Blight/Unfit Structures – Board of Condemnation

The Board of Condemnation is comprised of the Director of Health, the Building Inspector, and the Fire Marshal of the Town. The Board has the authority to investigate complaints, conduct hearings to determine if violations exist and to establish plans for the abatement of such violations for conditions that fall under the Blight Prevention Ordinance and the Unfit Property and Structures Ordinance.

Blight

The Blight Prevention Ordinance requires the complainant to submit a written, signed complaint and can not be anonymous*. 

The ordinance prohibits any owner, agent, tenant or person in control of real property located in the Town of Fairfield from allowing, creating, maintaining, or causing to be created or maintained a blighted premise.  

The Blight Prevention Ordinance defines a blighted premise as real property, including any building or structure thereon, which is and continues to be in a state of disrepair or is becoming dilapidated; which may be evidenced by one or more of the following conditions:

• multiple missing, broken or boarded up windows and/or doors(*1-for residential homes,2-for commercial and 3 family or more structures );
• collapsing or missing walls or roof(*5,1);
• seriously damaged or missing siding(*1);
• fire or water damage(*2);
• infestation by rodents or other pests(*1);
• excessive amounts of garbage or trash on the property(*3);
• inoperative or unregistered motor vehicles or inoperative boats parked, kept or stored on the premises unless garaged or the premises is properly permitted as a junk yard(*4);
• commercial parking lots left in a state of disrepair or abandonment(*1);
• vacant buildings or structures left unsecured or unguarded against unauthorized entry(*1-for residential homes,2-for commercial and 3 family or more structures).
• graffiti

* Aspects of many of the above conditions may also be violations of the codes and regulations enforced by other Town Departments who are able to receive anonymous complaints. The conditions as numbered above may be able to be addressed by the following departments prior to making a blight complaint (1) Health Department. (2) Fire Marshal, (3) Solid Waste and Recycling, (4) Town Plan and Zoning and (5) Building Department.

If you wish to file a blight complaint, please fill out the Blight Complaint Form and submit as directed on the form. Please note that per the Blight Ordinance unsigned anonymous complaints can not be accepted.

Unfit Properties and Structures

 The Unfit Property and Structures Ordinance provides the authority to the Board of Condemnation to designate any dwelling, dwelling unit, commercial or industrial structure, with the exception of excluded structures, as a building constituting a menace to public safety if it is found to have any of the following defects:

• One which is so damaged, decayed, dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe or vermin-infested that it creates a serious hazard to the health or safety of the occupants or the public.
• One which lacks hallway and porch illumination, ventilation, heating facilities (minimum of 55° F.) or sanitation facilities adequate to protect the health or safety of the occupants or the public.
• One which, because of its general condition or location, is unsanitary or otherwise dangerous to the health or safety of the occupants or the public.
• One which, for want of proper initial construction or proper repairs or by reason of age or dilapidated condition or from any other cause, may cause a fire or presents an unreasonable threat to life.

If you wish to file a complaint, please fill out an Unfit Property or Structure Complaint Form

and submit as directed on the form. Please note that per the Blight Ordinance unsigned anonymous complaints can not be accepted.