§46-15  Experimental and demonstrationhousing projects.  (a)  The mayor of each county, after holding a publichearing on the matter and receiving the approval of the respective council,shall be empowered to designate areas of land for experimental and demonstrationhousing projects, the purposes of which are to research and develop ideas thatwould reduce the cost of housing in the State.  Except as hereinafter provided,the experimental and demonstration housing projects shall be exempt from allstatutes, ordinances, charter provisions, and rules or regulations of anygovernmental agency or public utility relating to planning, zoning,construction standards for subdivisions, development and improvement of land,and the construction and sale of homes thereon; provided that the experimentaland demonstration housing projects shall not affect the safety standards ortariffs approved by the public utility commissions for such public utility.

The mayor of each county with the approval ofthe respective council may designate a county agency or official who shall havethe power to review all plans and specifications for the subdivisions,development and improvement of the land involved, and the construction and saleof homes thereon.  The county agency or official shall have the power toapprove or disapprove or to make modifications to all or any portion of theplans and specifications.

The county agency or official shall submitpreliminary plans and specifications to the legislative body of the respectivecounty for its approval or disapproval.  The final plans and specifications forthe project shall be deemed approved by the legislative body if the final plansand specifications do not substantially deviate from the approved preliminaryplans and specifications.  The final plans and specifications shall constitutethe standards for the particular project.

No action shall be prosecuted or maintainedagainst any county, its officials or employees, on account of actions taken inreviewing, approving, or disapproving such plans and specifications.

Any experimental or demonstration housingproject for the purposes hereinabove mentioned may be sponsored by any state orcounty agency or any person as defined in section 1-19.

The county agency or official shall apply tothe state land use commission for an appropriate land use districtclassification change, except where a proposed project is located on landwithin an urban district established by the state land use commission. Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the state landuse commission may approve the application at any time after a public hearingheld in the county where the land is located upon notice of the time and placeof the hearing being published in the same manner as the notice required for apublic hearing by the planning commission of the appropriate county.

(b)  The experimental and demonstration homesmay be sold to the public under terms and conditions approved by the countyagency or official who has been designated to review the plans andspecifications.

(c)  The county agency or official may adoptand promulgate rules and regulations which are necessary or desirable to carryout the purposes of this section. [L 1970, c 108, §1; am L 1975, c 142, §1; amL 1977, c 207, §1; am L 1984, c 66, §1]