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Committee reviews draft issuance-of-citations ordinance; seeks more practical input and legal review before public hearing
Summary
The committee discussed a draft ordinance to create a centralized issuance-and-hearing process for citations (blight, zoning and related land-based violations). Members asked for input from enforcement officers and city attorneys and agreed to revisit the draft and hold a public hearing in April after additional review.
The Norwalk City Ordinance Committee on March 18 reviewed a proposed ordinance to centralize issuance of civil citations and hearing procedures for property- and land-related violations (for example, blight and zoning). Committee members asked staff to solicit practical input from enforcement personnel and city attorneys before advancing the draft to public hearing.
Brian (staff) summarized prior questions raised at the previous meeting and noted he had reviewed municipal codes and compiled language used by other Connecticut municipalities. He referenced existing city code sections governing municipal liability and appointment of hearing officers (city code §§67-a, 117-8(b), 58-4(d)) and said appointed hearing officers are generally covered by municipal-liability provisions when acting within scope.
Why it matters: a centralized issuance-and-hearing ordinance would create a single procedural hub for how the city issues civil citations for land-tied violations and how residents appeal them. Committee members said the draft could streamline procedures but asked practical questions about timelines, backlogs, and the number of available hearing officers.
Requests for follow-up: Nora and other members asked staff to solicit practical feedback from those who run blight and zoning enforcement (attorneys and enforcement officers) and to clarify timeline choices in the draft (for example, the 12-month period referenced for certain collection actions). Brian said he would forward the draft to the city attorneys and enforcement staff for practical review and recommended committee members take another month to study the draft before public hearing.
Committee action: Committee members agreed to return the ordinance for further review and to address timing and staffing questions; staff indicated the item would be revisited at the committee’s April meeting.
Ending: The ordinance remains at the committee stage pending targeted legal and operational input; staff will circulate the draft to enforcement attorneys and officers and report back to the committee.
