Milford Strengthens Rules on Nuisance Properties

Voters in Milford agreed to strengthen regulations against vacated, blighted properties in town, adopting a new bylaw that officials say will help protect neighborhoods.

The so-called requires all property owners to properly maintain their properties.

The article was placed on the warrant by the Milford Selectmen, who said it is needed to protect property values and ensure building, health and safety standards.

Among other things, the bylaw will prevent people from putting garbage out for collection, and left in public view, for more than three days. In addition, people can't discard things such as mattresses and broken refrigerators, and leave them outside, for more than 15 days.

The bylaw proposes a $300 daily fine for each nuisance violation.

What is a nuisance property? It could include burned structures, dilapidated personal property, such as junk cars, dangerous or unsafe structures, overgrown vegetation that could harbor rodents, dead or hazardous trees, debris, trash and vehicles or machine parts left outside.

Owners would be required to maintain their properties to current codes, to secure vacant properties and maintain them, as well as the lawn and landscaping. Anyone who leaves a building empty for six months needs to turn off or cap the utilities.

The approval, in a voice vote, came with some dissent.

One speaker, Brett Staupe, of the 7th Precinct, argued it was invasive. He used his own property as an example, pointing to requirements that cars be kept off porous surfaces, such as grass, and that construction materials not be stored on properties without a permit.

"I park on the side or in the front, I don't have a choice," Staupe said. "If you pass this, I'll be in violation the second I leave the door. . . . This is a bad law. It is written poorly. It is way too broad in its scope."