Bristol, CT Code Violation Reporting: Common Violations (2026)

Bristol's most commonly cited property-maintenance violations trace to § 5-52(a) of Chapter 5, Article V: the exterior of every structure or accessory structure, including fences and walls, must stay free of broken glass, loose shingles, crumbling stone or brick, and any other sign of deterioration or inadequate maintenance, and outside walls cannot have holes, loose boards, or broken, cracked or damaged siding that admits rain, cold air, dampness, rodents, insects or vermin; every building must remain weather and watertight. The same section separately bars abandoned vehicles, nuisances, garbage, refuse, rubbish, infestations and filth on the exterior of the premises, and § 5-52(b) caps grass and weeds at eight inches.

Rather than leaving enforcement to a single department, § 5-55 establishes a code enforcement committee made up of the mayor, chief of police, zoning enforcement officer, director of health, fire marshal, director of public works, chief building official, and the superintendent of the water department. The committee holds regularly scheduled meetings to bring forward violations spanning building, housing, fire, health and zoning codes affecting dwellings, buildings and vacant property citywide, and makes recommendations to whichever department has enforcement authority over a given condition. Where an owner has exhausted appeal rights and a condition threatens public health, safety or property values in the neighborhood, § 5-55(c) lets the committee vote to approve a formal abatement plan carried out by city staff or a private contractor and paid from the committee's own budgeted funds, with costs recoverable from the owner and any citation appeal running through chapter 23 of the City Ordinances and Connecticut General Statutes § 7-152(c).