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Record of Proceedings

Mayor's Code Enforcement Committee Meeting - May 27, 2026

Common Council & Commissions — Wednesday, May 27, 2026
BodyMiddletown, Connecticut
SessionCommon Council & Commissions
DateWednesday, May 27, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:04

All right.

0:05

We are now recording, and I'm calling this morning's meeting of the mayor's code enforcement committee on May 14, 2026 to order at 9.02 a.m.

0:14

The first item on the agenda is the approval of the mandates from our last meeting on April 9th.

0:19

So I have a motion to approve the minutes.

0:22

Thank you.

0:23

Do I have a second?

0:25

Nick, thank you.

0:26

Any discussion on the motion and any changes to the minutes that need to be made by anybody.

0:33

All right.

0:33

Seeing none, we'll move forward to a vote.

0:36

All in favor of approving the April 9th, 2026 meeting minutes, please unmute yourselves and so signify by saying aye.

0:44

I aye.

0:46

Any opposed?

0:47

Any abstentions?

0:50

Motion passes unanimously at 903.

0:53

Next item is a public session.

0:55

I don't see any members of the public.

0:57

So I will close public session at this time.

1:00

We have no items under new business.

1:03

And then under old business under the PD, we have forbidden llama.

1:07

Nick, are there any updates or any um news to report around this from our last meeting?

1:11

No, you can probably take this off.

1:13

It's um the latest referral just in the hands of like our commission, and now it's on them to uh do their investigation and let us know.

1:20

So we don't have anything.

1:22

Okay.

1:23

Well do.

1:24

Thank you very much.

1:25

Um anything from anybody else on forbidden llama before we move on.

1:32

All right, seeing none, so I'll take it off.

1:34

And if and when we need to add it back on, we can always do so.

1:38

All right.

1:38

Next up, office of the general counsel.

1:40

Um so 455 45 465 Middlefield Street.

1:44

Um, this case is still moving forward timely in the superior court.

1:48

Um their brief is due, I believe, this Friday.

1:51

Um, we've been engaging in some settlement discussions, but um, you know, we'll see if that bears any fruit.

1:57

Um, so you know, it's still moving forward.

2:00

Um, I haven't heard any updates from Hazel on the equipment or the zoning violations on site.

2:06

So I think that's just kind of the status quo as is.

2:09

Does anyone else have any updates from either health or building or any or PD?

2:14

Any calls for service, any um emails from the from the neighbors or residents or tenants or anybody um any updates on on this property.

2:25

Just the one email you sent to us.

2:28

Uh I've driven through a couple times.

2:29

I haven't seen anything.

2:31

Okay.

2:32

I every time I'm in the area, I drive by, see if I see anybody working out of the garages or anything.

2:37

Okay.

2:41

Same for the health department as well.

2:42

Every now and again I take that route to see if I observe anything.

2:47

Um nothing at this time.

2:49

Okay.

2:50

Great.

2:51

Thank you, everybody.

2:53

And then um, the municipal action against landlords renting to businesses selling cannabis products without a license.

2:59

Um, so as I explained at our last meeting, this is a newer statute um that's been around for about a year or two.

3:05

Um, we've been in communication with the attorney general's office about enforcing it.

3:10

Um, because again, what this does is this allows us to file an ex parte injunction, um, which means that we just get to file it against the owner who rents um space to shops that illegally sell cannabis products.

3:24

Um, so the the attorney general's office has been reaching out to municipalities because one people aren't aware of this new statute, and two, it's never been used yet.

3:34

Um, so they want to make sure that if and when it's used, it's it's done the right way and the way that they think it should be done as well.

3:41

Um, so we had a meeting with a few other municipalities in the attorney general's office um a week a week and a half ago or so.

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Summary of Proceedings

Mayor's Code Enforcement Committee Meeting - May 27, 2026

Note: The transcript of the meeting identifies the date as May 14, 2026; however, the provided meeting date is May 27, 2026. This summary uses the latter date as instructed.

The meeting was called to order at 9:02 a.m. by the chair. The committee approved minutes from April 9, 2026, received updates on code enforcement cases, and discussed a new legal strategy against landlords renting to illegal cannabis shops.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the April 9, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously by voice vote (all ayes, no nays or abstentions) at 9:03 a.m.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public were present, so the public session was closed immediately.

Discussion Items

  • Forbidden Llama (Old Business): Nick reported that the latest referral is now with the commission for investigation. The committee agreed to remove this item from the agenda, with the option to add it back if needed.
  • 455-465 Middlefield Street (Office of General Counsel): The case continues to move forward in Superior Court. The city's brief is due the Friday after the meeting (May 15, 2026, per the transcript). Settlement discussions are ongoing. No updates from Health, Building, or Police regarding equipment or zoning violations. Committee members reported no observed activity at the site.
  • Municipal Action Against Landlords Renting to Illegal Cannabis Businesses: The committee discussed a relatively new state statute (about one to two years old) that allows municipalities to file an ex parte injunction against landlords who rent space to shops selling cannabis without a license. The Attorney General's office has been meeting with municipalities to standardize enforcement, as the statute has never been used. Nick reported that the narcotics unit recently raided a smoke shop at Washington and Old Mill for the fourth time, seizing approximately 50 pounds of marijuana and discovering a hidden room with a false wall. Arrests were made, and the owner subsequently hired a cleaning company, indicating awareness of the illegal activity. The committee agreed to use this property as a test case for the new statute. The General Counsel will send the relevant information to Nick after the meeting to initiate the process.

Key Outcomes

  • Minutes Approved: Unanimously approved the April 9, 2026 meeting minutes.
  • Forbidden Llama: Removed from agenda.
  • Cannabis Enforcement: The committee directed the General Counsel to proceed with using the new statute against the landlord of the Washington and Old Mill smoke shop, following the recent raid.
  • Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned unanimously at 9:08 a.m.

Meeting Transcript

All right. We are now recording, and I'm calling this morning's meeting of the mayor's code enforcement committee on May 14, 2026 to order at 9.02 a.m. The first item on the agenda is the approval of the mandates from our last meeting on April 9th. So I have a motion to approve the minutes. Thank you. Do I have a second? Nick, thank you. Any discussion on the motion and any changes to the minutes that need to be made by anybody. All right. Seeing none, we'll move forward to a vote. All in favor of approving the April 9th, 2026 meeting minutes, please unmute yourselves and so signify by saying aye. I aye. Any opposed? Any abstentions? Motion passes unanimously at 903. Next item is a public session. I don't see any members of the public. So I will close public session at this time. We have no items under new business. And then under old business under the PD, we have forbidden llama. Nick, are there any updates or any um news to report around this from our last meeting? No, you can probably take this off. It's um the latest referral just in the hands of like our commission, and now it's on them to uh do their investigation and let us know. So we don't have anything. Okay. Well do. Thank you very much. Um anything from anybody else on forbidden llama before we move on. All right, seeing none, so I'll take it off. And if and when we need to add it back on, we can always do so. All right. Next up, office of the general counsel. Um so 455 45 465 Middlefield Street. Um, this case is still moving forward timely in the superior court. Um their brief is due, I believe, this Friday. Um, we've been engaging in some settlement discussions, but um, you know, we'll see if that bears any fruit. Um, so you know, it's still moving forward. Um, I haven't heard any updates from Hazel on the equipment or the zoning violations on site. So I think that's just kind of the status quo as is. Does anyone else have any updates from either health or building or any or PD? Any calls for service, any um emails from the from the neighbors or residents or tenants or anybody um any updates on on this property. Just the one email you sent to us. Uh I've driven through a couple times. I haven't seen anything. Okay. I every time I'm in the area, I drive by, see if I see anybody working out of the garages or anything. Okay. Same for the health department as well. Every now and again I take that route to see if I observe anything. Um nothing at this time.

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