Stamford, Conn., Code of Ordinances ch. 146 § 146-48

(a) Appointment of Blight Hearing Committee. The Mayor shall appoint the Chairperson of the Police Commission or his or her designee, the Chairperson of the Fire Commission or his or her designee, the Chairperson of the Zoning Board or his or her designee, the Chairperson of the Health Commission or his or her designee, and the President of the Board of Representatives or his or her designee to comprise the Blight Hearing Committee, which Committee shall conduct citation hearings for violations of this section. However, in no event may a hearing officer sitting on this Committee be police officers or employees of the City of Stamford or persons who issue citations. Said officers shall serve for terms of two years and shall be empowered to hear appeals from issuance of citations as provided herein.
(b) Notice of hearing; notice of violation retained.
(1) Any person who requests a hearing shall be given written notice of the date, time and place for the hearing. Such hearing shall be held not less than fifteen (15) days nor more than thirty (30) days from the date of the mailing of notice, provided that the chairman of the Blight Hearing Committee shall grant upon good cause shown any reasonable request by any interested party for postponement or continuance.
(2) An original or certified copy of the initial notice of violation issued by the Anti-Blight Officer shall be filed and retained by the municipality and shall be deemed to be a business record within the scope of Section 52-180 of the Connecticut General Statutes and evidence of the facts contained therein.
(c) Admission of liability; failure to respond; fines assessed.
(1) If any person cited pursuant to this article wishes to admit liability for any alleged violation, said person may, without requesting a hearing, pay the full amount of the fines, penalties, costs or fees admitted to in person or by mail to an official designated by the city. Said payment shall be inadmissible in any proceeding, civil or criminal, to establish the conduct of such person or other person making the payment.
(2) Any person cited pursuant to this article who does not deliver or mail written demand for a hearing in accordance with Section 146-47 (d) above shall be deemed to have admitted liability, and the Anti-Blight Officer shall certify such person's failure to request a hearing to the Blight Hearing Committee.
(3) The Blight Hearing Committee shall thereupon enter and assess the fines, penalties, costs or fees provided for by the applicable ordinances and shall follow the procedures set forth in Subsection 146-48 (d)(6) of this article.
(d) Hearing procedure.
(1) The presence of the Anti-Blight Officer shall be required at the hearing, if such person who was cited so requests.
(2) A person wishing to contest his or her liability shall appear at the hearing and may present evidence on his or her behalf. A designated city official, other than member of the Blight Hearing Committee, may present evidence on behalf of the City of Stamford.
(3) If the person cited fails to appear, the Blight Hearing Committee may enter an assessment by default against said individual upon a finding of proper notice and liability under the applicable ordinance or regulation. Before the time and date of the hearing, the Blight Hearing Committee may accept from the cited individual copies of police reports, investigatory and citation reports and other official documents by mail and may determine thereby that the appearance of such person is unnecessary and find in favor of such person.
(4) The hearing procedure shall be taken under oath or affirmation. In considering an appeal, the standard of proof shall be by preponderance of the evidence. The Blight Hearing Committee shall consider all facts and circumstances that said Committee deems to be relevant. All evidence and testimony must be presented at the time of said hearing; no other testimony or evidence shall be considered.
(5) The Blight Hearing Committee shall announce its decision at the end of the hearing and shall issue a written decision within five days after the conclusion of the hearing. If the Blight Hearing Committee determines that the person is not liable, it shall dismiss the matter and enter its determination, in writing, accordingly. If the Committee determines that the person is liable for the violation, it shall forthwith enter, in writing, its determination and an assessment of the fines, penalties, costs or fees against such person as provided for in this article.
(6) If such assessment is not paid on the date of its entry, the Blight Hearing Committee shall send by first class mail a notice of the assessment to the person found liable and shall file, not less than thirty days or more than twelve months after such mailing, a certified copy of the notice of assessment with the clerk of a superior court facility designated by the Chief Court Administrator together with an entry fee of eight dollars. The certified copy of the notice of assessment shall constitute a record of assessment. Within such twelve-month period, assessments against the same person may be accrued and filed as one record of assessment. The clerk shall enter judgment, in the amount of such record of assessment and court costs of eight dollars, against such person in favor of the municipality. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the hearing officer's assessment, when so entered as a judgment, shall have the effect of a civil money judgment and a levy of execution on such judgment may issue without further notice to such person.
(7) A person against whom an assessment has been entered pursuant to this section is entitled to judicial review by way of appeal. An appeal shall be instituted within thirty days of the mailing of notice of such assessment by filing a petition to reopen assessment, together with an entry fee in an amount equal to the entry fee for a small claims case pursuant to Section 52-259 of the Connecticut General Statutes, at a superior court facility designated by the Chief Court Administrator, which shall entitle such person to a hearing in accordance with the rules of the judges of the Superior Court.