(1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that:
It is necessary and desirable, as a matter of public policy, to provide for the establishment of vested property rights in order to ensure reasonable certainty, stability, and fairness in the land use planning process and in order to stimulate economic growth, secure the reasonable investment-backed expectations of landowners, and foster cooperation between the public and private sectors in the area of land use planning.
The ability of a landowner to obtain a vested property right after local governmentalapproval of a site specific development plan will preserve the prerogatives and authority of local government with respect to land use matters, while promoting those areas of statewide concern described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1).
The establishment of vested property rights will promote the goals specified in thissubsection (1) in a manner consistent with section 3 of article II of the state constitution, which guarantees to each person the inalienable right to acquire, possess, and protect property, and is therefore declared to be a matter of statewide concern.
Source: L. 87: Entire article added, p. 1837, § 1, effective January 1, 1988.