PROPOSED BLIGHT ORDINANCE FOR REDDING

SUBMITTED BY: “ENHANCING REDDING’S FUTURE”

PRESENTER: ROGER VAN AUSDAL

POSSIBLE BLIGHT CASE? This is what people see as they enter Redding’s Principal Dining/Entertainment District in Georgetown

PROPOSED REDDING BLIGHT ORDINANCE OBJECTIVES:

•  Allow the Town of Redding to Intervene: •  When the health and safety of citizens are effected

•  In situations which represent a substantial and unreasonable interference with the use and enjoyment of nearby premises , as documented by neighborhood complaints, police reports, cancellation of insurance on proximate properties, or similar circumstances

•  The Proposed Ordinance is Not Intended to Address; •  Uncut lawns & substandard paint jobs on houses

•  Anonymous complaints would not be considered

•  It is intended to address blight, and not overlap with health, building, fire, & zoning codes

INITIAL INVESTIGATION

•  Pam Elkow, an environmental attorney, presented to our group & discussed: •  CT blight ordinances,

•  State of Connecticut statute allowing towns to pass blight ordinances, •  Examples of ordinances in place in other Connecticut towns.

•  The Power to Create Blight Ordinances derives from CT General Statute: •  CGS 7-148(c)(7)(H) (xv) Make and enforce regulations for the prevention and remediation of

housing blight

•  We Reviewed Office of Legislative Research Reports On CT Blight Ordinances •  ”Comparison of Municipal Blight Ordinances” - November 2013 (30 Town Ordinances Reviewed) •  “Municipal Authority to Address Blight” - February 2017

INITIAL INVESTIGATION (CONTINUED)

•  Numerous State Laws Authorize Municipalities to Regulate & Address Blighted Properties

•  Three General Categories:

1.  Prevent & Remediate Blight

2.  Redevelop Blighted and Abandoned Properties

3.  Provide Financial Incentives to Encourage Property Owners to Remediate for Redevelop Blighted Properties.

•  (Our Proposed Ordinance for Redding Principally Addresses #1)

CT ORDINANCES REVIEWED

•  Town Blight Ordinances Reviewed

•  We have reviewed Redding’s Zoning, Planning, Health, Building, & Animal Ordinances

•  They don’t seem to address the “Blight” that we are trying to address

Brookfield Middletown

Coventry Ridgefield

Danbury Weathersfield

Fairfield Westport

Guilford Woodbridge

ACTIONS TAKEN

Drafted Ordinance for Redding Modeled After the Ridgefield Blight Ordinance

•  Submitted Draft Blight Ordinance for Redding to the BOS

Contacts Made

•  Ridgefield 1st Selectman Interviewed

•  Guilford enforcement officer interviewed

•  Former Westport residents discussed Westport blight ordinance experiences

BLIGHT PREVENTION BOARD (BPB)

•  The BPB consists for town officials appointed by the 1st Selectman with the consent of the BOS. The following town officials are eligible to serve:

•  The 1st Selectman designates one official to direct the BPB or she can assume the role herself.

•  We propose that the BPB meets monthly

Building Official Land Use Director

Fire Marshall Health Director or Officer

Chair of Zoning Commission

ENFORCEMENT

•  Amicable resolution of blight issues is intended

•  Substantial penalties and liens against property are allowed per CT Statute.

•  e.g. Fines up to $250 per day for willful violation

•  Remediation can be conducted by the town at the owner’s expense

•  An appeals process is included in the proposed ordinance

•  A “Special Consideration” clause addresses issues resulting from “Good Cause”

•  Elderly, disabled, & low-income individuals.

RIDGEFIELD EXPERIENCE - BLIGHT ORDINANCE ADOPTED 3-19-2014

•  The BPD is led by the 1st Selectman with representatives from Health, Building, Fire & Zoning Departments – Meet Monthly

•  The ordinance has been effective & most issues are resolved amicably

•  There were many blighted properties when the ordinance was passed.

•  In instances with elderly, sick, and poor people Ridgefield tries to enlist the support of churches, scouting groups etc. to ameliorate the situation with a degree of compassion

•  One case on the way to resolution involves liens in excess of $70,000.

OUR PROPOSAL

•  Based on what other towns have done to institute an ordinance and to set up an enforcement process, we recommend that Redding consider putting in place a blight ordinance and procedures that will provide the Town with options not now in place.  We urge the Board of Selectman to act on this.

•  Draft Redding Blight Ordinance proposal documentation Document