All right.

Good evening, everybody.

I call to order the August 12th, 2025 public hearing and regular meeting of the Committee on Planning, Zoning, and Housing.

The time is now 6 30 p.m.

Mr.

Clerk, will we please call the roll?

Alderman Simpson.

Present.

Alderwoman Scott.

Alderwoman Barbosa.

Here.

Alderman McNamara.

Here.

Alderwoman Beloin Savedra.

Alderman Malinowski.

Alderman Russell.

Alderman Hargreaves.

Seven present.

Thank you.

Alderman Russell's excused.

And uh Mr.

Clerk, will you please read into the record the notice of the public hearing?

Lawyer, were you not called?

No.

Oh, yeah.

Yes.

Uh add uh Alderwoman McAdam to the attendance list and uh Albert Alderman Smedley is sitting in for I don't know, pick one.

No, he's not an alternate, he's just oh, he's also seated there we go.

Well right.

All set?

Okay.

Beautiful.

And uh I believe we were at the reading of the notice of the public hearing, Mr.

Clerk.

Mr.

Chair.

Alderwoman Beloin Savedra.

Thank you for the microphone.

I make a motion to wave the reading.

Second.

All righty.

We have some bipartisanship tonight.

We have a motion to wave the reading by all the women belowing Savedra, seconded by Alderman McNamara.

All in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

The ayes have it.

The wait uh the reading is waived.

So having been noticed properly, we will begin the public hearing.

Please remember to state your name and address for the record and limit your speaking time to three minutes.

The item for this public hearing is item number three six eight nine six to amend Article 7 of Chapter 15 of the Code of Ordinances in accordance with public act 25-80 pertaining to motor scooters, dirt bikes, minibikes, pocket bikes, bicycles with helper motors, and all terrain vehicles.

Are there any speakers for this item?

Are there any speakers for this item?

Going a third time.

Any speakers for this item?

Any callers?

No callers.

All righty.

Seeing no speakers, we will close the public hearing and move on to the regular meeting.

The time is now six thirty-three p.m.

The first item on our agenda is item number three six, eight, nine, six to amend Article Section Seven or Chapter 15 of the Code of Ordinances in accordance with public act number twenty-five-eighty pertaining to motor scooters, dirt bikes, mini-bikes, pocket bikes, bicycles with helper motors, and all terrain vehicles.

May I have a motion?

Alderwoman Beloin Savedra.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I'd like to make a motion to refer this back to the council with a favorable recommendation.

All right, if we have a rec uh motion to refer this back to the council with a favorable recommendation made by Alderwoman Beloin Savedra, seconded by Alderman Malinowski.

Mr.

Chair.

Chief, just as you're getting yourself settled, I um asked you to come this evening just so you could talk about maybe the implementation, how this tool in the toolbox of the New Britain Police Department helps, and what the implementation might look like.

This is uh based on the public act to the uh street takeover point that allows the municipality the ability to establish an ordinance to address that issue, um and it actually spells out uh in in the draft, uh, giving us the ability to go after individuals who coordinate uh those events, which is like you said, Alder Woman, another tool in the tool belt uh from an investigative standpoint where it may be difficult at times to actually get people on ATVs or dirt bikes to pull over uh with a little bit of intel and research and investigation.

We could actually target people that are responsible for creating massive get togethers or create uh the problems that we see when there's groups of them traveling on city streets.

Chief, when I was talking to people about the street takeover, some folks get it confused with just illegal vehicles being on the street, not actually doing a street takeover, but illegal vehicles being on the street, and just in case anyone's watching, there is a distinction in how you handle a street takeover, which we're adding to the ordinance, versus maybe two kids on an illegal vehicle on the street.

Can you briefly, if I could take this leeway, Mr.

Chair, just for clarification, talk about how the police handle people randomly on the streets creating issues, riding illegal vehicles versus the street takeovers?

Yeah, the basic when it comes to anyone riding a dirt bike ATV quad, uh what have you on the street is obviously an initial attempt to stop uh the vehicle, those aren't always effective because they are you know, they do have the ability to maneuver and get themselves out of you know situations uh like standard motor vehicle stops and traveling off-road or on sidewalks.

Um it's not the same as a a large gathering or get together of all of these types of vehicles that usually takes place in a coordinated effort in a parking lot or a you know, a rallying point, um, which would be much easier if there's a large group that's established.

I know that we did have a couple run-ins at New Britain Stadium where there were planned events that turned into this style uh of event, uh, like a street takeover.

Um, but you know, leading up to that, there was paperwork and a paper trail of individual individuals responsible for that, and having an ordinance like this gives us the ability uh to go after things in that way.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chimney.

Alder Woman Barbosa.

Did you have something from early?

Okay.

Any other discussion on this item?

Alder Woman Scott.

I just um I have time for you.

I was just gonna say that um I think um I'm really happy about this.

Um I'm grateful for this.

Um the state worked really hard on getting our state delegated got this going um along with Bobby Shanchez um to get this at the state level so that we could do this locally here in New Britain and have the ability to um keep our streets safer here in New Britain.

Um I just I've heard several complaints um across the city um about this being a safety concern, it's loud.

Um I've even witnessed just yesterday I saw a couple of them on the sidewalk and just not even following traffic laws at all, which is a huge safety concern.

Um, and you were saying you on the sidewalk as well, like somebody could get hit.

So I think this is um really important um because we might actually be saving someone's life by implementing this.

So I just wanted to say that all the womb belonging to Adra.

No questions for you, Chief.

I just wanted to point out it's the very last page that's the new section that has the penalty teeth to it, which increases the fines that we're able to charge folks who not only are riding a vehicle that's part of a street takeover, but if they're part of just organizing it andor observing the street takeover, they are all in violation.

So whether you're in a vehicle, you're part of the organizing the event, or you're uh participating by watching it, you are in violation and can be fined between a thousand and two thousand dollars.

Um I also appreciate the addition of the ability for us to not only impound but forfeit the ownership of that, and then the city could either sell it and or uh destroy it.

So these are good components that are new language to an existing ordinance, and I just want to make sure that anyone who's watching understands that that's what we're changing here tonight.

And Chief, I appreciate you being here to answer any questions.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

So being an innocent bystander, just watching something happen, you're still gonna get fined and violated.

No, I don't think that's what it's pointing to directly.

I believe it's more so for the large-scale events where everybody's in the parking lot.

You have the people that are recording or antagonizing the group or promoting the idea.

Um, not if you're on the sidewalk and you just so happen to you know see the park and uh get together.

Is that a difference between are you all said all the women?

What would be the difference between somebody observing and somebody recording here?

Because recording isn't actually specified here in the language.

I was just citing it as an example as someone that's involved in the actual event, but not necessarily on one of these vehicles.

Um if you maybe go back on social media, there were some videos from the recent event at New Britain Stadium where there were individuals there for social media purposes, recording the event, promoting the idea of having burnouts, um, creating a disturbance in the parking lot, uh, being a part of that group, which wouldn't be the same as you know, someone that just so happens to be walking on a sidewalk in the area.

We wouldn't be going after random people that just so happen to be in the area when the incident takes place.

How could you tell the difference on the street?

I think that if you're part of the group that's inside the park, you responded to uh uh you know invitation to the inside or the event and we're there with all the get up and uh you know the equipment and recording and promoting it.

I would say it's much different than someone walking by.

No, I get that.

I'm just saying, like, how do we tell the difference between those people?

Mr.

Chair, go ahead.

Well, I I think um in in section A, the new section, it the wording is particular.

It says part no person shall organize, participate in or gather with intent to observe and actually and actually observing a or should say observe a street takeover.

If you're walking past a location, let's say the Willowbrook Stadium or park, for instance, on South Main Street, it's in your best interest to keep walking and not walk into the park and gather as part of the group observing and promoting this event.

I think that's the distinction that's made here.

If you are in the perimeter area of the park where the event is taking over, you probably should choose to leave if it is an illegal street takeover.

So that's the distinction there.

And I think just to touch on that, and John's also in the room, it really would come down to us being on the same page with identifying an organizer as opposed to someone that's just a bystander or walking through the area.

Um typically when we do you know our research into these events, it's an individual that's promoting it and sends out invitations, and although they may not be on an actual vehicle, they are present and supportive of the get together and in this ordinance in that particular section allows us uh to take action against that individual.

And just for information, when I was reading this today, the thing that kind of popped in my head is if I'm walking through the park, I can or if I'm in the park and I'm looking at um people, let's say if there's a baseball game, I can tell the difference between someone watching the baseball game and walking by it.

I think that it's just based on how you perceive someone acting.

I think you just call it as you see it.

So somebody recording this would just one second, older woman.

Um somebody recording this would be considered a participant, right?

Like somebody like in the parking lot, obviously, like participating in the event, they're recording it.

That would be with the intent to observe, right?

I would agree with that, yes.

Someone that's making a recording to send to the police department saying, hey, this is what's happening inside the park, I wouldn't say that they'd be an organizer or someone associated with the event.

Right.

So I guess the question I'm getting to here is that if this language already accommodates all participants in the event, why add the word observe?

Distinct it.

Well, because it's with intent to observe.

It's not just participate.

I mean, participate with intent to observe.

I mean, participate is not the only word that we're qualifying as a qualifier here.

It's the with intent to observe.

How does the municipality even prove that?

Well, it's like how do we tell the difference between somebody intending to observe and sort of monetize themselves off of this and somebody who's recording a crime in a public space?

That's what a police officer is trained to do to know the difference between when there's probable cause of a crime and when there isn't.

I think that the biggest example, the best example I could give is if there's a large group that's gathered in a particular parking lot and people aren't leaving, those would be observers of the event as opposed to someone walking through the park, even if they do happen to record and sharing that with the police department.

So my experience of people in the the parking lot itself and being a part of the event don't necessarily want to cooperate with us.

Right.

No, I'm not I'm not discounting that.

What I am saying though is that we are hindering people's right to observe public spaces with this current language, and if all participants are in it, I think if we could uh work on some language that protects people's first amendments rights while addressing the issue, go ahead, Alderman.

So I I think the First Amendment right would apply here in general because when the New Britain police department normally arrives to a large crowd, a party, uh, or a disturbance in a park uh or an unorganized unpermitted organization somewhere in front of uh anywhere, city hall of business, a school, people are asked to leave.

Leave now, or you will be arrested or you will be ticketed.

That's the opportunity for the First Amendment right to step in, and you can back away to the safe zone that they designate as okay, you're outside of my investigative area now.

We're investigating the illegal takeover.

Anyone who stays here with the intent to continue to promote it is then observing with intent to promote the event.

So I think the initial response by our New Brand Police Department, which has been the same for as long as I've been living in this city is approach first, educate, you need to leave now, you're doing something illegal, and if you don't, then we'll take the next step.

And I think the whole purpose uh of the way it's written and what the state was looking for was to kind of deter people from being involved in this altogether.

Um, you know, I'm gonna go a little off, you know, cue here and maybe reference a fast and the furious movie when you see everybody coming together to shut down a street in order to have a street race, those would be technically people that are observing and involved and they're taking part in that behavior.

Um, not the same as someone that's you know walking with their family on a sidewalk.

I that I just came up with off the top of my head.

I'm sorry, it was a little bit that's okay.

We're we're figuring it.

Yeah, all of them in McNamara.

I just uh thanks.

I just want to ask uh either council or chief marino, but maybe council, the the fines levied uh are across the board for any kind of vehicle in terms of uh I can think of is in the illegal flash mob in terms of what you're describing.

Um I'm seeing a proliferation of vehicles that don't have plates.

Uh I'm wondering if state or city may want to look at that in the future in terms of uh levies, but I'm wondering about the size of the fines and uh if there's any is that up to or is that that a flat out fine?

Counselor.

I think that's the I think that's the maximum fine out of the enabling legislation.

Oh, okay.

Thank you.

We're using all of that authority.

Yeah, the uh thanks.

Any other discussion on this?

Aldumboins, or I'm sorry, all the women's got I was just gonna say, like, I I understand like some of the concerns, it's like a gray area, right?

Is that I think I hear that from some of the um older people here tonight.

But I wanted to ask you, like, do you I think this goes back to what our aldermen just said, but is this like something that you experience with other things that happen in the city?

Like such as like the things that are happening, like if there's a something that's out of control, and then you have to show up there and you have to take care of it and de-escalate the situation.

Is this do you feel like that's sometimes a potential situation that could be compared to this?

Uh I no, I don't see how we'd make the connection.

I think this was intentionally established to address what's been a growing concern across the state, especially when it comes to you know, ATVs, dirt bikes, quads.

Uh, if you look on social media or even the news, there's incidents where they shut down entire highways or parks and people can't get out of, you know, parks.

Um I know that's happened in Meriden a couple times.

There's been other municipalities that have been having issues with it.

I don't think we can make the connection um to anything else.

Just because, much like you cited earlier, all the women, you know, these vehicles having the ability to go off-road and on the sidewalks, there's there's more of a concern there with with safety to everybody around.

But when there's like a party or something like that, what and there's people that are there and they're not actually doing anything, but they're you're like asking them to leave.

You guys think that you could this would sort of be the same kind of thing then?

Uh not necessarily.

I mean, a large-scale party, there's there's different issues to attack there depending on what time it's called in, you know, are we dealing with underage individuals?

Um, you know, are the the owners of the establishment or the residents of age and providing alcohol?

There's there's a ton of different ways to go about that.

But I can see, you know, kind of making the connection to our response.

This particular ordinance gives us the ability to address this issue on a much wider scale than just those that are responsible for operating.

I think there's like a concern though, like if people are watching that they'll be arrested.

Is that the concern that I think some other people are bringing?

That's why I kind of wants to see.

Yeah.

I don't know.

That's why I was asking that.

Yeah, well, I there's a way to tell people kind of like you need to leave.

Right.

So I you know, in our experience in our experience with these events, it's someone that puts out a mass invite, and it's not just people looking to drive dirt bikes and quads or you know, all-terrain vehicles to the area, it's those with fancy cars that are legally registered and insured that are still coming to you know witness the event, others that are there to record it and promote it, um, those with you know massive sound systems on their cars there to assist with providing music and entertainment.

Uh I think that's more so what the purpose of this ordinance is is to address everybody that's associated with that type of event.

Right, not like the NSM, because if somebody just happens to be there and they don't really know.

I mean, how and then that's I guess that's another question I have is how are we going to let people in the city know that this is a new so that people know that they need to get out of that area when that's happening.

I think that's as simple as just promoting it when if and when it's approved by the council, um, just to you know provide that educational basis for for everyone in the city, and hopefully, much to why I think it was established in the first place is to serve as a deterrent, you know, across the state.

Right.

Thank you.

All of them Barbosa.

I'm all for this because I have almost come close to hitting a couple kids myself and being just rudely ran basically like almost run off the road.

Um I'm all for it for the safety of the people.

My fear is just that some people would just be targeted, and I'm hoping that they're not just going to be targeted.

And I'm hoping that the people who are listening out here are really taking this to heart and not being felt that you're being um picked on or or that this is coming for you.

This is just this is an opportunity for you to now begin and start doing the right thing out there.

Um, there's there's elderly out on the roads that are still driving, there's walkers, there's there's new new student drivers, and this type of of action is irresponsible, is neglectful, and it's dangerous.

So um it's not to to take anything away from from the people out there, it's just to put safety matters in place and in action, and um it can get very dangerous out there when it does get out of hand um in different formats.

So um I am all for this.

Um let's just hope that when people are told to move and to leave, that please just listen and do not try to escalate and a situation that does not need to be escalated, trying to be a bigger person, just simply when you're told to leave, just leave and just pay attention and just be vigilant and and and follow the law and follow the rules.

That's why they're in place to keep everybody safe, including yourselves out there.

That's all I have to say.

All the woman below in Savage.

Thank you.

So I don't think that the fines are excessive.

I agree with you, Chief.

I think this is a tool to try, it's a deterrent, it's a method of deterrence.

Now, New Britain doesn't have a lot of street takeovers.

I talked to you about that before.

We have a lot of illegal vehicles on the street and these type of issues that we already have an ordinance for.

But this is we always want to be able to give you the tools you need for any situation that arises.

I have no problems with the fine.

Hopefully, people understand it's gonna hit them in their wallet, that it would deter them from engaging in this type of behavior.

Um, I do believe that if you are there chairing something on you or an active participant, whether you're in the car or not in the car, there's very few instances like this where an innocent bystander is gonna be caught up.

Because I'm telling you, if I was walking my dog and I saw a huge gathering of cars doing their stuff, I wouldn't just stand there and watch.

I'd I would get out of there and I would make a phone call in because I have no problem with the the language that's here that actually did come from the state.

Um, and it's a direct quote.

This language is actually a direct quote from uh Lamont, as a matter of fact.

Um so I I would not seek to change this language in any way.

I think we want to hold everybody responsible who's engaging in illegal activities or encouraging, making encouraging illegal activities illegal in and of itself.

So I'm fully supportive of the language here.

Again, street takeovers aren't rampant in New Britain, but they do occur.

Um, and I just think that we need to provide the police with every opportunity to make sure we keep folks safe.

And I am concerned about elderly people, whether they're driving or walking or folks who are in wheelchairs and things like that, um, with even just the madness of of the driving that's going on, let alone any street takeovers.

And I'll just give one example.

It's not really a street takeover, but my mother was driving and uh uh a group, maybe four or five kids riding illegal vehicles on the street surrounded her car, not to stop her, but just doing their tricks and driving around her.

She's 83 years old.

That is pretty scary for a woman of her age, or for anybody actually, but in her particular case, that was pretty scary.

Um, so I think again, getting the message out illegal vehicles need to stay off our streets, and illegal activities in parking lots um need to be deterred.

So I am fully supportive of it, which is one of the reasons why I know everybody has signed on to it, um, but I jumped on it as soon as I saw it pass the state because I think it's just really important for our community just to have this on the books.

So thank you to everybody.

Yeah, and I just want to say too, it's better as a city and as a council to be forward thinking and address it right now as soon as it's been you know made official and gives us the opportunity to put something on the books, because god forbid in a year you know we wait and something comes up where we would have preferred to have it in our toolbox and don't we don't want to then revisit it.

So are there other tools that the PD have available to them regarding these incidents?

Uh besides you know the old school style of surveillance, we have been looking into a couple options, but it they are costly, and we're very cognizant of that.

Um without you know trying to go down that road if we don't have to, I'd much prefer to kind of establish everything that we possibly can first before looking to start spending money.

Mr.

Chairman Alderman McNamara.

Could I ask we move the question?

Second.

All right, we have a motion to move the question by Alderman McNamara, seconded by all the all the women belonging to Aedra.

All in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay.

All righty.

Question is being moved.

All in favor of referring back to the council with a favorable recommendation.

Please say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

All opposed, nay, nay.

Yeah, count as how many members are here.

We got one, two, three, four, five, six members.

Did you say nay?

I did say nay.

Just so six six to one.

Six to one.

It's no, it's not, it's not a joke.

Well, we do on the council's not a joke.

All right.

Motion to adjourn.

Thank you, Alderman Smedley.

Uh the motion carries, by the way.

Six one.

Uh we have a motion to adjourn, made by Alderman Smedley.

Seconded by all the women belonging to Edra.

Thank you.

All in favor, please say aye.

All opposed, nay.

We are adjourned.

The time is now six fifty-six.

Thank you.