Blight Ordinance Approved By New Canaan Town Council

NEW CANAAN, CT — The New Canaan Town Council recently approved a blight ordinance in an effort to entice owners of dilapidated properties to clean them up and make them more presentable.

Penalties under the new law can include daily fines of up to $100 for violators who do not address their blighted situation within a prescribed amount of time. Additionally, fines don't work, the town now has the right to step in and remedy the situation at the owner's expense.

Before that happens, the ordinance calls for an inspection by the blight officer, who will try to work with the owner to get the matter solved. After that, there are warnings, a hearing by the Blight Review Board, and a formal notice of violation sent to the owner.

As to what is considered a blighted property, the ordinance states in part:

Blighted Premises means any residential building, structure, or parcel of land in which one or more of the following conditions have existed for at least 30 days and are visible from the first or second floor of an adjacent homeowner's dwelling:

1. Missing, broken or boarded-up windows or doors
2. Collapsing or dilapidated roof.
3. Collapsing or dilapidated structure.
4. Crumbling brick, concrete, or cinderblock walls.
5. Seriously damaged, missing or loose siding, gutters, leaders, shingles or roofing.
6. Significant fire or water damage.
7. Persistent and excessive amounts of garbage, trash or debris.
8. Inoperable machinery.
9. A structure substantially infested with rodents or other pests.
10. Overgrown brush, grass or weeds of at least one foot in height covering a significant portion of the property's front yard, other than (i) ornamental grass which is part of a landscaped area, and (ii) areas identified as inland wetlands.
11. Trees, bushes or other vegetation that overhang and significantly hinder the use of a street, sidewalk, or driveway.
12. One or more fallen trees, except those that have fallen (i) within the past six months, or (ii) in an area in which trees and brush exist in a natural, unlandscaped state.
13. Extensive graffiti.

Notwithstanding the above, the following shall not be considered to constitute a blight condition: (i) debris which is part of a construction project subject to a valid building permit, (ii) a condition which is subject to a pending insurance claim, (iii) material in a compost pile, or (iii) firewood in a neatly-stacked pile.

Click here to read the full ordinance.

New Canaan First Selectman Kevin Moynihan, who supported the adoption of the law, told Patch last week part of the impetus for the ordinance was to assist the town's blight officer, New Canaan Chief Building Officer Brian Platz.

"He'd like to have some cover through an ordinance, because in these cases, it's often neighbor vs. neighbor," Moynihan said.