Torrington council adopts package of code changes: economic development merger, fair rent update, traffic fines revised, arts panel dissolved

The Torrington City Council on Aug. 4 adopted several changes to the city’s code of ordinances that reassign commissions’ duties, update parking and traffic fines and repeal the Arts and Culture Commission.

The package included: adoption of revisions to Chapter 20 (Economic and Community Development Commission), adoption of revisions to Chapter 24 (Fair Rent Commission), adoption of revisions to Chapter 194 (Vehicles and Traffic), and repeal of Chapter 3A (Arts and Culture Commission). Council votes on each item were taken by roll call and were unanimous.

Council members and staff said the revisions aim to consolidate responsibilities where attendance and quorum had limited action historically. Councilwoman Mary Rouette said the two bodies struggled to attract members and that merging would improve efficiency. William Wallach, who spoke during the discussion, said the Cultural District committee has supplanted many duties previously assigned to the Arts and Culture Commission and that reallocating remaining arts-related tasks to the Economic Development Commission would keep those responsibilities active while strengthening collaboration among city offices and the Cultural District. "The formulation of the cultural district … supplant[ed] a lot of the roles responsibilities that the arts and culture commission was charged with," Wallach said.

The Fair Rent Commission revisions were presented as required by state statute and intended to clarify the commission’s role. "We were by state statute required to do a fair rent commission," a council member said during debate, and the ordinance committee and the commission worked on language they said was cleaner and more effective for the commission’s operations.

Chief Baldwin presented the proposed changes to Chapter 194, explaining that the city’s fine structure dated to the 1950s and had been adjusted in 2005 and 2019; the new changes update fees to be more in line with neighboring municipalities and to act as a deterrent for violations that can affect public safety. Baldwin summarized the history of the fines and said the changes were meant to enhance public safety, noting the handicap-parking enforcement process remains handled by the state when misuse of a state-issued placard is alleged. Council members raised questions about annual counts of violations, permit limits for municipal lots and what qualifies as the ordinance’s "other" class of violations; Baldwin said the traffic division tracks permits and that he would provide counts on request.

Each ordinance item was moved, seconded and adopted in separate roll-call votes. The meeting minutes record the motions and the roll-call responses for each item. The council also voted to repeal Chapter 3A, dissolving the Arts and Culture Commission and transferring remaining roles to the Economic Development Commission and the Cultural District structures.

The council indicated this set of cleanups is the start of additional ordinance reviews planned for coming meetings.

Votes at a glance: - Adopt revisions to Chapter 20 (Economic and Community Development): motion moved by Councilwoman Rouette, seconded by Councilwoman Espino; roll-call vote unanimous (Oliver, Kevin Aero, Rouette, Espino, Iveen, Waldron) — approved. - Adopt revisions to Chapter 24 (Fair Rent Commission): motion moved by Councilmember Henruett, seconded by Councilwoman Espino; roll-call vote unanimous — approved. - Adopt revisions to Chapter 194 (Vehicles and Traffic): motion moved by Councilwoman Rouette, seconded by Councilwoman Spino (Espino); roll-call vote unanimous — approved. - Repeal Chapter 3A (Arts and Culture Commission): motion moved and seconded; roll-call vote unanimous — approved.

The full text of each ordinance change was available on the city website and at the City Clerk’s office, and each item followed the ordinance committee’s prior review and recommendation.

Ending: The council framed the actions as efficiency and cleanup measures and said more ordinance reviews are planned; staff offered to supply the council with additional data (permit counts, violation histories) requested during the discussion.