Norwich seeks volunteers for fall cleanups of blighted areas

Norwich ― When assistant blight officer Tanice Doman stopped at Platinum Cuts Barber Shop at 189 Central Ave. recently to ask permission to hang a flyer announcing a blight cleanup effort, she met with a vocal supporter.

Shop owner Harrison Faison said he has seen the effect litter-strewn streets, overgrown sidewalks and abandoned furniture can have on local businesses. He recalled seeing an out-of-town customer with an appointment park the car and start to get out and then drive away.

The man’s wife told him the area ― not his barber shop ― looked unsafe.

“It’s going to take a community coming together to tackle this,” Faison said.

That’s exactly what Doman and staff at the city Building Department have in mind. Doman, assistant zoning and blight enforcement officer, is leading a public education and action campaign starting this week with a call for volunteers to join neighborhood cleanup efforts to begin in September.

She is asking that individuals, businesses and any civic groups that wish to participate contact her by Aug. 30 so she can schedule cleanups in various key areas starting in September. Doman can be reached at (860) 823-3756 or preferably by email at tdoman@cityofnorwich.org. Interested participants are asked to provide their names, contact information and when they are available to volunteer.

The focus will be on Taftville, Greeneville and the West Side, cleaning up litter, overgrown vegetation and bulky waste. The city will provide bags, gloves and trash pickers.

“We encourage you to bring extra helping hands, tools and a pickup truck if you have one,” Doman’s flyer said. “Let’s work together to make Norwich a cleaner and more beautiful place.”

For the education portion of her campaign, Doman has scheduled several informational sessions in the atrium at Otis Library, 261 Main St., to explain blight control regulations and property owners’ responsibilities. Doman will be at the library from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 3, 5 and Sept. 17; 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, and 3 to 6 p.m. on Sept. 18.

On Sept. 5, Natelly Chavez from the city Community Development office will accompany Doman at the library to explain potential property rehabilitation assistance available to qualifying homeowners to upgrade their homes.

“My mission is to clean up and influence,” Doman said Friday.

Doman and city Building Official Daniel Coley said property owners often are not aware that they are responsible for sidewalk maintenance to the curb.

Coley said he especially asks property owners to clear sidewalks up to 7 feet high now, because school will start this week and students will be walking to schools or bus stops.

Residents also might not be aware that they must schedule bulky waste collections, rather than leave old furniture, mattresses and other debris at the curb. Norwich residents can request two free bulky waste pickups per year.

On a larger scale, the city inspections staff is reviewing the city’s three ordinances that address property maintenance and blight and new state laws that recently increased fines for violations. Coley said he would like to consolidate the city’s ordinances into one document and incorporate the new fines.

A short walk from Faison’s barber shop revealed several of the problems Faison described to Doman. Across the street, a coffee table sat on the sidewalk. Someone left an empty can of soda atop it. At the corner of Fourth Street, a grassy area between the sidewalk and the curb was overgrown with chest-high weeds.

On Fourth Street, trees and brush filled the small front yard and porch and weeds are growing in the gutter above the porch.

Across the street from that house, an upside-down couch lay on the sidewalk, and a mattress was leaning against the side of one house.

“She’s (Doman) got her work cut out for her,” Faison said. “It’s going to take more than just her to tackle this.”

c.bessette@theday.com

Blight regulation meetings

Norwich Assistant Zoning and Blight Enforcement Officer Tanice Doman will be at Otis Library, 261 Main St., Norwich, on the following dates to discuss blight regulations, problems, property owners’ responsibilities and to answer questions:

Tuesday, Sept. 3, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Thursday, Sept. 5, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Saturday, Sept. 14, 9-11:30 a.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 17, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 18, 3-6 p.m.