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Board questions enforceability of town junk ordinance after limited enforcement success
Summary
Select Board members discussed that enforcement of the town’s junk ordinance has produced judgments but little practical collection or cleanup and that enforcement can be resource-intensive; options include billing, liens, state involvement or targeted cleanups, but success has been limited.
Board members reviewed history and limitations of enforcing the town’s junk ordinance. Staff and members said the town had pursued a small number of enforcement actions in the past few years and obtained judgments, but collection and practical cleanup often stalled because lien and foreclosure procedures are slow and resource-intensive.
One member noted that while the town can clean a property and bill the owner, recovery is uncertain and liens may not yield payment. Speakers discussed potential state involvement, selective enforcement, and the practical costs of persistent court-based enforcement. No new enforcement action was authorized at the meeting, but members asked staff to identify properties of concern and potential procedural next steps.
Members emphasized the difference between ordinances that persuade compliant residents and the few properties where stronger, costlier measures are needed and may produce little net recovery.
