Changes to Town Code - Fiscal Year 2008-09

[Approved August 25, 2008]

§ 139-1. Removal of obstructions.

1. Definitions. As used in this Article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

   OBSTRUCTION - Any impediment on a sidewalk or public highway that interferes with the removal of snow and ice from said sidewalk or public highway or interferes with the safe and orderly flow or passage of motor vehicle or pedestrian traffic. Such impediments may include, but are not limited to, grass clippings, brush, leaves, sand, gravel, stones, litter, vegetable and animal matter, refuse and rubbish.

   PERSON - Any individual, corporation, association or other aggregation of individuals.

   PUBLIC HIGHWAY - Any public streets, avenues, boulevards, roads, drives, parkways, alleys and other travel ways within the Town.

2. Sidewalks.

   The owner, agent of the owner or occupant of any building or land bordering upon any street, square or public place within the Town where there is a sidewalk shall cause to be removed there from and keep the sidewalks of said property free from all obstructions which would endanger the safety, health or well-being of pedestrians; provided, however, that no such owner or agent of the owner or occupant having or occupying a residential lot with frontage on two nonintersecting streets shall be subject to the requirements of this section with regard to the sidewalks along the rear frontage.

3. Public Highways.
   1. It shall be unlawful for any person to place an obstruction on a public highway in the Town. The Police Department shall be responsible for enforcing the provisions of this article. Upon notification of a police officer, the property owner or occupant of the property that adjoins a public highway must remove the obstruction. If the obstruction is deemed by the police officer as an immediate public highway hazard, such police officer shall immediately notify the Department of Public Works for its prompt removal. If the obstruction interferes with or obstructs any public works project or operation, any public works employee may remove such obstruction or interference from the highway. The Town, for the cost of such removal, may bill the owner or occupant of the property. This billing will also apply to any unscheduled leaf collection provided to Town residents as a result of the placement of leaves that are determined to be an obstruction on a public highway.
   2. Placement of leaves on public property. Nothing contained in this article shall prohibit a person who owns or occupies property along a public highway from placing leaves on public property adjacent to or in front of their own property for the purposes of a scheduled collection only. However, no person shall be permitted to place leaves or other material on public property that is not in front of or along side of the property he or she owns or occupies. At no time shall leaves or other materials be placed upon the paved portion of a public highway.
4. Enforcement; penalties for offenses.

   Any person observed placing an obstruction on a sidewalk or public highway or any person who places leaves on public property in violation of this Article shall be subject to a fine of $50. Any property owner adjoining a sidewalk or public highway on which an obstruction is placed shall be subject to a fine of $50 for failure to remove such obstruction within 48 hours of notification by a police officer, and may be subject to a fine of $50 per day thereafter for every day the obstruction is on the public highway in violation of this Article. If the Department of Public Works removes the obstruction, as provided in § 139-1(C), the adjoining property owner shall be billed for the expense of said removal in addition to the penalties provided in this section.

[Approved September 15, 2008]

§ 149-19. Exemption for Owners of High Mileage Motor Vehicles and Hybrid Passenger Cars.

1. EXEMPTION AUTHORIZED This Section is adopted in accordance with the authority granted by Section 19 of Public Act 07-242.
2. EXEMPTION The Town of Wethersfield hereby enacts a property tax exemption for any high mileage motor vehicle as defined by § 12-412(110) of the Connecticut General Statutes, and for any hybrid passenger car as defined by § 12-412(115) of the Connecticut General Statutes. The amount of the exemption shall be limited to $1,000.00 of the assessed value of each such vehicle.
3. APPLICATION An owner of a high mileage motor vehicle or hybrid passenger car registered in the Town of Wethersfield must apply for this property tax exemption by filing an Application with the Assessor on or before the annual assessment date of October 1. The Assessor is authorized to make rules and procedures to implement the above exemption, including, but not limited to, requiring the Applicant to provide written proof as deemed sufficient by the Assessor to confirm that the vehicle qualifies for the exemption.
4. EXPIRATION The property tax exemption provided by this Section shall become effective upon passage but shall expire on July 31, 2010 unless prior to said date the Town Council, by ordinance, extends the expiration date.

[The following ordinance will be added as Article VIII, Chapter 10, Committees, Boards, Commissions and Other Agencies. Approved November 5, 2008.]

§ 10-24. Appointment of additional members to Board of Assessment Appeals.

Pursuant to G.S. 9-199(c), the Wethersfield Town Council shall be authorized, when it deems necessary and appropriate, to appoint additional members to the Board of Assessment Appeals of the Town of Wethersfield for any assessment year in which a town wide revaluation becomes effective, for the assessment year prior to such year of revaluation and for the assessment year following such year of revaluation. Any such appointment shall be made by a simple majority vote of the Town Council.

1. Members. Any person appointed as an additional member to the board of assessment appeals pursuant to subsection (a) shall:
   1. Be a resident and an elector of the Town of Wethersfield;
   2. Take an oath of office from the Wethersfield Town Clerk prior to engaging in any official duties of the office; and
   3. Be subject to the requirements imposed generally on elected members of the Board of Assessment Appeals by the Connecticut General Statutes and the Wethersfield Town Charter.
2. Duties. All members appointed to the Board of Assessment Appeals pursuant to this section shall have those rights and duties as specified by the three appointed members of the board of assessment appeals acting by majority vote.
3. Terms. The term of any person appointed as an additional member to the Board of Assessment Appeals pursuant to this section shall expire on the date of the assessment year that the Board of Assessment Appeals completes the duties imposed upon it by the Connecticut General Statues.