(a) The state may, through the Connecticut Airport Authority, establish, maintain and operate, and may expand, an airport at any location within the state in the following manner. The executive director shall conduct and complete a study of the adequacy of existing airports, and shall determine the necessity for the establishment of additional airports or the expansion of existing airports. The executive director shall, within one year of the completion of such study, formulate and adopt a plan of development which shall incorporate the findings of such study, showing the necessity for such establishment or expansion. The plan of development shall specify the lands or interests in such lands the acquisition of which the executive director deems necessary for such establishment or expansion and a copy of such plan of development shall be filed in the office of the town clerk of each municipality in which such establishment or expansion is proposed.

(b) The executive director shall cause a public hearing to be held at the expense of the authority in each municipality in which such lands or interests in such lands are located. At such hearing, the executive director shall present and explain the plan of development, and any persons who are opposed to such plan may be heard and may state their reasons for such opposition. Such hearing shall be held not earlier than thirty days after such plan has been filed in the office of the town clerk of the municipality. Notice of the time and place of such hearing shall be published in a newspaper having a substantial circulation in such municipality at least twice, at intervals of not less than two days, the first not more than fifteen days or less than ten days and the second not less than two days before such hearing.

(c) Upon the completion of such hearing, the executive director shall consider all the evidence relevant to the proposed plan of development, and if the executive director determines that the airport establishment or expansion provided in the plan is necessary, shall make such changes or modifications in the plan as are in the public interest. The executive director shall file a copy of the revised plan, showing the changes or modifications made, in the office of the town clerk of the municipality and shall notify and send a copy of such revised plan to the chief executive officer or first selectman of such municipality. Such notice shall contain the request that the municipality approve the proposed establishment or expansion, which approval shall be by vote of a town or borough, and by vote of the city council of a city.

(d) If the municipality fails or neglects to act upon a request for approval within sixty days after the receipt of such request by its chief executive officer or first selectman, the municipality shall be deemed to have approved of such establishment or expansion. If the municipality by vote disapproves of the establishment or expansion, the executive director may, within thirty days following such vote, appeal to the superior court for the judicial district in which the municipality is located and the appeal shall be accorded a privileged status. The court shall, after hearing, determine whether the executive director has proven the necessity for the establishment or expansion of an airport within the municipality and the burden of proving such necessity shall be upon the executive director. If the court, after hearing, determines that the executive director has not sustained such burden of proof, the court shall enter judgment for, and may award reasonable costs to, the municipality. If the court, after hearing, determines that the executive director has sustained such burden of proof, the court may set aside the action of the municipality disapproving the establishment or expansion and may enter such order upon such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate to safeguard the rights of the parties and the public.

(e) After a plan has been legally approved, or its disapproval has been set aside by the Superior Court, the state, acting through the Commissioner of Transportation, may take any lands or interests in such lands contained in the plan upon paying just compensation to the owner. In case the state cannot agree with such owner on the amount of such compensation, the amount shall be determined in the manner prescribed in § 48-12. An appeal from the amount so determined shall not act as a stay of the taking of such land, provided no facility or land or interest in such land held by a public service company for service to the public shall be so taken or removed unless, at the expense of the state, an adequate and equal substitute approved by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall first be provided.