The people talked. The politicians listened.
Three days after a public hearing on a proposed blight law, the Oxford Board of Selectmen voted Feb. 16 to “indefinitely table” the issue.
Oxford officials were considering creating a blight law that would have targeted owners of neglected or abandoned properties. Owners of properties declared blighted faced potential fines of $100 per day if they didn’t address problems.
The idea was to prevent things such as abandoned vehicles and dilapidated homes from threatening health and safety in town.
Blight laws are common all over the country. Nearby Derby, Seymour, and Shelton have them on the books as well.
However, the proposal hit a nerve in Oxford, where residents said blight is already addressed through local zoning rules and other regulations. They shared their views during a public hearing on the proposed law Feb. 13. Click here to read what they said.
At the Feb. 16 Selectmen meeting, Temple said he would listen to the residents.
“I found it to be too complicated anyway,” Temple said.
However, Temple said he wanted a less intrusive way to deal with neglected properties.
He said due to the lack of snow so far this year, the town has money left in its snow removal account.
Temple suggested the money be used to help clean up neglected properties. Employees from the Department of Public Works could assist, Temple said.
Under questioning by Selectman Dave McKane, Temple suggested DPW workers simply pick up refuse left at the curb, and not enter private property to get items.
Temple said he hoped volunteers would step up to help clean dilapidated or neglected properties in town. At the Feb. 13 hearing, nearly 30 people put their names on a sign-up sheet circulated for that purpose.
“We’ll see how we do with that,” Temple said.