The Board of Selectmen said it’s time to “re-think’’ the town’s anti-blight ordinance to make it more “resident friendly.”
The ordinance went into effect on May 8, 2007 and was devised to address blighted and vacant properties in town. It was also written to rid the town of scrapped cars that were attracting rodents and insects.
But with the ordinance comes heavy fines — $100 a day for each day a resident does not comply. If the resident or owner still does not comply, the town can put a lien on the property until it cleaned up and the fines are paid, according to the ordinance.
“The original intention of the ordinance was to help everyone to keep their neighborhoods clean, not to collect money from fines,’’ said First Selectman Robert Koskelowski. “We’d like to make the ordinance more resident friendly. We have enough government and we think the $100 a day fine is too excessive.’’
Koskelowski said the rule as it stands makes it difficult for people to work on antique cars because unregistered cars on property are not allowed.
“The cars are a part of history, so we want antique cars allowed under the ordinance,’’ he said.
The selectmen are now in the process of revising the ordinance and want ideas from the public.
The board’s Ordinance Committee will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday (Aug. 4) in Town Hall to talk about possible revisions.
The recommendations will then go to the full board of selectmen and then to a public hearing, at a date to be announced, before any new revisions are made.
Alex Danka, one of the town’s two anti blight officers said the ordinance is strict and could use some new language. Danka said he always tries to settle matters before he has to impose a fine, because he thinks the fine is too much.
Danka said he has responded to more than 30 complaints this year. He said most complaints are about abandoned vehicles, overgrown grass and abandoned swimming pools that create habitats for mosquitoes.
“Nobody likes to be told there is a problem with their property or how they are taking care of it,’’ said Danka.
“I have one of the worst jobs in Seymour, but I give people the benefit of the doubt first, then issue a warning and then a fine if I have to,’’ he added.
Here is the current Seymour anti-blight law:
