Keeping East Hartford Beautiful

Throughout my tenure of public service to the Town of East Hartford, I have focused especially on ways to keep our community an attractive, vibrant, and appealing place to live, work and play. I believe that East Hartford has an incredible amount of natural beauty. We are located in the lush and verdant Connecticut River Valley, with a great natural asset in the Riverfront; we are a 20 year Tree City USA with a fantastic collection of native and decorative trees lining our streets and meadows; and we have a beautiful and peaceful series of natural wetlands and water features along the Hockanum River. The natural beauty of our landscape and of our streets, sidewalks, lawns, parks, and buildings is a common benefit to us all.

It is not beautiful everywhere however – some of our houses and properties in East Hartford are in decline. Whether through the inattention of absentee landlords, or due to a friend or neighbor falling on hard times and going through foreclosure, some of our homes have become blighted.

Blight can be hard to define, but most of us know it when we see it. When houses become dilapidated or fall into disrepair; when grass is not cut and litter is left to clutter lawns, and even extreme cases where unregistered and non-functional cars and trucks and other debris and garbage is left unattended on properties – all of these are cases of blight.

I have made it my mission as Mayor to combat blight and help keep our town beautiful, but the Town cannot do it alone. Many residents may not realize this, but the Town’s ability to control the actions of people on their private property is actually very limited. But just because something isn’t illegal, does not mean one should do it. We need to be neighborly, and recognize that our actions can impact others. We all have a duty to keep our town a beautiful and pleasant place to live.

To that end, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

  • Please do not park cars or other vehicles on your lawns. This is not allowed by Town ordinance and will result in ticketing and fines from the EHPD. If you need improve or expand your driveway to accommodate a new vehicle, please consult the Building and Inspections department for assistance with plans and permitting.
  • Please make sure your grass is cut adequately. Keeping your lawn neat and well-trimmed lends a beautiful, uniform look to your street, and prevents bugs and animals from lurking in the grass. Town ordinance requires that homeowners keep grass trimmed.
  • Please do not keep containers, children’s pools, or other items where water can collect on your lawn. If you do have such containers please empty them regularly to prevent water from stagnating, as it is an ideal breeding ground for mosquitos.
  • Please do not keep garbage, litter, or detritus on your lawn. Dispose of trash and recycling via your bins. If you need a replacement bin or have larger items to dispose of (bulky waste), please contact the Public Works Department at 860-291-7361, and follow Town waste collection procedures.
  • Storage of unregistered or inoperable vehicles as well as large trucks or trailers on private property is not allowed.
  • Finally, please be aware the there is a no overnight street parking from 2AM-5AM daily.

Please respect and honor your neighbor, and be attentive to any concerns they might have. Remember that they also live here and have a right to a safe, peaceful, and attractive place to live.

Myself and my team have begun proactively touring our town to address the worst cases of blight and neglect. Every few weeks we visit each property and review the deficiencies and issues and what steps can be taken to resolve them. Members of my Building and Inspections, as well as the police department, development department and assistant corporation counsel accompany me on these ride alongs. These cases are often complex and require a sustained, persistent effort to fix, up to and including taking owners and landlords to court.

You can help us make the town better by taking responsibility for your street and your neighborhood. Help your neighbors if they need it. Report abandoned or vacant properties, as well as any serious zoning or safety issues to Building and Inspections at 860-291-7340.

You can also help us by volunteering for the Annual Mayor’s Clean Up Day, held on Saturday, September 10 from 9-12PM. We will perform a “bridge-to-bridge” clean-up of Main Street and the gateways of East Hartford, weeding, cleaning and removing debris from our downtown and the busiest entrances to our community. A celebratory lunch will be provided for all registered volunteers at noon.  You can sign up by calling the Mayor’s Office at 860-291-7200, or at www.easthartfordct.gov/mayors-office. Community service hours can be completed during this time and certificates of participation will be provided upon request.

Thank you all for your cooperation and dedication. Together we can ensure that East Hartford remains a beautiful, fantastic and welcoming community.