Date: Fri 17-Jan-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

litter-New-Lebbon-ordinance

Full Text:

Residents Push For Stiffer Penalties For Littering Locally

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Tucked away in the far southern section of Newtown, unpaved New Lebbon Road

winds along the railroad tracks through a dark and heavily wooded area. It

makes a perfect dumping ground for would-be dumpers.

The street is often littered with couches, toilets, oven ranges, and various

other garbage.

Residents from and around New Lebbon Road, disgusted with the constant mess,

established the New Lebbon-Beagle Trail Neighborhood Association this past

April. One of its top priorities was to convince the town to create an

anti-litter ordinance in an effort to stop the illegal dumping.

M'Liss Connetta of 31 New Lebbon Road, a member of the neighborhood group,

said it makes her sad to see so much garbage strewn along her road and others.

The area has recently begun to experience increased development, making the

problem that much more noticeable.

"Before this end of New Lebbon Road was developed, this was a well-known

illegal dumping ground. I guess old habits die hard," she said.

As Mrs Connetta said this lack of concern for the environment needs to be

curtailed, but believes the state's current punishment/fine for violations is

not enough of a deferent.

She pointed to states like all-but-litter-free Vermont, which has an

especially stiff penalty.

Last week, First Selectman Bob Cascella, upon receiving several complaints

from residents about the litter, passed on a packet of information to

Legislative Council Ordinance Committee Chairman Pierre Rochman, whose

committee is expected to consider an ordinance that may make a difference.

Currently, the state has a $110 fine for anyone convicted of illegal

littering, but a local ordinance could make the fine for such an offense much

stiffer. In fact, the neighborhood group is seeking fines of up to $500.

Mr Rochman said he is eager to discuss the issue, which was brought up before

his board about a year ago, but was never acted upon.

"It is something that we do want to take a good hard look at," he said Monday.

"But this kind of ordinance is difficult to enforce no matter what you write."

According to Mr Rochman, the biggest question that needs to be answered is, if

a system of fines is set up, how will the town go about collecting those fines

that go unpaid. It has always been a difficult question, he said, but the

state recently gave municipalities the right to put liens on the homes of

non-payers in certain situations. However, that creates even more questions

regarding liability, Mr Rochman pointed out.

"The town needs to say how aggressively it is willing to pursue this in

court," he said.

The committee will also need to determine the different levels of littering

and whether or not the amount of the fine will be adjusted to fit the

magnitude of the offense. As Mr Rochman pointed out, tossing a McDonald's

coffee cup out the window is certainly not the same as dumping a truck load of

furniture in a secluded spot, or for that matter, illegally dumping

contaminated material.

Mr Rochman said the issue will be discussed sometime after the budget process

in complete, if not before. He said his committee will arrange to meet with

Police Chief James Lysaght and Public Works Director Fred Hurley.

Currently, there are seven municipalities in the state with anti-litter

ordinances. They include Avon, Branford, East Haven, Manchester, Orange,

Stratford and West Haven.