Torrington, Conn., Code of Ordinances ch. 161 § 161-7

Civil citation process

In Force
Verified 11/11/2026 · Next check 12/11/2026
TorringtonHabitability & Repair

Operative Text

Torrington, Conn., Code of Ordinances ch. 161 § 161-7
A. If the corrective actions specified in the notice of violation warning letter are not taken, the Blight Enforcement Officer(s) or his/her designee shall issue a citation to the owner.
B. The citation shall be in writing and include:
(1) A description of the premises sufficient for identification, specifying the violation which is alleged to exist, and the remedial action required;
(2) Detailed information regarding the contents of the notice of violation warning letter (which may be a copy of such notice of violation warning letter) and the failure of the owner to take the corrective actions specified therein;
(3) A statement that such citation shall exist as a lien against the premises wherein said violation exists and shall be recorded on the land records of the City of Torrington and that it shall take precedence over all other encumbrances except taxes.
(4) The amount of the civil penalties/fines, special assessments, costs, or fees imposed for noncompliance which shall be the amounts specified in Section (E) below;
(5) Notice that agents of the City may enter the property during reasonable hours for the purpose of remediating the blighted conditions and that the owner shall be responsible for any and all expenses incurred by the City in connection therewith pursuant to G.S. § 49-73b; and
(6) A statement that the owner may object to the citation and contest liability by requesting a hearing before a Citation Hearing Officer in accordance with Section 161-8 , herein, by delivering to the Blight Enforcement Officer(s), in person or by mail, a written request for hearing within 15 days of the date of receipt of the citation.
C. Delivery of the citation to the owner shall be by the manner provided in § 161-6 (F) of this code.
D. A copy of the citation shall be sent to each lien holder of the premises by first class mail to the lienholder's current or last-known address in accordance with G.S. § 7-148gg.
E. The civil citation penalty for violations of this ordinance is as follows:
(1) $150.00 for each day that a violation continues at an occupied property, or such other amount as specified in G.S. § 7-148(c)(7)(H)(xv), as may be amended from time to time;
(2) $250.00 for each day that a violation continues at a vacant property as defined in § 161-4 and as determined by the Blight Enforcement Officer, or such other amount as specified in G.S. § 7-148(c)(7)(H)(xv), as may be amended from time to time;
(3) $1000.00 for each day that a violation continues at a property if such violation is the third or more such violation at such property during a 12-month period, as defined in G.S. § 7-148(c)(7)(H)(xv), or such other amount as specified in G.S. § 7-148(c)(7)(H)(xv), as may be amended from time to time.
F. Any person who is a new owner shall, upon request, be granted a 90-day extension of the notice and opportunity to remediate, provided pursuant to § 161-6 (D), prior to any enforcement action. If the blight conditions are remediated during said extension, the case shall be dismissed, otherwise, the City may take any enforcement actions provided herein or under any other ordinance or statute. For purposes of this section, "new owner" means any person or entity who has taken title to a property within 30 days of the notice, and "new occupant" means any person who has taken occupancy of a property within 30 days of the notice.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Torrington Code of Ordinances ch. 161 § 161-7 establishes the civil citation process that follows when a property owner fails to correct blight violations identified in a prior warning letter. A written citation is issued by the Blight Enforcement Officer and automatically becomes a lien on the property, recorded in the city's land records with priority over most other encumbrances. Daily civil penalties range from $150 for occupied properties to $250 for vacant properties, and up to $1,000 per day for repeat violations (three or more within a 12-month period). Owners who recently acquired a property may be eligible for a 90-day extension to remediate before enforcement proceeds.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on November 11, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under ch. 161 § 161-7, property owners who receive a blight violation warning letter are expected to complete all required corrective actions within the timeframe specified, because failure to do so triggers a formal citation carrying daily fines and a lien recorded against the property. Compliant operators typically document remediation steps, communicate progress to the Blight Enforcement Officer, and retain records of completed work. Owners who have recently taken title within 30 days of a notice should be aware that a written request may secure a 90-day extension, and that any citation can be contested by submitting a written hearing request to the Blight Enforcement Officer within 15 days of receipt.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Ch. 161 § 161-7 is directed at property owners, but tenants living in occupied properties subject to blight enforcement should be aware that daily penalties of $150 apply for each day a violation continues at an occupied property, which reflects the city's interest in ensuring habitable conditions are restored. Tenants who believe their residence has unresolved blight conditions may contact the Torrington Blight Enforcement Officer to inquire about the status of any open violations or citations. Consulting a local tenant-rights organization can help tenants understand how blight enforcement intersects with habitability rights and what options may be available to them.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

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Related Rules

§ 244.260
Compliance required
§ 14.567
ADOPTED BY REFERENCE
§ 244.340
Sewer and water connections

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