantly increase the cost of the electric vehicle charging station or significantly decrease its efficiency or specified performance.
(b) On and after October 1, 2022, any provision of the condominium instruments that either prohibits or unreasonably restricts the installation or use of an electric vehicle charging station in a unit parking space or limited common element parking space, or is otherwise in conflict with the provisions of this section, shall be void and unenforceable.
(c) An electric vehicle charging station installed pursuant to this section shall meet all applicable health and safety standards and requirements under any state or federal law or municipal ordinance.
(d) A unit owner may submit an application to the board of directors to install an electric vehicle charging station in a unit parking space, or in a limited common element parking space with the written approval of the unit owner of each unit to which use of the limited common element parking space is reserved. The board of directors shall acknowledge, in writing, the receipt of any such application not later than thirty days after such receipt, and process such application in the same manner as an application for an addition, alteration or improvement pursuant to the declaration, as described in section 47-70. The approval or denial of such application shall be in writing and shall be issued not later than sixty days after the date of receipt of such application. If an application is not denied in writing within such sixty-day period, the application shall be deemed approved, unless the board of directors reasonably requests additional information not later than sixty days from the date of receipt of such application.
(e) If a unit owner seeks to install an electric vehicle charging station in a unit parking space or limited common element parking space, the following provisions shall apply:
(1) The unit owner shall obtain approval from the board of directors to install the electric vehicle charging station and the board of directors shall approve the installation if the owner agrees in writing to: (A) Comply with the provisions of the declaration regarding an addition, alteration or improvement; (B) engage a licensed and insured contractor to install the electric vehicle charging station; (C) provide a certificate of insurance, within fourteen days of approval, that demonstrates insurance coverage in amounts deemed sufficient by the board of directors; (D) pay for the costs associated with the installation of the electric vehicle charging station, including, but not limited to, increased master policy premiums, attorney’s fees incurred by the association of unit owners, engineering fees, professional fees, permit fees and applicable zoning compliance costs; and (E) pay the electricity usage costs associated with the electric vehicle charging station.
(2) The unit owner, and each successive owner, of the electric vehicle charging station shall be responsible for: (A) The costs for damage to the electric vehicle charging station, common elements or units resulting from the installation, use, maintenance, repair, removal or replacement of the electric vehicle charging station; (B) the costs for the maintenance, repair and replacement of the electric vehicle charging station until it has been removed; (C) the costs for the restoration of the physical space where the electric vehicle charging station was installed after it is removed; (D) the costs of electricity associated with the electric vehicle charging station; (E) the common expenses as a result of uninsured losses pursuant to any master insurance policy held by the association of unit owners; and (F) making disclosures to prospective buyers regarding (i) the existence of the electric vehicle charging station, (ii) the associated responsibilities of the unit owner under this section, and (iii) the requirement that the purchaser accepts the electric vehicle charging station unless it is removed prior to the transfer of the unit.
(3) A unit owner shall not be required to maintain a liability coverage policy for an existing National Electrical Manufacturers Association standard alternating current power plug.
(f) An association of unit owners may (1) install an electric vehicle charging station in the common elements for the use of all unit owners and develop appropriate rules for such use, (2) create a new parking space where one did not previously exist to facilitate the installation of an electric vehicle charging station, (3) require the unit owner to remove the electric vehicle charging station prior to the unit owner’s sale of the property unless the purchaser of the property agrees to take ownership of the electric vehicle charging station, and (4) assess the unit owner for any uninsured portion of a loss associated with an electric vehicle charging station, whether resulting from a deductible or otherwise, regardless of whether the association submits an insurance claim.
(g) In any action by an association of unit owners seeking to enforce compliance with this section, the prevailing party shall be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees.
(h) The provisions of this section shall not apply to an association of unit owners that imposes reasonable restrictions on electric vehicle charging stations or has electric vehicle charging stations at a ratio that is equal to or greater than fifteen per cent of the number of units.