Opinion
Wilton Bulletin Editorial: Be neighbors first

Mar 13, 2008

While the town’s desire to keep Wilton looking beautiful through a proposed blight ordinance is certainly a good idea, care needs to be taken to avoid the law of unintended consequences.

During the public hearing on the ordinance on April 21, residents and the selectmen should keep in mind what being neighborly is all about.

The maxim that beauty is in the eye of the beholder is particularly true in this case. As members of the Board of Selectmen noted during discussions on the ordinance, what looks like a meadow to a property owner may look like a wild, unkempt lawn to a neighbor. Because the ordinance does not include the length of grass as a consideration in whether a property is blighted, this concern has been addressed.

But other aspects of a property’s design may seem ugly to some and beautiful to others. For that reason, the blight ordinance should not be used as a tattletale device to try and intimidate one’s neighbor into making his property match the cookie-cutter model becoming increasingly pervasive throughout town. Empathy needs to be the rule here; if something about a neighbor’s property is bothersome, opening a dialogue rather than calling the blight prevention officer should be the first step.

The town must also be cautious of the ramifications that a fine might carry. In Plymouth, Conn., when a blight ordinance was enacted and liens were placed on properties considered blighted, lawsuits were the result. Under pressure, Plymouth’s government eventually released the liens.

In Wilton, prior to considering the blight law, the town took two property owners to court. One property owner has cleaned up the property to the satisfaction of town staff. The other, however, is now facing fines in excess of $10,000, which is truly unfortunate. And, because it is a court ordered cleanup, the town’s hands are now tied.

In the past there have certainly been properties in Wilton that have been less than attractive, and to the extent those properties affect the resale value of their neighbors’ property, they should be fixed. The blight ordinance is a good idea, but it’s one that needs to be approached with a careful eye in order to ensure that it is not abused.

There needs to be some acknowledgment that though Wilton is by and large a wealthy town, there are those who experience hardships that many times may go unseen by their neighbors.

While the proposed ordinance allows for an unlimited number of extensions for owners of property considered blighted by the town, there may be some who do not have the resources to clean up their property. It’s too easy to look at the issues a property might have and chalk it up to laziness or indifference.

There are many options out there to help property owners who might not have the means to fix up their homes. AmeriCares has its Homefront Day every year, and volunteers from Wilton typically travel to neighboring communities to fix a roof, repair a porch or clean up a yard. The Kiwanis Club will be offering similar aid to a Georgetown family in the coming weeks. The town, in concert with these organizations and others, could help identify those in need and offer aid instead of the threat of fines.

To make Wilton a beautiful town on the outside is admirable; helping those in need, which would work towards making Wilton beautiful on the inside as well, is even more so.

© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers