Council Moves Closer to Removing Blight From Town

A public hearing will be held next month on an ordinance that will help the enforcement of removing unsightly and possibly dangerous buildings from Rocky Hill while punishing the property owners.

The town’s blight ordinance was recently rewritten by the town manager and presented to the Public Safety Committee on Jan. 17. The committee approved the ordinance on Tuesday and placed it on the council’s agenda. The Town Council must hold a public hearing on the ordinance before it is approved, which will be at the March 5 meeting.

The purpose of a blight ordinance is to remove unsightly buildings and make those properties in town safe while avoiding bringing down the values of neighboring pieces of land, according to Public Safety Committee Chairman Joe Kochanek.

“It is being presented for the public’s benefit,” he said.

Kochanek said the new ordinance was written better than the one approved about 10 years ago and will be easier to enforce. Once approved, the town manager will designate someone to enforce the blight ordinance.

He added there have been some blight problems in town especially with vacant commercial and resident properties.

“There have been issues in the past,” Kochanek said.