A public hearing is scheduled for Monday night in Danbury about a proposed Storm Water Ordinance. 

City Council Minority Leader Paul Rotello says if the ordinance language is adopted as written, the new law will create onerous regulations for homeowners.  He says it gives the City the power to obtain warrants to enter private property and there will be no grandfathering and no pre-existing non-conforming protections. 

Rotello is concerned that the proposed ordinance is so extreme it contains language making it illegal to have a driveway connected to a city street and to clean a car using soap and water.  There's also a concern that leaves from homeowners’ trees washing into the street could mean homeowners are liable for that as well.  Rotello says helping to reduce pollution is a worthy goal, but unnecessarily turning every home owner into a violator is excessive and absurd.

Danbury officials are working on the plan to reduce water pollution, in order to comply with new state and federal regulations.  The regulations are connected to Danbury's municipal separate storm sewer system general permit from the state.  The ordinance is meant to allow the City to track pollution found in local waterways back to their source, and notify a polluter to work with them to fix the issue. 

The public hearing on Monday at Danbury City Hall is scheduled for 7pm.