[Added 4-8-2025]
All terms used in this article shall be interpreted in accord with the definitions thereof set forth in C.G.S. Title 14, as that title may be amended or recodified from time to time, except that the following defined terms shall have the meaning indicated herein:
AUTOMATED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT SAFETY DEVICE
A device designed to detect and collect evidence of alleged traffic violations by recording images that capture the license plate number, date, time, and location of a motor vehicle that i) exceeds the posted speed limit by 10 or more miles per hour, or ii) fails to stop such vehicle when facing a steady red signal on a traffic control signal.
AUTOMATED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT SAFETY DEVICE OPERATOR
A person who is trained and certified to operate an automated traffic enforcement safety device.
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ZONE
An area designated by the Office of State Traffic Administration or the local traffic authority of the Town pursuant to C.G.S. § 14-307a.
PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION
Information created or maintained by the Town or a vendor that identifies or describes an owner and includes, but need not be limited to, the owner's address, telephone number, license plate number, photograph, bank account information, credit card number, debit card number, or the date, time, location, or direction of travel on a highway.
SCHOOL ZONE
An area designated by the Office of State Traffic Administration or the local traffic authority of the Town pursuant to C.G.S. § 14-212b.
VENDOR
A person who provides services to the Town under this article and operates, maintains, leases, or licenses an automated traffic enforcement safety device; or is authorized to review and assemble the recorded images captured by an automated traffic enforcement safety device and forward such recorded images to the Town.
The Town may enter into agreements for contractual services, including vendors for the design, installation, operation, or maintenance of automated traffic enforcement safety devices. If a vendor designs, installs, operates, or maintains an automated traffic enforcement safety device, the vendor's fees may not be contingent on the number of citations issued or fines pursuant to this article.
A. 
The owner of a motor vehicle violates this article if the person operating such motor vehicle:
(1) 
Exceeds the posted speed limit by 10 or more miles per hour, and such operation is detected by an automated traffic enforcement safety device; or
(2) 
Fails to stop such motor vehicle when facing a steady red signal on a traffic control signal and such failure is detected by an automated traffic enforcement safety device.
B. 
Automated traffic enforcement safety devices shall be used solely to identify violations of this article.
C. 
For the first 30 days after a location is equipped with an operational automated traffic enforcement safety device, the owner of a motor vehicle allegedly committing a violation of such ordinance that is detected by such device shall receive a written warning instead of a citation.
A. 
Whenever an automated traffic enforcement safety device detects and produces recorded images of a motor vehicle allegedly violating this article, a sworn officer of the police department or an employee of the Town as designated by the local traffic authority shall review and approve the recorded images provided by such device. If, after such review, the member or employee determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a violation occurred, the member or employee may issue a citation to the owner of such motor vehicle by first class mail.
B. 
A citation under this article shall include the following:
(1) 
The name and address of the owner of the motor vehicle;
(2) 
The number plate of the motor vehicle;
(3) 
The violation charged;
(4) 
The location of the automated traffic enforcement safety device and the date and time of the violation;
(5) 
A copy of or information on how to view, through electronic means, the recorded images that captured the alleged violation;
(6) 
A statement or electronically generated affirmation by the member or employee who viewed the recorded images and determined that a violation occurred;
(7) 
Verification that the automated traffic enforcement safety device was operating correctly at the time of the alleged violation and the date of the most recent calibration check performed pursuant to the Public Act;
(8) 
The amount of the fine imposed and how to pay such fine; and
(9) 
The right to contest the violation and request a hearing pursuant to C.G.S. § 7-152c.
C. 
In the case of an alleged violation involving a motor vehicle registered in Connecticut, the citation shall be sent by first-class mail not later than 30 days after the identity of the owner is determined and shall be mailed to the address of the owner that is in the records of the Department of Motor Vehicles. In the case of an alleged violation involving a motor vehicle registered in another jurisdiction, the citation shall be sent by first-class mail not later than 30 days after the identity of the owner is determined and shall be mailed to the address of the owner that is in the records of the official in the other jurisdiction issuing such registration.
D. 
A citation shall be invalid unless mailed to an owner not later than 60 days after the alleged violation.
A. 
The Town shall impose a fine on the owner of a motor vehicle that violates this article.
B. 
The fine for a first violation of this article shall be $50. The fine for each subsequent violation of this article shall be $75.
C. 
Payment of a fine and any associated fees may be made by electronic means, with a reasonable processing fee, not to exceed $15 imposed for the costs associated with the electronic processing.
D. 
Any funds received by the Town from fines imposed pursuant to this article shall be used for the purposes of improving transportation mobility, investing in transportation infrastructure improvements, or paying the costs associated with the use of automated traffic enforcement safety devices in the Town.
Any owner issued a fine for violating the provisions of this article may, within 10 days of the receipt of the fine, appeal in writing to a citation hearing officer in accordance with § 1-10 of the Town Code.
The defenses available to the owner of a motor vehicle that is alleged to have committed a violation of this article shall include any one or more of the following:
A. 
The operator was driving an emergency vehicle in accordance with the applicable provisions of C.G.S. § 14-283.
B. 
The traffic control signal was inoperative, which is observable in the recorded image(s).
C. 
The violation was necessary for the operator to comply with an order or direction from a law enforcement officer, which is observable in the recorded image(s).
D. 
The violation was necessary to allow the passage of an authorized emergency vehicle, which is observable on the recorded image(s).
E. 
The violation took place during a period of time in which the motor vehicle had been reported as being stolen to law enforcement, as defined in C.G.S. § 7-294a, and had not yet been recovered prior to the time of the violation.
F. 
The automated traffic enforcement safety device was not in compliance with the calibration check required pursuant to the applicable provisions of C.G.S. § 14-307c, as amended or recodified from time to time.
A. 
Except as otherwise required by law, no personally identifiable information shall be disclosed by the Town or a vendor to any person or entity, including any law enforcement unit, except where the disclosure is made in connection with the charging, collection, and enforcement of the fines imposed pursuant to this article.
B. 
No personally identifiable information shall be stored or retained by the Town or a vendor unless such information is necessary for the charging, collection, and enforcement of the fines imposed pursuant to this article.
C. 
The Town or vendor shall destroy personally identifiable information and other data that specifically identifies a motor vehicle and relates to a violation of this article not later than 30 days after any fine is collected or the resolution of a hearing conducted for the alleged commission of such violation, whichever is later, except the Town or vendor may retain a portion of personally identifiable information for the limited purpose of determining whether a person committed a second or subsequent violation of such ordinance. The Town or vendor shall destroy any retained portion of personally identifiable information not later than one year after the date of such person's most recent violation.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this article is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by any decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this article. In the event that any provision of this article conflicts with or is inconsistent with the requirements of Chapter 249 of the General Statutes, the applicable state law shall govern and supersede the conflicting provision.