April 14, 2011
New Ordinances Considered
Many of our town functions are dictated by state and federal law. One of our most important responsibilities is to make sure we are adhering to the many laws set forth by Hartford and Washington, D.C. At a local level though, we do have control over many areas as we have the ability to pass local laws called ordinances.
The Board of Selectmen has been considering a number of new ordinances that are in the process of being drafted. The first proposal is the creation of an Agriculture Commission. We have been discussing this for a while now as a town and we are reaching the point where it will soon become a reality. An Agriculture Commission will give the farming community a greater voice in town and help preserve our rural character.
Another ordinance is to establish the process for accepting fees from developers instead of requiring them to build sidewalks where it doesn’t make sense. Because of our current zoning code, there are several developments that have been built with sidewalks that essentially lead to nowhere. The Planning and Zoning Commission, our staff, and the Board of Selectmen are working to establish a system where developers can pay a fee instead of building sidewalks where they don’t belong. The fees will be used to build sidewalks in areas that make sense and can connect sections of the downtown area.
The last three proposed ordinances are all related to fire protection. One of the issues that the fire department faces are repeated false alarms from the same home or business. Unfortunately, there are some people who refuse to fix their alarm system and force multiple responses by the fire department staff and volunteers. This uses up our resources and can put firefighters in danger by having to rush to a false alarm. The ordinance establishes penalties for repeated infractions. This would not penalize every false alarm, just those that refuse to fix their broken alarm system.
Another fire protection ordinance establishes criteria for fire hydrants and water mains in new developments. When developments are built, we need to ensure they have the necessary infrastructure to support fire suppression activities.
The last fire protection ordinance is the requirement that new or renovated commercial and industrial buildings have a rapid access system. These systems are inexpensive and allow firefighters to rapidly gain access to a building without having to force entry. Although this ordinance would not impact exiting businesses, I urge business owners to find out more information about these systems and consider installing one. It is an invaluable tool that could help save your property.
Volunteers Needed For Boards
Colchester is truly run by volunteers. There are many boards and commissions that have a huge impact on the town. We currently have several vacancies on these boards and I am asking for volunteers to step up and serve.
There are currently vacancies on the Commission on Aging, Conservation Commission, Economic Development Commission, Ethics Commission, Historic District Commission, Open Space Advisory Board,~Sewer & Water Commission, Youth Services Advisory Board, and Zoning Board of Appeals. If you have any interest in serving on one of these boards or would like more information, please contact my office at 537-7220.
- Gregg Schuster
First Selectman
Previous Selectman Notes can be viewed at
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