[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City
of Meriden 10-20-2003. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
This chapter is to be known as the "Anti-Blight Ordinance"
and is enacted pursuant to the authority granted to the City of Meriden
under Connecticut General Statutes § 7-148(c)(7)(H)(xv)
B.
It is found that there exist within the City of Meriden
a number of real properties that are in blighted condition, and the
continued existence of these properties contributes to the decline
of neighborhoods. It is further found that the existence of such properties
adversely affects the economic well-being of the City and is adverse
to the health, safety and welfare of its residents. It is further
found that many of the properties can be rehabilitated, reconstructed,
demolished and/or reused so as to provide decent, safe and sanitary
housing and commercial facilities and that such rehabilitation, reconstruction,
demolition and/or reuse would eliminate, remedy and prevent the adverse
conditions described above.
C.
This chapter is intended to enhance the minimum standards
governing the condition and maintenance of occupied and unoccupied
premises and to establish reasonable safeguards for the health, safety
and welfare of the occupants and users of said premises, the community,
and the general public. Further, this chapter is intended to maintain
and preserve the integrity of City neighborhoods, to preserve and
protect property values, and to control visual blight.
D.
To encourage voluntary compliance with the objective
of this chapter, no citations will be issued for anti-blight violations
for a period of six months after adoption of this chapter.
E.
The intent of this chapter is to provide additional
leverage to code enforcement personnel in an effort to bring properties
into compliance, especially those properties where violations are
repeatedly found and compliance could not be obtained through other
code enforcement efforts. Those who are responsible for the blighted
conditions of properties and who have failed to comply with other
codes or orders will be subject to the strict enforcement of this
chapter.
No owner, agent, tenant, firm, corporation,
or person in control of real property, taxable or tax exempt, located
in the City of Meriden shall create, allow, maintain or cause to be
maintained, continue, or suffer to exist a blighted premises.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following
words, terms and phrases shall have the following meanings, unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise:
Any building or structure or any parcel of land in which
at least one of the following conditions exists shall be considered
blighted:
It is becoming dilapidated as defined herein.
It is not being maintained as defined herein.
It is a fire hazard as determined by the Fire
Marshal or documented by the Fire Department or the Building Department.
It is unsanitary as determined by report of
the Department of Health that existing conditions constitute a life-threatening
hazard or a hazard that puts at risk the health or safety of the citizens
of the City.
It is a factor creating a substantial and unreasonable
interference with the reasonable and lawful use and enjoyment of other
space within the neighborhood.
It is a substantial factor causing serious depreciation
of the property values in the neighborhood.
There exist at the property conditions promoting
rodent harborage and/or infestation.
There exist at the property overgrown shrubs,
brush or weeds.
Parking lots/areas are left in a state of disrepair
or abandonment and/or are used to store abandoned or unregistered
vehicles.
Chimneys and similar appurtenances are in a
state of disrepair.
Overhanging extensions, including but not limited
to canopies, marquees, signs, awnings, stairways, fire escapes, standpipes,
and exhaust ducts, contain rust or other decay.
It is a factor creating the cancellation of
insurance on proximate properties.
Graffiti exists at the premises.
Garbage on the property is not stored in standard
containers and/or is scattered throughout the yard.
The property contains dead, decayed, diseased
or damaged trees that constitute a hazard or danger or are objectionable
to adjacent premises or the occupants thereof or to public property
or persons lawfully therein.
Noxious plants such as poison ivy, poison sumac,
poison oak, or ragweed are allowed to grow unchecked on the property.
There exists on the property stagnant or unsanitary
water in which mosquitoes may breed; garbage, sewage, excrement, manure
or other foul, decayed, putrid, unwholesome, deleterious or offensive
thing or substance; animal carcasses or parts thereof; or trash, rubbish,
rubble, tires, brush, used materials or discarded items of little
or no value.
Refuse or filth is discharged from the property
into a stream, well, spring, brook, ditch, pond, river, or other inland
waters within the City, or such substances are placed on the property
in such position that high water or natural seepage will carry the
same into such waters.
The building official as defined in Connecticut General Statutes
§ 29-260.
A written statement of the relevant conditions and facts
giving rise to the specified violation, including a reference to the
specific section of the ordinance which has been violated and the
amount prescribed as a fine for the violation(s).
Material which is incapable of immediately performing the
function for which it was designed, including but not limited to abandoned,
discarded, or unused objects; junk or collections of equipment such
as automobiles, boats and recreation vehicles which are missing parts,
not complete in appearance and in an obvious state of disrepair; and
parts of automobiles, furniture, appliances, cans, boxes, scrap metal,
tires, batteries, containers, and garbage.
A wasting or wearing away; a gradual decline in strength,
soundness or quality; to become decomposed or rotten.
A building is considered dilapidated if any of the following
conditions exist:
The structure is unable to provide shelter or
to serve the purpose for which it was constructed due to poor conditions.
Any walls, supports, floors or foundations appear
to be poorly maintained or in disrepair to the extent that presents
a safety concern.
Damage exists from fire, wind, or other causes
so that the building is unsightly and no longer provides shelter from
the elements and has become dangerous to the life, safety, or general
health and welfare of the occupants or the residents of the City.
There are missing, broken, or improperly boarded
windows or doors.
Stairs, porches, railings, handrails, and/or
basement hatchways are unsafe or unsightly.
Conditions exist that are likely to cause sickness
or disease or injury to the health, safety or general welfare of the
persons living therein or of the people at large.
Land dedicated as public or semipublic open space, land preserved
in its natural state through conservation easements, or areas designated
as inland wetlands and watercourses shall be exempted from this chapter.
Properties acquired by the City of Meriden through foreclosure, etc.,
shall be exempted from this chapter for a period of nine months post
acquisition.
Any discarded, used, or unconsumed substance or waste material,
whether made of aluminum, glass, plastic, rubber, paper, or other
natural or synthetic material, or any combination thereof, including
but not limited to any bottle, jar, or can or any top, cap or detachable
tab of any bottle, jar, or can; any unlighted cigarette, cigar, match
or any flaming or glowing material; or any garbage, trash, refuse,
debris, rubbish, grass clippings or other lawn or garden waste, newspaper,
magazine, glass, metal, plastic, or paper containers or other packaging
or construction material, which has not been deposited in a receptacle.
An area of the City comprised of premises or parcels of land
any part of which is within a contiguous radius of 1,000 feet of any
other parcel within the City of Meriden.
A structure is not being maintained if any of the following
conditions apply:
Siding, roofing, or gutters are damaged, missing,
or show signs of disrepair.
Windows or doors are missing or improperly boarded
over.
Garbage, trash, litter, rubbish, or debris are
situated on the premises.
Abandoned, wrecked, or junked motor vehicles
are stored on the premises.
Lawns, landscaping, or driveways are deteriorating
or unkempt.
Trees, shrubs, hedges, grass or plants block
or interfere with any road sign or obstruct any walkway, driveway,
or street.
A unit of land.
Any parcel of land or plot of land, either occupied or unoccupied
by any dwelling or nondwelling structure, and includes any such building,
accessory structure or other structure thereon, or any part thereof.
The term "premises," where the context requires, shall be deemed to
include any buildings, dwellings, parcels of land or structures contained
within the scope of this chapter.
Visible from any public right-of-way or neighboring property.
Any nonputrescible waste materials, except ashes, including
but not limited to paper, cardboard, tin cans, wood, glass, bedding,
furniture, crockery, appliances, junk automobiles, demolition material,
tree limbs, and industrial wastes.
Any building, dwelling, fence, swimming pool, or similarly
constructed object.
Any space within a building that is or can be rented by or
to a single person or entity for his or its sole use and is intended
to be a single and distinct space.
A parcel of land with no structure(s) thereon.
The Director of Development and Enforcement
and his/her designee shall be responsible for enforcement of this
chapter. The Director of Health and Human Services and the City Manager
or his designee shall assist, in an advisory capacity, with the administration
of this chapter.
A.
Any individual, civic organization, or appropriate
municipal agency affected by the action or inaction of anyone responsible
for the maintenance of property under this chapter may file, in writing,
a complaint of violation of any section of this chapter with the Department
of Development and Enforcement.
B.
Violations observed during inspections by City employees,
housing inspectors, health inspectors, police officers, firefighters,
welfare workers, or building inspectors shall be reported to the Department
of Development and Enforcement.
C.
All properties/premises that have active blight citations
per this chapter shall be noted on a "Blight List." Said list shall
include the property address, the violation, and the name of the person
responsible for the property. This list is to be considered public
information and may be viewed by any citizen, copied, or published.
Upon correction of the violation, the property shall be removed from
the list.
Violations of the provisions of this chapter
shall be punishable by a fine of $100 for each day a violation exists
and continues.
A.
The provisions of this chapter may be enforced by
citation, in addition to other remedies, in accordance with § 7-152c
of the Connecticut General Statutes. City of Meriden code enforcement
officials shall have authority to issue citations.
B.
Unpaid fine to constitute lien. Any unpaid fine imposed
pursuant to the foregoing anti-blight citation hearing procedure shall
constitute a lien upon the real property against which the fine was
imposed from the date of such fine in accordance with § 7-148aa
of the Connecticut General Statutes. Said lien shall be continued,
recorded, released and enforced as provided for in § 7-148aa
of said statutes.
